FAQ's

1. What is Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine?

       Acupuncture/Oriental Medicine is an evidenced based practice that has been used for thousands of years to diagnose and treat different diseases.  The body, mind and spirit have an incredible ability to return itself to health and a state of balance.  I provide Acupuncture treatments in a beautiful, peaceful Yoga Center in Warwick NY.  At the Center, there is Yoga, Meditation, Massage and Acupuncture, there is healing being done all around you.   Acupuncture is the use of sterile, stainless steel, disposable needles inserted into different points on the body in order to stimulate your own body's healing abilities and return your body to balance.  By inserting a needle into a specific Acupuncture point, we are stimulating the release of different neurotransmitters, like histamines and endorphins and providing deep muscle releasing that may be contributing to misalignment and pain.  Acupuncture may also include the use of moxibustion (the herb mugwort) and glass cupping (which includes placing glass cups usually on the patients back in order to draw up stagnant qi and blood). 

 

      2.What does Acupuncture treat?

     Acupuncture can treat many conditions because we are working with the root of the functioning of the body. By treating the root instead

 of just the symptoms, we treat the whole. Conditions include but are not limited to the following - Arthritis, Asthma, Depression, Stress, Chronic fatigue, Allergies, Anxiety, Frozen Shoulder, insomnia, sciatic pain, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, sore throat, sinusitis, high    blood pressure, IBS, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal bloating, gastritis, nausea, ulcers, autoimmune disorders,  shingles, smoking cessation, addiction, colitis, morning sickness, bursitis, premenstrual syndrome, irregular menstruation, headaches and migraines, stroke, trigeminal neuralgia, bronchitis, diabetes, weight control, dermatology, chemo/radiation side effects, muscle spasm, sprains, infertility, fibroids, vertigo, angina, hemorrhoids, endometriosis.  

 

       3.  Do the needles hurt?  

       The needles are very thin, sterile, stainless steel needles.   Depending on the points used, you may feel a dull ache in the area of where the needle is inserted after it goes in, or a slight stinging sensation when the needle is inserted that should go away after a few seconds. Done properly and by licensed Acupuncturists, acupuncture rarely causes serious side effects. 

 

       4.  What does Acupuncture do?

       Acupuncture moves blood and qi (or energy) throughout the body.  Disease in the body is caused by stagnation of either qi or blood, so we move that stagnation using very thin needles that are placed in specific points on the body.  Each point is connected to a channel, that is connected to nerve, that is connected to a nerve plexus (a bundle of nerves).  The plexus is in an area where there is an organ, the organ and its functions, are related back to the Acupuncture point we've needled.  In a Western perspective, inserting a needle at the local level allows the release of different neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine and histamines.  Needling also causes the release of calcitonin related peptides, which then cause the increase in blood production and angiogenesis (which is the increase in the production of blood and blood vessels throughout the body.) 

 

       5.  How many treatments will I need?

       It depends on your condition.  In general, I recommend 4-6 treatments, and after we reevaluate and go from there.  The goal is to bring your body back into homeostasis through helping to balance the movement of energy within the body.  After the condition that brought you in for treatments has improved, typically we'll begin spacing out treatments for maintenance and on an as needed basis. 

 

       6.  Is Acupuncture safe?

       Acupuncture is safe when provided by a state licensed Acupuncturist, who must also be board certified by NCCAOM (our countries licensing body).   If you are worried that the person you are receiving treatments from is not licensed, you can look up their name in the NCCAOM database  -  www.nccaom.org 

 

        7.   What payments are accepted for treatments?

        Positive Life Acupuncture currently accepts payment in the form of credit card, check, insurances (see below) or cash.  Payment is due at the end of your treatment.  

 

        8.  Is Insurance accepted? 

        We accept health insurance for your treatments through providers Aetna and Cigna.  Please give us a call so we can check on your insurance coverage.