Acupuncture is considered safe when administered by well-trained practitioners (McDonald & Janz, 2017). Lee-Ana completed 4 years of training with over 500 clinic hours in Chinese medicine to become a registered acupuncturist in 2007. This means she works with much more than just the musculo-skeletal realm that acupuncture has become known for in Western societies.

Fine metal needles with gentle technique are used in treatments when it comes to acupuncture and Lee-Ana is used to working with those who consider themselves ‘needle phobic’ switching between no-needle acupressure and acupuncture as required for each patient to feel comfortable. Lee-Ana may also choose stone tools for acupressure rather than metal needles where needed or wanted.
Sensations from needles and acupressure can vary widely depending on the patient but some common terms used are, achy, tingly, warm, cold, heavy, light. Sensations can also travel, referring to other parts of the body in addition to the local area being needled. Generally acupuncture allows the body and mind to relax through various bodily processes.

Various theories on how acupuncture works are compiled in a recent Cochrane review – Smith et al 2020

• Stimulates body to make endorphins (Pomeranz 1989)

• Opioids released (Ng 1992)

• Modifies/alters physiological function (Stux 1995)

• Suggested interaction of autonomic nervous system, sympathetic & peripheral nervous systems (Anderson 2012)

• Meta-analysis of studies on fMRIs show acupuncture & touch display activation and deactivation of brain areas. Deactivation areas relate to lower pain & anxiety & overlap with the area of the ‘pain matrix’. Although both acupuncture and touch create a reaction, only acupuncture creates a significant reaction (Chae 2013)

• acupuncture points are connected to or near neural structures (NS) (Zulio 2017)

• in general the western view has the idea that acupuncture activates muscle afferents activating the central nervous system leading to changes in hormones and neurochemicals possibly changing perception of pain