Is it safe?
Does it hurt?
What does it treat?
Can it benefit me even if I'm not sick?
What can I expect when I come in for a treatment?
Does my insurance cover it?
Do I have to believe in it for it to work?
What can I expect from acupuncture treatment?
What relationship is there between acupuncture and my other health care?
How does the coaching program work?
Do I have to become a vegetarian to be healthy?
Can food that's good for me actually taste good?
I'm too busy to cook at home. How can you help?
I'm tired all the time; can you help?
I'm addicted to sugar, can you help?
Can you help me lose weight?
Will acupuncture help me quit smoking, drinking alcohol, or using drugs?
What is the treatment like?
How often do I have to come in?
How much does it cost?
I've never run before, how could I ever run a marathon?
I'm too slow, any advice?
How long does it take to train for a marathon?
Yes. The needles are pre-packaged, sterile, and are only used one time. I practice and am certified in "Clean Needle Technique," a program that instructs me about how to keep my patients and myself from contracting illnesses through my acupuncture practice.
Acupuncture, unlike pharmaceutical and surgical interventions, has no side effects. It also does not create dependency or addiction.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Development Conference Statement on Acupuncture said the following:
"One of the advantages of acupuncture is that the incidence of adverse effects is substantially lower than that of many drugs or accepted medical procedures used for the same conditions. As an example, musculoskelatal conditions such as fibromyalgia, myofacial pain, and tennis elbow . . . are conditions for which acupuncture may be beneficial. These painful conditions are often treated with, among other things, anti-inflammatory medications (aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.) or with steroid injections. Both medical interventions have potential for deleterious side effects but are still widely used and are considered acceptable treatments. The evidence supporting these therapies is no better than that for acupuncture."[Emphasis added]
In China, acupuncture is used as anesthesia during surgery!
No. The needles are tiny and very thin -- slightly thicker than a human hair -- and are inserted just below the skin's surface. Many patients report they feel a little sting or a prick when the needle is inserted. Some patients feel energy moving through their body, tingling, or a buzzing sensation. Others don't feel anything.
According to the World Health Organization, acupuncture has been shown through clinical research to be an effective treatment for:
pain: low back, neck, knee, facial (including craniomandibular disorders), tempromandibular (TMJ) dysfunction, sciatica, post-operative, and dental
injuries and repetitive stress conditions: sprains, tennis elbow, periarthritis of the shoulder, headaches
pregnancy-related conditions: morning sickness, correction of fetal malposition (breech presentation), and induction of labor
menstrual disorders
rheumatoid arthritis
stroke
hypertension (high blood pressure) and hypotension (low blood pressure)
digestive disorders, both acute and chronic: nausea and vomiting, peptic ulcer, gastritis, biliary colic, acute bacillary dystentery, and acute epigatralgia
other conditions: renal colic, leucopenia, adverse reactions to radiation or chemotherapy
allergic rhinitis, including hay fever
depression (including depressive neurosis and depression following stroke)
In addition, the following conditions are believed to benefit from acupuncture treatment, although there are not sufficient clinical trials to be definitive: acid reflux, addiction (nicotine, alcohol, drugs, food), asthma, bronchitis, carpal tunnel, chronic fatigue, colds and flu, constipation, COPD, diarrhea, emotional and stress-related issues, fibromyalgia, indigestion, infertility, insomnia, irregular periods, irritable bowel syndrome, joint pain, migraines, painful periods, panic attacks, PMS, and sinusitis.
Absolutely! Acupuncture is a wonderful way to support your good healthy habits and to stay well. Acupuncture treatment stimulates your immune system, so if you are already well you can continue to be healthy, and if you are sick, it can help your body heal itself. In fact, before modern medicine came to China, the acupuncturists would travel around the country treating people. There was no payment for the initial visit - when the acupuncturist came back to that village the next year, he was only paid if the patient did not get sick.
