Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine in Oakland

What will a treatment feel like?
Getting acupuncture for the first time can be scary. I use special breathing techniques with you and let you know what I am doing at all times. It is my goal to have you relaxed and comfortable during the treatment. There is sometimes a mild sensation with the needles, of warmth or of energy. After the first few needles, most people begin to feel a sense of deep relaxation and well-being. My patients call this 'the acupuncture high'. Needles are left in for 20-45 minutes. Many people drift off to sleep, while others 'float on the cloud' of deep relaxation.

Does it hurt? Is it safe?
Most of the time there is no pain with the needles. Sometimes the sensation can be intense, like a deep-tissue massage. I will talk you through the process during treatment so you are relaxed and do not feel pain or anxiety. I hear again and again from my patients that my gentle needling style is great for sensitive people.

Acupuncture is extremely safe. The needles used are sterile, and used only on one patient before being disposed of. My extensive training and licensing requirements means the acupuncture I practice is very safe and there is little risk of side-effects. If you have a specific concern, please let me know.

How does it work?
Developed thousands of years ago, acupuncture has been practiced by many cultures besides China, including Japan, Korea and India. The acupuncture I practice is based on theories developed in China over centuries of experience. Similar to blood vessels or lymphatic vessels, the acupuncture channels carry energy (Qi "chee") around the body. Blockages of energy cause pain and disease. Based on thousands of years of experience, our medicine teaches us which points to use acupuncture on to promote the re-balancing of energy. Western medicine has begun trying to explain acupuncture using its own language, and theories include release of endorphins (natural painkillers) or stimulation of nerve plexi.

What else do you do?
In the West, it's become common to refer to practitioners like me as 'acupuncturists,' but acupuncture is just a small part of what I do. During my five years of school, I was trained in the entire system of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which incorporates the most developed system of herbal medicine in the world. Using herbal prescriptions that are specifically tailored to you, we can achieve the deepest and most dramatic results in your health. Grounded in the ancient, empirically observed medicine of China, and increasingly studied using Western scientific methods, the herbal medicine I practice is safe and incredibly effective.

I also believe strongly in what Bob Flaws calls, 'the three free therapies.' These are diet, exercise, and meditation. Using my experience and training, I can help you shift your lifestyle to one that supports you and your health. The average doctor visit in the US is less than 7 minutes. The time we spend talking during your treatment is what puts the 'alternative' into alternative medicine.