WHAT WE TREAT
What Acupuncture Can Help With
Patients come to Healify most often for pain, stress and sleep concerns, and support during fertility care. How well acupuncture works depends on the condition, so we group conditions below by the strength of the research rather than listing everything acupuncture has ever been used for.
Pain and musculoskeletal conditions
This is where acupuncture has the most research behind it. We see back and neck pain, sciatica, headaches and migraines, knee and joint pain, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel symptoms and sports injuries.
Stress, anxiety and sleep
Many patients find treatment calming. Acupuncture can complement, not replace, care from your doctor or counsellor.
Reproductive and women’s health
Support while trying to conceive, during IUI or IVF, and for menstrual symptoms such as cramps and premenstrual symptoms, alongside the care you receive from your physician or fertility clinic.
Other concerns we are asked about
Digestive complaints, menopause symptoms, nausea, side effects of cancer treatment, and recovery after stroke or Bell’s palsy. The evidence for these is more limited or mixed. If you are unsure, book a free meet and greet and we’ll talk it through.
What the research says
- Better-supported: chronic low back pain, neck pain, osteoarthritis pain and headache or migraine prevention have the most consistent research support, including large reviews comparing acupuncture with sham treatment and usual care.
- Mixed or emerging: fertility and IVF outcomes, anxiety, insomnia and menstrual pain have promising but inconsistent results.
- Uncertain: for many other conditions, good-quality studies are limited. We will tell you honestly if we don’t think acupuncture is the best place to start.
Common questions
Can acupuncture help my condition?
It depends on the condition and on you. A free 15-minute meet and greet is the easiest way to find out whether acupuncture is a sensible option, or whether another provider would be a better first step.
Do I need a referral?
No. Some insurance plans ask for one before they reimburse, so check your plan.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Acupuncture: Effectiveness and Safety. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture-effectiveness-and-safety
- Vickers AJ, Vertosick EA, Lewith G, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. J Pain. 2018;19(5):455–474. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005