What does acupuncture treat?

It is a common question, I hear it all the time.
All acupuncturists hear it.
All the time.

Can acupuncture treat backache, asthma, assist weight loss, depression……?
Can acupuncture help me with my memory, my lack of energy, my annoying boyfriend  ..?
Will acupuncture cure my urinary infection, reduce my appetite, erase my wrinkles, take 20 years off my knees.....    ?

These are good questions.
Worthwhile questions.
Sensible questions.
But, I want to let you on a little secret…

Acupuncture
does not cure disease!

Surprised?
After all, why would anyone seek us out if they were not experiencing discomfort in their lives?

What is more, if acupuncture does not cure disease, then explain what happened to my Aunt Jody’s back pain after her 6 acupuncture treatments? She no longer gripes about her knees as much either.
What about my brother’s neighbor that found acupuncture can control the numbness in his feet from diabetic neuropathy; and please explain why cousin Molly sought out acupuncture for her asthma and ended up getting rid of that annoying bloating that used to occur after every meal?
If acupuncture does not treat illness, when why are these people getting better?


It is like this, us Chinese medicine practitioners don’t use acupuncture to treat disease.
We use it to treat people!

We don’t just focus on what is “wrong”, we also in our process of diagnosis and treatment look to see what is “right”. In fact, there are plenty of times, simply by boosting what is “right” the body on its own takes care of what is “wrong”.

Increasingly this is becoming a common Western medicine idea as well.
What is better, killing germs with drugs, or having a robust immune system that just does its job, and does it well?

Without resorting to arcane Chinese medical language, it can simply be stated that acupuncture does not do anything other than stimulate the healing mechanisms in your own body to bring it into a state of equilibrium and health.

Acupuncture simply calls forth your body’s own innate and brilliant healing response.