Common Questions

 

Does it hurt? I’m afraid of needles. What options are there for me?

Most people experience some sensation with acupuncture, but it’s different for everyone. Most people feel something. Unlike the needles used for blood draws and shots, acupuncture needles are solid and extremely thin so that they move quickly past the part of the skin with nerves. When the needle arrives at the actual acupuncture point, there is often a gentle aching sensation, called “de qi” or “grabbing the qi.” 

Your sense of safety and comfort are of the utmost importance. I use a variety of needle sizes to accommodate different levels of sensitivity and may use only a few needles or hands-on methods instead of needles for people who are very sensitive to needles (note that insurance only covers treatment with needles).

 

What do you mean by somatic regulation?

Somatic regulation is a term for our ability to be present in our bodies and the ability of our bodies and minds to flexibly adapt to changing states of activation, rest, excitation, distress, and connection. We often hear the term “self-regulation” as the thing we do to manage our stress and emotions; we actually learn these capabilities through co-regulation with another. While this ideally happens during infancy and childhood, it is often disrupted by developmental and attachment trauma. Many of us need help for our bodies to learn how to feel safe, and for our minds to learn how feel safe enough to be present in our bodies.

In somatic regulation touch therapy, including NeuroAffective touch, we create the conditions for a therapeutic state of co-regulation to support this ability to be present in the body and to support the generation of a greater capacity to experience body sensations, emotions and nervous system states such as feeling anxious, depressed or numbed.

 

What is NeuroAffective Touch?

NeuroAffective Touch is body-mind approach to support somatic regulation that was specifically developed to address the ways that developmental trauma shows up in the body. NATouch, as it is also known, “is a professional somatic training that introduces psychotherapists and bodyworkers to the use of touch as a vital bridge to body-mind integration. By highlighting the primary role of the body and emphasizing its equal importance to the mind, NeuroAffective Touch addresses emotional, relational, and developmental deficits that cannot be reached by verbal means alone.”

“A polyvagal-informed psychobiological approach, NeuroAffective Touch integrates the key elements of somatic psychotherapy, attachment and developmental theory, psychodynamic psychotherapy, and affective and interpersonal neurobiology.”

-from the NeuroAffective touch website

 

Is it covered by insurance? Do you accept FSA and HSA payments?

Several health insurance plans cover acupuncture. NeuroAffect Touch for somatic regulation and craniosacral therapy are not covered by insurance. In addition to your copay or coinsurance, there is an additional fee for somatic regulation, craniosacral and cupping therapy. For more information about billing and fees for non-covered services, click here.

I am able to bill Providence Health Insurance as an in-network provider. I am not currently accepting new Regence BlueShield BlueCross or PacificSource insurance patients. As a courtesy, I offer out-of-network billing for United, Moda, Aetna, and other plans. If requested, I can provide a statement for you to submit to insurance for out-of-pocket reimbursement and I accept HSA and FSA.

I cannot bill Kaiser, CHP or Oregon Health Plan.

Please be aware that many plans have separate deductibles (and some have separate co-pays) for acupuncture and manual therapy, as well as intake appointments and periodic evaluation and management. Please call your insurance with my information and verify your benefits information to find out what your plan covers. I am unable to verify insurance benefits for you.

 

How long does it take to work?

With acupuncture, I expect to see progress within 4-6 treatments, with some acute conditions resolving more quickly. NeuroAffective Touch and other somatic regulation work is a longer course of treatment, typically several months at a minimum. The length of a course of treatment depends on many factors, including how long a condition has been going on, the desired outcome, an individual’s pre-existing health conditions, and lifestyle factors. Once a condition is resolved, monthly visits are a good baseline for maintenance and overall vitality. 

 

Can it be used with other medications or therapies? Is it safe?

Absolutely. Acupuncture, herbal medicine and craniosacral therapy are wonderful complements to other healthcare, including but not limited to naturopathy, psychotherapy, physical therapy, chiropractic, and other conventional treatments such as chemotherapy, psychiatric medication, and other pharmaceutical medications. 

Acupuncture is widely accepted as a safe intervention with few side effects when practiced by licensed practitioners. Regular side effects may include a small ache that lingers at the site of a point or small bruising, but significant side effects are extremely rare. It is a therapy currently used at the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, and in the United States military. 

 

Do you reuse needles?

Never. Acupuncture needles are sterile and are placed in a biohazard container after a single use.


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