Acupuncture
What Is Acupuncture?
Does Acupuncture Hurt? NO!
Why Choose Acupuncture?
Most people who see Dr. Kane for acupuncture are there because nothing else has worked to make them feel better, and though the concept of choosing to rest with needles sticking out of them sounds uncomfortable, they’re willing to try anything. Most people return for acupuncture because whatever was ailing them is feeling better, with “side effects” in many cases of increased energy and decreased stress.
Perhaps acupuncture often relieves conditions that don't respond well to conventional medicine because acupuncture diagnosis and treatment has always considered the person as a whole in relation to their environment. Unlike conventional medicine, which tends to separate the mind, body, and spirit, the acupuncture practitioner recognizes that nothing occurs in isolation. The thoughts you think, the emotions you feel, and the actions you do all affect your health and well-being and ability to heal.
Every acupuncture point has a physical, mental, and emotional component. Every acupuncture meridian (energy pathway) is associated with an emotion, time of day, season of the year, color, taste, food, and more. Patients will often be surprised to learn that the path of pain in their body is following the course of an acupuncture meridian, the time of day when their pain is at its worst correlates to the time that meridian is most active, or it correlates to the dominant emotion in their life.
All of this information is diagnostic AND therapeutic. It helps to determine the causes of the problem, and to resolve the problem. Dr. Kane doesn't simply choose acupuncture points located around the area of pain, though that is helpful. She will also choose acupuncture points that support general healing and help to bring balance to the body, mind, and spirit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although it is not yet fully understood how acupuncture works, research shows that needles applied to specific acupuncture points decrease the flow of blood to areas of the brain that process pain and affect mood and cravings. Research also shows that acupuncture boosts the level of endorphins, the body's natural opiates. This explains acupuncture's remarkable success with pain control. Acupuncture has also been shown to increase the levels of serotonin in the body, enhancing feelings of well-being.
Researchers have developed several hypotheses regarding why acupuncture works. One hypothesis is that the needles stimulate the nerves, causing the brain to release hormones that increase the pain threshold. Another hypothesis is that acupuncture reduces inflammation, which leads to pain reduction. Yet another hypothesis is that the needles stimulate the brain to secrete nerve growth factor, helping conditions such as chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.
This depends on the nature and severity of your condition. An acute problem may be resolved with just a few acupuncture sessions, while long term chronic problems may take several months to heal.
Yes, acupuncture is very safe when performed by a licensed practitioner. Dr. Kane has extensive training in anatomy and physiology, and she uses sterilized, individually packaged, and disposable needles. Each needle is used only once, thereby eliminating the possibility of contamination.
- Nervous system and muscular disorders including headaches and migraines, trigeminal neuralgia, peripheral neuropathy, Meniere's disease, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, sciatica, low back pain, hip pain, knee pain, and foot pain
- Respiratory problems such as the common cold, acute and chronic sinusitis, rhinitis, bronchitis, and asthma
- Gastrointestinal disorders including constipation and diarrhea
- Arthritic disorders including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout
