Acupuncture

What Is Acupuncture?

Gentle Precision, Whole-Body Healing

Acupuncture is more than just placing needles in the skin — it’s a conversation with your body’s internal rhythms. Rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), acupuncture is a time-tested practice that uses ultra-fine needles inserted at specific points to restore balance, ease pain, regulate hormones, and support both physical and emotional wellbeing. Many people describe the experience as deeply calming — like entering a dreamlike or meditative state.

While acupuncture can certainly help with pain, its scope is far more comprehensive. It works by supporting the body’s ability to self-regulate and rebalance. Whether you're navigating stress, digestive discomfort, hormonal changes, or fatigue, acupuncture gently nudges the body back into harmony.

What Acupuncture Can Help With:

• Pain relief (e.g., back pain, migraines, neck and shoulder tension)

• Nervous system regulation (e.g., stress, anxiety, insomnia)

• Hormonal balance (e.g., PMS, menstrual pain, perimenopause symptoms)

• Mental clarity and mood (e.g., low mood, emotional resilience)

• Digestive health, fatigue, and immune support

How It Works: The Science

Modern research shows that acupuncture:

• Activates the nervous system and releases natural chemicals like endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and enkephalins that help reduce pain and improve mood.

• Engages the parasympathetic nervous system (the "rest-and-digest" state), which promotes deep relaxation and healing.

• Modulates inflammation and supports immune function.

• Influences brain regions associated with pain modulation, emotional regulation, and sensory integration. (as seen on fMRI scans).

These findings support acupuncture’s effects on both body and mind, and explain why it’s used for a wide range of conditions — from physical pain to emotional imbalances and stress-related concerns.

Interestingly, the skin shares the same embryological origin as the brain, and it's richly embedded with receptors — acting almost like a third brain. Because acupuncture stimulates these layers of the skin, it may help explain why this therapy has such profound effects on both body and mind. (Want to learn more? Read my article on the skin as a third brain)

A System Based on Nature

Acupuncture is based on the foundational principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine, including Yin-Yang theory and the Five Element theory. These frameworks view the body as a dynamic system constantly adapting to internal and external forces. Yin and Yang reflect the opposing, yet complementary, forces in nature and in us: rest and activity, cold and heat, night and day. Health arises when these forces are in balance.

Similarly, the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) correspond to seasons, emotions, organs, and physiological processes. This system recognises that we are part of the natural world, not separate from it. We know this intuitively: how winter can affect mood (e.g., seasonal depression), how spring brings allergies, or how damp weather can worsen joint pain.

In TCM, external influences like wind, dampness, cold or heat are thought to affect us only if our internal Qi (vital energy) is weak or out of balance. When your body’s defenses are strong, you're more resilient to what's happening around you. That’s why TCM isn’t just about fixing what’s broken, it’s about maintaining balance before illness arises.

My Philosophy at Bodyssey

Health isn’t a destination — it’s a journey, an odyssey. Through acupuncture, we can help the body recalibrate, reconnect with its own rhythm, and move toward a more vibrant, balanced state of being. My approach is to support you not just when symptoms appear, but as part of your ongoing path to wellness.

Whether you're seeking relief, regulation, or restoration, acupuncture offers a gentle yet powerful way to reconnect with your body's innate wisdom.

References:

1. Acupuncture modulates temporal neural responses in wide brain networks: Evidence from fMRI study. Molecular Pain, 6(1), 73.

2. Cabyoglu M.T., Ergene N., & Tan U. (2006). The mechanism of acupuncture and clinical applications. International Journal of Neuroscience, 116(2), 115–125.

3. Zhao ZQ. Neural mechanism underlying acupuncture analgesia. Prog Neurobiol.

4. Tu JF et al. Effect of Adjunctive Acupuncture on Pain Relief Among Emergency Department Patients With Acute Renal Colic Due to Urolithiasis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open. August 2022

5. Liu K, Jiang JF, Lu SF. [Effect characteristics and mechanism of acupuncture in autonomic nerve regulation]. Zhen Ci Yan Jiu. 2021 Apr 25

6. Zhao FY et al. Acupuncture for comorbid depression and insomnia in perimenopause: A feasibility patient-assessor-blinded, randomized, and sham-controlled clinical trial. Front Public Health. February 2023

7. Fan J, Lu W, Tan W, et al. Effectiveness of Acupuncture for Anxiety Among Patients With Parkinson Disease: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2022

8. Yin X. et al. (2017). Efficacy and safety of acupuncture treatment on primary insomnia: a randomized controlled trial. Sleep Medicine