Does Acupuncture hurt?

No.  Typically patients will describe a feeling of deep relaxation and an over all feeling of well being during and after acupuncture treatments.  On insertion of the needles there may be an electrical feeling, a small pressure (similar to a bug bite), or sensations of hot or cold.  The type of sensation varies from person to person, and from point to point.

I hate needles, does this mean I can't have Acupuncture?

No need to fret! There are several ways of treating people that do not include needles. While typically the use of needles will decrease the number of treatments needed, some people just don't relax around them. Let me know if you think you will require needle free treatments.

How do you clean your needles?

I only use disposable needles, that are used once and then thrown away.

Do I have to believe for Acupuncture to work?

Acupuncture elicits an actual physical reaction through the release of endorphins.  While there are many thoughts on the how and why acupuncture works, there are no proven theories that meet full scientific standards.

Because of this I often tell my patients to leave their western ideals of illness at the door; I will be speaking from the eastern perspective of their complaint.  None of this requires your belief, as you should notice subtle changes in how your body reacts and responds to the treatment.

What does L.Ac, M.Ac. mean after your name?

L.Ac. means I hold a license in the state of Washington.  M.Ac. are the initials that mean I have graduated and been granted a Masters Degree in Acupuncture by an accredited university in the United States.

Why do you maintain your State of Washington License?

Right now in Ontario there are several people claiming to be Acupuncturists with no traceable education. The minimum hours of training to be granted an acupuncture license in Washington State is 1700 hours. Legally in Ontario, some professions are allowed to call what they do acupuncture with only 300 hundred hours of training.  I maintain my license for two reasons; it gives you a way of tracing the credentials I claim to have; and secondly I have family and friends in Washington State so it allows me to treat them when I visit.  My state of Washington license is: AC00002343.

Why do your treatments take so long? 

Unlike many medical acupuncturists, I take a full health history and go through your problem in detail on your first visit. Often times the questions I ask many not seem to be related to your problem; this is because Acupuncture views the person as a whole being, not just a symptom.

How come other Acupuncturists charge less per appointment?

Many other practioners who direct bill will charge for each individual service they do.  In example: this can result in a standard treatment of cupping and acupuncture costing $100+. I do not charge per service that I do, I charge by the appointment. 

Typically my Acupuncture sessions involve two or more of the services I offer. At each session I will reassess how your body is responding to the Acupuncture treatment and will determine how that impacts your treatment plan.  I understand the difficulty many patients face with their healthcare, and strive to help my clients get the most out of their treatments.

Why do you not direct bill?

When I was in Seattle, I worked with several insurance companies.  Many of which, still have not paid me for my services.  Here in Canada, most insurance companies are very good about reimbursing their customer in a timely manner.  So, to save both you and the insurance companies money I do not direct bill.

People do not realize that to compensate for the time needed to wait for payment and hiring a billing specialists to properly direct bill; the cost of treatment goes up. Typically the practioner will bill for each service done in a treatment.  I do not do this, I only bill by the appointment not by the service.  This allows me the opportunity to give each client the full treatment needed and keep the cost of acupuncture co-pays to a minimum; allowing me the freedom to treat each person to the fullest extent.