Is acupuncture safe?

Acupuncture is completely safe when performed by a trained and licensed professional. The hair-thin needles I use come in sterile packaging and are disposed of in a sharps container after use.

What does acupuncture feel like?

Acupuncture sensations vary from person to person and point to point. Overall, acupuncture is generally painless. There may be a slight initial needle sensation on insertion, after which the point may feel heavy, dully achey, or tingly. Many feel very relaxed and even fall asleep, while others feel energized by a treatment. 

What Conditions Does East Asian Medicine treat?

East Asian Medicine is just that: medicine. For thousands of years it was THE medicine practiced in China, Japan, and Korea; the only medicine to treat what ailed you. In those times, people would travel to see the doctor for treatment of anything from malaria to a twisted ankle. This fact is built into the history and knowledge accumulated by East Asian Medicine. So East Asian Medicine treats internal medicine (ex. GERD, hypertension, or asthma), musculoskeletal, and psycho-emotional conditions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have also compiled lists of complaints where acupuncture's effectiveness has been demonstrated in controlled trials. An abridged list includes:
Ear, Eye, Nose, Throat: sinusitis, hay fever (allergies), dizziness, sore throat
Circulatory: high blood pressure, anemia, arteriosclerosis
Gastrointestinal: Irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, constipation, gastritis, food allergies
Gynecological/Genitourinary: PMS, irregular, heavy, or painful menstruation, breech presentation, morning sickness, menopause, impotence, infertility (both male & female)
Immune: chronic fatigue, lupus, MS, hepatitis
Addiction: smoking cessation, drugs, alcohol
Emotional/Psychological: anxiety, insomnia, depression, PTSD
Musculoskeletal/Neurological: arthritis, neuralgia, back pain, tendonitis, headache & migraine, stroke, cerebral palsy, polio, sprains, shingles
Respiratory: asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, colds & flu
Miscellaneous: side-effects of chemotherapy & radiation, diabetes, dermatological issues

(Link to the WHO report: http://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/42414)

How much does a treatment cost?

Please call 206-914-6797 for questions regarding fees. 
Cash or check payments are preferred, but we do accept HSA and credit cards. 

Do You take insurance?

Yes, BEAM Acupuncture is a preferred provider with:
• Aetna
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield (out-of-state)
• Kaiser Permanente Access PPO & HMO
• Regence
• Premera
• Lifewise
• Uniform Health

For all other insurance, I am happy to provide a superbill (an insurance receipt) that you may submit to insurance for reimbursement.

I do accept PIP (Personal Injury Protection) claims for people who have been in an auto accident. In order to accept a PIP claim, I'll need the following information: date of accident, insurance adjustor contact information, claim number, and your attorney's contact information (if you have one).

What should I wear to a treatment?

The most commonly needled points are located on the arms and legs, so please bring or wear loose, comfortable clothing that may be rolled to the elbows and knees.

What can I expect during a treatment?

Treatments begin with a detailed discussion of your main concern and overall health condition, after which I will take your pulse, look at your tongue, and use other diagnostic measures to determine the trajectory for the treatment. Other diagnostic techniques may include point and channel palpation as well as abdominal palpation. This is all done to assess which points may be appropriate for needling. Needles are then inserted and left in place 10-40 minutes. Depending on your main concern, another set of needles may be necessary. Massage, moxibustion (burning mugwort therapy), non-insertive needles, cupping, and gua sha (dermal friction therapy) may also be incorporated into treatment. I may also write an herbal prescription, give dietary advice, or teach you a simple qi gong exercise to round out the treatment.

How many treatments will I need?

Acupuncture is a cumulative process. For most conditions, we recommend an initial run of 5  bi-weekly or weekly treatments, after which, we'll evaluate progress and come up with a treatment plan. Depending on the condition, some patients may follow-up on an as-needed basis, while other patients should come in for bi-monthly or monthly maintenance treatments.