If you aren't sure which of our holistic services will best treat your condition - contact us - and we'll talk with you about your specific health concerns and match you with the appropriate service. After your initial appointment, we may advise you that your condition may be most effectively treated using a combination of our services, rather than just one. This won't necessarily mean that you have to visit more frequently or spend more money. What it does mean is that you will have the greatest results by combining a variety of different treatments rather than just focusing on one. If you already know which service you're interested in  - simply call and make an initial appointment.

According to Traditional Chinese Medical theory, there is energy (called qi) that flows through our bodies along specific channels (called meridians). If this energy becomes blocked or becomes out of balance, a variety of physical symptoms will start to appear. These include headache, digestive problems, allergies, depression, musculoskeletal pain and more. Acupuncture works by affecting the flow of qi with very thin needles, which puts your body back into balance. In Western terms, the insertion of needles stimulates the nervous system, which in turn causes increased circulation, decreased inflammation, pain relief and immune system stimulation.

While licensing requirements vary from state to state, all states have education, clinical and board exam requirements that must be met. In Massachusetts, the licensing of acupuncturists is regulated by the MA Board of Registration in Medicine. They require acupuncturists to have an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university, and a post-graduate degree in acupuncture from an accredited acupuncture school. This post-graduate degree is an extensive study, often a three- or four-year program, that includes graduate level courses in both Traditional Chinese Medical theory and Acupuncture, but also in western medical courses such as Western Pathophysiology and Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry and Microbiology. In addition to the education requirement, Massachusetts requires candidates to pass the three national board exams (Foundations of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture Point Location, and Biomedicine) that are administered by the National Certification Committee of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). While the course of study is rigorous and the requirements extensive, Massachusetts prides itself on the safe use of acupuncture by its licensed practitioners.
What Can I Expect During My Treatment?

Acupuncture treatments are a time of deep rest and relaxation. You will meet with your acupuncturist for a consultation and then be treated based on what your particular condition is. During your first consultation, you will be asked a lot of questions about your main complaint, and then other questions about your general health so that your practitioner can get a better picture of you as a whole person. During your follow-up appointments, your consultation will be brief, and will essentially be an update since the last treatment. Whether you opt for private or group treatments, you will enjoy the comfort of our quiet, peaceful rooms. Acupuncture needles are very fine, and most times patients do not even feel the needles being inserted. Once the needles are in place, you may feel slight sensations of energy moving to that point, that may include tingling, warmth or a general heaviness. These sensations are slight and do not interrupt your rest. Treatments last one hour, and it's best to arrive a few minutes early for each appointment.

Then you're not alone! Acupuncture needles are much thinner and finer than the hypodermic needles you're accustomed to seeing at a hospital. After their initial consultation and the first needle insertion, even patients who reported being initially afraid find that they can relax. Your acupuncturist will work with you and your breath to make it a comfortable experience. Still, if you prefer a non-invasive treatment, we offer Herbal Medicine, which is another modality of Chinese Medicine based on the same principles as acupuncture.

These are all adjunctive modalities that are often used during an acupuncture treatment. They are performed by your acupuncturist during a regular appointment, and all of them have various therapeutic effects. Cupping is the placement of small glass cups with a degree of suction onto the body in particular areas. The suction keeps the cups in place, and draws stagnant energy out of the body. This leaves bruising, but it is not painful, and most patients find that it greatly relieves tension and sore muscles. Moxa is a dried herb that is burned for its warming, therapeutic properties. This is done by your acupuncturist during a regular appointment, and smells like a pleasant incense. Moxa is held over the skin to gently warm certain acupuncture points or channels. It is useful at boosting the immune system and strengthening the effect of the acupuncture treatment. Most patients love the feeling of moxa and look forward to it every time.  Electrical stimulation (or E-Stim) is the gente stimulation of acupuncture needles in the body by an electric pulse. This is done by your acupuncturist, by attaching cords from an impulse source to the needles. No electric impulse or shock is felt! This stimulation is very subtle, and does not hurt. Rather it is quite effective at loosening tight muscles, and for restoring feeling to numb or tingling areas of the body. All of these adjunctive therapies are time-intensive for the acupuncturist, and therefore can only be offered in the private treatment setting.

The total number and frequency of treatments that will effectively treat your condition will depend on several factors, including how long you've had the problem, how acute or chronic it is, other types of treatments you are receiving concurrently, your overall health and more. Your acupuncturist will advise you on the number of treatments they believe necessary to treat your specific condition. Because acupuncture works holistically by moving your body's energy, it may take several treatments in order to see the gains you desire. For the majority of conditions, most patients like to come for treatments once per week until results are achieved. If your condition is more severe, more frequent treatments may be recommended. After you've seen significant improvement, the frequency of treatments can spread out more and more. In order to maintain their results and overall good health, most patients find that they like to come once per month to be consistent.

To best meet the needs of our patients, we offer both private and group treatments. Your initial acupuncture appointment must be a private one, so that you and your acupuncturist can speak privately and extensively about your main complaint and other health concerns. A private treatment is one in which you can enjoy the peace and privacy of a treatment to yourself. Group treatments are a great alternative when you are coming in frequently, but wish to keep the cost down. In a group treatment, you will be treated on a table in a bigger room with three other patients in the room. Everyone respects each other's privacy, and keeps their voices to a whisper. Most patients find that a comfortable, healing energy develops in the room and that they actually enjoy sharing the space. We are proud to offer discounts to Blue Cross, Harvard Pilgrim, Tufts and Fallon insurance carriers, as well as a number of other employer groups.

Herbal medicine is a modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine that, similar to acupuncture, is based on the theory that there is energy (called qi) that flows through our bodies in very specific ways. When this energy becomes out of balance for any reason, a variety of physical symptoms will start to appear. While many of these symptoms can be effectively treated with acupuncture, they can also either be supplemented or treated alone through herbal medicine. Chinese herbal medicine are made from all natural ingredients and can be taken as capsules, tea powder or raw herbs. Your herbalist will determine the right combination of herbs for you based on your in-depth consultation. Your herbal remedy will be formulated and mixed specifically for you each time. Most herbal medicines require you to take them two or three times per day for a period of time in order to achieve the desired results. Consistency with herbal remedies is key - just like with western pharmaceuticals, if you miss doses and the medicine doesn't get in your body, it can't very well do it's job!

In Massachusetts, Chinese Herbal Medicine can only be practiced by Licensed Acupuncturists with national certification in Oriental Medicine. Our entire herbal inventory comes from suppliers who have guaranteed their products and are committed to the providing only highest quality herbs.

There are so many types of massage, we couldn't possibly list them all here. Depending on your particular needs, we offer several different massages - from deep tissue to relaxation, from shiatsu to prenatal. Your massage therapist will work with you in your consultation to determine the massage that will best serve you.