What is Holistic Medicine?
The whole is greater than the sum of all its parts.
Holistic medicine views the whole person: body, mind, emotions and spirit, in achieving optimal health. According to holistic medicine philosophy, optimal health is achieved when there is a balance in all these areas of life. Furthermore, practitioners of holistic medicine understand that an interdependence between the body systems exists and a system cannot be treated in isolation without impacting other systems. Thus, by re-establishing proper interrelation between the systems, optimal health and well-being can be achieved.
The holistic view encompasses:
A patient is a human being, not the disease
Dis-ease precedes disease
Systems within the body are all interconnected and cannot be treated as isolated parts
Wellness encompasses the entire human experience - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual
Everybody has an innate ability to heal themselves
Healing is a collaborative effort between the patient and the doctor
The patient's active participation and belief in their healing are central to their ability to get and remain well.
The doctor is a guide, facilitator, supporter and educator in the patient’s healing process
Treatment focuses on the root cause of disease, not merely the alleviation of symptoms and can lie far from the symptom in the body, time and biochemistry
Patient empowerment happens through education
The collection of root causes of dis-ease in the body is unique for each person
Effective medicine is customized for each person and often involves a combination of therapies
In holistic medicine model multiple modalities of treatment are often implemented. Treatment modalities are like spokes in a wheel which collaborate to help the wheel turning smoothly. Some modalities such as acupuncture, injection therapy and herbal medicine can be considered large spokes that have a relatively strong and quick impact on health, often providing rapid relief. Other modalities, including nutrition, supplements, exercise and lifestyle modifications are fundamental and improvements are seen over time.
Most often a combination of multiple modalities are used in a treatment plan, as each one has a unique way of impacting the body’s self-healing mechanism. Treatment plans are always tailored to the individual and address the underlying root cause of disease.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
Acupuncture is a modality that uses the insertion of very fine, sterile needles at specific anatomical sites (acupuncture points) that elicit the body’s natural self-healing response.
Improper function of the body’s systems and poor communication between the systems results in symptoms and dis-ease. The goal of acupuncture is to re-establish proper function and communication between the body’s systems so that these can collaborate again as a unified whole. As proper body function is re-established (i.e. healing is taking place) symptoms ease, mood, digestion & sleep improve and a sense of well-being ensues.
Acupuncture is well-known for its pain-relieving abilities. Research demonstrates that acupuncture triggers the release of biochemicals such as endorphins (endogenous opioids), dopamine, nitric oxide and serotonin, which naturally relieve pain and provide a sense of well-being. The scope of acupuncture goes far beyond mere pain relief, however. Scientific research has established treatment effects of acupuncture on the immune, cardiovascular, nervous, endocrine, genito-urinary and digestive systems.
What Should I Expect in my First Acupuncture Treatment?
After a thorough initial examination involving a detailed health history & lifestyle evaluation, tongue and pulse and other physical examination are performed.
Once evaluated acupuncture needles are inserted for a duration of circa 30 minutes depending on the type of treatment or condition while you enter a restful state.
It is best to take advantage of this restful period and to avoid stimulation (e.g. reading or answering emails on your smartphone). A relaxing ambiance with soft soothing music and low light enhances this relaxation effect.
How Long are Acupuncture Needles Retained?
Needles are retained circa 30 minutes.
For some conditions a shorter duration may be the ideal approach.
There is no harm, however, after 30 minutes there is no additional benefit to the treatment.
How Many Acupuncture Needles are Used and are More Needles Better?
Absolutely not. Ideally, less is more.
On average, 6-12 needles will be used during treatment, generally never exceeding 15 needles.
Acupuncture treatments are about selecting quality points to address the condition in the right combination. It is as much as an art as a science.
Think of it this way, if I can get my point across in one clear and concise sentence, is it not better than using multiple convoluted sentences?
Too many needles are overstimulating and are more likely to lead to nausea and other side effects. Therefore, more is not better, but less is more.
Are There any Side-Effects from Acupuncture Treatments?
Acupuncture is a completely natural therapy and works directly with the body’s natural processes, not against them.
Invasive procedures and drug therapies used in Western treatment may produce undesirable side effects and accumulated toxicity
in the body. Acupuncture does not produce these kind of side effects.
Rarely, one may experience residual ache or bruising at the needle insertion site which will disappear in a few hours or days, respectively, and is no sign of alarm.
Other less common side effects can include dizziness, drowsiness, lightheadedness, nausea, euphoria, or residual muscle aches. These should resolve shortly. As a matter of fact, a sense of well-being and a calm and relaxed feeling are the most commonly reported results.
After treatment, staying hydrated with water and resting or engaging in more relaxing activities is the best way to minimize side-effects.
Is Acupuncture Painful?
Acupuncture needles are very fine that are the size of a human hair and cause little to no discomfort.
A slight sensation such as warmth, tingling, heaviness, or dull ache may be felt.
Generally, patients experience a deep state of relaxation (an alpha state) or sleep during acupuncture and awaken with a sense of tranquility and well-being.
What are Acupuncture Needles Like?
