I've been using this blog space to highlight some of the concerns people have about acupuncture before they try it. I understand the anxiety surrounding this medicine. While heavily regulated, it's not a part of most Americans' experience. They think of "needles" and perhaps the natural response is a concern about pain or safety.

Another very common question I get – possibly out of some form of “needle-phobia” – is: “Is acupuncture safe?”

It's one of the most common questions I get from people unfamiliar with what I do, or from people who would like to schedule an appointment but are afraid of needles.

When people ask how often they will need acupuncture treatments in order to make a difference in their symptoms, I usually answer four to six weekly treatments would be a good start. Acupuncture is a cumulative therapy, and regularity is key to getting results.

Life has been a bit hectic lately for those of us keeping track of the seasons. Our warm Baltimore-area winter was unusual enough, but now as I type this, we are expecting a blizzard in mid-March.

Our bodies, however, are attuned to the true passing of the seasons, that natural cycle our species revolved around.

I walk to work, about a mile each way (uphill both ways in the snow). About eighteen months ago, I made that journey twice each day because I would go home at lunch to take care of my sick dog, and after a few weeks of that, my left foot started to hurt. I could get the pain to go away with acupuncture, but it always came back after a few more days of walking on it.

This past weekend, I attended a seminar on Motor Point Acupuncture, which is a powerful tool for easing muscle and joint pain.

My friend and mentor Bob Duggan passed away last year. He was the cofounder of my acupuncture school and a noted author and commentator on the topics of wellness, the art of living, health care, and culture. Bob’s own mentor, Ivan Illich, has been cited as one of the great thinkers of the twentieth century.