Frequently asked questions:

Do we take insurance?

Unfortunately, not at this time. If your insurance covers acupuncture, we can provide insurance billing paperwork that you can personally submit to your insurance for reimbursement. We do also accept FSA and HSA payments.

Does acupuncture hurt?

Trained in both gentle Japanese style acupuncture and more heavy-handed Chinese style, Dr. Leslie can curate the treatment based on your comfort level. Occasionally there may be a needle that feels a bit sharper than others due to a blood vessel being punctured, but for the most part the needle stick is barely felt. If a blood vessel is punctured there may be some bleeding and the possibility of a bruise. Rarely, a nerve is tapped and with that there can be a temporary "zinging" sensation. Dr. Leslie tries her very best to avoid painful areas and sensations.

During the treatment you may feel warmth, electric like feelings, a deep-ache, or a tingling sensation in different areas of your body. Everybody experiences acupuncture differently, but it’s best to just lay back and let the wisdom of the body heal itself.

One thing that should be mentioned is that there most likely will be movement of energy through the body. This can mean movement of emotions. Sometimes people get a strong emotional response following treatment. This can be seen as a very positive result because your body is working to detox from the stagnant emotions that may be blocking your ability to heal.

What is muscle testing?

Muscle testing is a technique used to help inform us of any imbalances in the body. One does not need to have "strong muscles" for an accurate test. There are many theories as to how this works, here is one:

For a second, imagine that your body is a computer and full of electrical circuits. Every experience is stored within the nervous system like a hard drive. All the functions of your body is connected to your nervous system and sometimes these circuits have a blown fuse. By testing the relative strength of your muscles we can identify which "fuse" is blown. Similar to clicking on applications on a screen, there are different reflex points that we can touch on the body that help us to assess the body's function. Here is a 5 minute YouTube video that explains this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAoiV1yDzbk

Reflexes are defined as subconsciously processed reactions to stimuli. When a reflex hammer taps on the right location on your knee, you reflexively kick without thought. Similarly, there are other reflex points that are along designated areas on the body. By checking these points with muscle testing we are able to assess which circuits are functioning correctly. This technique helps to take out the guess work and informs us where to focus the treatment.

How does acupuncture work?

Acupuncture taps into the energetic level of your body that innately knows how to heal itself. The needle just helps to open up pathways for that energy to move to or from. Do you ever wonder how your body knows how to close up wounds, spike a fever, or even grow hair without thought? In Chinese medicine it is called qi or chi. This energy or qi is what tells your stem cells to differentiate into different organs, muscles, tendons, etc. It is very difficult to explain in the scientific paradigm today but if you can sensitize yourself to the feeling of qi you will know 100% that it is real.

Do you ever feel like someone is watching you, and you turn to look and realize that someone actually was watching you? This is a phenomenon that is completely unexplainable by modern science. Just because we can't write out a concrete mathematical equation for the way acupuncture works doesn't mean that it doesn't work. We would love for you to give it a try to decide for yourself. :)

What is Neuro-emotional technique?

Have you ever heard that the body keeps score? Additionally, why is it that those who experience trauma are more vulnerable to develop mental and physical health conditions? Our emotional well-being can completely control our physical well-being and it's written all over our body. Neuro-emotional technique uses muscle testing to identify current and historical emotional challenges. These experiences can inhibit your ability to move forward in certain areas of your life, or even cause you to have chronic physical pains that have yet to go away. This is completely different than a therapy session because it identifies specific events in your life that you may not consciously connect. Don't worry, you don't have to reveal your deepest darkest secrets if you don't want to. This technique was developed by Drs. Scott and Deb Walker in 1988 using a number of acupuncture systems along with chiropractic theories.

What is Total Body Modification?

Total Body Modification (TBM) is a system that uses muscle testing to focus on restoring specific functions in the body. This can include balancing the structural body, emotional psyche, environmental toxins, and nutritional depletions. Dr. Victor Frank, DC, NMD developed this system from the alternative medicine roots planted by Franz Anton Mesmer, MD, in 1766. You can find more information on the Total Body Modification channel on YouTube.

What is somatic education? Yin sotai? Cranio-sacral?

Somatic education, yin sotai, and crania-sacral are gentle hands-on techniques that allow your body to "remember" how to function again. Sometimes injuries affect the nervous system from fully recovering due to fears of recurrent injury. These therapies allow your body to feel a bit safer again and to let go of what no longer serves.

If you ever wake up with a kink in your neck, consider coming in for a 15-30 minute bodywork only session. Our goal is to get you feeling better walking out the door. We've found the most benefit in the long run is to allow your body to heal the last 20-40% on its own.

How many treatments will I need to feel better?

It depends on your goals, how long you've had the symptoms, and how motivated you are to feel better. It is not common that one acupuncture treatment will heal your 10-year-long back pain, but it does occasionally happen. Our goal is to have you feeling better after every appointment, but we often will need a few appointments to have the treatment truly stick. Then, life happens and you may need to come in for that annual or bi-annual maintenance. However, some people like to continually see me to slowly address deeper blockages and to really get to the root cause and keep it cleared! We never aim to have anyone on supplements or herbs forever. Supplemental support is kind of like putting the training wheels on to help your body get back online and functioning and then the training wheels come off.

Thoughts on labs?

We order labs based on a case-by-case basis. You are welcome to bring in your current and previous labs for review and we might even order additional functional labs based on your presentation. Additionally, we use tools like muscle testing and vials to help assess your body's health.

The labs that your conventional doctor orders should be managed by him or her, but we can monitor the values to see your progress as we work together.

Additional Questions?

Feel free to send us an email, text, or call to schedule a free consultation.