FAQs

What is structural medical acupuncture?

Integrated Structural Acupuncture is a system of acupuncture that uses a point verification system. It is a Japanese style of acupuncture based on the teachings of Kiko Matusmoto. During the session I will be testing specific areas on your abdomen, back, arms and legs that will help me to both diagnose possible imbalances and allow me to be sure the needles will be beneficial in their placement.

In this way, both practitioner and patient actively participate in the healing process. This system is effective for treating acute and chronic pain, reducing stress, and improving sleep.

How do meridians work?

The classical Chinese explanation is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These energy channels, called meridians, are like rivers flowing through the body to irrigate and nourish the tissues. An obstruction in the movement of these energy rivers is like a dam that backs up in others.

When the flow is blocked then a person may experience pain. Sometimes other symptoms or imbalances occur. Proper placement of the acupuncture needle can relieve this blockage and allow the energy to run smoothly again and health balance can be restored.

Is acupuncture painful?

People experience acupuncture needling differently. Most patients feel only minimal pain as the needles are inserted; some feel no pain at all. Once the needles are in place, there is no pain felt. Acupuncture needles are very thin and solid and are made from stainless steel. The point is smooth (not hollow with cutting edges like a hypodermic needle) so insertion through the skin is not as painful as injections or blood sampling. The risk of bruising and skin irritation is less than when using a hollow needle.

Because I only use singe use/ disposable needles, there is no risk of infection from the treatments.

How many sessions are needed?

The number of acupuncture treatments needed differs from person to person. For complex or long-standing conditions, a person may come 2 to 3 times a week and then taper down as symptoms improve. For some monthly or seasonal maintainence sessions work well. In truth there is not "one size fits all" protocol for treatment. Each person is treated as the individual that they are.

In general I encourage clients to plan to come for 4 to 6 seperate visits before determining how well they will respond to the therapy. With acute problems, usually fewer visits are required. However more longstanding problems may take longer to show the full benefit of acupuncture.

In China patients commonly receive acupuncture multiple times in a week. This is difficult to do in the USA because individual treatments can be quite expensive.

Community Acupuncture is a model that allows for more frequent treatments. Often people will find acupuncture more effective if they can come one to three times a week to start. In community acupuncture since 2 to 4 people are treated at the same time the cost is considerably less than a private session. You can read more about this model below (or for a more in depth discussion see my blog page)

What types of acupuncture do you offer?

Community acupuncture: (Coming Spring/Summer of 2026): I have decided to expand my practice to include community acupuncture. I came to this decision because I believe that acupuncture is highly effective and can be of great benefit to many people. However I know that the cost of a private session makes it difficult for most people to come in with a frequency that will achieve maximum benefit. Once I learned about the community acupuncture model I knew that was what I wanted to offer. Please see my blog post for more info on this topic or visit the Peoples Organization of Community Acupuncture to learn more: https://pocacoop.com/

If you are interested in this now you can contact me and I will place you on my wait list and notify you when the community space is ready.

Battlefield acupuncture: This is a specific type of ear acupuncture used to treat chronic pain. See my blog post on Battlefield acupuncture a more detailed discussion. This type of visit is much shorter (15min in and out) and so is more affordable. However it is not as complete a treatment as you might get in a community or private session as the points are only on the ear and specifically chosen to treat pain, not to address any underlying imbalance's that may be causing the pain.

Private Acupuncture Sessions: With this type of visit you will be in a private room and will stay for one hour. Since there offers more privacy points on the abdomen and back may also be used. This type of acupuncture is not better or worse than the community model, just different. But since it is a private session there is a higher cost per session.

Do you take insurance?

Currently I only accept Blue Cross Blue shield. They will cover acupuncture for certain conditions (such as back pain, neck pain, chronic headaches). In general they may cover up to 12 visits in 6months. I am an "out of network" provider. Please fill out the "insurance verification" button on my bookings page to see if you will be covered.

Does acupuncture help chronic pain?

Yes, most people will find some improvement in their pain with acupuncture. However not everyone finds acupuncture helpful. In rare instance a person may not respond to acupuncture at all.

In general I recommend clients come for 4 or 5 sessions and then assess how they are doing. If you do not feel some improvent after 4 sessions then perhaps acupuncture is not for you.