If acupuncture seems like something better performed on voodoo dolls, you may not be aware of the practice’s long historical tradition, and its more recent embrace by mainstream medicine.
This week on “Take Care,” Dr. Pina LoGiudice, a physician with training in naturopathic medicine and acupuncture, discusses how acupuncture works, and what it is used of. LoGiudice was also a pre-doctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health.
Acupuncture is a philosophy of medicine discovered centuries ago in Asia. LoGiudice says is based on the idea that we have meridians within our bodies.
“I like to call them little highways in our body,” she says.
LoGiudice says these meridians can help the body heal itself. Acupuncture needles are used to encourage the body to make the changes it needs to do to be healthier, to balance the immune system or fight disease.
To continue with the highway metaphor, LoGiodice says ever meridian in the body, like a highway, has an exit point. Those exit points are where acupuncture needles are placed. There are over 400 acupuncture points in the body.
When a patient meets with an acupuncturist, he or she first talks to the patient about what’s going on. The acupuncturist feels the patient’s pulse and looks at their tongue. Then, they are able to narrow down a Chinese medicine diagnose which determines which acupuncture points should be used.
LoGiudice says that despite what many people think, acupuncture needles don’t hurt. She describes the needles as being so fine, they are just as thick as a human hair. And, they really only are inserted millimeters into the skin. LoGiudice says when the needles are inserted into areas of the body where the skin is thin, like by the ankle, the patient might feel a slight pinch when the needle goes in.
LoGiudice says acupuncture provides a very individualized medical care for the patient.
In addition, there are different even schools of acupuncture -- Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai.
Most people equate acupuncture as being used just for pain syndromes. But LoGiudice says it is also commonly used for infertility, digestive issues, broken bones and auto immune issues.
But, LoGiudice says, acupuncture is not a one-shot deal. She says normally she recommends treatment once a week for 6-8 weeks. If the treatment is working, then patients can reduce the number of visits gradually.
But acupuncture is not for everybody. LoGiudice says if it’s not working after 6-8 weeks, it doesn’t mean that acupuncture doesn’t work, it just may not be the tool that patient’s body needs to heal at that time.
Acupuncturists obtain a master’s degree in a 3-4 year program. Then they are nationally certified and they need a state licence to practice.
LoGiudice says that while many Americans may still feel squeamish about acupuncture, it’s well-researched and documented how well it can work.