How Does Our Medical Acupuncture Work
Our Medical Acupuncture is a modern innovation in treatment developed to help a wide range of neurological and hormonal conditions, including chronic pain.
Although Traditional Chinese Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years, our modern Medical Acupuncture is a contemporary medical procedure based on the scientific understanding of the neurological system and physiology of the human body.
We use the very finest quality sterile instruments made exclusively in Japan. The treatment is safe and very effective for a wide range of neurological and hormonal concerns, including many types of chronic pain.The treatment is completely pain-free and surprisingly comfortable.
You will be assessed before beginning any treatment. During your treatment, you will be in a comfortable, private room. The doctor and the assistant will talk to you about the procedure, and answer any questions.
Nervous about needles? Don’t worry – these “needles” are nothing like the syringes used in medical procedures. They are TINY – up to twenty of our needles can fit into a syringe needle. In addition, the tips of our needles are polished to a very smooth point; rather than beveled to a cutting edge as in syringe needles. There really should be a different word for needle, because our devices are nothing like any needle you have ever seen.
“What’s in the needles?” That’s a question many people ask. The answer is “nothing.” The needles are solid – there’s no tube for any medication or anything else.
“If there is no medication, how does acupuncture work?” That is a question I have worked diligently for four decades to answer. Here is a brief summation of what I have discovered through my research:
Our Medical Acupuncture works in the body to help normalize physiological function. That means it can often reduce abnormal function in the brain, nervous system, hormonal system, digestive system, and more. It can reduce or eliminate abnormal pain signals. It has been proven to help normalize body functions, even after years of dysfunction.
Our Medical Acupuncture works through your body’s neurological and electrical systems. Your body is connected by millions of neurons and countless electrical channels. When we stimulate specific points, it has an immediate effect on the neurological and electrical systems that can impact the entire body.
Is there any proof that acupuncture works? There are tens of thousands of research documents and studies that have been published in medical and scientific journals documenting the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment.
For example, medical studies have been conducted where patients are treated while medical imaging of the brain is being observed live. Interestingly, different parts of the brain respond to stimulation of different acupuncture points. This observation along with others, has led to a better understanding of how acupuncture can affect the function of the brain.
Other published studies confirm that acupuncture is effective in normalizing hormone functions reducing or eliminating chronic pain, boosting immune function, accelerating healing, and providing other benefits.
Will I feel any better after my first treatment? Every person is unique, so the answer to that question varies. Some patients see a noticeable improvement in their symptoms immediately after their first treatment. Others may not see any change until after several treatments.
What will the treatments be like? In most cases, you will be positioned lying on a comfortably cushioned table in a private treatment room. Dr. Kestner and an assistant will talk to you about the treatment procedure. As Dr. Kestner begins to insert the needles, many patients are very surprised to realize that they do not feel the insertions. Occasionally, you may feel a very brief sensation that quickly dissipates. If you feel any discomfort at all, please let us know and we will make sure you are comfortable.
How do you know where to stimulate? Dr. Kestner has spent many years studying and researching acupuncture and the human body. He has studied many forms and styles of acupuncture. He has studied with experts in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Western style acupuncture. His specific technique is a combination of all that he has learned over four DECADES of study and clinical experience treating THOUSANDS of patients.
I had acupuncture at a different place before and it was not very comfortable. There are many different styles and methods of practicing acupuncture. Some are more vigorous, use thicker needles, or use manipulation techniques that can be uncomfortable for the patient. Dr. Kestner has studied with a wide variety of acupuncture experts, and over the past four decades of clinical experience has developed an exceptionally subtle, delicate needling style that is extremely comfortable and very effective. Don’t worry if you have had a different experience elsewhere, your treatment here will be very relaxing.
What kinds of neurological conditions have been successfully treated using Medical Acupuncture?
Essential Tremor
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Traumatic Brain Injury Recovery
Stroke Recovery
ADHD
Migraines
Allergies
Parkinson’s Disease
Bell’s Palsy
Peripheral Neuropathy
Dementia
A-fib
Vertigo/Meniere’s
What kinds of hormonal issues may respond to acupuncture?
