Do I need acupuncture?
This flow chart can help you decide.
Are acupuncturists licensed healthcare professionals?
Yes we are! In Florida, our professional titles range from Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.), Acupuncture Physician (A.P.) to Doctor of Oriental Medicine (D.O.M.). We are not medical doctors, however I was required to have a Bachelor’s degree in Professional Health Sciences (Western Medicine concepts) in order to graduate from acupuncture school, sit for the national board exams and get a license to practice acupuncture in Florida. We are required to take continuing education in Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine concepts every two years, the same as most licensed healthcare professionals in Florida.
Do I accept insurance or Medicare?
No. I do not accept insurance and I am not in network. Payment is expected at time of service.
I do not bill your insurance company or submit bills or receipts on your behalf.
2025 Update: US Representatives Judy Chu (D-Calif.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) have reintroduced the Acupuncture For Our Seniors Act (H.R. 1667). This bill would authorize the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to credential acupuncturists as Medicare providers, allowing us to bill Medicare for acupuncture. The current coverage for chronic low back pain does NOT allow licensed acupuncturists to treat seniors and bill Medicare because we lack official provider status. Please contact your congressional representatives and ask them to support H.R. 1667.
Can acupuncture treat headaches?
Do I have to believe in acupuncture for it to work?
Isn’t it just a placebo effect?
No. You do not have to have “faith” or a positive attitude for acupuncture to work. It is not magic or “voodoo” nor is it a placebo effect. Acupuncture works by regulating the qi in the meridians of the body. One theory is that meridians occupy the spaces between the fascia, or connective tissue that covers the muscles and organs in a three-dimensional pattern. By needling the points on the meridians, I am giving your brain very precise physiological instructions, like a custom computer program, for your brain to execute. The only thing you have to do is show up for your appointment and do your best to relax and listen to my instructions during the session. There are plenty of studies that have shown acupuncture works; we also use MRI technology to pinpoint which parts of the brain and body are activated when specific points are needled. We use science to prove that acupuncture is effective, not faith.
Does acupuncture hurt?
I hate needles. Can I still benefit from acupuncture?
Yes! Although acupuncture needles are small, sterile and safe, some people are still afraid to receive the health benefits of acupuncture because they think it will hurt. Many of my patients feel a small tap or slight sting when the needle is first inserted, but goes away almost instantly. Many patients don’t feel anything, and that is normal too. Acupuncture needles are the width of your hair, and solid, which means they are usually a lot less painful than the typical shot or having blood drawn, which uses larger, hollow needles.
If you are still afraid to have acupuncture done, I can still treat your health concerns with Korean Hand Therapy by putting adhesive pellets on your hands, or with Auriculotherapy by putting adhesive pellets on the reflex points on your ear. The pellets last up for five days.
You can also get Japanese-style acupuncture at my clinic. Instead of inserting needles INTO the skin, I can tape the needles ON the skin. Using ion pumping cords, I can move the “qi” from one point to another depending on what you need to have balanced without breaking the skin. This type of treatment style is suitable for anyone, but it is especially helpful for those who have needle phobias or religious objections to piercing the skin.
Vitalichi 