How Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Work
(And why they’re still around after 2,000 years)
If you’ve ever wondered how exactly acupuncture works, or what people mean when they say “Chinese medicine,” you’re not alone. These healing practices can seem mysterious at first — especially if you're more familiar with Western medicine. But once you start to understand the principles behind them, it all starts to click.
As a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful this medicine can be — not just for pain, but for sleep, digestion, mental health, and more. So let’s break it down.
What Is Chinese Medicine?
Chinese medicine is a complete, holistic medical system that’s been used for thousands of years to prevent illness, treat disease, and support long-term health. It includes several key modalities:
Acupuncture
Chinese herbal medicine
Cupping, gua sha, moxibustion, and bodywork
Food therapy and lifestyle guidance
At its core, Chinese medicine looks at the patterns of imbalance in the body — not just isolated symptoms — and works to bring your entire system back into alignment.
So How Does Acupuncture Actually Work?
Acupuncture involves inserting hair-thin needles into carefully chosen points on the body to help restore balance, regulate the nervous system, and stimulate the body’s natural healing mechanisms.
From a modern biomedical perspective, we now know that acupuncture:
Stimulates the nervous system
Increases blood flow and oxygen to tissues
Releases endorphins
Regulates the stress response
Influences the immune and endocrine (hormonal) systems
In other words, it taps into your body’s own intelligence and helps it do what it’s designed to do: heal.
A Personalized, Whole-Person Approach
One of the most powerful things about Chinese medicine is that it sees every person as unique. Two people with the same condition — say, migraines or digestive issues — might receive very different treatments, depending on their body’s underlying patterns, constitution, and lifestyle.
That’s why during your first visit, we spend time talking about your full health picture — sleep, digestion, stress, cycles, energy, emotional state — not just the one symptom that brought you in. It’s all connected.
Chinese Herbal Medicine: Internal Support for Healing
In addition to acupuncture, I often recommend custom herbal formulas that support your treatment goals from the inside out. Chinese herbs are combined into balanced formulas tailored to your specific needs, whether you’re working on pain, hormone balance, digestion, energy, or immune health.
Herbs work synergistically with acupuncture and help regulate internal systems gently and effectively.
Why People Keep Coming Back
People often come to acupuncture for one issue — like back pain, anxiety, or fatigue — and stay because they feel better in ways they didn’t expect. Sleep improves. Mood lifts. Digestion smooths out. You start feeling more like yourself again.
That’s the beauty of Chinese medicine: it doesn’t just mask symptoms — it works to restore your body’s natural balance and resilience.
Curious if acupuncture and Chinese medicine could help you?
Whether you're managing stress, recovering from an injury, or just want to feel more balanced in your body, I’d love to support you on your path. Every treatment is personalized, grounded in both ancient wisdom and modern understanding — and always centered around you.
