Acupuncture for Pain Relief

You've stretched. You've rested. You've taken the ibuprofen until the pain finally calmed down, only to watch it creep back in. Maybe you've even been told that pain is simply something you'll have to live with.

But pain has a way of affecting more than your body. It affects how you sleep, how you move, how you work, and how much energy you have for the people and things you love. When pain lingers long enough, it can start to feel less like a symptom and more like a permanent part of your life.

It doesn't have to be.

At Flow Acupuncture & Apothecary, we don’t just seek to treat symptoms. We seek to understand your experience, how pain has impacted your life, and identify underlying patterns that are driving your pain patterns. From there we develop a personalized treatment plan designed to help you move freely, feel better, and get back to the life you want to live.

How Acupuncture for Pain Works

  • Circulation Bloodflow

    Improves Circulation

    Improves circulation to nourish and soften tissues that have become tight, depleted, or stuck so your muscles can release holding patterns of pain.

  • Line drawing of a fire icon with a large flame and a smaller inner flame.

    Reduces Inflammation

    Redirects inflammatory responses in and around irritated joints, muscles, and nerves, improving overall healing.

  • Illustration of a brain with lines indicating pain or headache.

    Regulates the Nervous System

    Calms the nervous system, which signals the release of neurotransmitters associated with pain suppression and mood elevation.

The Pain Concerns We See Most:

Your experience of pain is different than anyone else’s. But certain patterns walk through our doors again and again.

Low Back Pain

The single most common reason people seek acupuncture. Whether it stems from strain or tightness, chronic disc issues, long hours of sitting, poor mechanics, or a flare up that arrived without warning, low back pain responds well to treatment that addresses both the painful area and the inflammatory patterns feeding it.

Neck Pain & Shoulder Tension

The modern posture problem. Hours at a desk or a phone combined with chronic stress and tension leave the neck and shoulders locked in a holding pattern. Acupuncture helps release that grip, restore range of motion, and interrupt the tension pain cycle.

Sciatica & Nerve Pain

Sharp, burning, electric, or deeply aching, often traveling from the low back or hip down the leg. Nerve pain is uniquely draining because it follows you into sleep and movement. We work to increase blood flow and reduce inflammation irritating the nerve pathway, while also addressing the underlying tightness through the low back, hips, and glutes.

Headaches & Migraines

One of the most well researched applications of acupuncture. For tension-type headaches, chronic daily headaches, hormonal headaches, and migraine patterns, acupuncture treatments have been shown to reduce frequency and severity, while also addressing the neck and shoulder tension that may be alongside them.

Arthritis & Joint Pain

Deep aching, stiff joints can make everyday movements like bending over, sitting comfortably, or walking up and down stairs feel surprisingly difficult. By improving blood flow to lubricate and nourish the joints, many patients find acupuncture can ease pain, improve mobility, and help them move through daily life with greater comfort and confidence.

Fibromyalgia & Widespread Pain

Diffuse, widespread whole body pain or moving pain that is hard to characterize is often dismissed. Fibromyalgia is one of the conditions where acupuncture has shown some of the most favorable outcomes because it works on the nervous system as much as on tissue.

Sports Injuries

Runners, skiers, climbers, cyclists- Salt Lake City is full of people who ask a lot of their bodies. Acupuncture helps to speed up recovery time from strains, sprains and tears, as well as treat lingering or recurring injuries such as tendonitis and chronic tightness to help you get back to what you love without simply pushing through.

Repetitive Stress Injuries

From repetitive motions at work, training, or daily movement, doing the same thing over and over can take a toll. Acupuncture excels in these types of injuries by treating them from multiple angles, correcting the inflammatory responses and supporting circulation and recovery so you can continue your routine with less pain.

Frozen Shoulder & Rotator Cuff Pain

Shoulder problems can stubborn and slow, and often are hard to treat with conventional approaches. Our acupuncture treatments promote circulation and help create space and range of motion when the body begins to guard itself into further stiffness.