Acupuncture has been shown to help with various hormonal issues, including irregular menstrual cycles, menopause-related symptoms, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), and thyroid disorders. It can also alleviate symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, and weight gain associated with hormonal imbalances. AI assisted research
What do researchers say about how acupuncture helps the body?
Proposed Mechanisms of Action of Acupuncture
What is happening in the body in response to acupuncture stimulation?
Research suggests that acupuncture impacts the nervous system by:
· Releasing endorphins to reduce pain.
· Enhancing neuroplasticity, allowing the brain to rewire.
· Suppressing neuroinflammation.
· Improving nerve regeneration and blood circulation
Acupuncture affects the brain by stimulating the central nervous system, prompting the release of neurotransmitters and chemicals that modulate pain, reduce stress, and alter brain activity in regions responsible for emotion and sensation
Key Mechanisms of Acupuncture Action on the Brain
· Neurotransmitter Modulation: Acupuncture stimulates the release of serotonin and dopamine, while potentially lowering excess cortisol (stress hormone) levels.
· Brain Network Regulation: It acts on the limbic-paralimbic-neocortical network (emotional processing) and the Default Mode Network (DMN), often reducing the brain's pain-activated network.
· Brain Region Activity: It increases blood flow and modulates neural activity in the hypothalamus, thalamus, and anterior cingulate cortex, which are crucial for maintaining homeostasis.
· Neuroplasticity and Repair: Studies suggest acupuncture promotes structural and functional improvements in the brain after injuries like strokes, encouraging the growth of nerve cells and improving synaptic connections.
· Pain Reduction: By influencing brain chemistry, acupuncture, as explained by Johns Hopkins Medicine helps "close the gate" on chronic pain pathways, decreasing the sensation of pain.
AI Information provided in answer to How Does Acupuncture Affect the Brain?
How Many Treatments Will I Need? The answer varies, but in most cases a short series of treatments will be required. This can be discussed with Dr. Kestner during your meetings.
If the treatments help, how long will the benefits last? This varies from one individual to another. One medical researcher, Dr Charles Shang MD, pointed out, “The lasting effects of acupuncture for migraine persisted for more than one year. That is thousands of times longer than the lasting benefit of any drug being used for migraines.” (1)
Some patients find that following through with supportive sessions of acupuncture after their initial plan of treatment is completed can help them continue to see improvements.
1. “For example, two RCTs (8,9) have shown that the relief of migraine headache lasted 1 year after acupuncture treatment—thousands of times longer than the physiological half life of endorphin (47) and other common neurotransmitters. Similar long-term benefits of acupuncture have been shown by RCTs on the treatment of shoulder pain (48), chronic low back pain (49,50), primary dysmenorrhea (51), spinal cord injuries (42), urinary urgency (41) and osteoarthritis (5,52,53).
Evidence Based Complementary Alternative Medicine 2007, Nov 21;6(1):31-39
Prospective Tests on Biological Models of Acupuncture Charles Shang, MD
Is “Dry Needling” the same as acupuncture? Dr. Kestner has taught hundreds of doctors in dry-needling courses. He is very knowledgeable about dry-needling and multiple forms of acupuncture. Dry-needling is not acupuncture. The only similarity is that an acupuncture needle is the tool used in dry needling.
Using the same tool does not equate to performing the same procedure. As an example, a homeowner can used mechanics tools such as wrenches, but using these tools does not make the homeowner a certified mechanic.
To be qualified to provide dry needling, a licensed health professional must complete a single weekend of training. Contrast that with acupuncture training which requires 3-4 years to complete.
Dry needling is intended to primarily accomplish one thing: deactivate a muscle trigger point, often relieving pain. Acupuncture is a much more complex system of specific neurological point stimulation and body responses.
Dry needling can be a very valuable form of treatment, but do not confuse dry needling with acupuncture, though the appearance is similar.
Acupuncture can help back and joint pain, menopause, miraines, anxiety and much, much more.
I have been studying acupuncture for more than 40 years. In my personal library I have more than 80 medical textbooks on acupuncture. I have traveled to several states to meet with and hear acupuncture experts from a wide range of backgrounds. I research acupuncture weekly by accessing journals and other resources from around the world. I have written often about acupuncture.
