Acupuncture is a natural and effective form of health care that has evolved into a complete and holistic medical system.  Practitioners of acupuncture and Chinese medicine have used this non-invasive medical system to diagnose and help millions of people get well and stay healthy.

An acupuncturist will place fine, sterile needles at specific acupoints on the body. This activates the body’s Qi and promotes natural healing by enhancing recuperative power, immunity and physical and emotional health. It also can improve overall function and well-being. It is a safe, painless and effective way to treat a wide variety of medical problems.

During the initial exam a full health history will be taken. Questions will be asked regarding symptoms, health and lifestyle.   I also may check pulses and your tongue and may conduct a physical exam. This information is then organized to create a complete, accurate and comprehensive diagnosis of where Qi has become blocked or imbalanced.  After the interview process, you will receive an acupuncture treatment.  Very fine needles will be inserted into a variety of acupoints.  When they have all been inserted, you will rest for about 20-30 minutes in a dimly lit room with soft music or a guided meditation.  This time resting is vital to the outcome of the treatment.  The more relaxed you get during the visit, the better the results of the treatment.  Visits may last from 45-90 minutes.

There are twelve pulse positions on each wrist that I will feel. Each position corresponds to a specific meridian and organ. I will be looking for twenty-seven individual qualities that reflect overall health. If there are any problems, they may appear in the pulse.

The tongue is a map of the body. It reflects the general health of the organs and meridians.  I look at the color, shape, cracks and coating on your tongue to help me arrive at an accurate diagnosis of your pattern of imbalance.

A healthy tongue should be pink with a thin white coating.  The shape should be smooth and without scalloping on the edges.  The vessels underneath the tongue, should not be dark and bulging.

Herbs can be a powerful adjunct to acupuncture care. They are used to strengthen, build and support the body or to clear it of excess problems like a cold, fever or acute pain. I may suggest starting with acupuncture and then adding herbs to your treatment in the future. This is suggested to build up your internal strength so you can achieve faster healing.

Yes, definitely. In most instances children actually respond more quickly than adults to treatment. If your child has an aversion to needles, I have a variety of non-needle techniques that can effectively stimulate the acupoints to balance the body.  See the “Pediatric Treatment” tab under the “Services” tab for more detailed information about treatment for infants, toddlers, children and teens.

If you are giving your child more medication than you want, I highly encourage you bring your child in for treatment so we can find an alternative solution to pharmaceuticals.  The majority of children that visit me, ask their parents when they can come back for another treatment.

Acupuncture treatment is a therapy, not a magic cure.  The effectiveness of treatment is cumulative, each visit adds to the prior visit.   It is common to need 6-20 treatments in order to achieve patient graduation, which is my goal.  The more severe the issue, generally, the more treatments you will need and the closer together they need to be scheduled.

Rates vary and depend upon what procedures are performed.  Most visits are $95 for a one hour visit.  Refer to the “Services” tab for specific prices for the varying modalities.  I do offer a 15% discount for new patients.

Insurance coverage varies from state to state.  In Florida, BCBS of Florida, Medicaid, Medicare and Medicare supplement policies DO NOT cover my services.  Some Aetna, Cigna, BCBS Federal Plans, BCBS of Minnesota, and BCBS of NY plans do provide coverage for my services.  Every plan is different, so it is up to you to confirm coverage with your insurance company.

If you are a veteran, often you can get a referral from your primary VA doctor and a preauthorization for coverage, at no out of pocket cost to you.  Through August 2017, Choice Insurance through HealthNet will cover your visits if you are preauthorized.

I am a solo practitioner, therefore, I do not have the resources available to call and confirm coverage for you.  It is your responsibility to contact your insurance provider to learn what kind of care is covered on your particular plan. Here are a few questions to ask:

• Will my plan cover acupuncture performed by a licensed Acupuncture Physician?
• How many visits per calendar year am I allowed?
• Do I need a referral from another provider?
• Are there specific diagnosis codes that must be used for coverage?   Examples include pain condition or anesthesia only.
• What is my out-of-network co-pay per visit?
• Do I have an out-of-network deductible?
  • If yes, has it been met?

• Write down and bring in any questions that you have.  I am here to address all of your health care concerns.
• Fill out the intake forms prior to your visit time and be sure to bring them in with you.  The forms are available under the “Patient Portal” tab.
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing that allows for easy access to your knees and elbows.
• Do not eat a large meal just before or after your visit.
• Bring in a complete and detailed list of all medications and natural products that you are currently taking.
• Refrain from overexertion, working out, drugs or alcohol for up to six hours after the visit.
• Avoid stressful situations. Make time to relax, and be sure to get plenty of rest.
• Between visits, take notes of any changes that may have occurred, such as the alleviation of pain, pain moving to other areas, or changes in the frequency and type of problems.

