Focusing On My Back Injuries

Your Back Is Not the Only Place for Acupuncture: Understanding Why Your Acupuncturist Puts Needles Elsewhere

23 January 2019

Timothy Byrd

When you think of acupuncture, you generally think of needles on your back. While it is certainly true that many acupuncture needles are placed in your back, the acupuncturist may place needles in other parts of the body. If you visit an acupuncturist for the first time, you may be surprised to find that he or she places needles in your arms, legs, hands, feet, and even potentially in your face! To understand why these needles are placed anywhere other than your back, you need to know more about this Asian healing art and the reasons for placing needles in different parts of the body.

"Energy Pathways" Are Really Nerve Pathways

Before there were neurologists and an excellent understanding of nerves and the nervous system, people believed that the body had fourteen "energy pathways." Acupuncture needles were inserted into these pathways to stop energy from traveling along the pathways that were experiencing pain. Acupuncturists learned centuries ago that many of the pathways originated in the spine, along the back, and into the neck. Now everyone knows that these pathways are actually the neural pathways of nerves. 

Nerves Exist in More Than Just Your Back

While it is true that the majority of your main nervous system is in your back and along your spine, there are nerves running to every part of your body and in your neck, head, and face, too. If you visit an acupuncturist and complain of pain in your head, pain in your jaw, or pain near your eyes or nose, there is a good chance that the acupuncturist will place needles into the nerves or energy pathways in your neck, head, and face to address this pain you feel. Likewise, any pain you feel in your limbs and extremities may also receive the acupuncturist's needles as part of your treatment session. 

Why Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture works similarly to the anesthetic nerve blockers doctors use. The signals from the nerves are blocked by something such that they cannot tell the brain that something hurts. Ergo, you feel better. In the case of medical nerve blockers, a medication is used and inserted into your spinal cord, which can be dangerous. With acupuncture, it is an ultra-thin fine needle that blocks individual nerves, leaving you with the ability to get up and move around without having to worry about any catheters in the spine or a loss of mobility because the drugs have completely numbed you. 

Speak to an acupuncture professional for more information.

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