Acupuncture is well known for reducing pain and enhancing fertility but did you know it can alleviate or mitigate many of the challenges of aging?

Keeping it simple, acupuncture enhances circulation, allowing the tissues to be bathed in an optimum amount of blood and nutrients to enable the body to function at its very best. With this as a starting point, imagine that your knees are getting stiff and painful. But you don’t want to stop moving; movement is life. Acupuncture treatments can reduce pain and

inflammation in your knees, allowing you to keep playing tennis, hike or go bicycle riding with your grandkids.

Uncertainty about the future can lead to stress, anxiety and even interfere with sleep. There is even a word for it: FOGO, fear of getting older. But, acupuncture is amazing at reducing stress and anxiety. Just laying down on the heated table in my cozy treatment room is taking a mini-vacation.

Having a treatment resets your nervous system, allowing your body to release tension, relax, reduce anxiety and enhance sleep. Chinese herbal formulas can encourage relaxation to encourage sleep. These formulas are over 500 years old, well-tolerated, with few side effects.

Worried about foggy thinking and minor memory issues? Just as it does for knees, hips and backs, acupuncture encourages the flow of blood and nutrients to the brain. This does not mean acupuncture can reverse dementia but it can mitigate mild confusion and allow clearer thinking.

For the ultimate in prolonging a more youthful appearance (without surgery or painful injections), facial acupuncture can return the bloom to your skin, tightening sagging and reducing wrinkles. Microneedling, which uses an electronic pen, can lighten spots and discoloration left by age and sun damage. These procedures are not painful and result in little down time.

Is acupuncture covered by Medicare? Yes and no. Medicare Advantage plans often cover acupuncture for low back pain, which is part of almost every treatment. Regular Medicare does not cover acupuncture performed by an acupuncturist. Facial acupuncture and microneedling are considered cosmetic procedures and are not covered by insurance.

Questions? Feel free to call, text or email.

Dr. Sara Youner is the owner of Morning Light Acupuncture in Springfield. She specializes in women’s health, pain management, emotional issues and facial acupuncture. She can be reached at (908) 400-2314 or [email protected]. Appointments can be made online at www.morninglightacupuncturenj.com.