What kind of conditions does herbal medicine address?

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), herbal medicine addresses a very wide range of both acute and chronic conditions.

Conditions it can address include healing digestive, respiratory, fatigue, cardiovascular, endocrine, urinary problems; emotional/neurological issues such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, PTSD, cognitive decline; women’s health/gynecology such as menstrual, infertility, perimenopause & menopause, post-partum recovery, PCOS, endometriousis; musculoskeletal / pain management such as chronic pain, arthritis (RA, OA), fibromyalgia, sports injuries, tendonitis; immune system support including frequent colds & flus, long COVID / post-viral syndromes, autoimmune modulation, allergies; cancer support; skin disorders including eczema, psoriasis, acne, chronic itching, hives.

What conditions can acupuncture help?

Your first treatment will start with an evaluation of what treatment will be best for your needs - herbal medicine, acupuncture, or both. Many people think acupuncture is used to help relieve acute and chronic pain such as headache, low back pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. While this is certainly one of its strong points, acupuncture can also help a long list of medical and even psycho-emotional conditions. Studies have shown it to be effective for: headache, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, chemotherapy and post-surgical pain, nausea and vomiting related to chemotherapy, nausea of pregnancy, stroke rehabilitation, menstrual cramps, insomnia, myofascial pain, tennis elbow, addiction, carpal tunnel syndrome.

And many people get good results from acupuncture for:

Depression, anxiety, ear disorders, stomach/epigastric pain, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, PMS, male and female infertility,TMJ, Bell's palsy, the common cold, sinus headaches, congestion, allergies, urinary issues.

How long are your treatments?

Treatment length will vary considerably but are usually 40 - 60 minutes for adults. If you would like a longer session, more time in relaxation mode or patient education, schedule directly with Bill as opposed to using online scheduling.

How many treatments will I need?

The number of treatments needed differs from person to person. For chronic or long-standing conditions, one or two treatments a week for a month or two or more may be recommended. For acute problems such as a headache, recent joint pain, hayfever/allergy symptoms, usually one to several visits is enough. Each course of treatment differs greatly and it is something the practitioner and patient agree on together.

Please tell me about your office space?

My office is located in the Vival Wellness Center, 685 Bloomfield Ave, Suite 201 Verona, NJ 07044, where I share common waiting room space with Katia Dahan, an Osteopath, and Sarah Otazo, FNTP, FBCS, a Functional Nutritional Therapist.

Do you treat pediatric patients?

Yes. I have been treating children from elementary school through high school for over a decade. I usually start off with non-needle techniques such as magnets, heat lamps, acupuncture "band-aids", and acupressure until the child is ready to try actual needles. Pediatric patients tend to respond very quickly. The treatment time is also shorter than an adult one and sometimes under 30 minutes.

Do the needles hurt?

Acupuncture is extremely relaxing for the majority of patients. Many clients close their eyes and some fall asleep while the needles are in. Many of the insertions are totally painless. Patients are encouraged to report any discomfort. Really, the overall feeling of acupuncture is deep relaxation and some patients even report a feeling of elation.

Do you do dry needling?

Yes. It is a basic part of acupuncture and has been for 2000 years.

What is dry needling done by Physical Therapists?

Dry needling is a subset of acupuncture. It is isolating trigger points in muscles and aggressively needling until the muscle twitches. It is a stronger technique than simple Acu-point needling on a mer. It can be appropriate depending on the issue. Acupuncturists have 2500 hours or more of training in technique AND theory and a employ a variety of techniques (of which dry needling is only one).

What kind of needles are used?

All needles are sterile and disposed of immediately after use.

Are there similarities with chiropractic?

Yes, both chiropractic and acupuncture access the body's own healing system. Chiropractors typically focus on the spine and therefore central nervous system. Acupuncturists also use a lot of points next to the spine stimulating similar areas of the body. Acupuncture also stimulates the peripheral nervous system. Points in the arms, legs, and head are often used as well. An acupuncture treatment is often over 40 minutes (and even longer), though, so the patient actually relaxes into the stimulation. A lot patients get pleasantly drowsy and many fall asleep and take a short nap.

Should I get Acupuncture, Physical Therapy, a Massage, Chiropractic, or Rolfing/Structural Integration?

This is a very good question as there is a lot of overlap in what each of these practitioners/disciplines is able to treat. As an acupuncturist I will refer out to all of the above if treatment plateaus or I think there is an added advantage to doing 2 modalities at the same time. Acupuncture is not mystical and you do not have to believe in "Qi" for it to work. The way I see it is, it is all the same body and mind. In other words, a chiropractor might look for subluxation of the vertebrae, but so do I. A physical therapist might be working on a trigger point, but so does an acupuncturist. Massage therapists and Rolfers might be looking to free up and or integrate chains of fascia, but acupuncturists do as well. So you see it's really a difficult question. Start with a practitioner you feel comfortable with, but don't hesitate to branch out if you are not seeing the results you hope for.