The clinic was quiet except for the soft hum of a small device on the treatment table. A runner lay comfortably, acupuncture needles placed along her calf and lower back to address chronic pain that kept her from her regular running routine. 

Because of the chronic and nagging injury, she turned to acupuncture to find healing. But it wasn’t quite what she expected. Rather than simply resting with the needles inserted, the practitioner gently attached thin leads to several of the needles and turned on a device that sent a gentle electrical current through them. A subtle pulsing sensation began, almost like tiny waves moving through her muscles. Within minutes, she felt her body responding, warming, releasing.

This therapy was electroacupuncture, a technique blending the longstanding principles of traditional acupuncture with modern electrical stimulation. continue reading »