08/31/2026
It’s not just needles. It’s not just pain. And no, you don’t have to “believe” in it.
There is thousands of years of clinical experience behind TCM, alongside a growing body of modern research trying to understand exactly how acupuncture works.
And honestly? That’s one of the things I love most about what I do — getting to work somewhere between ancient medicine and modern science.
Save this for the next time someone tells you acupuncture is “just placebo.” 😉
Acupuncture has been researched for far more than musculoskeletal pain — including migraine, nausea, osteoarthritis, menstrual symptoms, fertility and more.
It’s one of my favourite things about TCM: we’re not limited to treating one symptom at a time.
You don’t have to believe in acupuncture for your nervous system to respond to it.
Research comparing acupuncture with sham acupuncture has found meaningful differences in outcomes — which is one reason the “it’s just placebo” explanation is a little more complicated than people think.
Your headache doesn’t exist in isolation. Neither does your period, digestion, sleep, stress, or energy.
This is one of the foundations of TCM: we look at the whole pattern, not just the loudest symptom.
Two people can walk into my clinic with the same diagnosis and receive completely different treatments.
Your symptoms, constitution, tongue, pulse, history, and what’s happening in your body right now all help guide your treatment.
There is no one-size-fits-all acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture has been shown to influence the autonomic nervous system — the part of your nervous system involved in things like stress, heart rate, digestion, and your body’s “fight or flight” response.
Sometimes people come in for pain and leave saying:
“I don’t know what you did, but I feel SO relaxed.” or
“I can’t believe I fell asleep with a whole bunch of needles in.”
Acupuncture needles are extremely thin — often around 0.16–0.25 mm in diameter.
(Like the width of a human hair)
For comparison, a standard hypodermic injection needle is substantially thicker.
You might feel a tiny pinch, warmth, heaviness, tingling, or a dull sensation — but “painful” isn’t the goal.
Okay, l