Acupuncture really works! 

Acupuncture provides a safe, effective and scientifically proven method of treatment for children and adults. It addresses a huge variety of health concerns while providing a nurturing and relaxing environment very different from modern healthcare. Despite the use of tiny needles, acupuncture isn’t painful!

Acupuncture, one part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, is recognized as an effective form of health care by the World Health Organization. Traditional Chinese Medicine approaches the patient as a whole providing a unique, individualized treatment instead of a one-size-fits-all approach.

 How it works 

In order to function well, a body needs a healthy vascular system that provides excellent blood flow and oxygen delivery to the tissues as well as a healthy organ and nervous system. When blood flow is obstructed to a particular area of the body, due to trauma or an internal disorder, disease or malfunction will result. Acupuncture helps restore proper body functions by improving blood flow, and thus the distribution of vital nutrients from the digestive tract, oxygen, vital immune components such as while blood cells, platelets, clotting proteins, antibodies and interferons, hormones, mineral ions, proteins and glucose, the transportation of waste products and pH maintenance, enabling the body to regulate and heal itself.

 A safe, effective, & natural choice 

I believe modern medicine plays a vital role in our society, which is why I encourage my patients to maintain a relationship with their medical doctor.  

I also believe that Chinese Medicine wouldn't have survived thousands of years if it were only a belief system or a placebo. I am grateful to live in a time where my family has access to the benefits of western and eastern medicine.

However, some medical advancements may also include high risk procedures and medications with troubling side effects. The good news is that it is possible to treat a large variety of health issues naturally and less invasively, when appropriate. Together we can discuss your concern and develop a treatment strategy, which we will reevaluate together at each visit. I provide the time and attention necessary to give you the care you deserve, while working with your medical doctor and other health care providers, to ensure that you patients get the very best health care available.

 Yes, Acupuncture is real medicine. 

Chinese medicine, is evidence-based, scientifically backed, and clinically proven. It isn't a pseudo medicine or a religion, it's physiological medicine. You don't need to "believe in it." Acupuncture is often described as needling "energy points" on invisible "meridians". This unfortunate error is the result of a mistranslation made by a French Diplomat living in China in 1932.

In reality, The Huang Di Nei Jing, the oldest Chinese medical text, clearly describes the the anatomical positions and physiological functions of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. Now we know that acupuncture works by signaling the midbrain to release enkephalins, our body's natural painkillers, which are stronger than Oxycontin! By stimulating acupuncture points, blood circulation increases, which carries vital nutrients, oxygen and immunity to areas of the body that have been blocked by injury or disease. Proper functioning is gently restored, expediting the body's natural self healing capabilities.

 Acupuncture can help stop pain safely 

In 2017 The US Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency. Opioid misuse and related overdoses are claiming alarming and unacceptable number of America's lives. Fortunately, Acupuncture has been proven to be a safe and effective pain treatment alternative. So how does it work?

In order to feel pain, both sensory nerves (nociceptors) and proprioceptive nerves are involved. The sensory nerves include A delta fibers that register sharp, burning pain, and C fibers that register dull, throbbing pain. The proprioceptive nerves tell the body where the pain is, for example, "my knee hurts right here". When functioing properly, these nerve signals travel to the midbrain triggering the release of endorphins and enkephalins, the body's natural painkillers, which bind to pain receptors sites on the spine and quickly stop the pain.

The trouble starts when the proprioceptive signal becomes weak and the midbrain can no longer specifically identify the exact pain location. As a result, blood flow to the area is decreased, endorphins and enkephalins are not released and the chronic pain cycle begins.

 Acupuncture reduces inflammation & promotes natural healing  

When a needle is inserted, the healing process is activated. On a microscopic level, the needle causes mast cells to burst, releasing the building blocks of leukotrines, which are anti-inflammatories.

The degranulation of the mast cells also causes the release of chemotactic factors, which attract white blood cells to clean up and repair the area of needle insertion as well as distal areas, far from the site of insertion that are just as profoundly affected from a distance via the nervous system. As blood coagulates, bradykinnin, the sensory and proprioceptive nerve response is triggered, and plasmin, which activates the immune response, is produced. This results in increased blood flow and tissue healing.

Acupuncture has been clinically shown to:

• Increase immune function & disease resistance
• Regulate the body’s homeostasis and increase resistance to disease or abnormal conditions
• Reduce inflammation & promote feelings of well-being
• Improve circulation & smooth muscle relaxation
• Increase pain tolerance
• Hasten motor recovery from paralysis
• Release endorphins to stop pain
• Stimulate production of cells  to promote tissue growth & repair
• Sedate the central nervous system, increase spinal &  peripheral nerve stimulation and improve function

 Conditions Treated* 

The World Health Organization identified over 40 medical conditions for which scientific research and clinical experience have shown Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine to be effective, including:

Dermatology: Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis, Painful Scars, Facial Rejuvenation, Acne

Digestive Disorders: Constipation, Diarrhea, Crohn’s Disease, Colitis, Hemorrhoids,  Food Poisoning, Abdominal Pain, IBS, Acid Reflux

Ear, Nose, Throat/Respiratory: Allergies, Sinusitis, Vision Problems, Asthma, Cough, Colds/Flu, Emphysema, Meniere’s Disease, Sore Throats, Ear Infections, Tinnitus (Ringing in the Ears)

Emotional: Stress, Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, Irritability, Mood Disorders, Stress

Gynecological: PMS, Menopause, Morning Sickness, Endometriosis, Painful or Irregular Periods, Infertility, Fibrocystic Breasts

Musculoskeletal: Arthritis, Tendonitis, Bursitis, Back/Neck Pain, Frozen Shoulder, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Neurological: Headaches, Sciatica, Numbness, Muscle Spasms, Tremors, Bell’s Palsy, Paralysis, Post-Stroke, Parkinson's, MS, Alzheimer’s, Adult ADHD, OCD

Pediatrics: Ear Infections, Colds, Flu, Sore Throat, Cough, ADHD, Autistic Syndrome

Urology: Bladder Infections, Urinary Incontinence, Prostatitis, Sexual Dysfunction

Miscellaneous: Smoking Cessation, Addictions, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Lupus

*Treatment does not imply or claim to cure anything.