Unlike hypodermic needles, acupuncture are filiform (solid) needles. They are extremely fine, the most commonly used gauges ranging from 38 (smaller) -32 (larger).
Acupuncture needles are comprised of stainless steel are sterile and designed for single use.
Most needles (the ones we use) are silicone coated, and designed to glide between cells with ease, thus minimizing discomfort.
Are Acupuncture Needles Regulated?
In 1996, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classified acupuncture needles as a medical device.
Acupuncture needles are regulated by the FDA to be single-use sterile needles only to be used by a licensed acupuncturist.
How Many Acupuncture Sessions Will I Need and What Outcomes can I Expect?
Relief of symptoms can be immediate, hours or a few days after your initial treatment. Although, commonly, changes are seen after the first few treatments, depending on the severity and chronicity of the initial symptoms. Chronic and some acute conditions generally require a series of treatments.
Once you initiate a healing process, it is important to follow through with treatments. Acupuncture is dose-dependent, therefore in most cases it is best to start off with more condensed treatments that will taper off over time as the effects on the body begin to take hold. The more consistent you are, the better the likelihood of desired results.
Patients are always evaluated individually and treatment recommendations are made based on their unique pattern of illness as well as their personal level of commitment to achieve results.
Ideally, the sooner treatment is commenced after the onset of symptoms, the quicker these can be resolved and the progression of illness be reversed.
Most people are surprised by the deep relaxation effect, improved energy and sense of wellbeing from treatment.
Acupuncture along with other modalities can provide lasting changes. All too often, people have lived with their symptoms and/or may have tried many methods of treatment without success, leaving them feeling hopeless. Other times, they are even told there is nothing that can be done.
Acupuncture has succeeded where many other treatments have failed.
How Quickly can I Expect to Feel Better After Acupuncture?
In general, if the condition is acute, improvement maybe felt after a few, even just 1 treatment. For chronic conditions improvements in symptoms may be felt in the first few treatments however, it will take many treatments over time to help resolve the condition and restore balance to the system.
Do I Need to Present with Symptoms When Coming for Acupuncture Treatment?
Absolutely not.
Many conditions have flair-ups, e.g. chronic pain, migraines, or allergies. Coming for treatment while symptomatic can help alleviate the pain or discomfort in the moment while still addressing the root cause, however, it is also important to come between flair-ups.
This is when the deeper layers of the problem can be addressed without having to do it at the expense of digging through the superficial layers.
Acupuncture, like any holistic therapy, is not meant to be a holistic band-aid when flare-ups arise. With the right approach, it is designed to resolve the issue of having continuous flair-ups.
Do I Need to Believe in Acupuncture for it to Work?
Absolutely not. Acupuncture is a science not a religion (please, see last paragraph of next section).
It is one of the oldest most comprehensive systems of medicine and has stood the test of time for thousands of years.
The results of acupuncture are physiological and are there regardless of your belief in it or not.
Acupuncture has been successfully performed on animals and children who do not understand or believe in the process.
All too often, I have heard “non-believer” patients enthusiastically stating, “I am a believer in acupuncture!” once they have experienced the results for themselves.
What is the Difference Between Dry Needling and Acupuncture?
Dry needling is trigger point acupuncture performed by physical therapists (PTs) without adequate training, 46 hours vs licensed acupuncturists who are required to complete a minimum of 1254 hours of didactic training.
Acupuncture training includes classes such as diagnosis, treatment techniques, safety, acupuncture anatomy, in addition to a minimum of 660 directly supervised clinic hours (additional thousands of hours for Master Degree in TCM and more for a Doctorate.) An acupuncturist is then required to pass a state or national board exam before being able to legally practice. Knowledge of needle insertion depths and angles is required for licensing and serves the purpose of avoiding the puncture of vital organs, vessels and nerves.
Furthermore, Clean Needle Technique (CNT) Certification which involves one full day of lecture, demonstration and practical training and a written and practical exam and, is required for national certification. CNT “serves the purpose of (a) to promote public health and safety; (b) to help protect the well-being of acupuncturists and their patients, employees, and the general public; and (c) to maintain public confidence in the acupuncture profession through the promotion of high national standards for safe clinical practice.”
PTs’ training and prior scope of practice are solely based on non-invasive manual therapies. Now, PTs can use needles of up to 4 inches long to release deeper lying muscles with thrusting techniques.
Improper training of technique, needle depth and insertion angle, clean needle technique and internal anatomy can lead to poor outcomes at best and infection, puncture of organs, pneumothorax, internal bleeding, nerve damage requiring hospitalization at worst. Maybe some have been so lucky to have good results without side effects, that is because trigger point acupuncture does work!
However, these are nonetheless, a symptomatic application of acupuncture and generally do not provide lasting results as they do not address the deeper layers of the problem so the long-term healing can take place.
Would you rather see a licensed professional with thousands of hours of didactic and clinical training or a professional in another field who has received training from a weekend course?
Claims are often made that dry needling is based on “Western medical research and principles” and Acupuncture is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine and “qi” flow” is an attempt to mislead the public.
