If the bustle of modern life overwhelms or wears you down, restorative touch through modalities like massage or acupuncture can help to reset. Acupuncture uses needles along your body’s meridian pathways to balance energy flow, improve circulation, and relieve blockages that may be causing health issues. Meanwhile, massage increases blood flow and lessens muscular tension while triggering the body’s relaxation response to boost endorphins and ease stress.
Studies show acupuncture can help with everything from anxiety to digestive health. For Michael Boyer, a licensed acupuncturist, Chinese herbal medicine practitioner, and founder of Palm Springs Acupuncture Center, healing starts from within. “Treatment calms the nervous system so that the body can use its resources to heal,” says Boyer, whose clinic also offers bodywork, massage, and energy healing.
The most common complaints his team treats are pains in the back, neck, sciatica, and shoulders, though he also frequently sees patients with insomnia, anxiety, and neuropathy. “Pain is the No. 1 thing people come in for,” he says, unsurprising in a community with both active and aging residents. Boyer treats with acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine and, depending on the case, often recommends patients follow up with bodywork or massage. “If it’s muscular, massage would be appropriate,” he says, noting the two are often complementary.