I have found that there is a lot of confusion about acupuncture. Acupuncture is not whatever you think it is. I say that because whatever your concept is about acupuncture, it is much too limited in scope to be applied to the entirety of acupuncture.
Acupuncture can be helpful for far more conditions than most people would think. I have seen dramatic benefits for patients who have been previously treated with multiple therapies by multiple doctors and providers without results.
This doesn’t mean acupuncture is a cure-all. However, acupuncture has the potential to be helpful for far more conditions than it is currently being used.
Although my initial certification in acupuncture was in the well-known Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) form of acupuncture, my research interests have taken me beyond that to learn more about how acupuncture works, based on modern physiological and neurological understanding. That is why I refer to my practice as Medical Acupuncture.
In my practice, I provide Medical Acupuncture for a wide range of conditions. In my experience, it has been incredibly effective. My protocols for Medical Acupuncture have been developed as a result of the study outlined above along with my professional clinical experience with providing acupuncture for thousands of patients over four decades.
If you Google or otherwise begin a search to learn about acupuncture, you will immediately encounter explanations based exclusively on overly simple concepts used to explain the TCM theories of how acupuncture works in the body. There will be descriptions of invisible energy meridians within the body that pass through the internal organs as they make a circuit throughout the entire body.
The explanations will describe an invisible energy called chi “chee” that flows through these meridians. Illness or pain is explained as a condition in which this chi energy is deficient, excessive, not flowing properly or otherwise hampered in its normal circuitous flow through the body.
The TCM theory considers the normal, unimpeded flow of chi to be essential for a healthy state. When the flow of chi is interrupted or impaired, ill health will be the result.
When I study the clinical effects of acupuncture, I have found that acupuncture affects the body’s neurological, chemical, and electrical systems. Modern research has confirmed these effects. I find the study of scientifically demonstrated effects of modern acupuncture to be very helpful in providing effective acupuncture for patients.
As an example, research has illustrated that acupuncture affects the function of the brain during treatment. Functional MRI studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have shown that the brain is affected by acupuncture in real time. In particular, areas that are involved with pain perception and interpretation are affected.
One of the frequently requested reasons for an acupuncture appointment in my office is for chronic pain. Research and clinical experience have confirmed acupuncture benefits for back and neck pain, joint pain, arthritis, and other types of persistent or recurring pain.
Studies have also confirmed acupuncture impacts the neuroendocrine system, regulating how hormones are produced, activated, released, and utilized within the body. Acupuncture can impact all hormones.
Acupuncture’s effect on hormones translates into effectiveness on conditions such as menstrual regularity, fertility, menopause and more. Male and female hormones are affected. Research has shown that acupuncture can regulate testosterone levels in men.
The effect on regulation of hormones and the pain center in the brain makes acupuncture helpful for conditions such as migraines. Migraines are often related to hormonal imbalances as well as possible imbalances within the brain pain center. We have had numerous patients find that their frequent migraines are significantly reduced in intensity or frequency. Many have found that the migraines stop altogether after receiving Medical Acupuncture.
Recently we have received more new patients being referred to our office by their medical physician. We have had several hundred medically referred patients. In most cases they are referred by their primary care physician or a specialist for chronic pain or a painful problem such as migraines. However, others have been referred for hormonal balance issues, concussion recovery, anxiety, or other issues.
Recent research has focused on how acupuncture can impact the body through stimulation of the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is a fascinating nerve. It originates in the brainstem and travels throughout the entire body.
Vagus nerve stimulation can have significant impact on the function of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS controls virtually all organs in the body. Acupuncture may help restore more normal function to irregular heart rates, digestive disorders, and other body systems.
Acupuncture has been shown to be beneficial for immune system function. This effect may be applicable to a wide range of disorders.
Research is growing in the effectiveness and possible mechanisms of action for acupuncture. Although some aspects of how acupuncture affects the body have been identified, it is theorized that many more possible effects are not yet defined. Stay tuned for more.
Dr. Mark Kestner, DC, FIAMA, provides safe, effective, non-surgical solutions for complex and chronic spine, joint and neurological conditions. He has helped thousands of Middle Tennessee patients for four decades.understanding.
