"I was nervous for my first visit because of my fear of needles. Once in the room Michelle made all those fears go out the window. The treatments were very successful for what we were treating and then some. I even had my daughter come for treatment as well with just as much success. I would highly recommend Michelle to friends and family." ~ Mandy
"Wow, This was my first time trying acupuncture. Michelle came highly recommended to me by a few friends. My experience has been nothing but positive and I am amazed at how much acupuncture works!
I highly recommend her, too!" ~ Pam P.
Michelle is a very qualified acupuncturist. She is very detail oriented to health and fitness as well as an understanding of the human body. She's is natural at articulating to the layperson as to what to do to help themselves and their recovery. I would definitely recommend her to all of my family and friends. ~Jeanne C.
Acupuncture Appointment
You will enter a clean, cozy room with soothing music and heat lamp. I will ask you about your current condition; make observations of color, shape, markings of ear, face and tongue; palpate pulses, channels, muscles; and choose a point selection that is anywhere from 3 needles to 20, depending on the needs and willingness of the patient. For most, cupping therapy is applied and left in place for up to 10 minutes. After the hair-thin, 36 gauge pins are in place, I will leave you to relax in the calming atmosphere. Most experience a sense of relaxation, many find themselves in a place we call "Aculand," that seems like deep sleep but you are more aware. At the end of your rest I will return to the room and remove the needles. Most feel a range of relaxed to very relaxed and that feeling lasts several minutes to several hours.
Nutrition, Chinese Food Therapy and Chinese Herbs
In my style of practice I most commonly discuss the basic building blocks to wellness (where you are currently in regards to nutritious eating, supplementation and prescribed medications). From there we build on what you already have working for you and make small, gradual improvements in food selection.
By diagnosing the quality and condition of your Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang, Chinese food therapy recommendations are given. And if it seems like a valuable addition to your current health efforts, we may discuss and prescribe Chinese Herbal therapy, as part of a more comprehensive approach.
Herbs can be a powerful adjunct to acupuncture care and are very helpful between appointments as continued healing for your body. Herbs can help reduce the need or dosage of over the counter and prescription pain killers. It is used to support the Qi, Blood, Yin and Yang of your body so as to help relieve acute and chronic pain and support the body to clear conditions of cold and flu.
Whether or not to use herbs is always a discussion we will have, not a requirement and we will cover any question and provide educational resources for any herbal formulation prescribed.
Treatments Explained
Cupping
In my clinic I use fire cupping which involves the use of fire to withdraw air from glass cups. This creates a vacuum so once placed on your skin it is like traction for your skin, muscle and connective tissues called fascia. Most of my patients, love how cupping therapy feels and the Results they experience. I find it useful for most symptoms that are presented and have used it successfully for releasing toxins in the skin, improving skin circulation, lung congestion, digestive stagnation, menstrual disorder and a wide range of pain complaints and structural imbalance.
Gua Sha
Gua Sha is a fantastic home care therapy that I like to educate my patients on, and use in areas cupping can't reach. It is similar to a more modern therapy you may have experienced in physical therapy called Graston, Astym, etc. It is a technique to apply friction on the skin and muscle tissues to improve tissue health and movement.
Mindful movement
This is a large undertone to my teachings as a healer. From a young age we were taught to ignore many of the signals our central nervous system (brain/mind) communicates to us about basic needs, body posture and stress. Disconnecting ourselves from those messages often results in pain and poor life quality by the time the message is shouting at us to pay attention. We will discuss how your body moves in your daily life. I will assess your posture. We may discuss work ergonomics. Again, we meet where you are and build slowly from there, creating new lifestyle behaviors to optimize your health.