FAQ's

What's the difference between Classical Five-Element Acupuncture and TCM Acupuncture?

 

Classical Five-Element Acupuncture (CF-EA) accounts for only about 1% of acupuncturists in the U.S.  The CF-EA system of medicine supports your whole being (body, mind, and spirit) by diagnosing the Causitive Factor (CF) which we define as the root cause of your health imbalance. A CF-EA practitioner's goal is to support and bring the CF back to its full energy flow and function.  The rebalanced system can then heal what it needs from there.  It's like finding which tire of a car over time has been losing its air (Qi), thereby causing the whole car to wobble (various symptoms show).  Our ongoing work patches and refills that lowest tire.  From there, the car can resume traveling down the highway (of life) happily humming along.

 

TCM Acupuncture (99% of U.S. acupuncturists), in general, looks to remedy individual symptoms and their patterns, which may not get to the root cause of a patient's diminished health.

 

CF-EA works with nature and the seasons to restore the natural balance in our body, mind, and spirit.

 

 

Should I adjust my daily routines based on the seasons of the year?

 

The short answer is yes.  Our body's health is best served when it aligns with nature's seasons.  I will guide you in our treatment sessions on what shifts may be helpful during the seasons for you to be in the best balance in body/mind/spirit.

 

 

 

Do the needle insertions hurt?

 

For most treatments we do, CF-EA needling is quick in and out. Where TCM methods typically leave needles in for 20+ minutes, CFEA does not.  The needles are smaller than the width of a human hair and typically don't hurt. Please let me know if you are, or become, sensitive to the needles.

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Does the non-profit clinic discount treatment?

 

Patients are welcome to submit a statement of financial need to the Clinic Director, Mary Ellen.  She then reviews the need and can grant fee reductions on a case-by-case basis.

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Does the clinic accept insurance?

 

The clinic can give the patient a "Superbill" which is an itemized receipt of payment for the patient for services the clinic renders.  The patient can then submit the superbill to their insurance provider who will determine if it is a reimbursable expense under the patient's insurance coverage.  The clinic does not bill any insurance company itself.