Specialization

Pain Relief

Acupuncture works well for pain relief. Common areas of pain are headache, back pain, shoulder pain knee pain. Pain is a common symptom that brings people to an acupuncturist. Pain in Chinese Medicine is considered a stagnation of Qi (energy). Treatments for pain in general move Qi, while the underlying yin-yang Five Element imbalance is diagnosed.

A typical treatment for an injury or chronic pain involves cupping or gua sha, tui na or shiatsu, applying moxabustion, and receiving an acupuncture needle treatment. There may be herbs or lifestyle suggestions that may help. The acupuncturist and her patient would assess what pathogenic factors played a role in causing the pain and treat the underlying imbalances. The goal is to de-stress the muscle tension of the whole body.

Stress Relief

Stress is a mitigating factor in most illnesses. Stress can be viewed as an imbalance.

How do we make the most of our life? If we have overworked (yang) when we should have been resting (yin) we may not be able to bring forth new projects with the enthusiasm that characterizes growth. This will affect our performance. Balancing activity and rest, going out into the world and nurturing yourself, are critical areas to consider.

The acupuncturist may help with diet and lifestyle choices to reduce stress. Certainly the treatment is rejuvenating. An acupuncture treatment would be considered a restful (yin) remedy for a hectic (yang) day, helping to balance the yin and yang of your life. The acupuncturist works with harmonizing the body in its environment.

Somatic Experiencing

A body based therapy for releasing muscular tension such as back and neck pain, abdominal pain, teeth grinding, migraines, PMS, and other hard to treat conditions. It utilizes the Central Nervous System's natural rhythmic healing ability to bring ease to the body, mind and spirit.

Facial Rejuvenation

Acupuncture techniques for eliminating lines and wrinkles, reducing bags and dark circles, and lifting the face overall are popular with people who want to look their best and avoid facial surgery or botox injections.

These treatments are also very beneficial to the body's basic constitution and people report a generalized improvement in their whole body's health and well-being.

So Much More than Needles

Acupuncturists have many ways to assist the health of the body. The following is a list of possible treatments. As you can see, a patient could come to an acupuncturist, become healthier and never receive a needle.

1. Acupuncture-The insertion of special sterilized and disposable needles through the skin to the underlying tissues at specific points on the surface of the body.
2. Chinese Herbs-Traditional medicinal herbs prescribed based on theory and practice of TCM
3. Moxa-Direct or indirect warming of the skin using stick, thread, or ball moxa to relieve symptoms.
4. Gua Sha-A dermal friction method using a smooth object on the skin to relieve symptoms.
5. Cupping-A technique that uses cups made of glass, bamboo or other material, that are put on the skin to create a vacuum through heat or suction to relieve symptoms.
6. Tui Na-A Chinese massage therapy using TCM as a basis for treatment to relieve symptoms.
7. Shiatsu-A Japanese massage form using TCM as a basis for treatment to relieve symptoms.
8. Plum Blossom-A hammer-like sterile instrument with short needles that is tapped lightly on the skin to relieve symptoms.
9. Somatic Experiencing-A method of addressing the nervous system involving verbal tracking of body sensations (i.e. hot, cold, tight, loose) to relieve symptoms.