Acupuncture for Fibromyalgia

What is Fibromyalgia?

Before delving into the role of acupuncture in relieving the symptoms of fibromyalgia, let’s talk about the symptoms of this disorder. Fibromyalgia affects an estimated 2% of the global population, most of whom are women. Patients often experience the following symptoms:
  • Widespread chronic pain and hypersensitivity.
NB: A patient must experience pain in 11 of the 18 body points for a minimum of 3 months to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
  • Insomnia and restlessness.
  • Memory loss and an inability to concentrate (fibro fog).
  • Fatigue, numbness, and tingling.
  • Depression and Anxiety.
  • Irritable bowel and digestive complications.
Factors that increase the risk of fibromyalgia include rheumatic disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, emotional/physical trauma, and a family history of fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, there is no definitive medical cure for the condition. This drives over 90% of fibromyalgia patients into exploring alternative treatments to alleviate their suffering. One such treatment is acupuncture, which improves the ability to function, enhances well-being, and may relieve pain and suffering.

The Role of Acupuncture

Acupuncture it is an age-old Chinese healing therapy, where needles are inserted in specific body points to unblock Qi channels and improve energy flow. Are you wondering how traditional Chinese treatment relates to fibromyalgia? Well, pain is seen as consequence of the disruption of Qi due to dissonances in major body organs such as the heart, kidney, spleen, and liver.  If Qi is flowing freely there will be no pain, but if it is blocked or not free-flowing, pain will be present. In treating fibromyalgia, acupuncture works by calming the brain, stimulating the release of endorphins (the body’s own painkiller), reducing inflammation, and thereby improving quality of life. Moreover, acupuncture employs an holistic approach that addresses the unique characteristics of every patient. Specific details on the role of acupuncture can be obtained from  Centre of Balance Hamilton. You can also obtain expert and personalised tips on how to employ self-acupressure to relieve the symptoms. Common acupressure areas include:
  • Stomach 36– A finger’s width from the shin bone below the outer eye of the knee.
  • Pericardium 6– Side of the arm after the wrist and between the two tendons.
  • Ren 17– Centre of the chest between the nipples.
  • Ear Shen Men– The Triangular fossa on the upper portion of the ear.
  • Yintang– Between the eyes.

Is Acupuncture a Proven Treatment?

It is not uncommon for patients to question the credibility of acupuncture as a medical intervention, and it’s understandable since we are talking about our health. To quench your curiosity and any lingering doubts, a study published in the reliable British Columbia Medical Journal (BCMJ) investigated the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving fibromyalgia symptoms. 20 fibromyalgia patients in their 40s were treated with acupuncture for 12 weeks. They also underwent counselling sessions to complement the treatment. After the trial, the group recorded over 50% improvement in their condition. One patient even experienced a 70% alleviation of some of her unpleasant symptoms while 10 patients declared a moderate improvement of between 21% and 50%. Only 3 of the 20 patients reported minor progress of approximately 11%. The outcome of this study points to the applicability and efficiency of acupuncture as a valuable treatment to explore in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Lifestyle Practices to Complement Acupuncture Treatment

To improve the overall quality of life and alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia, Centre of Balance recommends a few lifestyle techniques to enhance the efficiency of acupuncture and generally improve your quality of life. These include:
  • Ample and restorative sleep, which includes proper sleep hygiene and around 8 hours of sleep.
  • A few minutes of meditation every day to calm the body
  • Exercise or gentle stretching to improve circulation, relax the mind, and strengthen the body.
  • A balanced and healthy diet to improve the immune system, cognition, reduce swelling, and help with nerve sensitivities.
For more information on acupuncture treatment, please contact us or visit our Clinic at 27F Whatawhata Rd, Dinsdale, Hamilton, New Zealand. Click to fill in the questionnaire now Reference Clarke, T. (2004). Treatment of fibromyalgia with acupuncture and counseling. British Columbia Medical Journal, 46(1), 21-23.

