In the 1950s Westerners were amazed to learn that Chinese surgeons had used acupuncture as an effective replacement for anesthesia. Unfortunately this has given people the false impression that acupuncture is mainly a treatment for pain management. It is true that it is an excellent therapy for musculoskeletal pain, whether it is due to arthritis, a sports injury, or from other causes. However, the aim of acupuncture is not simply to remove symptoms but to treat the underlying imbalances of the patient. Thus, acupuncture is actually a good treatment for a wide variety of illnesses. The World Health Organization lists an array of diseases that lend themselves to acupuncture treatment. These include everything from constipation and diarrhea to migraines and sinus infections. The National Institute of Health has found acupuncture to be an effective treatment for patients undergoing chemotherapy, to help with nausea, low appetite and fatigue. Similarly, in my practice, I have found acupuncture to be effective for a wide variety of conditions from PMS and depression to gallbladder disease and high blood pressure.

When most people think of acupuncture needles they remember times when they had blood drawn or were given an injection. Actually, these are not good comparisons to the experience of getting an acupuncture treatment. The needles used to draw blood or give a vaccination are quite large in order to allow fluid to be pushed through the needle. Acupuncture needles, on the other hand, are quite thin and fine and the physical sensations associated with acupuncture are quite different from the pain from getting a shot. People usually find acupuncture treatments to be relaxing and rejuvenating. In this age of communicable diseases, it is also important to note that all the needles I use in my practice are sterile and disposed of after treatment.

There are many different traditions of acupuncture, all to a greater or lesser extent taking as their source ancient Chinese texts and practice. I have been trained in two different styles which I will briefly describe below.

Five Element Acupuncture
The Chinese describe and explore nature through the use of the Five Elements :water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. These elements correspond to nature’s seasonal cycles: winter, spring, summer, late summer (harvest time), and autumn, but also correspond to cycles in our own bodies, as well as to specific organs, senses, emotions and other related human functions. Most people notice certain psychological issues or themes that tend to recur throughout one’s lifetime regardless of how one changes or grows. Five Element practitioners call this the Constitutional Factor which is described as one’s original imbalance in one of the five elements. By working with the elemental root of imbalance, instead of trying to suppress symptoms, Five Element acupuncture guides our energy back toward its highest potential. Through Five Element treatments we may resolve physical, emotional or spiritual issues and maximize the extent to which our lives meet the true fulfillment of our hearts and minds.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
TCM acupuncture is the most common form of acupuncture in the United States and has more of a physiologic and physical emphasis in comparison to Five Element Acupuncture which addresses the emotional, psychological, and spiritual dimension underlying disease. I use TCM acupuncture mainly to address injuries, musculoskeletal pain, and acute illness