Your Acupuncture Questions Answered

Acupuncture works through neurohormonal pathways. When I insert sterile, single-use needles at specific acupuncture points, they stimulate nerves to send signals to your brain. This triggers the release of beta-endorphins, which increase your body's ability to handle stress, raise your pain threshold, and promote feelings of well-being and calm.

Research also shows that acupuncture reduces pro-inflammatory markers (TNF and IL-1b), which means increased energy and immunity, and decreased chronic inflammation.

Acupuncture needles are very small gauged, unlike needles used for blood draws or IVs. Sensations can range anywhere from tiny pricks to the skin, deep aches, a distending or radiating feeling, momentary releases, tightening of the tissue, or a release in muscle tension.

When patients feel any type of unusual sensations, it is usually momentary and passes. In some cases, I can adjust or remove the needle.

Treatment frequency depends on multiple factors. I usually tell my patients "until symptoms improve by 80%, measured by specific orthopedic tests or the patient-specific functional scale (PSFS)." Results also depend on adherence to lifestyle and dietary recommendations provided, as well as current medications and supplements. Some insurance plans will cover 8-20 treatments.

‍Sample treatment schedules:

Yes. I use sterile, single-use stainless steel needles for every patient. All needles are disposed of immediately after treatment in medical sharps containers. I am nationally board certified and maintain all required certifications and continuing education to maintain licensure.
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‍Safety protocols:
‍I practice using and am required to test in Clean Needle Technique (CNT) as a part of licensure, and I practice Universal Precautions (essentially, we treat everyone as if they have "something contagious").

I set up a "clean field" with each patient, consisting of:

Absolutely! I can use acupressure on acupuncture points, Japanese-style acupuncture which uses a metal tool called a "teishin" that mimics the effects of a needle without penetrating the skin, or I use magnets, pendulums, mineral stones, heated basalt stones, wooden massage tools, vaccaria plant seeds, or small Japanese acupuncture tacks.

I am also licensed and trained to perform bodywork and energy work, which is non-touch. I can stay in the room for the full duration of the treatment and use special breathing techniques to minimize pain of needle insertion and fear.

All acupuncture is performed clothed or the patient is draped with clean, single-use sheets.

Your first visit will be a comprehensive intake that typically lasts 70-90 minutes (or 180 minutes for complex cases). We will discuss your health history, current concerns, lifestyle, diet, medications, and health goals. I will examine your pulse and tongue, and may perform specific orthopedic tests.

I will create a customized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and goals. Most new patients receive their first acupuncture treatment during this initial visit.

Perineural therapy is a safe and effective treatment for healing inflamed and damaged nerves caused by trauma, sports injuries, arthritis, or repetitive stress. When nerves are injured, they continue sending pain signals to the brain even when the actual stimulus is gone. This creates a chronic pain cycle. PIT injections calm nerve inflammation and interrupt this pain cycle. Once the damaged nerves heal, the surrounding tissues including muscles, tendons, and ligaments can also recover.

Neural therapy uses therapeutic injections to treat pain and restore proper function to the autonomic nervous system. When trauma occurs, it creates an "interference field" that disrupts electrical signals in your nervous system. Neural therapy clears these interference fields, allowing normal nerve function to resume.

Legally, I do not provide this information online; some information is proprietary, but will be disclosed to the patient if it is necessary or due to legal issues.

Some tingling, aching, soreness, redness, and bruising can occur. Some conditions may worsen before they improve, which is diagnostic vs concerning.

Most symptoms last between 1 hour to 1 week. Symptoms that last longer than 1 week are not a safety issue, but are more diagnostic to the patient's concern or disorder.

Patients should expect to feel calm, relaxed, energized, or regulated with both acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

Injections will show results between 4 hours and 4 days. Any recurrence of symptoms or pain requires follow-up injections.

Tui Na is traditional Chinese medical massage. It's the gentle yet focused manipulation of your body's tissues to relieve muscle tension and tightness. Unlike Swedish massage, Tui Na specifically targets acupuncture points, meridians, and organ systems. Treatment is typically performed with you clothed.

I use specialized topicals, liniments, and recommend at-home herbal soaks to help break up areas where blood flow is reduced, accelerating healing and reducing pain.

Cupping uses glass, plastic, or silicone cups that create suction on your skin, muscle, and fascia. This relieves tension, reduces pain, and improves blood flow. The circular marks sometimes left behind are diagnostic indicators that help me understand what's happening beneath the surface.

The marks are diagnostic tools which demonstrate the health of the patient. They are not bruises, by definition. The suction brings up various states of the patient's health, in addition to relieving muscle tension and pain.

Gua sha is a gentle scraping technique that is used for various internal health disorders, such as coughs and colds, can be used to support collagen production, and can relieve muscle tension, depending on where it is done and which type of gua sha tool is used.

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle, hands-on technique that supports the movement of cerebrospinal fluid and the subtle motion of cranial bones. This deeply calming treatment helps regulate the nervous system, reduce stress, and promote profound relaxation.

Integrative bodywork combines techniques of acupuncture, moxibustion, Channel theory, Tui Na (Chinese massage), gua sha, and injection therapies. These are used to address patient-specific concerns of pain and other health disorders simultaneously, such as nerve impingement with pain or digestive or sleep disorders, and nervous system regulation. Since Chinese medicine is holistic, often multiple techniques must be used to support a patient.

I do not provide deep tissue, Swedish, or prenatal massage.

Some forms of insurance are accepted. Please call or email for more information.

Payment plans are offered for patients receiving 6+ scheduled treatments. Packages must be paid in advance.

10% discounts are automatically applied for: Active and retired veterans, Active military and law enforcement, Students, Proof of financial hardship

Yes.