Acupuncturist Janice Perry with a patient. (Courtesy photo by Cyndy Karon)

Does it hurt? It’s a basic rule of journalism to lead a story with the point of greatest interest to readers, and pain is unquestionably the issue with acupuncture. After receiving a treatment involving insertion of eight needles in forehead, ears, forearms, and feet, this writer can personally attest that acupuncture, at least as practiced by Janice Perry of Harvard Therapeutic Massage, does not hurt. In fact, it was quite relaxing.

Perry is a practitioner of the Japanese school of acupuncture, which might be described as “acupuncture lite.” This approach employs fine-gauge needles that are, literally, the thickness of a human hair and so flexible a patient can lie on them without sensation.

Perry’s insertion method is barely subcutaneous, perhaps one-eighth of an inch deep. My experience was that, depending on the site, needle insertion was either undetectable, or like a tap with the tip of a ballpoint pen, or experienced as a momentary prick.

There is nothing “lite,” however, about the beneficial effects of these treatments, according to Perry. She cited National Institute of Health and World Health Organization reports that acupuncture has been proven effective in the treatment of more than 50 common health problems.

Perry’s experience is that 60 percent of her patients use acupuncture to relieve pain. Acupuncture can be especially effective, she said, in treating back and joint pain; nerve pain, such as that associated with fibromyalgia and carpal tunnel syndrome; and migraines. Cancer patients use Perry’s services to deal with the pain and nausea associated with treatment. She has assisted stroke patients in using acupuncture to regain strength in their arms and legs. Perry and her co-practitioner, Yong-Jun Min, have also employed acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine to treat conditions associated with pregnancy and childbirth, including inducing labor and turning breech babies in late-term pregnancies.

Perry’s patients also use acupuncture to address mental health and well-being issues, like depression, anxiety, and nightmares. Perry noted that there are entire acupuncture practices dedicated to smoking cessation. She cited a nationwide program in which acupuncturists volunteer their services to treat veterans and their families and caregivers. A web search showed that the Department of Veterans Affairs offers acupuncture to aid Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom combat veterans in dealing with chronic pain and post-traumatic stress disorders.

Perry describes acupuncture as “complementary medicine.” While some of her patients use acupuncture as their primary source of treatment, many others use it in conjunction with mainstream medical treatments. Some of Perry’s patients have been referred by medical doctors, who collaborate with her to define comprehensive treatment plans. One of Perry’s instructors regularly provides acupuncture services to Boston Bruins and Boston Red Sox team members. As Perry noted, “traditional therapies often work hand-in-hand with Western therapies,” such as physical therapy and prescription medication.

The goal of acupuncture is to improve general body functioning and overall well-being, Perry said. Traditional Chinese medical thought contends that the body’s systems are linked, so that a single treatment can address a variety of related ills. By comparison, as Perry said, “Western medicine is about treating specific symptoms, rather than the source of illness.”

There is no consensus in the scientific community, or even in the traditional medical community, as to how acupuncture works. Chinese tradition holds that acupuncture stimulates the vital energy or life force that circulates throughout the body. Western practitioners describe acupuncture as inducing biological responses mediated by sensory neurons, or as stimulating the body’s inherent electromagnetic fields. Perry said she thinks of acupuncture as facilitating the body’s natural healing processes by eliminating blockages, releasing endorphins and enabling natural energy flows.

Perry conducts extensive interviews with new patients to gain a clear understanding of their conditions and possible contributing factors. A physical exam, which includes palpation of key acupuncture points on the neck, arms, stomach, legs, and feet, guides Perry in determining where treatment is needed. Acupuncture needles, which are typically not felt after insertion, may be left in place for as few as five minutes or as long as 45 minutes, depending on the nature and severity of the condition being treated. Perry said that most of her patients find “deep, deep relaxation” with treatments, and have been known to fall asleep on her treatment table.

The duration of treatment depends on the patient’s condition and age. While some patients find relief after a single treatment, Perry said that it may take four to six treatments for some patients to feel positive effects. While some patients achieve their goals after a short period of treatment, others use acupuncture on a continuing basis to address chronic conditions.

An initial 90-minute consultation, physical examination, and treatment is $95; follow-up treatments are $70. Perry said that many companies offer their customers at least partial reimbursement for acupuncture treatments.

Acupuncturists in the state of Massachusetts must complete a master’s degree program, pass state boards, and meet state-mandated standards for medical treatment facilities. The Food and Drug Administration has approved acupuncture needles as “safe and effective medical devices.” Acupuncture needles, which are pre-sterilized and sold in sealed packages, are never re-used.

In addition to her master’s degree in acupuncture, Perry has practiced as a licensed pharmacist for 25 years. She said her knowledge of standard Western medical practices and experience in counseling patients in prescription drug therapy and use of herbal supplements adds to her appreciation of acupuncture as a complementary treatment.

Perry’s treatment extends beyond humans to animal subjects. She said that horses respond especially well to acupuncture treatments. She noted a recent case, in which she was consulted about a young race horse’s inability to sweat, a potentially life-threatening condition that could lead to overheating on the track. His condition was so improved after one treatment that he won his race and posted his best time ever. Perry is currently working with a chiropractor to address another horse’s spinal misalignment, a condition that might otherwise lead to euthanasia, since back surgery is not a practical alternative for a horse.

Like many other acupuncture practitioners, Perry was led to further study by personal experience of the discipline’s efficacy. Perry said she was first introduced to acupuncture in the late 1980s, when she heard a lecture about its use in treating horses. When her 10-year-old daughter’s orthopedist suggested putting her in a cast to treat severe knee pain, Perry decided to try acupuncture as a preliminary treatment. It was so successful that her daughter required no further treatment. Similarly, when her teenage son injured his shoulder, acupuncture provided him with near-immediate relief from pain.

Perry can be contacted for a consultation or appointment at Harvard Therapeutic Massage, 280 Ayer Road, 978-772-1112.