Acupuncture
Acupuncture for sports injuries
From ancient warriors to “weekend warriors”, acupuncture has aided the healing process, allowing athletes to reach and maintain peak performance. Sports injuries often involve the musculoskeletal system, the bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons that allow us to move. Acupuncture can accelerate the body’s own healing abilities by improving circulation, decreasing inflammation, relaxing spasms and reducing pain. It can reduce the “downtime” recovering from injury.
Sports acupuncture can benefit a wide range of sports injuries, including:
- medial & lateral epicondylitis,
- frozen shoulder,
- plantar fascitis,
- acute olecranon bursitis,
- acromioclavicular joint separation,
- rotator cuff tendonitis,
- osteoarthritis of all joints,
- meniscal tears,
- bicepital tenosynovitis,
- umbar disc herniations,
- anterior & posterior cruciate ligament tears,
- patellofemoral syndrome,
- Osgood Schlatters syndrome, and more.
If you suffer from any of the following common conditions:
- tennis elbow
- pitcher’s shoulder
- golfer’s elbow
- low back strain
- trick knee
- ankle sprain
- tendonitis
- shin splints
- trigger finger
you can benefit from our sports acupuncture treatment programs.
Sports injuries can be divided into two categories, acute injuries that have recently occurred and chronic injuries that have not resolved after several months. For recent injuries, acupuncture should begin as soon as possible. Benefit may be appreciated in one or two sessions with only several more sessions required. The time course for chronic injuries may be more variable. Often, an initial four-treatment session is required to get a sense of the tempo and direction of the healing process. A more lengthy treatment course spanning eight to ten sessions may be required for benefit.
To learn more about Medical Acupuncture, please see the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture website: http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/acu_info/index.html.
FAQs:
Q: What is Acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture is a method to promote natural healing by inserting needles and applying heat or gentle electrical stimulation at very precise points on the body.
Q: How does Acupuncture work?
A: The Classical Chinese explanation is that channels of energy run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. Disturbances in this energy flow can cause illness and pain. Acupuncture can strengthen and redirect this energy flow. Western scientific explanation is that inserting acupuncture needles into the body creates a cascade of chemical signals within the body that can redirect how the muscles, nerves and brain function.
Q: Does it hurt?
A: People experience acupuncture needling differently. Most people feel only minimal pain with needle insertion and no pain once the needles are in place. Often acupuncture treatment is associated with a pleasant, relaxing sensation. Thought to be from the release of endorphins, a chemical signal from within the body’s nervous system.
Q: Are there any side effects?
A: Because the needles are sterile, very small and carefully placed it is vanishingly rare to sustain any injury or infection.
Q: How many treatment sessions will I need?
A: For most long standing problems, it often requires 4-6 sessions to initiate benefit. Urgent problems many improve sooner. Again, treatment duration depends on the complexity of the problem and other forms of healing being done in conjunction with the acupuncture.
Q: Is acupuncture covered by my insurance?
A: Unfortunately, most insurance providers including Medicare, do not cover acupuncture.
Q: What is Medical Acupuncture?
A: Medical Acupuncture refers to acupuncture practiced by a Western Medical doctor who can combine treatments from the East and West.
Q: Do I have to “believe in it” in order to work?
A: No, acupuncture is used successfully on cats, dogs and other animals. Belief is not required.
Fees:
Effective November 1, 2010
Initial Acupuncture session: $120
Follow-up Acupuncture sessions: $75-$150 depending on complexity of care required
Unfortunately, most health insurance carriers do not provide coverage for acupuncture or do not provide adequate reimbursement for acupuncture. Therefore, the financial responsibility of payment for acupuncture rests with the patient. Payment for acupuncture will be required at the time of service. We accept cash, checks and major credit cards. Patients will receive a billing form that they can submit to their insurance for reimbursement.