How can naturopathic acupuncture help you?

Acupuncture is most commonly used to reduce pain, spasm, inflammation. Depending on your situation, it works well together with physical therapy, chiropractic medicine, massage therapy and other kinds of bodywork, and naturopathic and conventional medicine.

Acupuncture and naturopathy are rooted in a whole-person, whole-life, very old tradition of nature-based medicine philosophy. An acupuncture treatment in particular can remind you of how your body and mind and heart, and your culture and your immediate environment, and your ways of relating to people, are not just connected--they are inseparable, and constitute a single whole you--and that very inseparability is your true nature, according to the perspective of traditional Asian medicine.

A treatment will often support your overall sense of well-being, take the edginess off of feelings of distress, and can lift your mood and energy, regardless of the specific condition we're focused on treating. That reminder of how it feels to be at ease, in the midst of your busy life--a sense of your true nature--can ultimately inspire you to make choices and changes that will have an even longer-lasting healthy effect on your whole life.

My treatment suggestions are also informed by my training and experience as a naturopathic physician, but please note that I no longer offer primary naturopathic care, or naturopathic medicine by itself. Acupuncture is the foundation of my therapeutic approach, supported by recommendations and resources for establishing healthy habits and perspectives. These can include herbal and homeopathic remedies, nutritious delicious recipes, ideas and images from teachers and artists and poets that I think you might like.

Or, read more about what to expect before you schedule:

conditions that commonly bring people in for their first treatment:

• Headache, sinus, muscle and joint pain: acupuncture can reduce the severity and frequency of discomfort.

• Menstrual irregularity and discomfort and menopausal symptoms: along with herbal support, acupuncture can smooth and balance these cyclical difficulties.

• Temporary relief of seasonal allergy symptoms and common cold symptoms, acute and chronic coughs and congestion.

• Digestive difficulties, especially when due to or worsened by stress.

Insurance coverage:

I am currently a provider for plans from each of the insurer networks below. It is important that you check directly with your plan for specifics, as each company has its own rules and limitations!

• Aetna

• First Choice

• Humana

• Kaiser

• Premera

• Regence

• Uniform

• United Healthcare

during your first visit:

My intake visit is about an hour long, and will include a comprehensive interview that includes questions from the naturopathic perspective, along with pertinent physical exam. The last part of your visit will consist of an acupuncture treatment. If you've never had acupuncture before, this first treatment will probably be shorter than follow up treatments.

I use very thin, smooth Japanese needles, and usually use techniques that favor points on the arms, legs, ear and head, but sometimes will use points on the back, chest, abdomen. If you remember to, it's handy to wear loose comfortable clothing to a session (or, I have robes that you can use)

Most people either feel a little pinch, or not much at all, when the needle is inserted. Once it's inserted, I may move it a bit to evoke a buzzy or mildly achy sensation that we describe as the Qi coming to the point. Then I'll leave the needles in for 20-30 minutes, and you'll get to rest on the warm table.

Sometimes people will notice a significant reduction in their symptoms while on the table and/or right after treatment. Sometimes it will take a day or more, and sometimes it will take several treatments before you notice a shift for the better.

Acupuncture tends to be a cumulative therapy, with results lasting longer and being more pronounced with each additional treatment, but if we're not seeing the results I would expect, I'll work with you to figure out what further medical work-up or other therapies might be indicated.