Dr. Carol Revak, NMD

Whether acupuncture can help depends on the cause of your enlarged uterus. If you haven’t yet gotten a medical diagnosis as to the reason for your enlarged uterus, it is important to determine this with your doctor. The most common causes of an enlarged uterus are uterine fibroids and adenomyosis.

Uterine fibroids are benign growths of the uterus that rarely become cancerous. Size varies from very small to quite large. Fibroids often appear during childbearing years, typically grow under the influence of estrogen and usually resolve after menopause. The Mayo Clinic website lists other possible causes as genetic changes in normal uterine muscle cells or changes in growth factors that stimulate the growth of tissues. Many women have found that using acupuncture/electro-acupuncture, Chinese herbs, dietary protocols and essential oils to be effective at helping to shrink fibroids.

Adenomyosis enlarges the uterus when endometrial tissue that lines the uterus invades the muscular wall of the uterus. The cause remains unknown, but also usually resolves after menopause. There is not a great deal of research on the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating adenomyosis, but a study published in the December 2014 issue of World Journal of Acupuncture - Moxibustion reports 100% effectiveness using acupuncture treatment of 23 cases of adenomyosis.

Acupuncture is very effective in relieving stress. It is rewarding to watch the relaxation response that occurs after inserting the needles. Chinese Medicine explains that this results from correcting underlying imbalances in meridians and organs. Modern research has shown that acupuncture releases endorphins and balances the stress hormone response.

That is a great question because frequency of treatments is one important factor in getting success with acupuncture.

Initially having several treatments in a row (1-3 times a week for 3-4 weeks) is usually best. Sessions done closer together can build on each other, providing deeper and more sustained relief of anxiety.

After completing the initial treatment series, monthly maintenance sessions are often recommended. However, you may find that your current timetable of once every three months is sufficient to sustain the results you seek. Let that be your guide.

Fibromyalgia (FM) symptoms can include changes in physical function and well-being, fatigue, sleep challenges, stiffness and pain. While some studies found that acupuncture provides relief even for severe FM, other studies found no benefit. Some researchers have put this contradiction down to the many variables involved in FM, differences in study design and patient study groups.

Although not every person receiving acupuncture has reported the same level of success, the fact that there are relatively few to no side effects suggests that acupuncture is surely worth a try to see if you can benefit.

In terms of the 'how does it help'…a March, 2018 study published in the journal Pain Medicine examined the effects of acupuncture on FM symptoms. The researchers found changes in two chemicals that may explain the improvement of pain. There was an increase in serum serotonin, sometimes called the happy chemical, while there was a decrease in levels of substance P, thought to be involved in transmission of pain and other nerve impulses.

Along with blood pressure readings, an acupuncturist treats hypertension by first making a pattern diagnosis. The acupuncturist will determine your particular pattern by examining your tongue and pulse(s), along with history taking, observation and examination. This makes for a very successful and individualized treatment as two people with the same high blood pressure numbers may receive very different acupuncture treatments.

The number of treatments you need for the best results will be determined by your acupuncturist. Hypertension is a condition that also benefits greatly when Chinese herbs are part of the treatment plan, when appropriate. Give it a try!

Wear loose clothing. If you have any questions regarding your health, write them down and take to your appointment, so you don't forget. Make sure you have eaten something the day of your appointment as acupuncture moves energy and you don't want to be light-headed from low blood sugar. It's nice to take a relaxing shower before your visit.

If an underlying medical condition has been ruled out, you may want to see an acupuncturist. The acupuncture practitioner will employ the four pillars (looking, listening, touching, asking) and eight principles (yin, yang, exterior, interior, heat, cold, deficiency, excess). After this assessment, the acupuncturist will be able to determine if you have a pattern imbalance that acupuncture can help.

Back pain is the number one reported reason people seek acupuncture. Chinese Medicine considers stagnation of qi and blood significant factors in causing pain in the body. Releasing blocked energy and increasing blood flow can give relief in pain syndromes.

Aside from the local (low back) effects in pain relief, acupuncture stimulates the release of chemicals such as endorphins, natural opioids and other neurochemicals that affect pain. Additionally, acupuncture supports the body’s natural healing abilities and helps the body-mind to relax.

There are several different acupuncture techniques that can be used to treat back pain. Both local points (low back) and distal points (other areas of the body) have the ability to give relief. Some acupuncturists use electro-acupuncture (needles are attached to a device that generates continuous electric pulses using small clips), while others use needles without electrical stimulation. The technique used for your low back pain will depend on the style used by the acupuncturist you choose.

Acupuncture for weight loss is very popular and can be very successful. Acupoints on the abdomen support digestion, elimination and metabolism. Acupoints on the ear help reduce hunger and stress eating.

Studies have shown that electro-acupuncture (needles are attached to a device that generates continuous electric pulses using small clips) can balance hormones such as leptin, resistin and adiponectin that are involved in hunger, satiety, blood sugar balance and metabolism.

Acupuncture treatments for weight loss are done in a series of sessions until the desired weight goal is achieved. The addition of Chinese herbs adds to successful outcomes.

