About Acupuncture

Acupuncture is safe, effective and backed by more than two thousand years of practice and research. It is practiced worldwide both as a primary and adjunctive treatment for a wide range of conditions. While there are somewhat standard treatment protocols for many conditions, the clinical success of acupuncture is related – at least in part – to the wide range of diagnostic signs and symptoms which are taken into effect when looking at an imbalance. For a condition such as arthritis affecting the knees, Dr. Raydon may look at your tongue, check your pulse, ask about your diet and lifestyle, palpate your spine, etc. This range of diagnostic information allows Dr. Raydon to develop a treatment strategy that is unique to you and your experience of a particular condition.

What conditions can Acupuncture treat?

People may see an acupuncturist for almost any condition, from Cancer to Shoulder Pain. Some of the more commonly treated conditions are:

• Pain anywhere in the body including headaches, migraines and trauma
• Psychological related conditions such as Depression, Stress, Anxiety and Insomnia
• Asthma and/or Allergy issues
• Weight Loss
• Quit Smoking

Female health conditions that acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medicine modalities can help:

• Dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain)

• Irregular menstrual cycle

• Short menstrual cycle

• Metrorrhagia (uterine bleeding at irregular intervals)

• Menorrhagia (heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding)

• Oligomenorrhea (infrequent or scanty menstruation)

• Amenorrhea (absence of menstrual bleeding)

• Anovulation (no ovulation)

• Endometriosis and Endometrioma related symptoms

• Uterine myoma (fibroid) related symptoms

• Ovarian cysts

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

• Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)

• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

• Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease

• Recurrent cystitis

• Vulvodynia, vulvar vestibulitis

• Recurrent candidiasis (yeast infection)

• Pregnancy related symptoms

• Perimenopause symptoms

• Adolescent gynecological issue and symptoms

• Infertility (thin uterine lining, luteal phase defect, high FSH, unexplained infertility etc.)

* Some of the above listed conditions may require conventional/naturopathic medical treatments in conjunction with acupuncture.

What will my first Acupuncture treatment be like?

Generally patients find acupuncture to be a very relaxing experience, even for those who have some initial hesitation about needles. Usually your first treatment involves quite a bit of discussion, as Dr. Raydon gathers as much information as possible to clearly understand and diagnose your issues from an oriental medicine viewpoint. The needling during the first treatment may be limited so you can become accustomed to the experience Dr. Raydon can see how you respond.

Acupuncture is simply one way of practicing oriental medicine. Within an acupuncture treatment Dr. Raydon may choose to utilize various other techniques depending on your condition and her training. These may include the following:

  Electro-acupuncture – the acupuncture needles are stimulated with an electric charge delivered from a machine. This is used often and effectively in patients dealing with pain.

  Moxibustion – this involves the burning of an herb – Artemisia Vulgaris – either on the top of a needle or above or on the skin directly. This is used often in patients who are dealing with cold or stagnant conditions such as certain types of abdominal cramps.

  Cupping – this involves the use of glass or plastic cups which are placed on the body with suction to help remove toxins and muscle tension. They are used often in patients with immune issues such as a cold as well as for pain.

What are the needles like?

The needles used within acupuncture are both sterile and extremely thin. Most people are surprised to see how thin the needles actually are. They range in width from approximately .14 mm to .30 mm and in length from 15 mm (.5 inch) to 75 mm (3 inches). The most commonly used needle is a 25 mm (1 inch) .25 mm width needle. Generally, they are inserted about 1-3 mm into the body – deeper on fleshy areas such as the buttocks.

What will I feel?

The sensation you will feel when being needled is generally fairly minimal. In some styles you will feel almost nothing, while in others the needle will be rotated slightly until you feel a heavy or distended feeling indicating the arrival of qi.

How long will the treatment last?

After the needles are inserted you are usually left to rest for a period of 10 – 45 minutes. Within some styles the needles are inserted quickly and removed immediately and in others they are left in for a longer period of time. Most people feel fairly relaxed during this period and some even fall asleep.

In many cases your treatment may consist of points on the front and back of your body so Dr. Raydon may insert needles on the front, let you rest for a while and then remove them, have you turn over and continue the treatment on your back.