+ What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is an ancient medical tradition from China and has been practiced and passed down through ancestral lineages for thousands of years. It utilizes extremely thin, sterile, disposable needles (as thin as a human hair) that are placed into specific points in the body. There are over 350 acupuncture points on 14 main meridians in the body. These points and meridians correspond to specific organs, neural pathways, and body functions and are chosen based on a diagnosis of your condition. This diagnosis is made after carefully examining your symptoms and all other systems in your body to gather a clearer picture of your overall health. Remember that your body is not a series of disconnected systems.

+ What can acupuncture treat? Is it just for pain relief?

What a great question. This is one of my favorite things to talk about. Many people associate acupuncture with pain relief, which it is really great for, but it can actually be used for many other things. In fact, over 31 different disorder categories are recognized by the World Health Organization as treatable by acupuncture. Some of these include gynecology and fertility, neurological conditions such as headaches, paralysis, cardiovascular disorders, respiratory conditions such as sinusitis and asthma, digestive system disorders including ulcers and gastritis, urogenital disorders, joint disease, skin conditions, eye conditions, musculoskeletal disorders, psychological disorders and so much more!

Some of our favorite things to treat at Copal are: menstrual pain and irregularity, postpartum care, emotional health and trauma support, chronic pain, acute injuries (like a sprained ankle), and digestive complaints.

If you have any questions about whether or not your specific health concern is treatable, please email or call. If we can’t help you we will happily refer you to someone we think will be a great fit.

+ How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system (the rest and digest healing state) and decreases our sympathetic nervous system response (the fight or flight state). It increases blood flow to areas of injury and to the organs, activates immune system cells, decreases inflammation, and creates homeostasis in the body. By placing a needle into the body we are placing an additional input into the system. In relation to pain, this input travels along the same nerve pathways as pain, but these nerve receptors travel much faster than pain sensation. This allows the brain to receive the message from the needle, via the spinal cord, to release pain relieving and feel-good neurotransmitters such as endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, and endogenous opioids, essentially overriding the sensation of pain in the body. Isn’t that awesome?!

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views the body as a whole. It does not distinguish between your mental health and your digestive health because these systems (and all systems) are interconnected. Chinese medicine looks at the constitution of a person, their presenting symptoms or health concerns, and all other systems in the body. During your treatment we will ask questions about your sleep, mood, urination/bowel patterns, sweating, breathing, and body pains, among other things. This allows us to get a complete picture of your health as a whole person. Makes sense, doesn’t it? These presentations follow unique patterns that indicate various imbalances in the body. We then use our knowledge and tool kit to find the best approach to help you feel better. Your body knows how to heal and return to homeostasis. Sometimes it just needs a little help. That's what we do.

+ Does acupuncture hurt?

Acupuncture is not particularly painful but it isn't sensationless either, though many patients don’t even know the needle has been inserted. Your treatment might include some normal sensations like a dull ache, sensation of warmth, or a radiating sensation away from the needle, which are all good signs. There are times where it might feel like a quick needle prick or sharp on areas of the body that have more nerve endings and we will adjust the needle in that case. We will walk you through what to expect, but just remember that an acupuncture needle is markedly thinner than a typical needle you would see at the doctor’s office. You can fit 30 acupuncture needles into the tip of a hypodermic needle (the type of needle used for an injection). Many patients feel so relaxed during their treatment they fall asleep quite quickly. Some of my most restful naps have been twenty minutes spent on an acupuncture table.

+ How should I prepare for a treatment?

Make sure to eat something an hour or so before your treatment. You don’t want to get a treatment when you haven't eaten in a while but also not when your stomach is very full. I don't recommend treatments during times of fasting. Please let your practitioner know if you have not had anything to eat as we often keep snacks in the office for emergency situations. Wear loose fitting clothing so we can reach various points on the body. Pants that can be pulled up over the knee, short sleeves or a tank, and pants without a buttoned waistband are preferred. If we need to get to locations on your body that we cannot access with your clothing, we provide gowns and linens. Come to your appointment with questions. We love to talk about what we do and want you to be as comfortable as possible.

+ How long does the effect of an acupuncture treatment last?

Every person reacts differently. Some people find complete relief from symptoms with only a couple treatments. Other issues require a longer course of treatment. We will discuss your individual treatment plan once we see how your body responds.

+ Are acupuncture and herbs safe?

Acupuncture is extremely safe when practiced by trained professionals. As an acupuncturist graduating from the Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine, students complete a three year, year-round, graduate program with over 1200 in-person clinic hours before graduation, and continued education once we are licensed. Be aware that not all acupuncturists receive the same kind of education.

We take safety and cleanliness very seriously. We use high quality, sterile, single-use acupuncture needles and have been certified in the Clean Needle Technique.

