Pain management is one of the best-known benefits of acupuncture, and occurs as the needles send signals to the brain to stimulate healing activities. Chinese medicine considers pain to be an excess of stagnant, or stuck, energy and has documented physical points that have reliably proven to provide relief. Acupuncture returns balance, or homeostasis, using very fine needles, pressure, or tuning forks.   Acupuncture needles are hair-fine, and are inserted very gently.  They are single-use and disposed of safely.

Modern stressors have a profound effect on our physical, mental, and emotional stability. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has always recognized these influences and sought specific acupoints for treating the whole person. Today, these are effectively used in recovery from addiction, PTSD, and anxiety disorders. Acupuncture fully supports short, cost-effective treatments to aid in moving forward in healthy ways.  

MY TOOLKIT

For over 25 years, I have studied extensively for the best tools to resolve pain, as well as increase ease of movement.  These tools are unique to me, and have proven very successful.  

Neuro-Acupuncture:  

Using Western medicine’s model of the brain, acupuncture points are applied to the scalp to stimulate specific underlying portions of the cerebral cortex. This specialty closely studies neuroscience and utilizes established, traditional acupuncture modalities. Research reliably displays increased blood flow, release of neurochemicals, and increases of T-cells and immune components. Especially effective for loss of motor function, central nervous system disorders, neuropathy, stroke, and pain syndromes.  

Dry Needling:  

Trigger point therapy is one of the most successful treatments for relief. Acupuncture needles inserted cause the trigger point to gently spasm and release, allowing the affected muscle to return to full function. 

Electroacupuncture:

Electrical stimulation of needles attached to microcurrent clips for increased energetic flow. Low Hz are applied causing a release of endorphins from within the body. These neurotransmitters are delivered to the pain site. Higher frequencies are proving reliable for aiding in joint regeneration and stopping the relay cycle of pain from the spinal cord to muscles. Electroacupuncture relieves pain to replace medications.  

Motor point treatment:

When injury, pain, or repetitive use injuries occur in isolated muscles, the nervous system gets caught in a noxious relay cycle and the muscle no longer functions. When one muscle shuts off, other surrounding muscles compensate, and they become too tense. Through muscle testing, we determine which muscles are shut off and weakened, and which are over- functioning.  To turn these weakened muscles back on, acupuncture needles are inserted into the motor points  and then electro-stimulation is applied. This is followed by manual therapy to release adhesions in the surrounding muscles. This combination of treatments is my specialty, and is proving to be a magic bulls-eye for rehabilitation of injury.

Other traditional acupuncture techniques that may be used:

Cupping and Gua Sha are Chinese tools to stimulate blood flow. Cups are placed on tight muscle tissues with a vacuum seal. Gua is a scraping tool, vigorously rubbed on tight tissues. Sha is the reaction in the skin after scraping. Both may leave harmless marking on the skin that passes in a few days. Moxibustion utilizes a petite bundle of the herb mugwort, aka Artemisia, that is burned and applied to acupoints to warm and promote circulation of energy. Auricular or ear acupoints use a replication of the entire body contained within the ear like a hologram. Small adhesive beads may be left in for several days to continue the therapeutic effects of treatments.