Have you ever listened to your favorite kind of music on a static filled radio station? Acupuncture does to you, what fine tuning with the dial does to the reception on the radio. Acupuncture tunes in your signal, so that it comes in and goes out with a crystal clarity. Acupuncture works by assisting you in creating harmony with the cycles and rhythms of nature through balancing Qi (Chee). Qi or life force energy flows through channels or meridians in each of us, just as water flows through streams or rivers on earth.

Fine, solid, hair-thin needles are placed in the skin resulting in the movement of Qi along the meridians. Like clearing away tree limbs and boulders from a turbulent or stagnant river assists in the smooth flow of water, clearing blocks or imbalances in the meridians assists in the smooth flow of Qi.

When Qi is abundant and flowing, you may experience balance, harmony and wellness in your body, mind and spirit.

When Qi is turbulent, or blocks are present, the natural cycles may be disrupted creating an imbalance which may eventually lead to pain or dis-ease.

Acupuncture treats the underlying imbalance which in turn may relieve the symptoms or signals of that imbalance.

The World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health (NIH) have declared acupuncture to be suitable for treating a wide range of health concerns. The following are some of these concerns

Digestive: Abdominal pain, Constipation, Diarrhea, Indigestion.
Emotional: Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, Nervousness, Neurosis.
Eye, Ear, Nose, throat: Cataracts, Poor vision, Toothache, Gingivitis, Tinnitus
Gynecological: Premenstrual syndrome, Menopausal symptoms, Infertility
Muscular-Skeletal: Arthritis, Back pain, Neck pain, Muscle pain, Muscle weakness, Muscle cramping, Sciatica
Neurological: Headaches, Migraines, Neurogenic bladder dysfunction, Parkinson's disease, Post-operative pain, Stroke
Respiratory: Asthma Bronchitis, Common cold Sinusitis, Smoking cessation, Tonsillitis
Other: Addiction control, Athletic performance, Blood pressure regulation, Chronic fatigue, Immune system toning, and Stress reduction.

According to a nationwide survey of acupuncture users by Claire M. Cassidy, Ph.D. 91.5% reported "disappearance" or "improvement" of symptoms after acupuncture treatment. 84% said they see their MDs less. 79% said they use fewer prescription drugs. 70% of those to whom surgery had been recommended said they avoided it.

Many patients also use acupuncture for health maintenance and preventative care, as well as a tool for personal and spiritual growth.

In our experience, acupuncture can bring a deep sense of peace and well being. It cultivates our innate healing capability that is our birth right. It awakens our senses and allows us to come to life more fully. It offers the possibility of a deep healing transformation on a mind, body and spirit level!

This is probably the most frequently asked question! Does it hurt? Surprisingly the style of acupuncture we practice is very gentle. The Acupuncture needles are extremely fine, approximately the thickness of two hairs.

We use only sterilized, pre-packaged acupuncture needles that are disposed of after each use. Every individual has a unique interpretation of what the movement of qi by the acupuncture needles feels like. Some common sensations are tingling, heat, electricity, or tickling. Most Acupuncture patients report little or no discomfort.

Generally only two to six acupuncture needles are used during each acupuncture treatment. For those who decide that the acupuncture needles are not for them, We gladly offer Plant Spirit Medicine and Acupressure as an alternative.

Plant Spirit Medicine calls upon the power of plants to bring deep wholeness to our body mind and spirit. Acupressure works by stimulating the acupuncture points with finger pressure rather than with the acupuncture needle.

Your first acupuncture session is 1.5 hours, during which time you have the opportunity to speak at length about your health concerns, questions and goals.

We will talk with you about your medical and social history and perform a physical exam and acupuncture treatment. This traditional Chinese medical exam is to evaluate the balance of energy in your body and provides us with information necessary to treat you safely and appropriately. The exam is different from a physical done by a doctor.

The first and subsequent acupuncture visits will involve the insertion of acupuncture needles often accompanied with the use of an herb called Moxa. Moxa is used on the skin to warm the acupuncture points and nourish the body's energy (known as qi).

We will select an acupuncture treatment for the day based on your concerns, goals and pulse readings. Please allow approximately one hour for each of these treatments.

Initially you will be seen weekly in order to establish a comfortable harmony, which can sustain itself between acupuncture treatments. Once this happens, usually after six to eight weeks, acupuncture treatments will be spaced out to every other week, once a month, and longer. Our regular patients come either monthly or 4-5 times per year.

All visits are strictly confidential.

Please pay at the time of your visit. We accept cash, personal checks and Credit Cards, and HSA and flex spending cards.

Regarding insurance - Upon your request we can provide acupuncture receipts which you can send to your insurance company for reimbursement. Please ask for details.

Note: Please feel free to discuss any financial concerns with us prior to acupuncture visit.

Our training is from a post-graduate 3 year Chinese Medical Master's Degree program, which includes supervised clinical rotations. All acupuncturist in Pennsylvania must be nationally certified by the NCCAOM (Dipl.Ac.) and licensed by the state (L.Ac.)

The biggest differences between the two styles are in-depth time with your acupuncturist, accessibility, and cost.

With private sessions you will have opportunities to have in-depth time to develop a healing relationship with your practitioner. Your practitioner will also be able to access areas such as your back and torso for more precise treatment.

If you are not sure whether to do private or community acupuncture, we recommend booking your initial session privately with one of our community acupuncturists. This way they can get to know you in-depth and suggest the appropriate course of treatment.

Learn more about Community Acupuncture at Village Wellness.

Village Wellness is located at 6 Waterloo Ave. in Berwyn, PA on the Mainline, just outside Philadelphia.

Our Office is convenient to the blue route (476) and also a short walk from the Septa R5 Train Station.

We have had patients come to us from as far away as New York and Baltimore but most of our acupuncture patients come from the greater Philadelphia area including:

Philadelphia - Manayunk, Mount Airy, North Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, West Philadelphia;

Montgomery County - Gladwynne, Penn Valley, Lower Merion, Merion, Penn Wynne, Wynnewood, Ardmore, Bryn Mawr, Haverford;

Delaware County - Newtown Sqaure, Media, wayne, Strafford, Berwyn, Paoli, Great Valley, King of Prussia, Phoenixville, Swarthmore, Broomall; Chester County, Phoenixville, Kimberton, Bucks County and Beyond.