Treatment methods

Acupuncture 针刺

Tiny needles are inserted into the body at precise locations that have been verified and refined over thousands of years of well-documented clinical experience and research. The needles are usually left in for twenty to thirty minutes, depending on what other therapies are going to be used in the session. It should be noted that many treatment styles involve very superficial needling, or no needles at all. Acupuncture helps to free up the flow of energy so that healthy qi can easily reach all areas of the body. Learn more here.

Moxibustion (Moxa) 艾灸

The leaves of the mugwort plant (Artemisia vulgaris) are dried and burned on or near acupuncture points to influence energy flow through the channels. Mugwort has many interesting energetic properties and has been used for thousands of years to treat any number of conditions. In fact, the use of moxa most definitely predates the use of acupuncture needles. Moxa can be rolled into cigar-like cylinders, where the burning tip is held near (not touching) the body, or rolled into cones of various sizes and burned directly on the body. In the latter case the experienced practitioner knows the exact moment to remove the moxa cone to avoid burning the patient. A ball of moxa can also be placed on the handle of an acupuncture needle after it has been inserted and then burned to heat the entire length of the needle for a deeply warming affect. One of my favorite methods of using moxa in the clinic is with a tiger warmer, a metal device that holds a burning moxa stick and has a metal cover that heats up, which is then run over the skin for a very pleasantly warming sensation.

Fire cupping 火拔罐

A burning cotton ball is placed inside a glass cup very briefly to remove the oxygen and create a vacuum inside the cup, which is then quickly placed on the body. The suction created by the fire lifts the skin and fascia and helps to create space and bring fresh energy to places that have become stagnant. As new energy flows into the channels, impurities previously lodged in the tissues are lifted to the surface for the body to metabolize. This creates the familiar “octopus prints” seen on Olympic swimmers and other athletes. These prints and similar marks from running cupping (a method I prefer, of using oil and moving the cups around while they are suctioned to the body to release entire fascial trains), are not bruises, though they are similar. Cupping marks are caused by stagnant blood being lifted to the surface and the breakage of microscopic capillaries, a microtrauma which is therapeutic and leads to angiogenesis (similar to the sha marks of gua sha). Bruises, also known as hematomas, are caused by impact trauma and are painful, discolored areas where blood has become pooled around the outside of broken blood vessels. In contrast, the marks left by cups are painless and usually clear within a couple of days, or a week at most.

Gua Sha 刮痧

A Chinese folk-medicine technique that involves using a stone, metal, or porcelain tool (often a Chinese soup spoon, traditionally), to “scrape” areas of the body to free up stagnant qi and blood. Oil is applied to the area to be treated to avoid any discomfort, and then the edge of the spoon is scraped along the skin in a rhythmic fashion. Gua means “scrape” and sha means “sand,” which refers to the reddish-purple marks left behind after treatment, which can resemble sand. The sha of gua sha is similar to cupping marks in that it is painless and merely indicates an area of stagnation that has been freed up for the body to metabolize. A gua sha treatment is very stimulating to the immune system and a great way to start out a seasonal transition (for instance, into cold and flu season), to get the body primed and ready to fight off any opportunistic pathogens.

Tui-Na 推拿

Chinese medical massage, tui-na was developed as battlefield medicine in ancient China. Martial arts and Chinese Medicine go hand-in-hand, as the energetic principles remain constant. Tui-na, which means “push and grasp,” was traditionally a way to prepare the body for bone-setting techniques in the case of a broken or dislocated bone, but is also generally invigorating and strengthening. In contrast to spa-type massages that are intended to work the muscle level and have a relaxing effect, tui-na is a more therapeutic method of getting deep into the fascial layers and bringing healing energy to the bone level. The intention is to create space between the bones for healthy energy to flow. This will naturally lead to more relaxed and toned muscles over time, as well as stronger tendons and ligaments, and a longer-lasting therapeutic effect that is energizing instead of tiring. I often incorporate tui-na into an acupuncture treatment, either to prepare the body for easier needling, or for deeper relaxation after removing the needles.

Shiatsu 指圧

Traditional Japanese massage, shiatsu literally means “finger pressure,” and can be considered a form of acupressure, where acu-points are manually stimulated by gentle pressing with the thumbs. The philosophy of shiatsu resonates with Chinese Medicine and is based on improving energy flow through the channels, much like acupuncture. The points used for shiatsu massage are the same as the acupuncture points and are chosen for similar therapeutic reasons. Often qi flow (or ki (気) in Japanese) is impeded at the hands and feet especially, at the areas known as the Four Gates (四门). When these points are released energy can move more freely throughout the entire body, leading to a cascade of positive outcomes.

medical qigong 气功

Qigong means “energy work.” It is an ancient practice of focusing the intention to move qi throughout the body, and is an integral component of the internal martial arts. Qigong uses external movements to aid the internal process of gathering and strengthening the qi of the body and mind. It is said in martial arts training, “The yi (intention: 意) leads the qi (energy: 气),” meaning where intention is held, energy will follow. Medical qigong is a specific discipline within Chinese Medicine in which the practitioner uses their own cultivated qi to affect change in the patient’s qi, moving any stagnant energy through the body and helping to release it on a subtle level, while the patient is relaxing on the table. Medical qigong is excellent for highly sensitive people, elders, children, or anyone with a history of trauma, and can be easily combined with acupuncture or any other treatment modality. Interested patients will also be given energy cultivation practices to work on at home.

sound healing 声音疗法

The term “sound healing” can encompass a vast amount of topics, but in essence it means any time sound is used therapeutically. As a life-long musician, I have always been interested in the seemingly magical ability sound has to change consciousness. As I pursued musical training and performance as a career path earlier in life my appreciation for the healing power of sound and vibration deepened. In the clinic I sometimes combine sound healing tools such as tuning forks and Tibetan and crystal singing bowls with acupuncture to consolidate and deepen the treatment. Each treatment also has a unique playlist of music that I have personally curated for its therapeutic effect, and is guaranteed to be different each time. I also occasionally put on concerts and group sound bath events. Learn more here.

herbal medicine 草藥

Herbal medicine is the oldest documented form of Chinese Medicine. The oldest text on Chinese Medicine, the Huang Di Nei Jing (黃帝內經), is primarily an herbal text. Traditionally, practitioners were either acupuncturists or herbalists but now it’s common for each discipline to inform the other and many acupuncturists also prescribe herbal treatments. These might take the form of an herbal formula decoction to be taken as a tea for a set amount of time, traditional herbal “honey-pills,” a topical liniment or salve, or dietary advice for the inclusion or exclusion of certain foods. While I do not maintain a pharmacy, I am able to have patent formulas drop-shipped to patients and I carry several herbal products in the clinic.

For all services:

90 minute initial consultation: $180

60 minute follow-up appointment: $120