Acupuncture is extremely safe. It is an all-natural, drug-free therapy, yielding no side effects just feelings of relaxation and well-being. There is little danger of infection from acupuncture needles because they are sterile, used once, and then properly discarded.  Usually, patients report that side effects of treatment are that symptoms they did not mention disappeared, without them being targeted specifically.  That is the beauty of this medicine, when we correctly diagnose the pattern of imbalance and then correct it, the entire body shifts and everything improves.

Today, acupuncturists undertake three to four years of extensive and comprehensive graduate training at nationally certified schools. All acupuncturists must pass a national exam and meet strict guidelines to practice in every state.   Each state requires that continuing education be completed annually.  To be a nationally board certified acupuncturist, even stricter continuing education requirements must be met.

For more about my education and training, please see the “About Me” tab.

Acupuncture is recognized by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to be effective in the treatment of a wide variety of medical problems.  It is my belief that acupuncture and other natural health modalities can treat every disorder if you do not wait too long to come in for treatment.  The longer you have a condition, the more difficult it becomes to treat.  Therefore, it is wise to come in for treatment in the beginning stages of illness so we can rebalance you easily.   Below are some of the health concerns that acupuncture can effectively treat:

Functional medicine treats chronic disease by discovering the underlying cause of illness.  It is systems focused, rather than symptoms focused.  The primary goal is to prevent or reverse chronic illness.  We do this by testing and correcting the three body systems.  We are looking for the underlying cause of the symptoms.  Your symptoms are clues that we use to determine what testing is needed.  The underlying cause is discovered by analyzing your test results.  An individualized program is created to correct the underlying cause of your symptoms.  When this occurs, your symptoms disappear.

My functional medicine lab based approach is focused on identifying the root cause of your symptoms.  We use functional medicine testing of the three body systems to identify which systems are broken.  Treatment is focused on regaining the optimal functioning of the entire body and its organs.  An individualized restoration program is developed.  This science based program includes one or more of the following:  high quality nutritional supplements, exercise modification, diet changes, lifestyle and stress management recommendations.

The severity of your current situation will determine the length of the program.  Mild dysfunction usually is restored within 3 months.  More severe dysfunction or multiple system issues will take longer to correct, usually 6-12 months.  The goal is to restore system functioning and then stop the program.

At certain intervals, we will retest the system to see if any modifications to the program are necessary.  It is so exciting to watch the changes in the labs as you restore your health and begin feeling better.

My approach addresses the five most chronic symptoms of weight gain, fatigue, depression, hormone imbalances and digestive problems that are typically misunderstood/misdiagnosed by conventional medicine practitioners who address the symptoms and the root cause/damaged system.

My approach is a lab based natural health protocol that tests and identifies the dysfunction of the three main body systems.  Typically these three main systems have become compromised long BEFORE the symptoms appeared.  The lab tests are used to determine the required natural support needed to return your body to optimal functioning.

The functional medicine based adrenal protocol that I use was learned during my training with Dr Kalish, at the Kalish Institute.  This particular adrenal protocol has been used for the past 25 years with more than  8000 people.   However, true success with the program is completely dependent on the diligence of each person.

Following the protocol and making the recommended lifestyle changes, ulitimately, is your sole responsibility.  If you take the lab test and do not follow the protocol, you will not see improvement.  However, if you are committed to working the program,  I am committed to assisting and empowering you to take back your health and experience life changing results.

When using functional medicine, results will vary with each person.  Some people feel dramatic improvement within the first month, others may take a bit longer.  My standard programs are for a minimum of 3-6 months.  Remember, your body did not fall apart over night.  Years of stress and illness takes its toll and it takes a proper amount of time to restore your body to normal functioning.  On average, it takes one month of repair for each year that you have suffered from a particular symptom.

The fastest and easiest way to schedule an appointment is by using my online scheduler.  You can schedule a free 15 minute consultation or if you already know which service you want, you can make that appointment.  If you are not tech savvy, you may phone the office during regular business hours.  I utilize an answering service, so if your call is not answered immediately, please leave a message and someone will get back with you shortly.

This depends on the time of year.  During season, it takes longer to get in than it does during the summer months.  Usually, I can schedule a new patient or lab results appointment within 1-2 weeks of the requested time.