Special acupuncture needles – much finer than the hypodermic needles typically found in a doctor’s office – are inserted into specific points to activate the body’s own healing powers and restore health. By needling (acupuncture) or heating these points (moxibustion), the organism is stimulated to bring itself back into balance.

When I insert the needles you will either feel nothing or something like a mosquito bite – it’s virtually painless. The needles typically stay in place for 20 to 30 minutes, during which time you either experience nothing or a mild “qi sensation”: a dull, distended, or warm feeling around the needle or along the meridian. Most patients feel relaxed during and after their treatment.

The frequency of treatments and the total number of sessions depend, among other things, on how acute, how intense, and how long-term your situation is.

Ear acupuncture is a relatively recent development – it has only been used for about 50 years, either alone or as an accompaniment to body acupuncture. The same needles are used – although sometimes shorter and even finer than those used for body acupuncture. However, the background to why certain points on the ear are chosen and where to find them is different from body acupuncture.

Look at the photo of an ear: do you see the image of the child (upside down)? I put needles in locations in the ear that correspond to locations in your body where you are experiencing symptoms or that could help relieve those symptoms, for example by activating the body’s systems to reduce inflammation or pain.