Acupuncture is More than just needles!
There are a number of other treatment modalities I use to complement your acupuncture treatment to increase effectiveness and help you heal faster.
“I had chronic neck pain for decades. The only thing that really helped was acupuncture. Erin brought my baseline pain down from a 4 to a 0.”
ACUPUNCTURE RATES
Initial Consultation and Acupuncture (60 min) $120
Orthopedic Acupuncture Follow-up (45 min) $90
Acupuncture Follow-up (60 min) $110
Acupuncture Mini or Cupping Only (30 min) $60
Injection Therapy or Kinesiology Taping (add-on) $15
Insurance for acupuncture is a complicated business! Wild Blue Acupuncture & Wellness is not currently in-network with any insurance plans, however I can provide you with an itemized superbill.
The following Services May be included in your Acupuncture treatment
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the insertion of tiny, sterile, single-use needles into specific points on the body. These points stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue, and increase circulation, oxygen, and nutrients. I sometimes manipulate the needles with my hands or use electrical stimulation. This stimulation results in the release of pain-relieving endorphins and other molecules that promote your body’s natural healing mechanisms. Acupuncture is commonly used to treat pain, and numerous studies have shown that acupuncture is effective for a variety of other conditions.
Cupping
You may have seen round, purplish cupping marks on athletes such as Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps or wrestler/movie star Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. Those marks are from cupping, the application of a special cup to the skin to create a vacuum, pulling up the skin and fascia. Don’t worry – your body will recycle the iron from the old blood cells that are causing the coloration, and the spots will disappear in about 3 days to a week. Fun fact-this occurs due to upregulation of gene expression for an enzyme, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Levels of this enzyme peak in 24-48 hours. Cupping also improves fascial glide through increasing the temperature of the connective tissues thus reducing the viscosity of hyaluronic acid polymers. Your skin and fascia moving better = you feeling better!
Electroacupuncture and Neuropuncture
For electroacupuncture (sometimes referred to as e-stim), small clips are used to attach the needles to a device that generates continuous electric pulses. The frequency and intensity of the impulse can be adjusted, depending on the condition being treated. Different frequencies stimulate the release of different endogenous endorphins, the body's natural pain killers and other neurotransmitters such as BDNF, GDNF, GABA, and dopamine.
Neuropuncture is a neuroscience based system of electroacupuncture that targets and stimulates specific neural tissues. With this system we can release certain neuropeptides, regulate dysfunctional autonomic visceral spinal reflexes, and target specific regions of the brain and CNS for rehabilitation. This will improve conditions such as TBI and concussion, migraines, insomnia, tinnitus, Parkinson’s disease, and leaky gut.
Auriculotherapy
Also known as ear acupuncture, auriculotherapy is a system that uses points on the ear for the diagnosis and treatment of health conditions. I frequently use ear acupuncture in conjunction with traditional acupuncture, but auriculotherapy can be used independently to relieve pain, stress, and tension. Four different sensory nerves, the greater auricular, lesser occipital, auricular branch of the vagus, and auriculotemporal innervate the external ear, and stimulating points on the ear can help regulate sympathetic and parasympathetic tone. Ahhh, stress relief! Learn more about auriculotherapy and acupuncture detox.
RockTape Kinesiology Tape
Kinesiology tape is thin, sticky tape that is applied to the skin, causing a lifting effect. This lifting effect allows your lymphatic and venous systems to drain and "fluffs up" your fascia. Taping can benefit a wide variety of musculoskeletal and sports injuries, plus inflammatory conditions and edema, a condition characterized by accumulation of fluid under the skin.
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization, or IASTM, is a technique in which a set of hand held instruments are used to mobilize scar tissue, myofascial adhesions, and restrictions in soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and nerves). It is also sometimes called gua sha, Graston, or scraping. This technique results in improvements in range of motion, strength, and pain perception and increases the number of special cells called fibroblasts that are important in tissue repair and healing.
Trigger Point Acupuncture (Dry Needling)
Frequently referred to as dry needling, trigger point acupuncture is a localized needling technique used to release taut bands in muscles and relieve pain and spasms. Releasing a trigger point can decrease muscular tension and increase range of motion. Dry needling looks like acupuncture, but does not include distal points or auriculotherapy. It is only one of many techniques a well-trained acupuncturist may use. I am also trained to perform “injection therapy” which is the injection of saline, homeopathics, vitamin B12, and other substances into acupuncture points including trigger points. Injection therapy is available as an add-on for $15.