Pelvic pain that doesn't match your test results
Aching or gripping pain that shifts with stress, sleep, bowel changes or long sitting.
Your labs may be under control, but you still have pelvic tension, cramping, bloating or pain with sex. Flares often follow stress, poor sleep or long days at a desk.
When cycles are irregular or pain comes and goes, people often brace through the lower abdomen and pelvis without realizing it. Over time, that bracing can tighten the pelvic floor, abdominal wall and hip flexors. Tight muscle can then irritate nearby nerves and make pain easier to set off.
I work alongside your gynecologist and endocrinologist, who manage PCOS. Pelvic pain and its muscle and nerve sources are what I treat with dry needling, a form of acupuncture. Tight transversus abdominis and oblique muscles in the lower abdomen can crowd the ilioinguinal nerve, so I needle them to relieve that pressure. I also use electroacupuncture, a gentle current through fine needles, to help influence the signaling between the brain and the ovaries. Custom herbal formulas can support hormones, digestion and circulation.
Most people have had hormonal or metabolic medication, ultrasound and blood work. These can regulate cycles and androgen-related symptoms, but they don’t relax a tight pelvic floor or ease tender abdominal and hip muscles. Some people have also tried general pelvic floor exercises, which can add to pain when the muscles are already tight.
I ask about your diagnosis, current treatment, cycle pattern, and which positions or activities set the pain off. Then the exam:
Your gynecologist and endocrinologist keep managing PCOS. I’ll let you know if anything I find seems worth bringing to them, and I’m glad to share my findings.
Your gynecologist and endocrinologist manage PCOS, and medication decisions stay with them. Alongside that, I use electroacupuncture to help influence the signaling between the brain and the ovaries. Custom herbal formulas can support hormones and digestion. These are aims to support your care, not a cure.
I press on specific muscles and trace nerve paths to see what reproduces your symptoms. I also check how movement and position change them. That helps separate pelvic floor guarding from hip, abdominal wall or nerve sources.
Yes, with your permission. Seek medical care promptly for heavy bleeding, pain that is quickly worsening, fever, a possible pregnancy, or new numbness or weakness.
I needle the pelvic floor, hip and abdominal muscles reproducing your pain, which also takes pressure off the ilioinguinal nerve in the groin. Electroacupuncture and herbs address the hormonal side. Most plans combine these, because PCOS rarely involves just one factor.
No, I don’t work internally. Pelvic floor treatment here is external and includes the hip and abdominal muscles that contribute. A pelvic floor physical therapist is the referral when internal work would help.
You can work on the pelvic and hip muscles while medication is being adjusted. The aim is to ease guarding, lower how intense flares get, and make sitting and exercise more comfortable. Everyone responds differently, so I track your progress and adjust.
Adults with pelvic floor, nerve and orthopedic pain, along with neurological conditions. Most of my patients come to me after other care hasn't fully settled things. If you're looking for general wellness acupuncture, I'm not the right fit.
We review your history and what you've already tried. I assess the muscles and nerves involved, and you're treated the same day.
It depends on the condition. Pelvic and orthopedic plans usually run 4 to 6 weeks. Neurological plans are usually 2 visits a week for 6 weeks or 3 a week for 4. After that, visits space out so the changes hold. These are typical timelines, not promises.
Yes. I work alongside doctors, physical therapists and specialists. If something I find needs a closer look from one of them, I'll tell you.
I'm an out-of-network provider. You pay at the time of your visit, and my office submits the claim so any reimbursement comes to you. Free benefit checks are available before your first visit through the verification form, and HSA and FSA cards work. I don't take Medicare or Medicaid, though some Medicare Advantage plans reimburse out-of-network care. Full insurance details
Yes. I treat adults, teens and children, though I don't specialize in infants or toddlers.
Yes. Book a free discovery call to ask your questions and see whether we're a good fit.
Dry needling is a form of acupuncture. Fine needles go into tight bands of muscle and trigger points to lower muscle tension and change how the area is signaling.
You may feel a brief twitch or a deep ache as the needle reaches tight muscle. It passes quickly, and any soreness afterward usually fades within a day or two.
It's generally safe with a properly trained practitioner. Needles are sterile and single-use, and I check your health history first, including blood thinners. In New York, dry needling can only be performed by licensed acupuncturists, MDs and DOs. Physical therapists and chiropractors aren't permitted to perform it.
Eat something light beforehand and wear loose clothing that lets me reach the area being treated.
Usually not. Ultrasound helps in a few specific cases, but it hasn't been shown to improve results for common trigger points. A careful hands-on exam is what guides the needle. More on ultrasound-guided dry needling
Dry needling aimed at the pelvic floor and the hip and abdominal muscles around it, for pain, tension and urinary symptoms driven by those muscles and their nerves. More on pelvic floor dry needling
Sometimes, depending on the muscles involved, and you'll be draped throughout. Treatment always follows your consent and comfort. I don't do internal exams or internal treatment.
No, though it helps if you've already seen a doctor or pelvic floor physical therapist. Bring any notes or imaging you have.
Completely. I've heard it all, and there's no judgment here, just a straightforward conversation so we can treat what's going on.
Yes, I treat adults of every gender and identity. After gender-affirming surgery involving the pelvis, bring your surgical notes and we'll decide together what fits.
We also offer house calls and after-hours appointments by arrangement.
Private Access & House Calls →Ready when you are.
Limited spots each week — book now to reserve yours.
118 W. 72nd St, Rear Lobby, New York, NY 10023
Evidence-based acupuncture and dry needling on the Upper West Side. From chronic pain and headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Jordan Barber pairs the highest level of training with care that actually listens.
Member Clinic
An independent practice and member of New York Acupuncture Group, sharing clinical space and operations in Manhattan.
This site does not provide medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making changes to your health. Read our full disclaimer.