Cupping is a therapy that can be traced back to ancient cultures. It involves placing cups made of various material on the skin to create suction. By bringing more blood flow to the area, it can relieve pain and muscle tension, increase blood circulation and promote healing of tissues.

Cupping can be very relaxing and help an athlete’s muscles work at optimal level especially if they are tense. For helping the mind to focus, acupuncture may be a better choice, as it releases endorphins and balances other neurotransmitters for the mental benefits you seek.

I love this question, as it demonstrates the versatility of acupuncture whether used alone or with other medicines.

Acupuncture as a stand alone therapy has been shown to be effective while eliminating the risk of potential side effects from pharmaceutical medications.

When used with pharmaceutical medications, acupuncture can improve the effectiveness of drugs, help minimize/eliminate drug reactions and in many cases reduce the need for medications.

Adding Chinese herbal medicine to acupuncture can enhance effectiveness, as both focus treatment on a person’s patterns of disharmony.

Thanks for thinking about acupuncture for your child. The techniques used on children are usually different than acupuncture for adults.

Because the curative power of acupuncture lies in the body’s acupuncture points, needles are just one of many ways to access the qi. Some practitioners do use needles with children, but the needles are withdrawn quickly and not retained.

Other options to access the qi include acupressure, tuning forks applied to the points, acubeads that adhere to the points, and light or laser application.

Using acupuncture modalities with children can be quite successful as the body’s vital force is generally stronger in the young. Check with acupuncturists in your area to determine who might work with children.

The Mayo Clinic website states that chronic fatigue syndrome is a complicated disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that can't be explained by any underlying medical condition.

This is a case where the power of acupuncture can shine. Despite the lack of an underlying medical diagnosis, a Chinese Medical practitioner develops a treatment plan based on patterns of imbalance, gained through inquiry and external observation.

Acupuncture can help improve energy (qi) on many levels. It can treat infectious processes, balance hormones and neurotransmitters, help improve sleep, reduce stress and restore digestive function to extract nutrition from food.

Of course, it is important to rule out any underlying health problems that may be contributing to fatigue.

That’s a great question. Pain isn’t always a given with acupuncture. There are many different styles of acupuncture. More aggressive styles seek to elicit a “qi response” by twisting or flicking the acupuncture needle after it is inserted. Some people might experience a bit of discomfort, while other may enjoy the feeling as a gentle current that signals the qi flow.

Gentler styles are less invasive, use thinner needles and don’t manipulate the needle after it is inserted. The qi flow is usually felt as a general sense of relaxation and sometimes euphoria.

Acupuncture is very helpful in treating stress and headaches, by the way. To find an acupuncturist that is the best fit for you, call some local acupuncturists and ask about their type of practice. You may be surprised to discover that rather than pain, there is a feeling of relief and well-being.

In my clinical experience, treating gastrointestinal issues is an area where acupuncture and/or Chinese herbal therapy excels. Problems with digestion could range from issues like acid reflux, nausea and vomiting to inflammatory processes, constipation, loose stools, infectious processes, etc. The success in treating digestive issues with acupuncture is because each patient will receive an individualized plan regardless of the specific complaint. I highly recommend you give it a try.

Besides acupoints on the body, there is a specific set of acupoints on the ears that help a person stop smoking or quit other addictive substances such as alcohol and drugs. During a session, small, stainless-steel, disposable acupuncture needles are inserted into 5 points on the outer surface of each ear.

Multiple studies have confirmed the effectiveness of the NADA ear protocol, named after the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association where it was developed. Clients report reductions in cravings, stress, anxiety, minimized withdrawal symptoms, better sleep, and less desire to continue the addictive behavior. Check out the website acudetox.com to learn more about this successful treatment.

Acupuncture treats both the physical symptoms as well as the various causes of TMJ disorders by balancing the meridians that go through the jaw and also by releasing related acupuncture points on other parts of the body. It helps relieve pain that can occur when chewing, swallowing and speaking and also relaxes the ligaments, tendons, muscles and bones involved in TMJ dysfunction.

A main reason for acupuncture’s successful treatment of arthritis results from the traditional way of viewing the body from it’s root imbalances. It restores the flow of qi and blood to increase joint mobility, while releasing any “pathogenic factors” (wind, cold, damp or heat) that cause pain and inflammation. Mechanisms of pain reduction include increasing the body’s natural pain-reducing chemicals (endorphins), blocking pain signals from the nervous system to the brain and generally relaxing body and mind. When appropriate, a practitioner will also apply heat through a far-infrared lamp or a Moxa stick (dried mugwort) to increase the success of the treatment.

Yes! Sweat is considered a fundamental substance according to the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Too much or too little sweating is a symptom that helps identify one of several different patterns of disharmony within the body.  One reason for the success of Chinese Medicine (acupuncture and/or Chinese herbs) in treating problems with sweating, is because each person is treated according to their own unique pattern imbalance.

Yes, it can help improve energy on many levels. Acupuncture can balance hormones and neurotransmitters, help improve sleep, reduce stress and restore digestive function to extract nutrition from food. Of course, it is important to rule out any underlying health problems that may be contributing to fatigue.