Will Acupuncture help with anxiety or depression?

Acupuncture can be effective in helping manage symptoms of anxiety and depression. It is believed to stimulate the body's natural healing response, releasing endorphins and other neurotransmitters that positively affect mood and stress levels. By targeting specific points, acupuncture aims to balance the body's energy, reduce tension, and promote relaxation, contributing to an overall sense of well-being. Many find it a beneficial complement to conventional therapies for anxiety and depression.

Why do Acupuncturists look at my tongue?

Acupuncturists look at your tongue as part of a traditional Chinese medicine diagnostic process. The tongue's color, coating, shape, and moisture level provide insights into your body's health and the state of your internal organs. This practice helps them understand imbalances in the body and guide the treatment plan. The tongue is considered a map to your well-being, reflecting the overall harmony or disharmony of your Qi (vital energy).

Where do Acupuncture needles go?

Acupuncture needles are inserted into specific points on the body known as acupuncture points or acupoints, which are located along meridians or pathways believed to be the channels for the flow of Qi, or vital energy. The selection of points is tailored to each individual's condition and health needs. These points can be located all over the body, including the back, limbs, head, and ears, depending on the symptoms or disorders being treated.

Is Acupuncture ok during pregnancy?

Acupuncture is generally considered safe during pregnancy when performed by a licensed and experienced practitioner. It can help manage common pregnancy-related issues such as nausea, vomiting, back pain, and stress. However, certain acupuncture points are avoided as they may stimulate labor. It's essential to consult with your healthcare provider before starting acupuncture and ensure the acupuncturist is informed about your pregnancy and has experience in treating pregnant women.

Does Acupuncture hurt?

Acupuncture typically does not hurt. Most people experience minimal to no pain as the thin needles are inserted. Some may feel a slight pinch, tingling, warmth, or a dull ache at the insertion points, sensations often described as momentary and mild. The procedure is generally considered relaxing and even energizing. The skill of the acupuncturist and the individual's sensitivity level can influence the overall experience, but significant pain is uncommon.

What does Acupuncture do to your body?

Acupuncture stimulates specific points on the body, prompting the nervous system to release chemicals in the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes may stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being. It can increase circulation, reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and enhance the immune system. Essentially, acupuncture helps to restore balance and flow of energy in the body, leading to improved health and function.

What can Acupuncture treat?

Acupuncture can treat a wide range of conditions including chronic pain (like headaches, back pain, neck pain), arthritis, digestive disorders, mood disturbances (such as depression and anxiety), insomnia, stress, allergies, menstrual cramps, and fertility issues. It's also used for enhancing overall well-being and managing symptoms of chronic illnesses. The effectiveness can vary among individuals, but many find relief and improvement in their symptoms through acupuncture treatments.

What does Acupuncture do?

Acupuncture involves inserting fine needles at specific body points to balance the flow of Qi, the body's vital energy. It aims to promote natural healing, relieve pain, and improve function. By stimulating the body's meridians, acupuncture is used for various conditions, offering benefits like pain relief, improved circulation, and enhanced well-being.

Why I Stopped Offering Single Sessions

This may surprise people.

I stopped offering single acupuncture sessions.

Not because they never helped.

But because in tougher cases, severe anxiety, chronic burnout, long standing hormonal imbalance, even a few sessions often did not produce meaningful, lasting change.

Not because the medicine does not work. Because complex patterns do not unwind in a handful of visits.

In many cases, it takes several sessions just to get the ball rolling. Sometimes the early phase of treatment is about stabilizing the system before noticeable change even occurs.

Everyone’s body is unique. Everyone’s nervous system has adapted to their specific life experiences, stress load, sleep patterns, and environment.

You cannot rush recalibration.

When someone has been in sympathetic overdrive for years, sleep, digestion, breathing, and stress chemistry reorganize around that baseline.

That is not a short term correction.

In Classical Chinese Medicine, we do not chase symptoms. We correct patterns.

Patterns require repetition. Repetition requires structure. Structure requires commitment.

Over time I noticed something clear.

Patients who committed to structured care improved. Patients who stopped after a few visits felt temporary relief and then plateaued.

In tough cases, temporary relief is not enough.

So I stopped offering single sessions.

Now I work in defined care blocks. Five sessions. Ten sessions. A clear arc of treatment with a beginning, middle, and recalibration phase.

Not to increase revenue. To increase outcomes.

Because real change happens through rhythm.

Calm is not a one time event. It is a trained physiological state.

If you are a woman who feels exhausted from managing anxiety and panic attacks, and you want to understand what is actually driving the pattern in your body, I created a free master class that explains the framework I use in clinic.

You can access it here:

https://drmerl.com/register

Inside, I walk through why anxiety can persist even after years of therapy and how we identify the root pattern using the body’s internal signals.