Acupuncture is performed by placing very thin stainless steel needles at certain specific points on the body. From a Chinese Medicine perspective, this opens the free flow of communication and fluids throughout the body. From a Western Medicine perspective, we now know that there are up to 15 different neurochemicals, amino acids, cellular enzymes, and red and white blood cells that are released at the insertion site. In a 1998 Western Medicine study Filshie & White dubbed this a release of a “unique healing soup”.

Yes. When done by a Board Certified trained Acupuncture Physician, acupuncture is considered very safe with very few side effects. The most common being possible slight local bruising. We use single-use sterile packaged needles and we are trained and tested on clean needle techniques by the state of Florida.

Generally, you don’t feel any of the needles upon insertion. There are a few points closer to the feet and hands which might produce a stronger sensation than the rest, but it generally dissipates within seconds. I have heard patients describe it as similar to a mosquito bite.

Yes. Your body knows how to heal itself. As you are reading this your body is working to keep you alive and heal whatever needs to heal. Sometimes there is a constitutional weakness or it becomes overburdened by stress or other life events and it needs some assistance from us. Whenever an acupuncture needle is inserted, it stimulates neurological reflexes that begin to downregulate inflammation. It also starts healing the local and surrounding tissues, fights infection, and increases blood and lymph circulation.

Chinese Medicine is based on clear and open communication in the body. When tension patterns develop in the body we get pain, discomfort, and disease because things are not moving as they should and there is an interruption in the healing processes in the body. We can relax these tension patterns and tap into the healing mechanisms you were born with.

There are roughly 400 points on the body that are able to modulate different processes in the body. The most common points are from the knee and elbow down. However, it is not uncommon to use points on the abdomen or back depending on what we are treating. I love when my patients ask about the points and I am happy to explain every point that I do and why we are doing it.

We will spend 30-60 minutes talking about your concerns and taking a full history. I will then explain what my diagnosis is from a Chinese Medicine perspective and how we are going to address it. Once all the needles are positioned, you will be left in a dimly lit room with soft music to relax for 20-30min with the needles retained. After your treatment we will come up with a case plan and decide how we can best work together to get you the relief you are seeking.

Acupuncture is supportive for many discomforts. It can be used in conjunction with any western medicine diagnosis or it can be used preventatively to keep the body in balance. Some of the most common things we treat are:

Pain

Digestive Issues

Sleep Disturbances

Mental/Emotional Discomfort

Stress

TMJ

Women’s Reproductive Issues: PCOS, Endometriosis, Fibroids, etc.

Infertility

There are very few risks associated with acupuncture when done by a trained professional.

The most common side effects are sleepiness after treatment, local bruising, or slight worsening of symptoms before the pain subsides.

Yes! Acupuncture works very well in conjunction with any other type of modalities such as chiropractic, physical therapy, or pharmaceutical interventions. It is also very good at modulating the side effects of drugs like chemotherapy.

Yes! I have helped hundreds of women get pregnant over the last 5 years and many of them continued their acupuncture throughout their pregnancy. Many even come right before labor to prepare the body for a smooth delivery and reduce anxiety.