FAQ

Acupuncture is a time-tested medical system from Asia dating back thousands of years that involves inserting very thin, sterile needles into specific therapeutic areas of the body. It helps restore balance, promote natural healing, and relieve pain by stimulating the body’s own regulatory systems. The body is the medicine and acupuncture helps to support the healing process.

Acupuncture works by stimulating specific points on the body to initiate a healing response. Modern research has shown its primary functions are:

• Release endorphins and enkephalins: These act as neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in the nervous system that play a crucial role in regulating pain sensation and other physiological processes.
• Improve muscle and nerve functionality: Acupuncture acts like a “workout” for the nervous system.
• Regulate the parasympathetic nervous system: This is our “rest and digest” state that allows for the healing process to function optimally.
• Relax tight muscles and increase local blood flow: This aids in healing and pain reduction.

Most patients feel little to no discomfort. The needles are extremely fine, much thinner than those used for injections and are gently inserted. Many people find the experience relaxing and even meditative. If you feel any discomfort, let your acupuncturist know and it can be adjusted.

Yes, acupuncture is very safe when performed by a licensed, trained practitioner. Only sterile, single-use needles are used in our clinic, and strict hygiene protocols are followed.

Acupuncture can be effective for a wide range of conditions, including:

• Chronic pain (back, neck, joint, headaches)
• Digestive issues
• Stress and anxiety
• Insomnia
• Women’s health concerns
• Sports injuries and more

If you’re unsure whether acupuncture can help with your specific condition, feel free to ask. The answer is probably yes!

Treatment plans vary depending on the condition, its severity, and your body’s response. Some patients experience relief after just one session, while others may require a series of treatments for lasting benefits. We’ll create a personalized treatment plan after your initial consultation.

Before: Eat a light meal or snack, stay hydrated, and wear loose clothing.

After: Drink water, avoid strenuous activity, and give your body time to rest and absorb the effects of the treatment.

Dry needling (sometimes called trigger point therapy) is a technique used to release tight muscle bands, known as trigger points, that contribute to pain and dysfunction. It involves inserting a thin, sterile needle directly into these hyper-irritable muscle fibers to help reset muscle tone and improve function.

While both use similar needles, dry needling is based on modern anatomical and neurological principles, focusing specifically on muscular trigger points and neuromuscular dysfunction. Acupuncture, by contrast, is rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine and uses a more global diagnostic and therapeutic framework to treat the body that can include working on trigger points or what are known as “ashi” points.

Dry needling treatment can be a stand-alone treatment or be used by an acupuncturist within a Chinese medicine context for your treatment.

Dry needling stimulates a local twitch response, which helps:

• Release tight, painful trigger points
• Reset abnormal muscle tone
• Improve blood flow and oxygen to the tissue
• Reduce pain-related chemicals like Substance P and CGRP
• Enhance neuromuscular function
• Calm the nervous system by decreasing central sensitization

This process helps the muscle relax, improves mobility, and reduces pain.

You may feel a brief twitch or dull ache during treatment; this is a normal and often desired response. Most patients describe it as momentarily uncomfortable but well worth the relief they experience afterward. Some patients may feel some dull soreness for about a day or so afterwards.

Yes, dry needling is safe when performed by trained and licensed professionals. We use sterile, single-use needles and follow rigorous hygiene and safety standards.

Dry needling is commonly used to treat:

• Postural imbalances
• Myofascial pain and muscle tension
• Neck and back pain
• Sciatica and hip pain
• Shoulder and rotator cuff injuries
• TMJ dysfunction
• Sports injuries

It varies by condition and individual response. Some patients experience improvement after 1–2 sessions, while chronic or complex issues may require several visits for lasting relief.

Absolutely. Many patients benefit from an integrated approach that combines dry needling for muscular issues with acupuncture to regulate the nervous system and support whole-body healing.

A trigger point injection places a small amount of non-steroid solution straight into a tight band of muscle or irritated soft tissue. The muscle lets go, pain sensitivity drops, circulation improves, and normal movement starts to come back. At Common Roots we rarely use them on their own; they work best alongside orthopedic acupuncture, dry needling, and a close look at how you actually move.

A trigger point is a tight, hyperirritable knot inside a muscle or its fascia. It hurts where it sits, and it often refers pain somewhere else entirely, which is why the spot that aches is not always the spot causing the trouble. Trigger points build up from overuse, posture, stress, injury, or repetitive movement, and they are a common reason people still hurt when their imaging comes back clean.

The injection interrupts the pain and tension cycle right at its source by:

• Releasing the taut band of muscle directly
• Turning down local pain as well as pain referred elsewhere
• Settling tissue that has become irritated and oversensitive
• Bringing fresh circulation into the area
• Giving you back range of motion and easier movement

They are most useful for myofascial pain, stubborn knots, and movement restriction that has not budged with other care.

Only non-steroid solutions, chosen to fit your situation. Options may include:

• Lidocaine
• Procaine
• Saline
• Traumeel®
• Dextrose
• PRP (plasma rich platelets)

Your practitioner selects the solution after reviewing your condition and health history.

No, and the difference matters. Cortisone is a steroid: it calms inflammation, but repeated use can weaken the very tissue you are trying to protect. Trigger point injections rely on non-steroid solutions that relax muscle and restore movement instead, so they can be repeated over time without that trade-off.

Expect a quick pinch, then a feeling of pressure or a brief muscle twitch as the trigger point releases. Most people find it very manageable. If you are sore afterward it is usually mild and gone within a day or two.

Trigger point injections are a good fit for muscle-driven pain, including:

• Neck and shoulder pain
• Rotator cuff pain
• Tension headaches
• TMJ-related muscle tension
• Low back pain
• Gluteal pain and sciatica-like symptoms
• Hip pain
• Tennis elbow
• Myofascial pain syndrome
• Sports injuries, postural strain, and overuse

Here is what a typical visit looks like:

• The treatment itself is short, usually 10 to 20 minutes
• You may feel a brief pinch and some pressure
• Mild soreness or a worked-on feeling afterward is normal
• Some people walk out feeling better immediately; for others the relief builds over several days
• You will leave with guidance on movement, hydration, and self-care

Yes. In the hands of a trained, licensed provider they carry a very good safety record. We use sterile technique throughout, stick to non-steroid solutions, and go through your full health history first to make sure the treatment is appropriate for you.

It largely comes down to how long the problem has been around. Plenty of people feel a real shift within one to three sessions, while long-standing or widespread pain patterns usually need a longer course of care.

Yes, and in practice we almost always do. Layering injections with acupuncture, dry needling, and movement work consistently outperforms any one of those approaches used on its own.