“I’m an anomaly in the cancer world- I shouldn’t look like this and have stage 4 cancer. I truly believe that acupuncture had a huge role in how I’ve managed that, both emotionally and physically. It is apparent to my doctors and myself that this is the defining difference.

Chemotherapy generally has declining results, so it can work well in the first treatments, but as you go, it declines. For me, I’m staying at the same level of decrease and the biggest difference compared to other patients is acupuncture.

I knew nothing about acupuncture! I had done a few sessions for my horses but nothing for myself. And you know, with animals, there’s no placebo effect, but you see a difference immediately. I just never considered it for myself. I didn’t know a lot about it.

I’ve learned a tremendous amount about being centered within yourself and how healthy that is. It truly is a big part of wellness and health and how you move forward. You can’t just work and work out and expect that’s all you need.”

“I find that it produces a healthy type of pain, much like a hard workout or certain types of massage or losing weight, perhaps. It’s painful initially and makes you feel better in the interim and long term. The pain brings my awareness to what I need to listen to specifically.

I tried acupuncture with the goal of seeing if it could make me feel better and live healthier, feel happier, and perform better. The results, I thought, were instant and sustained over time. Now it’s ten years later, and I’ve had a whole bunch of different sessions. Acupuncture has been steady for about ten years.

I find that I reach much lower lows without acupuncture. For me, those stressful periods are often the most important. Acupuncture has had a profound impact in giving me something to lean on twice a week in those intense times. It helps me feel significantly better despite the rest of my life constituting abuse to my body.”

“I had a herniated disc, and the doctor said I needed surgery immediately. I started acupuncture and never had to have surgery.

That’s how I found out about cosmetic acupuncture. I felt like it was such a success with my back that there was no way it wouldn’t be successful for my skin.

It makes your face feel alive. You can feel the blood rushing to your skin. It’s uncomfortable, but the pain of getting the needles in is worth the benefits by far.

My advice is to start young! Don’t wait until you already have wrinkles.”

“I started getting acupuncture and seeing results, but the most important thing was having 45 minutes completely disconnected from anything else.

I’ve been borderline diabetic since puberty, and all my family has diabetes. It’s genetics, so I don’t expect to fix it, but it’s nice to have something that helps you cope with it.

The best part of an acupuncture treatment is the high: feeling absolutely relaxed. I don’t get that feeling unless I’m asleep, so it’s nice to be aware and relaxed at the same time.”

“I used acupuncture to induce labor. My midwife in my first pregnancy recommended it because I was past my due date. I didn’t have to be induced at the hospital. I went into labor on my own.

I was afraid it might be nerve-wracking and trigger my anxiety if it hurt. It was a lot less invasive than I expected; I could barely feel it.

The best part is how you feel afterward. I feel really relaxed. After a treatment, I’m like, “aaaaahh,” like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”