During the first visit we will review your overall health and how it relates to your current condition. We’ll go through your health history and what has brought you in for the visit as well as your health habits, diet and family health history. Then the assessment portion of the session will be done, looking at your tongue, feeling your pulses as well as reviewing reflexes throughout the body. There are a wide variety of points to be utilized therefore treatment will involve needling points distally from the area of concern or at that area of concern, followed by a period of time where you will rest with them in. Other techniques such as electro-acupuncture, shiatsu massage, moxibustion or even dietary suggestions may be part of the treatment. After the session is complete, patients often report feeling very relaxed and calm. It’s recommended that nothing stressful or demanding be scheduled immediately after a session.

Acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points on the body, using single-use, fili-form (solid not hollow) needles. Once in, these needles bring about not only biochemical shifts but also physiological changes by affecting neurotransmitter function. It stimulates the body’s ability to release endorphins, pain relieving neurohormones. Since it has such a direct affect on the functions of the brain, it also works to balance blood sugar, hormones and blood pressure. It increases circulation and decreases inflammation. Since each treatment is specifically centered to the individual, it has a strong ability to introduce change with symptoms, working from the deeper root level of imbalance to affect the more branch like, symptom presentation.

There is no belief system or need for one for acupuncture to help you. To provide a greater context, acupuncture has been used on horses, dogs, cats and even zoo animals in the US for almost 50 year with amazing results.  Many veterinarians will assure you that it doesn’t require the animals to embrace or conceive of the therapeutic properties to have it provide results. Many animals even get excited to receive acupuncture ☺

Acupuncture is recognized as an eligible expense with a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA) or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA). In some cases, benefits administrators may require a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN) to substantiate the expense. Acupuncture is not eligible for reimbursement with a limited care flexible spending account (LCFSA) or a dependent care flexible spending account (DCFSA).

Chinese herbal-ism is rooted in a balancing approach to address symptoms that arise. The structure of Chinese formulas is setup to provide resolution of symptoms by addressing underlying imbalances. This is done with a combination of herbs, based on their flavors, nature and overall energetic temperatures. Since they are combined together, they act as buffers for one another, ensuring no one herb’s action is too strong within the overall formula.

This provides a gentle, effective way to address underlying root causes of diseases. Chinese herbalists kept meticulous records for what worked best to treat a variety of conditions from physical pain to digestion and hormonal balancing. These records are some of the oldest ‘case studies’ available, some over 3000 years old, proving their effectiveness over time.

Combining acupuncture and Chinese herbs together provides a way to make physical, mental and emotional shifts. Established western medial institutions such as John Hopkins University, UCLA and even Harvard, all recognize that these aspects of the human condition deserve and need to be addressed in order for whole body health to be maintained.