FAQ

We accept VA and United patients.

As of December 1, 2022, we will be officially credentialed with Aetna. Unfortunately we do not take Aetna Medicare. Please check with your insurance provider for more details.

For United and Aetna patients, please send us a copy of your insurance card to confirm your acupuncture benefits.

If you are a veteran, you will need to contact with your PCP for an acupuncture referral. Once approved, your referral will be sent to VACCN. Then you may request myself as your preferred acupuncturist. You may need my name and clinic location. Also, my information can be found on VACCN directory. If more information is needed, please reach out.

For other insured patients, we provide a receipt/superbill which you send to your insurance company for direct reimbursement. We can provide you with more information if needed.

Acupuncture sessions begin with a comprehensive interview and physical examination. During the first visit your practitioner will ask you about your medical history as well as your current health condition. The interview process is shorter during follow up visits and focuses on changes since the previous treatment, as well as feedback about the treatment. The physical exam consists of feeling your pulse and looking at your tongue. If necessary, the practitioner will also use orthopedic tests to evaluate your muscular-skeletal condition or injury. After a thorough assessment, the acupuncture treatment will begin. Anywhere between 2 and 20 needles are used at a time. The needles are left in for up to 40 minutes, during which time patients relax or nap. During this time the practitioner makes the herbal formula for the patient to take home

Acupuncture is virtually painless. In some cases you may not feel the needles. In other cases you might feel a small pinch when the needle is inserted. Once the needle is in, some times you might feel sensations like tingling, warmth, heaviness, or numbness. These feelings are the sensation of qi as it moves in the body, and are completely normal. Most people find acupuncture to be very relaxing, both during and after the treatment. Many people fall asleep during the treatment.

When acupuncture is performed by a trained and licensed professional, it is an extremely safe form of medicine. All licensed acupuncturists today use individually packaged, sterile, disposable needles. Each needle is used only one time and then discarded.

Acupuncture needles are nothing like syringe-style needles. They are super-fine, often as thin as a human hair, and solid. They are sterile and never re-used. There are different sizes of needles for use on different parts of the body.

We use mainly stainless steel needles.. Please notify your practitioner if you have any allergies or concerns towards different metals.

Acupuncture originated in China but has spread to Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Europe, and the Americas. Over time and distance, different styles have been developed. Some practitioners use one style, while some integrate different styles into one treatment.

This depends on the nature of your complaint, as well as its severity and duration. You might need only one treatment for an acute condition. Chronic problems may take a series of treatments to resolve. Some degenerative conditions might require longer term maintenance care. To speed recovery your acupuncturist might treat you a few times a week at first, and then taper off treatments to every other week or once a month. Your acupuncturist may also give you dietary and lifestyle advice, as well as prescribing herbs and exercises if needed.

No, you do not need to believe in acupuncture to benefit from treatment. Acupuncture is effective on infants and animals. It is natural to feel skeptical at first, but this will not affect the outcome of the treatments.

Chinese herbs are given in many different forms. Most commonly the herbs are taken as a decoction. This means patient are given whole dried herbs to take home to be boiled in water for a set amount of time. The resulting liquid is drunk much like tea. Another method is called granular form, which is also a powder. The herbs are grounded, then dissolved in any liquid and then drunk. There are also pill and tablet herbal formulas. Not all Chinese herbs are taken internally—they can be made into poultices, ointments, oils and lotions—and used externally.

No, not if the formula has been correctly chosen and written for the patient. Most of the substances in the Chinese herbal pharmacy have very low toxicity, even when compared with over-the-counter Western drugs. When the Chinese herbs are prescribed in accordance with the patient’s TCM diagnosis, there are virtually no side effects. If the patient experiences any discomfort while taking the herbs, they should tell their practitioner, who will modify the formula as needed.

Although it is called Chinese herbal medicine, TCM practitioners use animal, vegetable, and mineral ingredients. A majority of the substances are from plants and can include leaves, flowers, stems, twigs, barks, roots, tubers, and rhizomes. If you do not want animal products in your formula, your practitioner can substitute plant materials instead.

Western herbalism focuses on symptoms and diseases like headache, sore throat, etc. Chinese herbal medicine is practiced as part of TCM, and is based on an individual’s unique pattern diagnosis, as well as their disease diagnosis. This means that TCM patients receive individualized herbal prescriptions called formulas. These formulas can remain the same through treatment, or they can change with each treatment as the disease changes and resolves. Chinese herbal medicine also focuses on a patient’s underlying constitutional makeup. Western herbalism often uses single herbs or a group of herbs for the same disease. TCM formulas are composed of 4-16 herbs, each added to address a specific symptom as well as to focus on the main disease pattern.

Most of the herbs are grown in China or Taiwan, and are then processed in China, Taiwan, or Japan. To ensure safety, the FDA monitors imported herbal products. In addition, the herbs that we prescribe all come through an American distributor who monitors the quality and composition of the products. We use granular herbs that are processed in Japan and Taiwan, and are considered the safest form of herbs. If you would like more information, we can give you details on the growing and manufacturing processes. Not all pharmacies use herbs that are safe, so be sure to know and trust your practitioner or herbal pharmacy.

Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders

Respiratory Disorders

Gastrointestinal Disorders

Circulatory Disorders

Urogenital Disorders

Gynecological Disorders

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Neurological and Psycho-emotional Disorders

Addictions

Dermatological disorders

In addition, acupuncture and Chinese medicine is used to treat hundreds of other problems, including infectious diseases, autoimmune disorders, and many chronic illnesses.