Most people find the needles a lot less painful than they imagined! Usually, there is a little pinch as the needle breaks through the skin, then a feeling of pressure and movement of the needle as it is guided to the right depth. Depending on the intention of the needling, you may feel a gentle tingling or traveling sensation, a heavy feeling, or a muscle twitch. Every effort is made to ensure maximum comfort and a relaxing experience.

This depends on the condition treated, how long it’s been present, frequency of treatment, and your lifestyle habits. The general rule of thumb is the longer it’s been a problem, the longer it will take to resolve. Timeline and expectations will be discussed after a full assessment.

Most insurance plans now cover the services of Registered Acupuncturists! Herbs and supplements are often not covered. In cases of pain treatment, I can also issue a receipt as a Registered Massage Therapist.

This depends on the prescription and dosage, and can range between $25-60 for a 2 week course of treatment.

Depends on what medications you’re taking. Every herbal prescription is checked for possible interaction and contraindications with your existing medications. Usually, substitutions can be made to avoid negative interactions.

Yes! I have extensive training and experience with dry needling. A full assessment will be performed to make sure it’s indicated. It’s usually used for muscular pain/injury, and I always include a bit of manual work when doing this type of treatment.

Facial acupuncture is a natural and holistic treatment of the superficial skin and wrinkles. Specific body points are chosen to address underlying processes that accelerate the aging process, and facial needles target the muscles and skin. Patients are often surprised that their sleep, mood, stress levels and digestion also improve within the course of treatment. Ultimately, the whole body is restored to a state of harmony to bring out your innate radiance.

There are points needled in the body (likely the arms and legs) to address the underlying imbalances that are unique to you. Once the needles are in, an LED light panel is placed over the face, which is designed to reduce inflammation, kill acne bacteria, and accelerate tissue repair. Finally, a high frequency wand is applied to the skin, which utilizes electrical currents to oxygenate the skin to kill acne bacteria.

Known as just ‘acne’, it is a common skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become blocked with dead skin cells, bacteria, and the natural oils of the skin (sebum). The blockage causes inflammatory and non-inflammatory blemishes like pimples, blackheads, whiteheads, and painful nodules. Acne can be a result of hormonal changes, diet, stress, and family genetics.

Yes! TCM views acne as a toxicity the body is trying to expel through the skin. How the acne lesions present are actually clues as to what is happening inside the body, and will be explored in depth during your initial assessment. Then we can formulate a plan to reduce and/or eliminate it. Many factors often contribute to acne, so treatment plans combine acupuncture, herbal supplements/teas, dietary changes, skincare and lifestyle recommendations. Results can be seen fairly quickly with consistent treatment and compliance with the recommendations made.

I like to think of dry needling as a subset or technique under the umbrella term of acupuncture. Simply put, it is a style of acupuncture that specifically targets muscle knots/trigger points.

Yes! Acupuncture has gained steady recognition over the years in improving fertility factors such as egg quality, uterine lining, hormonal balancing, and preventing miscarriage. Usually, the best and fastest results are achieved with a combination of acupuncture and herbal supplementing.

TCM is a whole system of medicine with roots in East Asia that’s been in use for thousands of years. The five pillars of healing in Chinese medicine are Acupuncture, moxibustion, qi gong, tuina (a form of body work/massage), and herbal medicine. Depending on the nature of the concern, your practitioner will select the most appropriate intervention based on your individual needs, constitution, and what works for you.

Cupping is a type of negative pressure massage. Silicone cups are used to create a suction and placed on the body for a few minutes or glided over the body, depending on what is being treated. This method is a patient favorite because it is relaxing to receive and very effective.

Traditionally, moxibustion was performed by burning mugwort over an acupuncture point or over an area to create a warming effect. Often, it is used to increase circulation to warm an area or to boost the effects of a needle. Modern methods I’ve adopted include a therapeutic heat lamp for warming a large area and a hand held infrared wand to target acupuncture points.