What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a modality of East Asian Medicine that involves the application of very thin, hair-fine needles that encourage your body to heal itself by re-establishing normal body function. These needles are placed at specific points on the body to improve blood and fluid circulation, relax tight muscles, calm the nervous system, reduce pain and inflammation, and re-regulate and balance the body’s anatomy and physiology.
How does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture works by creating micro-injury through the skin and into underlying tissue to encourage a dilation of the blood and lymphatic vessels, increase in blood cell count and action, and improve circulation of neurotransmitters and hormones, resulting in expedited healing, reduced inflammation, reduction of pain, and an overall sense of relaxation and wholeness. When necessary, acupuncture needles can also be introduced into areas of muscles that are tight and uncomfortable, which results in muscle and tissue relaxation with immediate pain reduction, reinforcing a balance between the mind and the body. Acupuncture can be used for many indications, ranging from muscle and joint pain, headaches, stress, digestive problems, endocrine imbalances and more. In short: acupuncture helps your body function better by guiding it back into balance.
Does acupuncture hurt?
Often with the insertion of the needle you may feel a gentle poke and in some cases nothing at all. When the needle has reached the required depth you may feel a dull ache, a surge of pressure, a tingle, or warmth, all of which are normal sensations that should subside within a couple seconds.
Do you re-use your needles?
Our acupuncture needles are very thin, sterile and single-use only. They are made of surgical stainless steel and vary in length and gauge, often inserted painlessly with the assistance of guide tubes for smooth entry and exact point location.
Our microneedling cartridges are also single-use and stainless steel, ensuring the highest standard of safety and precision.
How many treatments do I need?
This often varies by case; some cases can be resolved in as little as one treatment, others require more time. Generally, if a condition is more chronic, we recommend receiving treatment twice a week for 2-3 weeks. We assess the condition before and after the treatment. In some cases, results are immediate; in other cases, results may not be apparent until 24-48 hours after the treatment.
What should I wear to an acupuncture treatment?
We recommend wearing loose-fitting clothing, attire with sleeves and/or pant legs that can be easily rolled up and adjusted to access all areas of the body. This is especially important for Well-Adult and Orthopedic & Sports Medicine treatments.
Do you accept insurance?
At this time, we are unable to accept insurance. In order to help our patients achieve their wellness goals, many acupuncture treatments plans require multiple consecutive sessions. Unfortunately, most health insurance companies will not pay for more than a limited number of treatments. Our listed rates reflect the adjustment made to ensure that our patients can get the best quality of continued care without needing to rely of health insurance. Should a client require a superbill of their visits to submit to their health insurance providers, we are more than happy to provide this upon request.
Which organizations recommend acupuncture?
World Health Organization: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/978-92-4-001688-0
National Institutes for Health: https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/acupuncture-effectiveness-and-safety
American College of Physicians: https://www.acponline.org/acp-newsroom/american-college-of-physicians-issues-guideline-for-treating-nonradicular-low-back-pain
American College of Family Physicians: https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2019/0715/p89.html