Acupuncture in Midtown, NYC
Expert NYC Acupuncture services designed to alleviate pain quickly and help your muscles relax so you can recover from injuries in a shorter time frame.
NYC Chiropractor Dr. Neel Kumar's approach to wellness and pain relief incorporates acupuncture and cupping services, provided by Xueying Zheng, LAc, a NY State Licensed Acupuncturist, as part of our multidisciplinary treatment protocol.
Most people find acupuncture extremely relaxing, and many fall asleep during treatment. Acupuncture works with the natural vital energy inherent within our bodies to promote the body's ability to heal on its own.
This form of healing is based on energy flow, while western medicine focuses on a biochemical model. The ancient Chinese recognized a vital energy within the human body and all of our life processes. This vital energy is known as Qi, and is the energy that flows through the body in channels known as meridians. This is what nourishes and connects our major organs. According to this theory, acupuncture adjusts the flow of Qi in the body, drawing on the energy-flow model rather than the biochemical model of western medicine.
According to the Chinese medical theory, illness arises when the cyclical flow of Qi in a meridian becomes unbalanced or is blocked. This is much like a dam blocking a river, creating imbalance and pain. Stimulating acupuncture points influences the meridians, unblocks obstructions, and helps re-establish the regular flow of Qi through the meridians.
What Does the Research Say?
Alongside its traditional Chinese medicine framework, acupuncture also has a growing body of Western clinical research behind it, particularly for pain. The American College of Physicians recommends acupuncture as a treatment option for chronic low back pain. Research also supports its use for neck pain and for knee and hip osteoarthritis, with benefits comparable to common anti-inflammatory medications. For migraines and tension headaches, moderate-quality evidence shows acupuncture can reduce how often headaches occur, often with fewer side effects than preventive medications.
Conditions We Treat with Acupuncture
- Low back pain and neck pain
- Tension headaches and migraines
- Osteoarthritis and joint pain, including the knee and hip
- Sports injuries and muscle tension
- Stress and general tension
Acupuncture is often used alongside chiropractic care and physical therapy as part of a combined treatment plan, rather than as a standalone therapy.
What to Expect During Your Session
Very fine, sterile needles are inserted at specific points, at depths ranging from a fraction of an inch to a couple of inches depending on the point and your treatment goals. A typical session runs about 15 - 20 minutes with the needles in place. You may feel a brief pinprick as each needle is inserted, followed by a dull ache, tingling, or a feeling of heaviness, sensations that are generally considered a sign the treatment is working, not a cause for concern. As your treatment plan progresses, most patients find sessions calming, and some fall asleep during treatment.
Is Acupuncture Safe?
Acupuncture needles are regulated by the FDA as medical devices and are required to be sterile and single-use. When performed by a licensed, properly trained acupuncturist, complications are rare. Mild bruising or soreness at a needle site is the most common effect, and it typically resolves quickly. Our acupuncture treatments are provided by Xueying Zheng, LAc, a NY State Licensed Acupuncturist, so you can feel confident you're in properly trained hands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does acupuncture hurt? Most people feel only a brief pinprick with each needle, similar to a vaccine or blood draw, followed by a mild ache or tingling rather than sharp pain.
How many sessions will I need? This depends on your condition and how you respond to treatment. We'll build a plan specific to you and adjust it as you progress.
Is acupuncture only useful for pain? Pain conditions have the strongest evidence base, but many patients also use acupuncture for stress and general relaxation as part of a broader wellness plan.
Can acupuncture be combined with chiropractic care? Yes, we frequently combine acupuncture with chiropractic and physical therapy as part of one coordinated treatment plan.
Call or Text Us at (212) 245-5688