Ready to ditch the one-size-fits-all approach?

Chinese medicine has evolved, especially in the last few decades, to include treatment for more modern presentations of illness brought on by modern day stressors and environmental factors. From a mental health perspective, Chinese Medicine now includes 5-Element Theory, modern Chinese Medical Psychiatric care, and extensive personalized treatment options for mental-emotional disorders. 

Using a combination of Traditional Chinese medical theory and 5-Element Chinese Medicine, I’ll identify any emotional or physiological imbalances you may be experiencing. We’ll also determine your dominant “element,” also called a “phase” or personality type, which will enable us to proactively address your current health concerns. Together we’ll review stress management techniques and lifestyle changes that will support a preventative approach for you future health. 

If you’re here, you’ve probably had some frustrations with western medical care. Modern medicine tends to approach the body like a machine, where a human is made of divisible parts. Each part is treated by a different doctor with different medications. Symptoms, rather than root causes, are often simply managed. While modern medicine can be life-saving, it frequently falls short when it comes to helping individuals suffering with non-emergency conditions.

Alternatively, eastern medicine sees the body as a garden. Everything is connected and the roots matter. We acknowledge that humans respond to our environment and every part of our lives affect our health. As holistic providers (the gardeners) we work to tend, not control, the garden (you) by nourishing, pruning, and working with, not against, the environment in which the garden exists.

I provide care that approaches you as a whole person—imagine that—that offers a unique, individualized treatment instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at the mind or “shen” as it relates to the functional and spiritual components of the organs and viscera within the body in order to develop a personalized  treatment plan.

I start by looking for imbalances that may present in the form of an “excess” or “yang” condition such as headaches, heartburn, swelling, acute pain, acne, or gout. I will also look for any “deficiency” or “yin” condition, which may present as exhaustion, water retention, diarrhea, chronic dull and achy pain, or night sweats. In 5-Element Chinese Medicine, we view a person by elements, also called phases or archetypes. Here we examine personality and how predominant or persistent emotions can affect the individual mentally and physically.

Have you seen a commercial for a prescription drug on TV lately? Unless you're living under a rock, you couldn't miss one if you tried. People tell me “needles are scary”. I say anything with a list of side effects that take the better part of a 60-second commercial to name is scary. Acupuncture, not so much. We’re talking needles that are thinner than a cat’s whisker! 

Acupuncture excels for prevention and acute or chronic issues. Poor lifestyle choices will only make us miserable and more dependent on drugs that may have risks and side-effects. I am committed to partnering with you to proactively approach your health with acupuncture, herbal medicine, massage, lifestyle changes, nutrition counseling, and regular checkups with your doctor.

FAQ

QUESTION: Is acupuncture really a scientifically proven, evidence-based form of health care?

ANSWER: Yes. I have many studies I can show you.

QUESTION: Does acupuncture hurt?

ANSWER: Not usually. While pain is subjective, most patients agree that acupuncture is not painful. Most people don't even feel the needle when it is inserted. If you do feel it, it is like a quick pinch and then the discomfort is gone. I use sterile, single-use, surgical stainless steel needles that are silicone coated for a painless insertion. Needles are retained for 15 minutes to one hour depending on patient comfort and conditions treated.

QUESTION: Do you accept insurance?

ANSWER: No. However, Health savings cards are accepted. If your insurance provider allows, I can give you a receipt that you can submit for reimbursement.

QUESTION: Do I have to "believe" in acupuncture for it to work for me?

ANSWER: No. Acupuncture is scientifically based, physiological medicine. Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine has over 2,500 year history of clinical success. It's not a religion, a form of eastern mysticism, nor is it correctly described as energy work. I have no objection to energy-based modalities, I don't deny that we are energetic beings, or that acupuncture affects our energy. It's simply not the physiological description of the medicine detailed in the Huang Di Nei Jing, the oldest surviving Chinese Medical text.

QUESTION: Is acupuncture safe?

ANSWER: Yes. Acupuncture (one part of Traditional Chinese Medicine) has been used successfully worldwide for over 2500 years. I completed 4 post graduate years of Acupuncture/Traditional Chinese Medicine education, over 2 years of clinical work, 14 additional years of continuing education training, including over 500 hours of additional supervised study in the field. I’ve has passed all necessary licensing exams to practice acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

I do not recommend "dry needling" as it is often performed by a practitioner with substantially less training. 

QUESTION: Can you be my only doctor?

ANSWER: No. Because I am not a medical doctor, my scope of practice is limited. I recommend that all my patients remain in contact with their doctor (MD, DO, DC, DDS) and continue with your regular medical care both preventative and for any current medical condition your doctor has told you requires treatment, including medications.