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Monica

I am originally from Hebei province in China. I hold a NZ bachelor’s degree of health and science with a major in acupuncture. I am honoured to be an acupuncturist at Centre of Balance. Helping patients to alleviate their pain brings me the greatest joy. Chinese medicine emphasises the unity of human beings and nature. During the treatment, I hope to not only relieve your pain but also help you to understand the principles behind acupuncture’s effectiveness, as well as the significant impact of diet, emotions, lifestyle habits, and living environments on disease recovery. Self-healing is an ability that our bodies are naturally endowed with.

I studied acupuncture in New Zealand and completed one and a half years of supervised clinical internship before graduating. In the early stage of my training, I mainly worked with patients experiencing neck, shoulder, and lower back pain. Under the guidance of senior clinical tutors, I gradually developed hands-on experience and confidence in treating musculoskeletal pain conditions.
As my clinical exposure expanded, I began treating a wider range of internal conditions. Alongside traditional acupuncture, I was introduced to Umbilical Acupuncture and Tungs-acupuncture Points. What interested me most about these approaches is that they often do not require needling directly at the painful area, yet can still achieve very effective results.
I was especially inspired by observing my supervisor use Umbilical Acupuncture to treat common conditions such as insomnia, menstrual irregularities, and even rheumatoid arthritis, with very positive outcomes. Another supervisor was highly skilled in Tungs-acupuncture Points and achieved excellent results in treating pain, infertility, menstrual disorders, and a variety of women’s health conditions. After completing my studies and entering clinical practice, once I observed Dr. Szenan Phua using Tungs-acupuncture points to help cancer patients relieve pain, which further strengthened my trust in this treatment method.
I later completed training in Dr. Tan Balance Acupuncture, which had a strong influence on the way I approach treatment. One of the most noticeable features of this method is how quickly patients often feel improvement, especially with pain conditions. Dr. Szenan Phua’s New Balance Acupuncture combines meridian regulation with structural adjustment and internal organ balancing, including techniques such as pulse balancing and spinal adjustment.
From my clinical experience, pain is rarely just a local issue. It often involves underlying organ weakness or structural imbalance. When these aspects are addressed together, treatment can be more thorough and longer-lasting. I also apply this approach to internal conditions, particularly in fertility and women’s health. This includes supporting natural conception, IVF preparation and embryo transfer, pregnancy support, early-pregnancy nausea, and late-pregnancy labour induction. I combine these treatments with concepts learned from a few additional fertility training, which has given me a broader and more flexible clinical perspective. This has reinforced my belief that acupuncture should be adapted to each individual rather than applied through fixed formulas.
Two other areas of study that have been very helpful in my clinical work are Tongue Diagnosis and Dr. Zhu’s Scalp Acupuncture. Although tongue diagnosis is taught in my standard Chinese medicine training, further study allowed me to deepen and refine my diagnostic skills.
My first formal training was in Li’s Tongue Diagnosis, which looks not only at organ patterns, but also at how different areas of the tongue reflect the body’s structure. This system also explores personality traits and changes during pregnancy, making it both clinically useful and engaging. I later attended online lectures on Yin’s Tongue Diagnosis and studied the related materials independently. this learning has helped me make clearer and more accurate pattern differentiation, allowing my acupuncture treatments to be more targeted. It covers a wide range of conditions, including skin disorders, oncology-related presentations, mental health patterns, and joint or limb problems. In practice, tongue observation often provides valuable insight even before a patient begins describing their symptoms.
In addition to the methods above, I regularly use local bloodletting techniques, which can be very effective for improving circulation, reducing swelling, and relieving pain. I also incorporate auricular (ear) acupressure and stimulation, which I commonly use for allergies, insomnia, headaches, stress management, and various internal conditions.
In my clinical work, I value taking the time to listen carefully to each patient and to understand their overall health, lifestyle, and concerns. Based on each individual’s condition, I also provide personalised dietary guidance and lifestyle or wellness advice to support overall health and long-term wellbeing. I commonly support patients with musculoskeletal pain, such as neck, shoulder, knee, and back pain, as well as stress-related conditions, sleep issues, migraines, digestive concerns, and women’s health and fertility-related conditions.