Acupuncture and other Chinese medicine modalities can treat can an extensive list of diseases and conditions. Although there are records from 2,000 years ago stating the clinical efficacy of acupuncture in China, Western medicine recently began extensively researching acupuncture. The World Health Organization (also known as WHO) published a review of clinical trials finding acupuncture to be effective for treating the conditions listed below.

Pain: Muscle tension, neck or lower back pain, jaw tension, fibromyalgia, epicondylitis (tennis or golfer’s elbow), rheumatoid arthritis, pain from trauma and after operations

Neurological conditions: headaches, migraines, stroke, hemiplagia, Bell’s Palsy, insomnia

Respiratory conditions: allergic rhinitis, tonsilitis, asthma

Digestive disorders: epigastric pain, peptic ulcer, gastritis, nausea, vomiting, morning sickness, IBS, chronic ulcerative colitis

Urogenital conditions: urinary retention, urinary stones, renal colic, low-libido, chronic prostatitis, recurring UTIs

Gynecological conditions: dysmenorrhea (painful periods), PMS (mood swing, breast tenderness, etc), endometriosis, infertility, mastitis, deficient lactation

Cardiovascular disorders: Hypertension, hypotension, coronary heart disease, chest pain

Emotional disorders: depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, drug withdrawal, smoking cessation

and many more!

Each treatment is crafted specifically for the patient. The first treatment lasts about 90 minutes. In the first portion of the time we discuss why you are coming in for the treatment and conduct a comprehensive health history.

After the discussion of health history, I then feel the patient’s pulse and examine their tongue. These two techniques, in addition to discussing their history, will allow me to formulate a Chinese medicine pattern that will guide my treatments and determine how many treatments the patient will need.

Following this initial interview, I then do acupuncture. If needed, other Chinese medicine modalities, such as tui na, herbal medicine, gua sha, cupping, moxibustion, nutritional therapy will be introduced into the treatment.

Chinese medicine is not a band-aid, like ibuprofen or antihistamines that manage symptoms. It is designed to rebalance your entire system and promote healing from deep within. It cures the root of your problem, in addition to managing your symptoms, so your symptoms go away and you get lasting relief.

This does not happen in one treatment. This often does not happen in 3 treatments. Most conditions need a MINIMUM of 3 sessions to see improvement, and any condition you have been experiencing for more than a week or two will likely need 5 - 12 sessions to see improvement.

Additionally acupuncture works in a series of treatments. You can never have acupuncture too close together, but you can have them too far apart. Acupuncture works cumulatively and we want to continue building on your progress. If we treat you today, but then before your next appointment a week later your symptoms slowly start to creep back in so by the time we treat you again we’re at square one, then we went too far between the first appointments. So it’s important to come in at least once or twice per week for the first couple of weeks to see progress, then switch to once a week treatments.

Acupuncture needles are very fine, so fine that up to 40 of the acupuncture needles can fit inside a doctor’s standard hypodermic needle. Due to the acupuncture needle’s fineness, generally the insertion of the needle is not painful, but the patient may feel a slight pinch where the needle is inserted followed by a heavy, dull, achy or tingling sensation. Commonly, patients receiving acupuncture go into a deep relaxed state and rest during the treatment.

• Bring shorts and t-shirt. For women, please avoid wearing sports bras as they can get in the way.

• Eat food or a snack 30 minutes to an hour before your appointment.

• Fill out your health history form before coming in to your first session.

• Arrive to your appointment on time.