Avenue Acupuncture FAQs

Needle placement varies by case. Some needles are placed directly into the affected joint (between 0.5cm-1.5cm deep), while others are placed in areas not close to the pain, such as the elbows for knee arthritis, a principle known as “distal acupuncture” that triggers vasodilation in the arthritic area.

Acupuncture works on several levels: needling the arthritic area causes micro-injuries that trigger the body’s healing mechanisms, increases circulation to carry natural anti-inflammatories to the area, releases endorphins to reduce pain perception, and can address contributing risk factors like an overactive immune system simultaneously.

Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage deteriorates from chronic stress, obesity, overuse, age, or deformities. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease causing inflammation of the synovial fluid between joints. Psoriatic arthritis is less common and can accompany psoriasis, also causing joint inflammation.

Arthritis is not a single condition but refers to a group of over 100 medical conditions, including gout, ankylosing spondylitis, and scleroderma, affecting the musculoskeletal system where two bones meet to form a joint. It’s estimated that almost two thirds of the population have some form of arthritis.