The sharp end: Discovering the benefits of acupuncture

Acupuncture is said to stimulate the body's central nervous system. Photo/123rf

Acupuncture has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine to treat myriad ailments. Wellness writer Sinead Corcoran experiences a session to see whether it can help her anxiety.

I've always loved the idea of acupuncture, so I popped along to The Health Clinic in Grey Lynn to become a human pincushion.

I met Stephen Parsons, who studied at The New Zealand School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. He is so lovely and funny that I immediately asked him if I could hang out with him at the clinic all day because the power was out at my house.

First, Stephen did a thorough health questionnaire, covering everything from my multitude of anxiety medications to my bowel movements and periods. He then got to work inserting tiny needles into my forehead, hands, feet and calves, where I hold a lot of tension.

You're probably wondering if the needles hurt. They didn't on the areas of my body where I have fat, but they did pinch a bit on the bonier bits, like my hands and feet. Stephen then adjusted the needles until I could feel pressure, like a thumb lightly pressing on a bruise. This was so they'd lock into my "qi".

"Our treatments work to adjust and maintain your qi in a dynamic and healthy state," says Stephen.

"Acupuncture does this from the outside, using a combination of needles and moxa (warming acupuncture points on the body using heated herbs). Chinese herbal medicine works on the inside, using specially prepared herbs. Our treatments can strengthen the qi when it's weak."

Of course, I had no idea what the heck qi (pronounced "chee", like the drink) was, but Stephen explained it's basically the source of energy in our body, or the root of "everything".

Chinese philosophy describes it as the body's innate intelligence — the intangible yet measurable way we maintain what's known as homeostasis, or the body's ability to regulate its internal environment to create good health.

Blockages of qi, deficiencies of qi, or too much qi are what allegedly cause illness. What Chinese medicine does with acupuncture and herbs is they try to line up qi.

Now as someone who has average physical health at the best of times and dire mental health, this sounded very promising. I wanted my chi lined up. I lay there for about 15 minutes with all me pins in, and quickly discovered you should not try taking a selfie while getting acupuncture because you will knock the needles and it will hurt.

A short while later Stephen popped back into the room and removed all the tiny daggers. While the areas where I'd had needles in felt a bit tender, the pain was barely noticeable. I did, however, feel super zen and a bit snoozy, so promptly came home for a nap.

While unfortunately acupuncture isn't a "one and done" kind of treatment – you need a few to tackle whatever issues you've got going on – I'd absolutely recommend trying a batch of treatments as I felt a difference even after just one.

Plus, I just want to go back to hang out with Stephen.