So Jen, you know, opioids have been in the news a lot, and we all understand the issue with opioids. They offer value, but also there are issues around it. Acupuncture is being promoted as a very safe and very useful option for people. What is your opinion on that? How do you feel about it? What would you say to someone who’s trying to make up their mind? Sure Absolutely. You know acupuncture has long been used to treat addictions, whether it is heroin addiction, opioid addiction, you name it. And it can be very, very useful. I think the most significant step in helping to treat addiction is that a person wanting to quit it. You know that way they’re 50% there. They are 50% on the way because they want to stop. And again, acupuncture as an alternative, great, especially if they’re using opioids for pain purposes.

Some conditions may be that acupuncture has not been helpful, but it’s very, very rare cases where it just has not helped. And there are specific protocols for working with addiction and you know whether what drug it may be, that is just extremely helpful. For as someone who’s debating between whether to keep taking pills or whether to take acupuncture, for acupuncture obviously, I have to come to see you on a regular basis. How long does that pain treatment last is it like an opioid drug where I take it, and it lasts a few hours and kind of tapers off, and then I come back for my next treatment. How does that work? Right! You’re absolutely right on. Acupuncture is a cumulative effect, so what I usually tell people is allow one to 10 treatments at once a week to get a pain condition under control.
We hope it’s less than ten treatments. But sometimes it can be a few longers as well. It depends on how severe the condition, how long they’ve had the condition, what exactly happened. Obviously, if you have a broken bone that could take a little bit longer to heal. But it is a cumulative effect. So each time you come in, you might feel great that first time for that night or for the next day, then the next time you come in, the hope is two or three days.

Until we get to you to that point of maintenance, where it just becomes your once monthly maintenance of keeping your body at peak potential and everything is working the way it should. So hopefully, within that one to ten treatments we can clear up an issue, a problem, a condition, and help the person through that, and they’re on their way.

How is it: “no needles”? I will insert needles into your neck. But it is this foot that is numb. It’s a very serious problem! You may not be able to walk. His nerves rest on the spinal cord. It’s very hard. Patients like him should be operated on. In countries like Holland, they would be treated by an operation. Here we have acupuncture to change their condition. It hurts. – She has a brain tumor. When I insert these, you should feel heat and cold. That’s what we feel. Come see by that. She has a problem with her ovaries, which prevents her from getting pregnant. Our acupuncture will stimulate blood flow, open the veins … and change the state of her ovaries. Then she can get pregnant. Why do I feel swelling? – Swelling? It means that you do not ovulate.

– Ah. I can tell you if you are ovulating or not. I have been working in acupuncture for 40 years. I did not choose it. I was told that this would be my main subject at the university. Dr. Li, I want the needles. – I arrive. After five years of study, I am passionate about acupuncture. It contains many mysteries to discover. Where are you hurt? – Between these two bones. His way of inserting the needles is less painful. The needles fit easily. I was surprised the first time, “how is this possible?” But it’s true. I will be able to walk again soon. Do not underestimate our acupuncture. She is 5,000 years old. We can cure many European diseases. Like multiple sclerosis. We can treat all kinds of gynecological problems. Or chronic fatigue syndrome and depression too.

Our acupuncture can heal them all. Hello? I am very busy now. Goodbye. Look carefully. She vibrates. Others need electric needles for that. Have you ever seen that? You will not see it anywhere else! As Dr. Li beautifully inserted the needle! He uses two fingers. You have to have strong fingers. He wants me to practice on a wooden board. Do you sleep well? – No, I do not sleep well. Ah? – I dream a lot.

It’s good. Dreaming and sleeping are two different things. He loses weight by moxibustion. The heating medicine enters his body … and the fat inside disappears. After this session, her belly will already be thinner. After ten sessions, the effects will be visible. We are the cheapest on the market. Simple and cheap. A really cheap price, just one or two euros per session. It’s very cheap. My husband can not speak. It’s a problem. That’s why we come here for acupuncture. We were introduced to it. Others told us he was good. Some have been healed and can speak again. Try to say “iiiiiiii”. No, not “aa” but “iii”. Try again. Stronger. Very good. Speech problems are difficult. The problem is at the level of the cerebellum. We have already healed many cases like this. She had a cerebral hemorrhage. She has trouble walking. Turn back. Our methods differ from those of the West.

They want to cure diseases quickly … because in the West everything must be healed quickly. We think differently. That hurts me. Raise your foot higher. You know the funny thing? Our acupuncture works better on Europeans … and the Americans only about us, the Chinese. Strange. It may be because their ancestors … have never had acupuncture. The more receptive you are … the more you will feel the benefits of our treatment.

– [Interviewer] Why the hell did you agree to do this? – I don’t know. (laughs) I’m a little bit nervous since I heard about the bleeders. (laughs) (orchestra music) – [Interviewer] Hi, what’s your name and what do you do? – My name is Jack and I do bicycle deliveries. – My name is Ayana. I am a part-time nanny. – My name is Jamal Buckley and I’m just a student. – I am going to try acupuncture for the first time. – [Interviewer] What do you know about acupuncture? – I don’t know a lot about acupuncture. I know that they stick a bunch of needles in you. – And they’re supposed to calm the area, I believe? – [Interviewer] What are you nervous about? – It could hit the wrong place and leave me like, paralyzed or something. – I don’t– I have a high pain tolerance so, we’ll see. – [Interviewer] Would you like to meet the expert? – Of course.

