Acupuncture

1. Schedule yourself online by clicking here: Schedule Online.   Note: This link can also be found at the top and bottom of the home page for your future scheduling needs!
2. Call our office to schedule your first visit: 717-832-4111 ext. 2

WE THINK YOU’LL BE GLAD YOU DID!

Yes.  Acupuncture is very safe.  All needles are brand new, sterile, single-use, and disposable. Needles are properly disposed of after each treatment.

The National Institutes of Health states that the FDA, which regulates acupuncture needles for licensed practitioners “requires that needles be sterile, nontoxic, and labeled for single use by qualified practitioners only.”

As human beings, we develop internal blockages over time. These blockages result from stress, overwork, improper diet, accidents, too little rest, and so on. Acupuncture helps to rid the body of those blockages, so that the body is able to stay healthy and balanced. When normal function is restored, it often leaves us feeling great: with more energy, in brighter spirits, getting better sleep, and healthier altogether.

The National Institutes of Health website describes acupuncture like this:

The term “acupuncture” describes a family of procedures involving the stimulation of anatomical points on the body using a variety of techniques. The acupuncture technique that has been most often studied scientifically involves penetrating the skin with thin, solid, metallic needles that are manipulated by the hands or by electrical stimulation.

Practiced in China and other Asian countries for thousands of years, acupuncture is one of the key components of traditional Chinese medicine. In TCM, the body is seen as a delicate balance of two opposing and inseparable forces: yin and yang. Yin represents cold, slow, or passive aspects of the person, while yang represents hot, excited, or active aspects. A major theory is that health is achieved through balancing yin and yang and disease is caused by an imbalance leading to a blockage in the flow of qi. Yin represents the cold, slow, or passive principle, while yang represents the hot, excited, or active principle. According to TCM, health is achieved by maintaining the body in a “balanced state”; disease is due to an internal imbalance of yin and yang. This imbalance leads to blockage in the flow of qi. In traditional Chinese medicine, the vital energy or life force proposed to regulate a person’s spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health and to be influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang. (vital energy) along pathways known as meridians. Qi can be unblocked, according to TCM, by using acupuncture at certain points on the body that connect with these meridians. Sources vary on the number of meridians, with numbers ranging from 14 to 20. One commonly cited source describes meridians as 14 main channels “connecting the body in a web like interconnecting matrix” of at least 2,000 acupuncture points.

Acupuncture became better known in the United States in 1971, when New York Times reporter James Reston wrote about how doctors in China used needles to ease his pain after surgery. American practices of acupuncture incorporate medical traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries.

Yes. Acupuncture works best with traditional medicine, not instead of traditional medicine. An individual should continue to see their physician regularly. It is important to note that acupuncture and traditional medicine work very well side by side. Keep your acupuncturist and physician up to date on the care that the other is doing.

Douglas Weinstein and Brian Lau are both In-Network with Federal BlueCross BlueShield.

New in 2019, insurance companies in Pennsylvania have been mandated to provide acupuncture coverage as an alternative pain management source for several conditions (see below) when conventional treatment methods fail, including opioids, pain medications, muscle relaxers, or physical therapy.  As we are learning more about this change, we will update you. The conditions covered are limited to the following: Chronic Neck Pain, Chronic Back Pain, Migraines, and Tension Headaches. If you have any of those conditions, contact your insurance company to inquire about Acupuncture benefits.

If you have an out-of-state based plan, like Anthem BlueCross or another BlueCross BlueShield plan, we are considered in-network providers with them. Contact your Customer Service number on the back of your insurance card to ask about your acupuncture benefits.  If you have acupuncture benefits, we can accept your insurance, as we are in-network providers.

Additionally, we are in the process of becoming in-network with other insurance companies as well.  If you would like us to consider becoming in-network with your insurance company, please let us know!

If you do not have insurance coverage for acupuncture (as many individuals do not), I consider both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine to be a very worthwhile investment in your health.  It can help you to drastically improve symptoms, feel better quickly, and often address the root of the problem.  Furthermore, you can prevent major illnesses from happening down the road, by taking care of yourself now with this prevention-oriented approach.  Millions of individuals in countries like China and Japan have relied upon acupuncture and herbal medicine as their primary method of health care for centuries. If it has stood the test of time for this long, isn’t it about time you tried it?

Yes.  You can often use your Health Savings Account to pay for Acupuncture treatments, even if you don’t have insurance benefits that cover acupuncture.  You should call your insurance company to find out the details.

I ask that patients come having eaten recently, so that they are not stuffed with food and are not on an empty stomach. Clients should wear comfortable clothes. Clients should be well-hydrated, as that helps with the insertion of acupuncture needles.

It is often best if you can rest or relax after treatments. In order to get the most from treatments, it is best if you allow some time to integrate what has just been done. I often advise that clients do not engage in strenuous physical activity for at least 6 hours following an acupuncture treatment.

Clients often feel very relaxed after acupuncture treatments. Clients describe that they often feel lighter, as though a weight has been lifted. Many times there is relief from things other than what the individual has gone into treatment for.

Overall, the treatment experience can greatly vary. Clients should allow at least 2-3 sessions before noticing a shift. Although many clients do know a change in how they feel after only one visit.