Needles! Does it hurt?

Not especially. All sorts of sensations have been reported, including minor aches or prickling feelings that fade quickly – or very often nothing at all. Further, acupuncture uses “micro-needles,” which are about the width of a human hair – nothing approaching the thickness of the hypodermic needle. you’d encounter at a physician’s office.

How will acupuncture improve my life?

In addition to addressing your specific concerns, acupuncture tries to resolve the issues or imbalances that led to them in the first place. As these correct over time, you may also notice that you get sick less often and recover more quickly, and find you have more energy and stamina. You might even end up spending a lot less money on doctors in the long run. It is important to note that all effects of acupuncture (or any medical intervention) are magnified by making the lifestyle changes that may be called for by your specific symptoms.

How does acupuncture work?

The ancient Chinese developed acupuncture as a way of manipulating the vital life force, which they called "qi." According to that system, qi moving in the body could become depleted, get stuck, or move where it wasn’t supposed to – much the same way a river can dry up or get blocked or flooded – causing disease. They identified points that would cause this qi to move more regularly, and thus the disease was healed.

Today, after having been observed by Western science for a hundred years, there are many different theories for what happens when needles are inserted. Since researchers have determined acupuncture affects nervous system, fascia, gases, fluids, and electrical impulses in the body, some or all of these may play a role in the “method of action.”

Click here to read more about acupuncture.

What styles of acupuncture, and what other techniques do you use?

We are familiar with many styles of traditional acupuncture, including TCM, Five Element, Eight Principle, Balance Method, and Master Tung. We also get great results with more modern styles, such as electroacupuncture and motor point orthopedic acupuncture.

We also use Chinese herbs, moxibustion, cupping, gua sea and other bodywork, bloodletting, infrared lamps, BioMat, and the Rapid Release massager, and Celluma LED therapy in support of the main acupuncture treatments.

Lastly, but very importantly – as a holistic medicine, acupuncture involves wellness coaching. This interaction helps empower you to be your own "primary care provider" by listening to the messages of your body and making informed choices about your habits, diet, and lifestyle.

Click here to read more about some of our services.

How many times do I need to come?

The more the better, at first. At Very Well Acupuncture, we usually recommend three appointments in the first ten days to build the momentum. After this, once per week until the symptom resolves, and spacing out after that to address the underlying conditions.

Click here to read more about our highly recommended healing process.

Is acupuncture covered by health insurance?

We are in-network with BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, United, and Johns Hopkins EHP – and we accept other insurance plans with out-of-network benefits for acupuncture. Your coverage for acupuncture is determined by your specific plan offered by these companies.

Insurance companies do not reimburse for herbal medicine and some non-acupuncture interventions.

We also work with clients from the Veterans Administration “Care in the Community” program.

Click here to read more about using your health insurance at Very Well.

Is acupuncture covered by Medicare?

Acupuncture is covered by various Medicare wraparound plans, and the process is similar to collecting health insurance in the answer above.

Recently, Medicare began paying directly for acupuncture, but only when applied to a diagnosis of low back pain – and, currently, only when these treatments are performed by a physician.

The American Society of Acupuncturists is currently working to expand that coverage to licensed acupuncturists (such as those at Very Well), but that is a long process. In the near term, Very Well cannot accept Medicare, we can only bill the wraparound plans.

Do you keep my information confidential?

Absolutely. We strictly follow HIPAA privacy protocols and keep your records under lock and key, and/or encrypted, at all times. Outside of private conferences with any other healthcare specialists you specifically permit, we are legally and ethically bound never to mention what you tell us to any other person, or even to acknowledge to an outside party without your permission that we are treating you at all.

(Only in very rare cases in which we learn about planned harm to self or others may we break these ethical bonds to inform the proper authorities.)

Our relationship is therapeutic, fully private, and completely nonjudgemental at all times!

Click here to read our Privacy Practices statement.