An ancient medicine (3000-5000 years old) could clearly not have been discovered based on old modern science (100-150 year). Today, there are over 13,000 studies conducted in 60 countries, including hundreds of meta-analyses summarizing the results of thousands and of human and animal studies. Studies of acupuncture show the same responses of needles that PT’s claim to have discovered based on science, are present during acupuncture such as mechanical effects on fascia (Langevin, 2007), endorphins (Han, 2004), modulation of the neuro-endocrine-immune network (Ding, 2014).
How Should I Prepare for My Acupuncture Treatment?
Eat a light meal a few hours before your visit. A fasting state can increase your risk of dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting, or nausea. Therefore, acupuncture is not performed on individuals who have not eaten. On the other hand, do not overeat or eat foods that cause you abdominal discomfort, as this can easily lead to an uncomfortable treatment experience or even vomiting.
Avoid alcohol on the day of treatment. Intoxicated individuals will not be treated due to an increased risk of dizziness, fainting, or even shock. It is advisable, to also avoid alcohol consumption after treatment.
Wear loose comfortable clothing. Disrobing is often unnecessary as many points used are below the knees and elbows. Wear clothing that can easily be rolled above these joints to avoid constriction and discomfort. Abdomen should also be easily accessible so avoid wearing a body suit or one piece.
For facial rejuvenation acupuncture/injections, please avoid wearing make-up to your appointment, moisturizer is ok.
It is suggested to arrive 5 minutes early so that you are not rushed or stressed when you arrive. This gives you time to use the wash your hands and/or use the restroom prior to your appointment. Please, consider traffic, parking, childcare, etc. in order to arrive at your appointment in a relaxed and timely manner.
All paperwork for initial appointments is required 48 hours in advance so that we have time to review and prepare for your appointment. Our goal is to give you the best service possible!
How can Acupuncture Treat a Cold or Flu?
Acupuncture does not just make your cold or flu go away. What it does do is increase your immune function to fight the cold or flu. Individuals treated for these conditions report their symptoms easing more rapidly and find that the usual duration of their illness was diminished.
Prescribed herbs and supplements will further enhance your healing process. In the case of fever and various other symptoms, please do not come to our office and see our Covid-19 policy. In this case, please take advantage of our telemedicine service to have your herbs and supplements prescribed and sent to you.
How Does Acupuncture Work for Smoking Cessation?
Have you “quit” smoking many times only to relapse again and again? Nicotine is among the more highly addictive substances and can be a hard habit, both physically and emotionally, to overcome. This is why relapses are so common. This cycle can be broken with acupuncture treatment, which is successful at treating all kinds of addictions.
Nicotine raises the brain chemicals, dopamine (pleasure/reward response) and serotonin (mood stabilizing/happiness response). When you crave a cigarette, the level of these neurotransmitters has dropped. You feel anxious or even before you do, you turn to another cigarette to curb the feeling. When you do quit, you can likely have food cravings, anxiety, depression and insomnia, right? Why? Because these chemicals have become chronically low without the stimulation from nicotine, explaining both chemical and psychological dependence.
Acupuncture affects both the physical and emotional aspects of addiction and helps curb cravings, by increasing the levels of serotonin and dopamine in the brain naturally. With acupuncture as an intervention, you don’t even have to “try” to quit. As a matter of fact, many patients start to detest the taste, have trouble finishing their cigarette and even find it difficult being around second-hand smoke. Throughout the course of treatment, cigarettes becomes less and less appealing. Treatments for smoking cessation are done weekly as a series and are ideally followed by a detoxification and wellness program to restore health.
What are Omeoformulas®?
The Omeoformula® range is a new frontier in Aesthetic Medicine!
The special characteristic shared by these 5 different homeopathic compositions in the range is that the etiopathogenetic pathway of each. Until now, this therapeutic strategy was only effective if it was implemented using several drugs to form a complex and expensive mesotherapy cocktail. Instead of this mesotherapy cocktail, the Omeoformula® range now offers a single homeopathic solution for each concern which is practicable, safe and effective. The battle against these conditions – which are not simply unaesthetic but real, complex pathologies – can only be won using multiple and integrated interventions.
Do You Take Insurance?
Not directly, but we provide you with super bills so that you can receive reimbursement if you have coverage. Check your insurance benefits with your insurance company directly. We accept HSA/FSA cards.
What Is Your Cancellation Policy?
We have a 24-hour cancellation/rescheduling policy for follow-up appointments.
Initial appointments have a 48-hour cancellation/rescheduling policy.
The initial intake form must be submitted 48 hours prior to your appointment time.
For the initial appointment we require a $100 deposit to hold your appointment, which will be applied to the price of your initial treatment. The deposit is refundable as long as the appointment is cancelled 48 hours prior to the scheduled appointment time.
In the event of a no-show, late-cancellation or a failure to submit the intake form on time, the full amount of the missed session will be charged.
Late arrivals cut into your appointment time.
Arriving more than 20 minutes late is considered a missed appointment and will be charged at the full session fee.
Please, consider traffic, parking, childcare, etc. in order to arrive at your appointment in a relaxed and timely manner.