Your first visit includes a comprehensive health history, physical examination, and your first treatment with acupuncture needles. This session lasts approximately two hours. It is your opportunity to speak about your health concerns, your goals and plans, anything at all, and to be listened to completely and without judgment.
Subsequent visits last no more than one hour and include a check-in conversation and a treatment.
Many insurance plans now reimburse for acupuncture treatments. Call
your plan provider to find out whether you are covered. If not, you
can reimburse yourself through a Medical Flexible Spending Plan (if
one is offered by your employer). I am an in-network, preferred
provider with Carefirst Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Cigna/Great West
insurance plans. In addition, I am registered with both Kaiser and
Aetna and I offer significant discounts to people who have those
insurance plans.
Not at all. In fact, acupuncture works quite well on animals - beings who probably don't have any idea what acupuncture is or what it could do for them!
My patients report that they get sick less often and to recover more quickly, their symptoms generally resolve or become more manageable, they feel increased vitality, and experience life in a more positive, vibrant way.
Acupuncture is a wonderful complement to your regular health care routine. I am happy to coordinate your care with your physician, at your request.
This amazing, life-changing program is six months of intensive coaching, hands-on experience and a "field trip" to your local grocery store or health-food market. You'll get food samples and other giveaways as well. During the six months, we meet twice a month for hour-long sessions. We'll talk about how you're doing and how I can support you to make the changes you want to meet your own personal goals.
Not at all. I work with vegetarians, vegans and carnivores! There is no one way of eating that works for everyone, so we will find the foods that work best for you - for your body, your lifestyle and your religious beliefs (if applicable).
No, it can taste DELICIOUS. Eating the foods that are right for you makes each meal a pleasurable experience.
Everyone is so busy these days. Cooking simple foods that taste great doesn't have to take a lot of time. I'll share recipes and cooking tips to help you get started, and we'll have six months to create a plan that really works for you.
Absolutely. Lifestyle changes and food choices can have a tremendous effect on our energy level. Many people mistakenly believe that they can "add" energy by consuming caffeinated beverages. However, what they often find is that the energy boost only lasts so long before another "dose" is required. We will talk about those energy peaks and valleys and I will offer you solutions to have sustained energy all day long.
Yes. If you're ready to change your relationship with sugar forever, you've come to the right place. Try one of my "Sugar Blues" classes, or sign up for my six-month program. We'll find ways to help you get off the sugar-high roller coaster while eating foods that are sweet and nourishing.
If losing weight is one of your goals, we can certainly address that. I don't believe diets work, so I will support you every step of the way as we create a lifestyle --including foods that nourish you -- that will help you achieve your ideal weight.
Acupuncture detoxification can support you as you stop using cigarettes, alcohol or other drugs. You have to have the desire to quit. I recommend that this treatment protocol be part of a larger support network that includes 12-step meetings, and some other type of treatment modality.
Quitting an addiction requires your commitment and dedication, and it requires that you have a support system to help you rebuild your life without your former drug of choice. Acupuncture detoxification is a proven method of support in that process.
The treatment involves 5 small pins inserted into points on each ear. Once the pins have been inserted, you will sit quietly for approximately 45 minutes.
That depends on where you are in the quitting process. If you have just stopped using, or are still using and want to quit, I recommend treatment several times a week.
The sessions are $25 each. If you sign up for three treatments per week for three months (especially helpful during your first 90 days clean), I offer a 30% discount.
I had never run before my first marathon! I was not athletic, and on top of that, I've had asthma since I was a small child. Yet, I did it. If you can walk, you can probably run. We start out slow and build gradually. I will support you every step of the way. Barring any physical obstacles, the key to crossing the finish line is believing you will do it.
It took me 6 hours and 33 minutes to complete my first marathon. Some people finish at 7 hours. Many courses stay open to allow the slower runners to finish and to get a medal. I will help you find a course that is suitable for your needs.
As long as you can walk/run 3 miles at the start of the training, it will take about six months of training to get you across the finish line! It's fun! It is a challenge! Watch my website for news of a Spring 2007 training program.
Copyright 2006 Center Point Healing