ACUPUNCTURE

Acupuncture is one of the oldest and most widely practiced forms of medicine in the world. Known primarily in the West as a safe and effective method for the treatment of pain, acupuncture’s applications are much broader and can be successfully used to help alleviate disorders of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, or autonomic systems, as well as treat musculoskeletal and psycho-emotional conditions.  Acupuncture is concerned with the whole person and its beneficial effects are felt on all levels of the body.  Acupuncture can be used as a stand alone treatment or can compliment Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine or traditional allopathic modalities.

The World Health Organization recognizes Acupuncture for the treatment of:

  • Digestive disorders: Spastic colon, constipation, diarrhea and gastritis
  • Respiratory disorders: sinusitis, sore throat, bronchitis, asthma and recurrent chest infections
  • Neurological and muscular disorders: headaches, facial tics, neck pain, rib neuritis, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, tendonitis, low back pain, sciatica and osteoarthritis.
  • Urinary, Menstrual and reproductive problems


Acupuncture uses very fine needles that are inserted into specific points on the body. These points lie along channels of the body that allow for the free flow of energy. When these channels are blocked, imbalance occurs and illness can result. Acupuncture attempts to clear these channels so energy can flow freely and health can be restored.

Acupuncture is effective for (but not limited to) both acute and chronic conditions, with very few side-effects for:

  • Addiction
  • Headaches
  • Low back pain
  • Asthma
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Hypertension
  • Fertility
  • Weight loss


By stimulating the immune system acupuncture can help prevent illness. It can also be used in conjunction with naturopathic and conventional medicine (as in the allopathic treatment of cancer) or as a treatment modality on its own.

While you lie relaxed and quiet, acupuncture needles focus your body’s healing energy where it is most needed. This gentle yet powerful procedure helps your body return to homeostasis: a correct balance between good health and vitality.

Styles of Acupuncture

Medical Acupuncture is the name given to acupuncture as practiced by physicians in the United States. Our physician Acupuncturists have all completed the Helms Medical Acupuncture for Physicians Course. This course gives the physician the clinical skills to deal with a wide variety of medical problems (see above).  The Helms program emphasizes the french energetic acupuncture system, the five phases approach and neuroanatomical acupuncture.

Five Elements Acupuncture is a system of acupuncture designed to understand the patients constitution through the lens of Chinese five element theory.  Understanding one constitution then allows the the practitioner to prescribe acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas to bring the patients constitution into balance. This Balance then allows the symptoms of imbalance to subside, thereby reliving the dis-ease of the patient.