TMJ & Jaw Pain

Clenching, grinding, jaw tension, and the headaches that come with them. Jaw pain is one of the most common conditions we see and sits at the intersection of structure and stress which is exactly where acupuncture does some of its best work.

Chronic Pain Linked to Stress

When pain has been present long enough, the nervous system itself learns it. Stress amplifies pain; pain amplifies stress. We treat that loop directly, helping settle an overactive nervous system so your body can restore healing pathways.

WHEN TO COME

You don't have to wait until pain becomes chronic to begin acupuncture. In fact, we often recommend starting treatment early, whether you're recovering from a recent injury or dealing with pain that has been building over time.

For acute injuries, we may recommend more frequent treatments initially, often 1–2 times per week for 2-3 weeks to help reduce pain, swelling, muscle guarding, and inflammation while supporting recovery.

For chronic or recurring pain, we typically recommend weekly acupuncture for 6-10 weeks, followed by a gradual reduction in frequency as symptoms improve.

Your treatment frequency will depend on the severity and duration of your pain, your goals, and how your body responds to treatment.

ACUPUNCTURE AND IVF

What the Research Says:

Perhaps the most famous study to date was the Paulus study from 2002 and found that patients receiving acupuncture before and after embryo transfer had higher clinical pregnancy rates than those receiving transfer alone. While this study set the stage and helped popularize the practice of doing acupuncture before and after embryo transfer, this study had limitations and IVF practices have changed a lot over the last 2 decades. Today current evidence suggests acupuncture works best as a course of several treatments, rather than a one-off treatment before and after transfers. Acupuncture continues to be studied as a supportive therapy during IVF, and there is also strong evidence for reducing stress and improving overall treatment experience. 

Combining consistent acupuncture treatments with your IVF/IUI and medicated cycle may be helpful in:

  • Improving blood flow to the ovaries & uterus

  • Enhancing uterine lining and receptivity

  • Increasing implantation rates during an IVF embryo transfer

  • Increasing clinical pregnancy and live birth rates

  • Improving sperm quality (count, morphology, & motility)

  • Reducing stress and anxiety 

TIMING OF ACUPUNCTURE FOR IVF AND IUI 

General Preparation: weekly treatments beginning anywhere from 6–12 weeks before your upcoming IVF/IUI cycle are recommended. 

DURING YOUR IUI CYCLE:

We recommend 4 treatments during your cycle, ideally at the following times:

  • 1 treatment early follicular phase

  • 1 near ovulation trigger / LH surge

  • 1 before/after insemination

  • 1 during luteal phase support

DURING YOUR IVF CYCLE:

We recommend 6-10 treatments during the full cycle, ideally at the following times and frequency:

FOR EGG RETRIEVAL/STIMULATION CYCLES:

  • 1-2 times per week during stimulation phase depending on progression

  • 1 treatment 24-72 hours before Egg Retrieval 

  • 1 treatment after Egg Retrieval for symptom relief

FOR FROZEN TRANSFER CYCLES:

  • 1 treatment 24–72 hours before transfer

  • 1 treatment day of transfer or immediately before/after (if logistics allow)

  • 1 treatment 3–7 days after transfer for implantation support

DURING THE 2 WEEK WAIT:

Treatments during this phase focus on calming the nervous system, easing insomnia, reducing anxiety, relieving pelvic tension, and supporting symptoms such as nausea. 

  • 1-2 times per week or as needed until pregnancy is confirmed

ACUPUNCTURE IN EARLY PREGNANCY:

Acupuncture is completely safe in early pregnancy and can be helpful to support early hormone levels and early fetal growth and development. Treatments are kept gentle and supportive, with an emphasis on relaxation and overall well-being during this sensitive time.

QUESTIONS?

If you are unsure of when to schedule your appointments for your upcoming cycle you can reach out to Mallory Berge, L.Ac. directly at Mallory@FlowAcupuncture.org

Schedule Here