What to Expect

Acupuncture consists of the insertion of very thin, virtually painless pins into specific points on the body, stimulating the body’s innate ability to balance itself and recover from illness.

After a brief chat with your provider, you will usually lay on a warm and comfortable treatment table, with bolsters, therapeutic heat lamps, and relaxing music (if desired). Your provider will do an examination, which may be include feeling your wrist pulse, examining your tongue, and potentially palpating certain locations or performing orthopedic tests. They will then explain what they recommend as far as your treatment for the day and confirm you feel good about it. Your provider will then often insert needles and/or perform other modalities such as moxibustion, cupping, bodywork or external Chinese herbal application. While you rest with your needles or soon after your treatment, your provider will complete your treatment for the day by writing up a summary of recommendations and resources, compiling educational handouts, preparing a Chinese herbal formula prescription, if indicated that day.

Patients frequently report that treatments are extremely pleasant and relaxing, and that they feel well-cared for. Generally, patients become accustomed to an expected flow to the treatment, yet there is often an interesting variety of modalities you may experience.

Treatments are completely tailored to your preference. What is of utmost importance is that you are comfortable and experience relaxation as a result of your treatments. We listen to your words, your story, and your preferences carefully and thereby create individual treatments and longer-term treatment plans that feel good for you. At the same time, we educate you to an appropriate extent so that you can make informed decisions regarding your treatments, in order to support you receiving the best possible outcomes.

How it Helps

Acupuncture has been shown to significantly help gynecological and obstetric issues of all sorts, as well as pain, digestive complaints, anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties, skin issues, pain, immunological conditions, and much more.

In Chinese medicine terms, acupuncture helps to balance, strengthen, and smooth out the flow of energy in the body, so that the body can function more efficiently in the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual realms. In terms of a modern, biomedical perspective, the stimulus from acupuncture needling creates a cascade of signaling throughout the connective tissue, involving the blood, nerves, and immune system. 

Acupuncture may be able to help you achieve specific health goals — but if you don’t have any significant problems at hand, general, common benefits reported by many our patients include better moods, less negative impact by stress, more feelings of joy and connection, balanced menstrual cycles, less allergies and illnesses, and improved energy, libido, sleep, digestion, and skin.