(giggles) – How’s it going? Ben. – How’s it going? Jamal. – Nice to meet you. – Anybody die doing this? – Not that I know of. – What is the weirdest place you put needles in people? (giggles) – I mean, surprisingly you can literally put them anywhere. – Have you ever stuck it in somebody’s penis? – Not in the penis, but below the balls, definitely. (laughs) – Is there like, lots of blood, just– (fake vomits blood) – Not typically, no. Sometimes in the face, you get a little more, more drops of blood then, then usual, but– – I mean, red is my color, so.

– Yeah. – [Interviewer] So, do you have any other questions or are you ready to do it? – Yeah, okay. – Okay, cool. – [Interviewer] What’s that to your left? – Oh god, that’s a slow-mo camera. – [Interviewer] Yeah. So we’re going to capture your face at a thousand frames per second, – God. As you have a needle piercing your skin. You ready to lay down? We’ll get you lined up. – Yep. – [Interviewer] He’s going to start with your feet. – Oh god. – Do the hands first. – [Interviewer] Oh shit. – Oh shit. – You’re scaring me.

(giggles) – Putting on this, uh, called Yin Tang, it’s to sooth the mind. Sorry my hands are cold again. – Oh my god. I’m getting so nervous. – This is a liver point, so it’s for stress, and it’s also for body pain, like headaches. – (sighs) Thank god. – Beauty is pain, right? – [Interviewer] We’re going to do a countdown. So when I say, “Three, two, one,” he’ll knock it in, okay? (nervous laughter) – Oh god, alright. (chuckles) – Aw fuck. (laughs) – [Interviewer] Everybody ready? – Ready. – [Interviewer] In three, two, one. (intense orchestra music) – [Interviewer] Three, two, one. (intense orchestra music) – [Interviewer] Three, two, one. (intense orchestra music) – [Interviewer] Two, one. (intense orchestra music) – [Interviewer] Three, two, one. (intense orchestra music) – Ah, balls! – Oof. – Oh. Mm hmm. (laughter) – [Interviewer] How’d that feel? – Icky. (laughs) – Icky. – [Interviewer] What do you want to do next? Face? – Let’s do the face, yeah.

– Oh, sweet merciful god. (nervous laughter) – What are you doing? – Yeah. We’re going to do a jaw point, so just in the muscle of the jaw here. – I don’t know if this is true or not. Like, you do acupuncture in the face and some people release emotional– – Uh huh, it depends how much they’re holding on to. – It’s just going to be right in the third eye, okay. (gasps) – Okay, whenever your ready. – [Interviewer] Three, two, one. (intense orchestra music) (gasps) (laughs) – Oh my god. (laughs) – I feel that one, like, all throughout my neck right now. – You can feel it, yeah. – It’s not like a shot at the doctor where it like, hurts and then that’s just kind of it. – Right. – It hurts and then it like, buzzes. – Yeah, totally. – I think I’d be more scared if it– like a mirror was right in front of me. – Yeah. (giggles) Oh my gosh, there’s a needle in my face.

(laughs) – [Interviewer] One more? – We can do like, one on the wrist. We haven’t done that, yet. – [Interviewer] Oh yeah, let’s do that. – We should try the scalp a little bit here. – [Interviewer] Oh yeah! We haven’t done the scalp today yet, so– – That makes me a little nervous. (nervous laughter) – This one is going to feel achy, okay. Alright, I’m ready when you are. – [Interviewer] In three, two, one. (intense orchestra music) – I feel very relaxed. – Cool. – I’m zen right now. – You’re zen? – Ah damn, alright I felt that one more than in my hand. – That is intense. – Oh, that does pinch. – This is kind of fun, though. Are they still in me? – Now that there’s a couple needles in me, I’m like, bring it on. – Bring it on. – Just keep ’em coming. (laughs) – Um, yeah. – Alright. – [Interviewer] How was that? – It was fun.

– Intense. (chuckles) Strange sort of feeling. – I feel weird. I think because of this one. I started feeling weird after the forehead one. – All the stress is gone. This is awesome. I’m like a unicorn. – It’s a little freaky seeing needles sticking out of my skin, but honestly, it just feels good. I feel like a little bit loosened up already. (chuckles) – I feel like when you come out of a sauna and you just kinda take a breathe. You know, there’s cold air rushing in to your body.

– Like my neck is like, radiating right now. I feel kinda cool. – With needles sticking out of my face. (laughs) – [Interviewer] Would you do it again? – Yeah, definitely. – [Interviewer] Alright, you’re done. Good job. (applause) – Is there a bump here? – A little bump, yeah. (laughs) If you put a little ice on it, it’ll go down in like, an hour. (laughs) Just from all the movement, it’s hard to keep it– – Oh! It’s ’cause I was flexing it, wasn’t I? – [Acupuncturist] Yeah. That’s what it was from. – [Interviewer] Yep, there’s your third eye. (laughs) – That’s freakin’ hilarious. – [Interviewer] You have met the cut, good job. (applause).