Find Answers to Common Questions About Acupuncture, Holistic Wellness, and How Our Houston Clinic Can Help You Achieve Better Health Naturally.

Acupuncture is not painless, but it certainly is not painful.  Most first-time patients are surprised at how comfortable they feel compared to what they expected. 

Additionally, acupuncture needles would be better described as 'pins,' meaning they are thin, solid pieces of surgical steel about the width of a human hair.  The needles do not inject medication or withdraw body fluids and are not inserted into the blood vessels.  As a result, the sensation elicited by the treatment is tolerable for the majority of patients.  If ever there is an uncomfortable needle, we adjust it or remove it.

But for those who are naturally extra-sensitive or who have a related medical condition, such as Fibromyalgia, we use various techniques to make it as comfortable as possible.  We also employ various non-need treatment modalities that can be extremely effective.

Acupuncturists are trained thoroughly to know exactly how to use a needle on every area of the body.  We study anatomy intensely to ensure we are aware of what structures lie beneath the needlepoint.  We highly recommend you see a licensed acupuncturist for any needle therapy you are considering, including dry needling.

Additionally, licensed acupuncturists must achieve a national Clean Needle Technique certification to become licensed, and we only use disposable, sterilized needles.  And because we receive extensive training in human anatomy and physiology, along with thorough safety training, treatment by a licensed acupuncturist is very safe. 

Because acupuncture is excellent for stimulating the body's powerful self-healing abilities, expensive treatments and surgeries may sometimes be prevented by investing in acupuncture.  Also, self-soothing habits—which can be expensive!—are often left behind as the body and mind heals.

Although we don't accept insurance, our software generates a visit summary (a 'Superbill') to submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement.  Many insurance companies exercise this option.  We recommend calling the number on the back of your insurance card prior to your appointment to see if this is available to you.

Acupuncture treats a wide variety of physical conditions, including some of the following:

• Low Back Pain
• Hip Pain
• Neck Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Migraines/Headaches
• Arthritis/Joint Pain
• Peripheral Neuropathy
• Allergies
• Constipation
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Fertility
• Pre-Menstrual Syndrome (PMS/PMDD)
• Menopausal Syndrome
• Bell's Palsy
• Trigeminal Neuralgia
• Tendonitis/Bursitis
• Tennis Elbow
• Golfer's Elbow
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• High Blood Pressure
• Diabetes
• Knee Pain
• Sciatica
• Addiction/Smoking Cessation
• Auto-Immune Disorders
• Eye Disorders
• Fatigue
• Stress
• Erectile Dysfunction/Impotence

Many variables are considered when determining a patient's treatment duration, including age, diet, lifestyle, employment, length of time the problem has been developing, what type of interventions have already occurred, medication usage, compliance, etc. 

Typically, acute conditions require 2-4 weeks of treatment, given 1-3 times/week.  Chronic conditions often require 4-8 weeks for lasting results.  We like to get some results immediately and significant results within four treatments. 

If ever we become 'stumped' by an unchanging condition, we reach out to specialists in specific areas—fertility, for example—to collaborate on your behalf.

We live in an exciting time where scientific studies are now demonstrating what Chinese medicine practitioners have known for millennia: that it works! Hundreds of studies have shown that the body responds to acupuncture by resetting stuck pain patterns in the nervous system, and also by tapping into the body's 'internal pharmacy' for pain relief.  

Much like physical therapy, acupuncture treatments build upon each other to move you toward health.  Some conditions, especially chronic in nature, can require regular, successive treatments to be fully effective.  If we still aren't getting the results we want, we can help connect you with specialists in your particular area of need.

Depending on your medical condition, seeing a doctor of Western medicine may be the right course of action, and we highly recommend you consult with a primary care physician prior to obtaining treatment.

Many patients receiving acupuncture experience immediate pain relief, though it often requires multiple treatments to sustain the progress gained.

And because acupuncture addresses the underlying cause of symptoms, it often causes a cascade effect of relief from physical and mental/emotional symptoms system-wide.