Acupuncture Nirvana

04/15/2026

The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve, acting as a vital, bidirectional “information superhighway” between the brain and major organs. It is the main component of the parasympathetic nervous system, regulating involuntary functions like heart rate, digestion, and immune responses.

One of the most common requests i get is can acupuncture affect the vagus nerve?

Yes! Points like ear shen men, ear point zero, PC6, St36, CV 17, Ht 7, CV12, GV20, St9 are all commonly used on acupuncture for vagus nerve stimulation.

04/02/2026

Just your acupuncturist showing you your treatment room…are you ready to relax?

03/26/2026

Acupuncture has a high reported success rate for back pain, with studies showing it can reduce chronic pain by 50% or more in many patients, often outperforming or complementing conventional care like medication or physical therapy. Key results indicate 44% to 60% improvements in pain/function, with some specialized studies reporting up to 80% initial relief for acute back pain.

Key Findings on Acupuncture Success Rates
High Efficacy Rate: One study found a 79.7% success rate (defined as image.gif
50% improvement) in patients with non-oncological pain, including chronic back pain.

Superior to Standard Care: Research indicates acupuncture provides better pain relief than conventional treatments, including medication, and its benefits can last up to a year.

Effectiveness in Acute vs. Chronic: Acute or sub-acute back pain generally responds better than chronic pain, though chronic patients still experience significant improvements.

Comparable to Morphine: In studies comparing the two, acupuncture showed a 92% success rate in reducing pain compared to 78% for morphine.

Common “Non-Responders”: Anecdotal reports suggest that 15% to 30% of patients may not respond well to acupuncture.

Examples:
Chronic Low Back Pain: A NIH study found it superior to usual care in older adults, offering improved function and reduced pain.

Acute Back Pain: A PMC study showed that auricular (ear) acupuncture could provide substantial (50%+) relief, particularly for acute pain.

Adjunct Therapy: It is often used alongside a PMC article physical therapy and medications to maximize results.

Source: National Institute of Health and AI (google)
Photo source: Unsplash

03/18/2026

If you ask me one of the most common things i treat, sciatica is at the top. It does take repeated treatments - expect 8-10 sessions. But it is one of those things that i see great results with acupuncture- and people are so relieved because sciatic is quite painful.

02/10/2026

One of the biggest things i see in patients as they age, is a tightening up of the body, and a lessoning of lubrication. As you lose it, it gets harder to regain that mobility. Things like acupuncture, chiropractic, massage and physical therapy can all help regain mobility…but you can also do home practices to help. Here is mine.

In October of last year i realized i had lost alot of mobility as ive always been flexible and taken it for granted. So i came back to the yoga mat and restarted yin yoga practices. I could barely stretch over my legs at all. My hips were doing badly, everything felt hard. Here is me today, months later. It was a slow opening up. I listen to guided meditations on the Calm app while i do it. I can only manage 3 times a week but it makes such a difference in my mind and my body…it just takes scheduling it in and making a priority. And i keep telling myself, YOU are important. This time is a priority.

We all get so busy, but the ultimate act of self love, it to schedule your self in and make sure you are ok, physically and mentally. And thats what this practice does for me. On valentines week its a good time to ask…how are you practicing self love?💕

01/27/2026

Acupuncture is an effective, evidence-based treatment for chronic and acute shoulder pain that reduces inflammation, releases muscle tension, and improves range of motion by stimulating nerves and increasing circulation. Studies show a 65% response rate for reducing pain compared to 24% with sham treatments.

Types of Injuries: Acupuncture is helpful for rotator cuff injuries and tendinitis, frozen shoulder, arthritis, and general shoulder tension.

Effectiveness: Research indicates significant improvements in shoulder range-of-motion, with results sometimes lasting up to three years.

Mechanism: It triggers the release of endorphins, reduces inflammation, and increases blood flow to the joint.

Treatment Plan: Typically requires 6 to 12 sessions, with many patients experiencing relief within a few weeks.

