When the topic of acupuncture comes up, I often hear the same misconceptions. The idea of using needles to feel better seems out there to a lot of people. Because it’s such a strange concept, it’s easy to get the wrong idea. Let’s discuss some common acupuncture myths and set the record straight, once and for all.

Let’s bust some acupuncture myths

Myth #1: Dry needling is the same as acupuncture

You may have previously received intramuscular stimulation (commonly referred to as dry needling) done by a physiotherapist or chiropractor. Maybe you found it unpleasant because the needle went right into the core of the painful spot. While it works well for some people, it’s not ideal for everyone.

Acupuncturists are trained in intramuscular stimulation, but we also learn other methods to address pain without putting a needle into the sore spot. It’s always a good idea to mention previous experience you have with receiving treatments that involve needles. If you found your previous experience too painful, there are plenty of other options to address your concerns. Healthcare practitioners just want to provide you with the best treatment, whatever that may be in your particular case.

Myth #2: Acupuncture only treats musculoskeletal concerns

Most people I talk to seem to be aware that acupuncture is used for musculoskeletal concerns. But most of those people are surprised to find out that acupuncture is also used to address issues like menopause symptoms, dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps), and dyspepsia (indigestion).

The scope of the conditions treated by acupuncture reaches far beyond the ones I’ve mentioned. If you feel that your condition would benefit from more help, don’t hesitate to book a 15-Minute Discovery Session at no charge to see if acupuncture is the right fit for you.

Myth #3: Acupuncture tries to replace medical intervention

Unfortunately, there is a misconception that acupuncture tries to replace allopathic medicine. Healthcare professionals just want their patients to be healthy, however that happens. Different types of therapies have different levels of success for different types of health concerns. If you’re having a heart attack, please don’t come see me. Go straight to the ER!

Acupuncture is a great add-on to medical care. It’s meant to be an extra tool in your toolbox, not the only tool. By combining multiple different approaches, you get to experience more benefits. I encourage my patients to continue to work with their physician. I’m really just looking to complement the existing care, not replace it!

In my case, I found it extremely difficult to put Crohn’s Disease into remission without medication, especially while experiencing any form of stress. However, once remission is induced, acupuncture can help reduce relapse rates. Accessing a combination of medical and alternative treatments tends to provide the best results.

Myth #4: If the concern isn’t resolved after one appointment, acupuncture didn’t work

Can you take just one pill and be cured of anxiety? Or go to the gym once and be jacked forever? If your answer is yes, please share your secret, because that’s incredible! But all joking aside, the same idea applies to acupuncture.

It’s important to remember that acupuncture isn’t surgery. It probably won’t have drastic enough effects to resolve an issue with one appointment. This is especially true if the issue you’re dealing with is chronic. Give it time, and be ready to commit to a few treatments. If you still don’t notice any changes after a few treatments, then it may be time to consider an alternative.

Myth #5: An acupuncture treatment always involves a ton of needles

How many movies have you seen where a character gets acupuncture at a spa, and they somehow end up with 30 needles in their face? While it’s possible that some acupuncturists treat in that manner, they are certainly not the majority. Unless you’re getting a treatment specific to your face, odds are that you won’t have more than a couple of needles in your face, if at all.

Additionally, a complete treatment doesn’t have to involve massive amounts of needles. Each practitioner treats differently, so this will vary from one person to the next. Personally, I like to keep most treatments under 10 needles, usually averaging 5-7 needles for adults. Once in a while, I add in a few more needles, depending on the technique I’m using.

However, treatments don’t have to involve needles at all! Sometimes, treatments can use other tools such as cupping and gua sha. Or, we can stimulate acupuncture points using a micro-current or a laser.

Myth #6: There is no scientific data to back up acupuncture

That there is no scientific data to back up treatments is one of the most common acupuncture myths I hear from skeptics. Studies using acupuncture to treat a wide variety of conditions have been conducted. Take a look at the studies cited above for just a few examples.

Due to the nature of acupuncture, it’s difficult to conduct studies with a control group receiving a placebo. It’s pretty easy to tell whether you’ve been needled or not. For that reason, control groups in acupuncture studies tend to receive sham treatments. These treatments are done on spots that aren’t acupuncture points. Some people tend to discount results of these studies because of the lack of a traditional control group. However, many studies show a statistically significant improvement in treatment groups, when compared to control groups receiving sham treatments.

Myth #7: You can take a weekend course to become an acupuncturist

In Ontario, Alberta, BC, Quebec, and Newfoundland, as well as in almost every state in the US, acupuncture is regulated. This means that there are laws in place to determine education and practice standards for acupuncturists. These laws exist to protect the people getting treatment.

In Ontario, to become a Registered Acupuncturist, practitioners must have studied a TCM program of a minimum of 3 years full time (or the equivalent of that, if studying part time). The program has to include a minimum of 500 direct patient contact hours in clinic. Graduating does not guarantee the ability to practice in Ontario. There are 4 national board examinations to pass. Once these exams have been passed, there is an application process that involves submitting a police check, along with a number of other documents. This ensure safe practice standards.

Hopefully I was able to clarify some acupuncture myths for you! Do you still have questions about acupuncture? If so, please book a 15-Minute Discovery Session at no charge.

Whether you want to lose weight, bring your androgen levels back to a healthy level, or support your liver, alcoholic beverages can slow your progress down. But that doesn’t mean that you need to miss out on the social aspects of your life. If your friends are headed out to the bar, there are things that you can do to feel included. If you choose to drink, before leaving, set a limit to the number of beverages you can have. Then, follow these tips to make a healthier beverage selection.

Clear liquor on the rocks

Usually, when my clients try to take a guess at healthier beverage options, they say wine first. But when you take a look at what’s in wine, it’s no surprise that many people react poorly to it. Between the sulphites, the sugar, and the yeast, wine is a recipe for a headache and a bad hangover.

You may be surprised to find that many hard liquors are a better option. I’m not referring to sugar-laden options like Grand Marnier or amaretto. No, I specifically mean clear hard liquors.

Clear liquors are distilled after the fermentation process. As a result, a lot of the symptom-causing ingredients are left behind. And since no sugar is added back in, these options are (relatively) easier on your system. Safe options include:

• Vodka
• Gin
• Some rums
• Unsweetened whiskeys

Whiskey is often forgotten on the list of healthier beverage options because it’s dark. However, the darkness usually comes from the barrels where it’s aged.

Serve these drinks on a bit of ice, or drink straight. But don’t forget to pace yourself!

Healthier mixer options

If you’re more of a mixed drink kind of person, there are ways to keep drinks decently healthy. The important thing to keep in mind is that sugar isn’t a great thing to add to alcohol, health-wise.

Let’s start by finding safe mixers. Then, you can mix and match these mixers with the hard liquor listed above to make drinks to your liking. Healthier mixers include:

• Soda water
• Lacroix carbonated waters
• Zevia
• Iced coffee if you tolerate it well

You may have noticed that tonic water is NOT on the list. I can’t stress this enough. Tonic water is not any better than your average soft drink. A can of tonic water contains 32g of sugar. Soda water, on the other hand, is unsweetened.

The fun thing is that you still have so many beverage options if you want to watch your health. You could have a gin and soda with lime, a scotch on the rocks, or a martini.

You also have the option of not drinking at all. If you want to feel like you’re taking part in the social aspect of having a beverage with friends, you can order soda water with a lime. I opt for this choice often enough myself. It saves me so much money, and no one has to know I’m not drinking!

What do you like to drink when you go out?

If you have Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, you may feel like you have tried everything to feel better, to no avail. It’s true that chiropractic treatments, acupuncture, and massage can all help manage your condition. But, without addressing your nutrition, you may be missing an important piece of the puzzle.

Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and high toxins levels

While there is still a lot to discover about the two conditions, studies are linking them to high toxin levels in the body (1, 2). Though our bodies are built to break down toxins, some people struggle more than others to do so.

Think of a rain barrel. It is meant to collect raindrops. However, there is a limit to the number of drops that it can hold. Eventually it begins to overflow. That is very much how our bodies respond to toxins. When there are more toxins coming in than what our bodies can handle, symptoms begin to appear.

As you probably already know, toxins can come from outside of the body. These toxins include pesticides, harmful compounds in plastic, heavy metals, and the list goes on. However, toxins are also created inside of the body.

High toxin levels from inside the body

There are all kinds of bacteria and other organisms present in everyone’s gut. Some are healthy, some not so much. Ideally, the majority of these little guys should be the healthy kind, keeping the other guys under control. However, it is common to see an excess of the bad guys.

When there are too many of the unhealthy organisms, it is common to see digestive issues. Coincidentally, research shows that people who have Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome tend to also have digestive symptoms (3).

These harmful guys release all kinds of toxic substances into our bodies. So, even if you are limiting your external sources of toxins, you may still have an excess of toxins in your body.

With the right nutrition and supplements, the balance of good organisms to bad organisms can be reestablished, and toxins can be properly cleared out. This will help manage symptoms of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome over the longer term.

1. Wallace, Daniel J., and David S. Hallegua. “Fibromyalgia: the gastrointestinal link.” Current pain and headache reports 8.5 (2004): 364-368.
2. Maes, Michael, and Jean-Claude Leunis. “Normalization of leaky gut in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is accompanied by a clinical improvement: effects of age, duration of illness and the translocation of LPS from gram-negative bacteria.” Neuroendocrinology Letters 29.6 (2008): 902.
3. Fatima, G., S. K. Das, and A. A. Mahdi. “Oxidative stress and antioxidative parameters and metal ion content in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome: implications in the pathogenesis of the disease.” Clinical and experimental rheumatology 31.6 Suppl 79 (2012): S128-33.