Video: Acupuncture without needles

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It's the latest therapy to treat all kinds of ailments, from pain to sleep deprivation to stress.

It's called Acutonics, a modern technique based on ancient Chinese medicine.

"The minute I experienced it, it's like, I wanted it more and more," said Kristi Marshall.

Like acupuncture, the treatment involves stimulating pressure points. But instead of needles, the practitioner uses vibrations from tuning forks.

"We have some frequencies that are more stimulating, others that are more sedating, others that are nourishing to the fluids in the body," said Donna Carey, Acutonics Co-creator.

Carey says the vibrations open up energy pathways in our bodies, which are made up mostly of water.

"Sound travels four times faster in water and through water than it does in air. Our body is a sound resonator," she said.

While there's no clinical research to show Acutonics works, sports medicine doctor Vijay Vad says there are some small studies that show sound can help treat pain.

"What the vibration does is it basically sort of distracts from the pain. And then the sound, basically, is a form of bio feedback that kind of leads to relaxation and decreasing pain sensation," he said.

Some of the results, however, may be attributed to the placebo effect.

"One out of three people, which is a pretty big number, get relief from placebo because pain is a mind/body type of phenomenon," said Vad.

Kristi Marshall is a believer. After two separate accidents left her with debilitating pain in her rotator cuff and back, she started the sound treatments.

"My pain has been relieved and gone away. My health has improved dramatically," she said.

Kristi's acupuncturist, Katie Mink, says the treatment is a great alternative for those who are afraid of acupuncture needles.

"My clients definitely have reported being very surprised to get such powerful results from something that is non-invasive," said Mink.

Locally, Bastyr offers classes in Acutonics as part of its continuing education program.