About Acupuncture

Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into strategic points on the body to achieve overall wellness. This technique developed over 3,000 years ago and takes a holistic approach to healing. All the symptoms that you're feeling come down to one root diagnosis: an imbalance between internal organs, and/or pathology that has made it's way into your body. Acupuncture works to correct these imbalances and pathologies by supporting your body's natural ability to heal itself.

You and I are a team. That means that you have as big a role in your healing as I do. You have the ultimate control over your body and it is up to you to exercise it. Your health is your responsibility, and your healthcare team is here to support you.

Finding the Right Acupuncturist

Whether you are in physical or emotional pain, facing a life threatening illness or simply want to keep yourself balanced, acupuncture can help. It is important to understand, however, that there are many different styles and needling techniques that are layered with the practitioner's own style and energy to create a treatment. If something isn't working, don't blame acupuncture. Finding the right acupuncturist is like finding the right medication and dose, you have to keep trying until you find what jives with you.

Wise words to consider from tryacupuncture.org:

"Obviously, you would be horrified to learn that your surgeon didn’t have a medical license or if your chiropractor only took a 24 hour course on adjustments. This is no different than visiting an acupuncturist who completed a crash course in the field.More than 50% of acupuncture providers (chiropractors, physicians, and other healthcare providers included) are practicing with a certification after only 300 hours of abbreviated training or much less, a portion of which was home study, and no actual clinical experience. As some of you know, a licensed acupuncturist has more than 2,000 hours of education in acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine, has accrued hundreds of hours of supervised clinical experience, maintains continuing education requirements, and successfully passed the national exam or equivalent state board."

What does acupuncture help?

Almost anything. No, really! Back in the day, acupuncture was general medicine and was used to treat everything from colds to cancer. Here are some of the more popular reasons people seek acupuncture:

Musculoskeletal pain
Arthritis
Headaches and migraines
Stress
Depression
Anxiety
Infertility
Irregular menstruation
Symptoms of PMS, PMDD, endometriosis, menopause, etc.
Digestive distress (such as IBS, GERD, bloating, symptoms of Crohn's and colitis, etc.)
Diabetes
Weight loss
Smoking and other addiction cessation

Our technique isn't limited to needling either. We use dietary counseling, life counseling, gua sha, cupping, electrical stimulation, moxabustion, liniments, and many more techniques to provide a treatment unique to you and how you heal.

Some important information

Dry Needling: That Means Acupuncture
I found this article and must admit I was extremely angry to learn that this was even an issue. Some Physical Therapists are trying to argue that "trigger point dry needling," which uses acupuncture needles, isn't acupuncture and that it is within their scope of practice. They are also taking only a brief certification class before performing this service. This is not only unethical, but dangerous. If you wish to seek trigger point dry needling, make sure your practitioner is a licensed acupuncturist. We receive almost 3,000 hours of training and are required to pass national and state board exams.

Dry needling: Averting a Crisis for the profession

The End of an Ice Age
For anyone who has undergone my treatment, you know how passionate I am about avoiding the use of ice. There are two good reasons for this: one, inflammation is your body's natural response to fight infection, so why would we want to prevent that? Two, the way that ice is stops inflammation is by stopping blood flow. No blood flow means no nutrients to the injured area and that means you can't properly heal. No blood flow also means stagnation, and stagnation creates pain. Don't believe me? Maybe Dr. Mirkin (the man who coined the RICE acronym) can convince you.

RICE: The End of an Ice Age

Vaccines
There is a never ending debate when it comes to vaccines. What's important is to educate yourself on the pros and cons and make the best decision for you and your family. Talk to your doctor, talk to other doctors, talk to doctors in other forms medicine, read articles, check resources, and follow your gut. Need a place to start? Visit ProCon.org, pubmed.com, or mayoclinic.org.

Meat and potatoes
Dieting these days is like trying to understand Chinese without a single lesson. What's important to understand is that everyone's body is different and therefore has different requirements when it comes to fuel. Generally speaking, my big three suggestions are:

Proper portions. Imagine your plate, cut it in half and then cut one half into quarters. One half is veggies, one quarter is rice (or other carbohydrate), and one quarter is a protein the size of your palm. Everything else should be eaten in moderation.
Organic, grass-fed/pasture-raised meats ensures the animals lived a full and happy life before making the ultimate sacrifice for us. It's not only good for your body, but good for your soul too. Organic fruits and vegetables ensure your food is free of harmful chemicals and pesticides.
Read carefully when it comes to pre-packaged foods. Can you pronounce all the ingredients? If you know what's going into your food, then you know what's going into your body.

6 foods that are legal in the US but banned in other countries

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