An acupuncturist is a trained and skilled health care professional who has studied traditional Chinese medicine to treat health issues in the form of acupuncture. Acupuncturists treat a wide variety of health problems that might surprise you. For example, your acupuncturist probably has experience treating fertility issues, mental health issues, addiction and neurological issues, as well as many physical complaints. Acupuncture has been practised in China for over 2000 years.
What Does An Acupuncturist Do?
Traditionally, an acupuncturist delivers treatment by inserting a series of very thin needles into the skin to specific depths. The needles are inserted at specific acupuncture points, depending on the issue to be treated. These specific points have been studied and identified to help heal pain, promote healing, and improve health as they are stimulated.
Our Hong Kong acupuncturist, Sharon Leng, has also had great results treating stress, skin disorders, and weight management. She uses acupuncture as an anti-ageing treatment, and offers acupuncture facials that her clients claim helps them look (and feel) younger.
But What About Those Needles?
The sterile acupuncture needles themselves are usually made of stainless steel, but in some cases, silver or gold needles are used. In traditional Chinese medicine, there were nine different types of acupuncture needles used for different situations. Needles are used one-time only, and then disposed of as biohazard waste. In the United States, the FDA classifies acupuncture needles as medical devices.
“There’s nothing magical about acupuncture. Many of these [alternative] techniques, including acupuncture, they all work by activating the body’s own self-healing.”
– Ka-Kit Hui, MD, founder and director of the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine.
What Do The Acupuncture Needles Actually Do?
What’s happening during your acupuncture treatment is that certain energy paths or meridians are being cleared and/or stimulated. Acupuncture is focused on increasing the flow of Qi or energy throughout your body.
Laser Acupuncture Uses No Needles
Modern acupuncturists sometimes don’t use needles at all, since some new patients can be nervous about them. Instead, they use laser acupuncture which skips the needles altogether. If you’ve never tried acupuncture, be assured that there is typically little to no pain involved from the needles – in fact, many patients find them invigorating. If you prefer, however, you can request laser acupuncture when you call our office for an appointment: In Hong Kong, call (+852) 2523 8044.
Other Methods Acupuncturists Use
Other treatments your acupuncturist may employ include acupressure, which involves the use of fingers or another object to stimulate acupuncture points, Gua Sha (also called scraping), which involves rubbing the pre-oiled skin with a ceramic spoon or other device, or cupping. Cupping involves placing cups made of thick glass at specific points on the skin and creating a vacuum within them to stimulate blood flow or draw out toxins. Many acupuncturists use a little massage in their treatments, and may also offer nutritional advice.
Are There Side Effects Of Acupuncture?
One of the reasons that acupuncture is the preferred treatment for many of our patients is that it is very low in side effects, in comparison to many prescription remedies. There can be some minor side effects, including:
- soreness
- light bruising
- fatigue
- lightheadedness
- mood swings brought on by emotional release
Top Treatments To Consult An Acupuncturist For
While acupuncturists treat many conditions, some of the most effective results have been in the following areas.
- back pain
- neck pain
- chronic pain
- chronic headache
- shoulder pain
- osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease
If you struggle with any of these, and haven’t yet tried acupuncture – book with our Hong Kong acupuncturist today at (+852) 2523 8044!
