What Can Acupuncture Treat?

 

Conditions

As a gentle, holistic form of medicine that promotes the body’s natural healing responses, acupuncture can help a wide range of physical, mental, and emotional conditions. Acupuncture is perhaps best known in the U.S. for treating pain, but it can also be beneficial for many other health challenges.

Medical institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Cleveland Clinic recommend acupuncture treatment for an array of symptoms and diseases beyond pain. National Institutes of Health (NIH) studies have shown the effectiveness of acupuncture for a range of conditions, and a 2017 meta-analysis of international research on acupuncture found evidence for its effectiveness for more than 110 diseases, symptoms, or conditions, including:

  • Headaches

  • Adverse reactions from chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy

  • Musculoskeletal pain

  • Fatigue

  • Allergic rhinitis

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Menopausal hot flashes

  • Constipation or IBS

  • Post-operative pain

  • Insomnia

  • Asthma

  • Addictions

Milkweed’s Specialties

I find that acupuncture truly shines at addressing challenges that can leave people feeling discouraged, stymied, or left behind. I especially love supporting people who are experiencing:

  1. Chronic health conditions that flare in the presence of accumulated stress or environmental/situational triggers, such as rheumatoid arthritis, other autoimmune diseases, or migraines.

  2. Emotional and mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, addictions of any kind, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, or a felt sense of generalized discomfort.

  3. Complicated, atypical, or undefined conditions that don’t neatly fit into Western medical diagnoses or treatment frameworks, such as chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, digestive disturbances, or unusual or odd symptoms that feel as though something is just “not right.”

  4. Women’s health challenges, such as infertility, pregnancy issues, postpartum depression, menstrual challenges, and symptoms associated with menopause.

  5. A sense of diminished vitality, such as low energy or low libido.

  6. Sub-clinical or early-stage issues, easing discomfort and preventing them from developing into something more serious.

  7. Health conditions for which other therapies and interventions have not provided relief.

Prevention

Acupuncture excels as a preventative medicine and at supporting ongoing inner development. Once specific issues have been addressed, I recommend seasonal or monthly “tune-ups” to promote long-term wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit.