Traditional Acupuncture

An ancient practice rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture offers a range of health benefits by promoting the body's natural healing processes.

Most people have at least a general understanding of what acupuncture is, as the insertion of thin needles into points in the skin. But what they don’t know is “how it works”. The truth is, we don’t know exactly how it works, but we know that it does. It is an ancient branch of Chinese medicine, practiced for centuries - over 2500 years!

What is Acupuncture?

Chinese medicine has its roots in Taoist philosophy, mirroring the wisdom that we are in essence beings that reflect the cosmology of the natural world. Through observation of complaints and professional diagnostics, disharmony can be observed in how we are out of rhythm with that natural balance. Acupuncture accesses specific points on meridians, or channels, that run through the body, similar to blood vessels or nerves. Those acupuncture channels circulate qi throughout the body. Qi is your lifeforce, the energy that circulates throughout your system and energizes every action from your organ functions to body movements.

Each point on the acupuncture channel has its set of unique functions and accesses different organs of the Chinese physiology (Chinese interpretations of the organs are similar but also very different than Western physiology). Inserting needles into these specific locations will adjust the organ network and influence a harmony, depending on what is out of balance in the system. If you are coming in for issues of physical pain, I will choose additional points such as trigger points, and other points surrounding the painful areas that may or may not be on the acupuncture channels.

  • In addition to the more traditional concerns of organ function, acupuncture has other more relatable benefits including reducing inflammation and swelling, softening contracted muscles and tissues, promoting relaxation, and supporting physiological homeostasis. It’s used for every health concern under the sun and then some!

My Approach

As a new patient, your initial acupuncture session will include an intake followed by your acupuncture treatment. You will rest on the table for around thirty minutes. Initial session is scheduled as an 80 minute appointment, so allow ample time in your schedule for this longer session.

For follow up visits, you will have 50 minutes allotted for a brief intake to review what has been happening for you since the previous session, followed by your acupuncture treatment.

How to Prepare for Your Session

In general, please wear comfortable loose-fitting clothing, refrain from caffeine immediately before a session, and do your best t not come hungry.