Acupuncture is an ancient form of Chinese medicine involving the insertion of solid acupuncture needles into the skin at specific points on the body to achieve a therapeutic effect.  Acupuncture is used to encourage natural healing, improve mood and energy, reduce or relieve pain and improve function of affected areas of the body. It is safe and effective and is often successfully used as an alternative to medications or even surgery.

Contemporary Medical Acupuncture

This form of acupuncture takes the traditional form of acupuncture and modifies it using modern day scientific understandings of human physiology and anatomy.  Needles are inserted into anatomically defined neurofunctional sites, and stimulated manually or with electricity for the therapeutic purpose of changing abnormal activity of the nervous system and/or other important functional systems in the body.  Specific points are chosen based on specialized locations related to your pain and/or dysfunction.  This form of acupuncture has shown its effectiveness in pain syndromes, functional problems, and any conditions in which these modulatory mechanisms are available. 

After the practitioner has completed a thorough assessment and a medical diagnosis has been made, treatment can begin.  Contemporary medical acupuncture may be utilized in combination with other therapeutic approaches including lifestyle and nutritional recommendations, exercises, muscle release techniques, manual manipulation, ice and stretching.

Benefits of Acupuncture

• When performed correctly, it is safe
• Very few side effects
• It is a very effective combination treatment
• Pain reduction
• Increase range of motion
• Stress relief
• May be considered for patients who do not respond to pain medications
• Useful alternative for patients who do not want to take pain medications

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