Acupuncture

Orthopedic acupuncture was developed with the understanding of neurology and the functions of muscles. The first step to treatment with acupuncture is an assessment of which muscles may be contributing to the condition. Once this is defined, we are able to find the points in which nerves meet those muscles, known as motor points. When an acupuncture needle is used on a motor point, it causes a twitch response and releases tight contracted bands of muscle – like hitting a reset button on the muscle. This results in often immediate pain relief and improved muscle strength.

In addition to traditional dry needling acupuncture, we use soft tissue therapies including cupping and Gua Sha to relieve pain, increase flexibility and mobility, and enhance daily and athletic performance. We begin with a thorough assessment and combine manual muscle testing and orthopedic testing to create a treatment plan that is tailor-made to your specific
condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Acupuncture painful?

Acupuncture needles are as fine as a hair, so most of the time you won’t feel anything. A slight pressure is a desired response. If I am doing motor point release of a muscle, the desired response is for the muscle to twitch, helping to reset the tight or shortened muscle. This is usually painless or no more uncomfortable than the pain you are already experiencing.

If you want to try acupuncture but are nervous, just let me know and I will work with you to keep needle size and retention time to a minimum.

Do I need a doctor to refer me to LOVA Health?

Patients do not need a referral to be treated with acupuncture. However, some private insurance companies do require a doctor’s referral. Please check with your private insurance company before making an appointment.

What insurance carriers do you accept?

We currently accept Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, United Health Care, and Aetna. You may also use your HSA, FSA for acupuncture.

How many sessions do I need?

You will often feel improvement from the very first session. However, because every patient case varies, timelines can be provided following an initial assessment.

As a general rule of thumb, the following holds true:
– For more minor, non-chronic injuries or movement challenges, we can see dramatic improvement within 4-6 sessions.
– For more major or chronic injuries or movement issues, we ballpark around 10-12 sessions.
– For severe or long-term chronic issues, it may take up to 20 sessions to see a significant resolution of your symptoms.

What should I wear?

It is best to wear comfortable, loose clothing. If we are working on the lower body, wear shorts. If we are working on the shoulder, neck or midback area, wear a tank top with access to the area that hurts.

What should I do after treatment?

Rest, relax and recover.

I usually recommend drinking additional water to flush out the fluid we release. It is not uncommon to have slight post-workout soreness for 24 hours following treatment, and I find that this is lessened by rest, water and Epsom salt baths. The magnesium in Epsom salt is great for muscle relaxation, and the heat of a bath helps increase blood flow.