Our Services.
Acupuncture
Our talented team of Acupuncturists are dedicated to measurable success. From acute pain, chronic pain management, to digestive issues, or simply to have another tool in your self-care regime - we are here to help you achieve your health goals.
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Several thousand years ago, East Asian practitioners discovered that the body forms disharmonies as a result of the various physical and mental stresses of life. Oriental medical theory explains these disharmonies as an imbalance of opposing forces called yin and yang. This imbalance disrupts the movement of the body's vital energy (qi) along the meridian pathways, which are channels through which the body's energy is thought to flow.
Acupuncture restores the smooth flow of qi. By inserting and manipulating hair-thin needles at specific points, we are able to return the body to its natural balance and promote the body's ability to heal itself.
Specifically at this time of year, fall acupuncture helps gear up your body’s immune system before cold and flu season hits -
and modulates reactivity to ease seasonal allergies as well!
Acupuncture also reduces muscle and joint pain that can manifest in cooler temperatures.
Chinese Herbs
Herbal medicine is where wisdom of nature meets modern healing. In addition to your acupuncture session, ask your practitioner how Chinese Herbal Medicine could help you on your individual health journey.
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Chinese herbs are often used in conjunction with acupuncture for added therapeutic effect. While many cultures have herbal medicine traditions, the sophistication of Chinese herbal medicine is unsurpassed. Chinese herbal medicine has a long history reaching back several thousand years, and the resulting system is now used to treat everything from the common cold to symptoms associated with cancer.
There are thousands of herbs in the Chinese materia medica, of which about 300 are commonly used. You will generally receive a mixture of several different herbs in a formula that has been tailored to your condition. Chinese herbs are extremely effective and normally have only mild side effects.
Therapies
Cupping and other adjunctive therapies, like Gua Sha, moxibustion, and tVNS, are offered as part of an acupuncture appointment. When the practitioner sees fit, these therapies may be used to enhance your treatment.
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Gua Sha, which means to scrape toxins, is an ancient technique for promoting normal blood circulation and enhancing metabolic processes. The technique involves rubbing the skin of the upper back, neck, or chest with a round-edged instrument. Gua Sha is valuable in addressing pain, upper respiratory and digestive problems, as well as a number of acute or chronic conditions.
Cupping is an ancient technique, used in many cultures, in which a special cup is applied to the skin and held in place by suction. The suction draws superficial tissue into the cup, which may either be left in place or moved along the body. Cupping brings fresh blood to the area and helps improve circulation. Traditional cupping, sometimes referred to as “fire cupping," uses heat to create a vacuum-like suction inside of glass cups. In modern times, cups that use a small pump to create suction have also been introduced.
tVNS, Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation is a non-invasive method of stimulating the auricular branch of the vagus nerve through the skin of the ear. By sending gentle electrical impulses through surface electrodes, tVNS activates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, regulating inflammation, and improving mood and heart rate variability.
Orthopedic
Orthopedic acupuncture and electro-acupuncture (ESTIM) can be used for acute or chronic pain in the body. From back pain, an old knee injury, or TMJ, new research has shown the effects are significant.
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Orthopedic Acupuncture combines Traditional Chinese Medicine with structural and myofascial manipulation to treat pain, soft tissue injuries, postural imbalances and other general systemic disorders.
Sometimes known as dry-needling or trigger-point acupuncture, needling directly in the muscle is an effective and comfortable experience in the hands of a trained and board-certified acupuncturist.
Over the years western medical science has shown that acupuncture stimulates a variety of biological systems in the muscles, immune, nervous and endocrine systems, and causes the release of the body’s own pain killing endorphins that block pain receptors in the brain. It has also been proven to release anti-inflammatory chemicals, relax tight and injured myofibrils, muscle cells, and improve the circulation of blood to promote faster healing of injured tissue.
By evaluating musculoskeletal conditions and the sports medicine biomechanics of orthopedic conditions, we can generate a TCM diagnosis and treatment plan and implement orthopedic approaches to treating a patient’s injuries. Treatment techniques focus on balancing the channels and collaterals using traditional tuina manual therapy, gua sha, cupping, internal and external herbal medicines and specialized acupuncture and moxibustion (zhen jiu) techniques.
Taking TMJ as an example, acupuncture can relieve pain. Our specialized treatment targets jaw tension, and reduces the underlying inflammation, helping restore comfort and wellness to the area.