FAQ

  • Aetna, Mass General Brigham, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan

    As a courtesy to our patients, we will bill your insurance company. For our out-of-network policy patients, please let us know if you would like a receipt to submit to your plan. Some insurance policies exclude acupuncture. If you are unsure if you have acupuncture benefits in your policy please call your insurance company.

    Please be advised, that we do not take Mass Health, Medicare, and Medicare Supplemental plans. This is due to the exclusion of the policy and no coverage of acupuncture.

    We accept cash, checks, and credit cards. Did you know that your FSA or HSA can be used for acupuncture? You can use your benefits card to pay for your acupuncture session or you may request an itemized receipt to submit to be reimbursed from your FSA or HSA plan.

  • Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice of inserting needles on specific points on the body to alleviate pain or heal various ailments and diseases.

  • When a needle is inserted into the body the brain is sent a signal from that point and an immune response is generated, which means extra blood, oxygen, and energy circulation is created around that specific area. When an area of the body has improved circulation healing occurs as a result of certain points being stimulated.

  • Acupuncture needles are many times thinner than hypodermic needles, so most of the needles are painless. There are some occasions where needles are inserted on more sensitive areas of the body where a temporary pinch is felt that will dissipate within 30 seconds. Our number one priority is patient comfort; we are able to adjust the patient’s acupuncture needles to ensure a pain-free experience. Most patients find that the acupuncture treatments are very calming and relaxing.

  • The acupuncture needles are inserted superficially. Depending on the area of the body being treated, the acupuncturist will decide the depth necessary to stimulate certain key points (generally ¼ to ½ an inch).

  • Acupuncture needles are sealed in sterile packaging and are stainless steel, disposable, and single-use only.

  • It’s best to wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing such as loose yoga pants, sweat pants, or gym attire that will allow your acupuncturist to have access to your lower legs if necessary.

  • Acupuncture sessions are 45-60 minutes in duration. A typical treatment will include 5-10 minutes of Tuina massage prior to needle insertion to locate blockages in the body, and another 5-10 minutes of Tuina massage after the needles are removed.

  • It’s normal after acupuncture treatment to feel relaxed, sleepy, or even re-energized. After releasing blockages in the neck and back there will be improved circulation which may leave a patient feeling temporarily light-headed due to increased blood and oxygen flow. If your acupuncturist was addressing pain issues during your treatment you may also feel an improvement immediately or within a few days of your treatment.

  • Everybody responds differently to acupuncture treatment. The amount of treatments needed to obtain significant depends both on how long the patient has had the condition, ailment, or disease and how the patient’s body responds to the treatment. Typically, if a patient has had a chronic ailment or disease for a long period of time, it may take multiple treatments in order for the patient to experience improvement. Acute conditions and ailments generally take less time in order to be resolved.

  • No, although it is always a good idea to approach wellness with an open mind. Babies, children, and animals have obtained great results from acupuncture even though they do not understand how acupuncture works. There has been a lot of scientific research done on the physiological changes that happen to a body when acupuncture is done, so it is not necessary to believe in acupuncture in order to gain positive results.