Chinese Herbal Medicine is very safe when practiced by a trained herbalist. Herbal medicine has been used for thousands of years and has enormous amounts of case studies and lengthy observational studies in its use in all demographics of patients. Not all herbs are appropriate to use with all people, so it is important to know who is prescribing your herbs.

+ Is acupuncture safe during pregnancy?

Acupuncture is extremely safe during pregnancy when practiced by a trained professional. There are traditional points that are contraindicated during pregnancy and we do not use them during treatment. That is, until you want to prepare for labor.

+ How many treatments will I need?

One of the most wonderful things about this medicine is how individualized each treatment is. Everyone’s bodies are different and will react differently to acupuncture and herbs. Some will respond and heal quite quickly while another, more chronic, issue may take additional time to resolve. We will create a treatment plan in order to give you the best idea of how long we think it will take to resolve your particular, individual, health concern(s). We just have to meet you first.

+ What if I’m terrified of needles?

If the idea of needles is just something you are not ready for, but you still want to experience the benefits of this medicine, we have options for you. We can use Japanese acupuncture techniques that do not require that the needle be placed into the body (it is all done on the surface of the skin and is painless), body work/massage, cupping, moxibustion (warming treatment), and herbal medicine. East Asian Medicine has a lot to offer outside of acupuncture needles.

+ How long is your training?

Mary Wood attended a three year, year-round, graduate program at the Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine. This intensive program included over 1200 in-person clinic hours under various practitioner supervisors. She also completed coursework specific to herbal medicine and herbal medicine specific clinic hours. These clinic hours included a four month virtual preceptorship with five different skilled herbalists treating various conditions, including COVID-19.

Something to note is not all acupuncturists practice the same style, learned from the same teachers, or get the same education. Some schools only teach community style acupuncture (multiple people treated in one room with less one on one time with the practitioner), others teach a five element style (more protocol based and the practitioner does not leave the treatment room), while others are strictly Japanese style (gentle needling styles or non-insertion of needles). There is so much to learn about this medicine and so many ways to deepen your understanding, so getting the right practitioner for you may take a couple tries (much like choosing a primary care doctor or therapist). Feel free to ask us questions about our style, education, and specialties.

+ How is "dry needling" different than acupuncture?

Technically, "dry needling" IS acupuncture. Typically performed by Physical Therapists, "dry needling" uses acupuncture needles to treat musculoskeletal issues via motor points and trigger points in the muscle. This training is done by PTs through continuing education courses that vary in length. It is important to know what training someone has in acupuncture, so don't be afraid to ask.

As a licensed acupuncturist, I completed over 1200 in-person clinic hours and 3 years of coursework. I have specific training needling not just musculoskeletal disorders, but all cautions and contraindications around needling areas of the body and even overtreating patients (there is such a thing as too many needles at one time).

There are broader issues at play here around who should be allowed to give acupuncture to patients and the law varies state to state.

+ Will insurance pay for my treatment?

We are currently in-network with Regence, Aetna, United Healthcare, TriWest, and Premera/Lifewise. Luckily most insurance plans in Washington state cover acupuncture treatments. Call your insurance company to find out what your benefits are regarding acupuncture. Insurance will not cover the cost of Chinese herbal medicine or postpartum house calls. Once we bill your insurance company we will receive an ‘explanation of benefits’ with more information about your coverage, but it’s better to know ahead of time to avoid any surprise bills. We can provide you with a super bill to submit on your own if we are not in-network with your provider. Call your insurance provider to see if you have out-of-network benefits.

+ What if I like my Western care provider and want to continue seeing them?

We love when patients have strong relationships with a Western care provider. We do not think of acupuncture and herbs as an only solution, but rather see it as a component of a person’s individual health. Some health concerns can be easily addressed with acupuncture and herbs alone, while others require a more integrated approach with a larger healthcare team. We like to stay in communication with your Western care provider and will happily contact them about your treatment plan.

+ Why isn’t there more research showing that acupuncture works?

While there are research studies showing positive results, the main reason we don’t see a larger body of positive studies has to do with the design and intention of a randomized control trial. This is considered the gold standard of research, largely developed to study the effects of pharmaceutical drugs. While this approach works well when examining a Western pharmaceutical, it fails to fully address how acupuncture is actually used on individual patients. For example, imagine we had 6 patients all complaining of a headache. In a Western pharmaceutical study some would be given the same drug and others a placebo and the results would be analyzed. When acupuncture is used to treat these same 6 patients, we do not use a single point or set of points on all 6. In fact, we will likely have a different diagnosis for each one and use different acupuncture points and herbs for each patient. This is the individualized approach that the research studies do not account for. Not everyone with the same health concern has the same underlying cause, making protocol based studies less relevant to what we do. This should make sense to you when you consider the difference in headache triggers, alleviating factors, types of pain, duration of pain, location of pain, etc. We are not all the same and we all require an individualized approach. There is much more to discuss on this topic, but for now you could take a look at Evidence Based Acupuncture for more information.