Comparable Results: In some studies, acupuncture for shoulder impingement syndrome showed benefits comparable to corticosteroid injections.

Photo credit: Unsplash

12/30/2025

Happy 2026! Thank you for letting me part of your health journey in 2025!

12/27/2025

If you have been leaning over the stove all christmas day cooking, and your upper back and shoulders are hunched and tight…now is the time to make an acupuncture appointment: https://patient.unifiedpractice.com/acupuncture-nirvana/

12/25/2025

Have a wonderful holiday!

Here’s a cute christmas fireplace video for your 📺 tv to get you in the mood! https://www.youtube.com/live/M8ym75G32xo?si=CAFeKSx3vxY7E3pR

And if you are lookimg
for christmas songs: local station https://radioradiox.com/ has cool Christmas songs on all day!

🔥 Cozy Christmas Fireplace 4K ❄️ Pure Crackling Logs (No Music) ...

12/15/2025

Christmas Week Hours:
Monday 12/22 8-4:30
Tuesday 12/23 8-5:30
Wednesday 12/24 Closed
Thursday 12/25 Closed
Friday 12/26 Closed
Saturday 12/27 8-4

Monday 12/29 8-12:30
Tuesday 12/30 12-5:30
Wednesday 12/31 8-12
Thursday 1/1 Closed
Friday 1/2 12-5:30
Saturday 1/3 8-2:30

Please note spots are booking up so please schedule today if you want a treatment during the holidays. Thank you.🙏

12/05/2025

Part 3 of the kidney focus: the kidney meridan. Meridian means a line - acupuncture points are along the line. Each acupuncture point does different things - and often they combine with other points.

Chinese medicine focuses on mapping the body. Each meridian has a focus on an organ - so the kidney meridian focuses on the kidneys.

When i want to address pelvic issues, i treat kidney 7 and 9. When i want to address adrenal fatigue and nervous system exhaustion i treat Kidney 6, 16, 27. When i treat asthma i needle kidney 3 and pair it w Lung 5. When i treat plantar fascitis i needle kidney 1 and a japanese plantar fascitis extra point on the foot. When someone is yin deficient and very depleted and anxious, i help restore them with kidney 7. When someone feels anxious and fearful and like they cant get the anxiety out, i needle kidney 24, 25, 26 which are all spirit points. When someone needs grounding and stability in their life, i needle kidney 1. I can keep going - but the kidney meridian does alot to help patients!

12/04/2025

Our Kidneys store energy like a battery, releasing this when we are unwell, stressed or overworked. If the Kidneys are fatigued there is a lack of Yang energy according to chinese medicine. Yang is alot like metabolism so symptoms are things like tiredness but also sluggish lymph system, sluggish clotted blood flow, etc.

What can you do to strengthen the kidneys?

~ slow down and rest more often. Winter is the time to go more slowly and do less.
~ Get acupuncture - acupuncture focuses on moving Qi, clearing any blockages, strengthening the organs, reducing stress levels and balancing the organs so that each one works in harmony with the other organs in the body.
~ protect your low back from cold (the kidneys do best when they are warm). So cover up, use a heating pad on low, etc.
~ Warm foods - warm soups and hot teas will help as the body does best in winter with warming foods. Steer clear of icy things like iced drinks or ice cream as it often will make mucus, asthma, digestive issues and swelling worse.
~ Do light 30 minute walks, gentle yoga, tai qi, or light weights. Movement helps with blood and fluid circulation which is usually problematic during the winter.
~ Use real salt but be sure to use it in moderation as salt can put a strain on the Kidneys which need to work harder to maintain the balance of salt and potassium in the body. Real salt means salt that is mined from sea deposits (an example would be Redmond Real salt). Ancient sea beds are not polluted with plastics – which, very sadly, can’t be said of our oceans and seas. Try to use salt that has no additives such as anti-caking agents (sodium aluminosilicate. E535, E536, calcium silicate).
~ Drink water but in moderation - 8 glasses a day is typically recommended.
~ Herbs and spices to cook with or make teas from are usually warming and include ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper.