Acupuncture is a needling therapy used to reduce stress, manage pain, promote circulation, and systemically optimize all physiological functions of the body. It is a modality that has existed and evolved over thousands of years, having originated in ancient China. It involves the insertion and retention of sterile, single-use filiform needles as thin as a strand of hair into the skin. It's often used in conjunction with cupping therapy, massage, moxibustion, gua sha, electrical stimulation, and other modalities to promote the natural healing abilities of the body. Acupuncture gained traction in the U.S. in the 1970's. Acupuncture is not only a form of reactive medicine but preventative medicine, helping strengthen our immune systems and prevent the development of disease or illness. There is a use for it in virtually any healthcare or wellness setting today including hospitals, Veterans Affairs centers, cancer care centers, physical therapy and chiropractic clinics, spas, cruise ships, and more!

Acupuncture promotes the natural healing abilities of the body. Sterile, single-use filiform needles are inserted into prescribed points on the skin based on Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnostic techniques, channel theory, and our modern understanding of anatomy and physiology. Acupuncture channels (or meridians) are pathways that circulate Qi (vital energy; pronounced "chee") and blood to vitalize our physiological processes. Today, acupuncture channels can be likened to an integrated fascial-interstitial network, with fascia acting as a structural matrix of connective tissue that holds all organs and vessels in place and the interstitium acting as a massive shock-absorber and fluid-filled transport highway for nutrients and waste circulation. Acupuncture needling is scientifically proven to stimulate the central nervous system, catalyzing the release of natural pain-relieving chemicals like endorphins. Endorphins boost mood, reduce inflammation, and shift how the brain processes pain. Localized microtrauma caused by the needles also prompts the brain to send blood to specific areas of the body. This is important because blood carries the components and nutrients needed to repair damaged tissues. Additionally, our nervous system is recognized as the body's primary communication system. It utilizes electrical impulses to send information to the brain for processing, react to stimuli, and maintain homeostasis in the body. Acupuncture needles are made of metal and conduct electricity when combined with electrical stimulation. This conduction helps regulate the nervous system's electrical and chemical signaling to reduce pain and manage the inflammatory response. Through a TCM lens, acupuncture can also help expel pathogens from the body and harmonize bodily "yin" and "yang." Yin and Yang theory in TCM refers to two opposing yet complementary forces that maintain health and balance. Yin refers to our collection of cooling, nourishing, and structural bodily substances (like blood and tissues), while yang is warming, active, and functional energy in the body (like body heat and metabolic function). Acupuncture helps move stagnated Qi and blood and removes both energetic and tangible blockages (such as phlegm nodules). This helps address imbalances of "excess" or "deficiency," which are core concepts used to describe the fundamental nature of a health condition. Deficiency (or "xu" in Chinese) refers to a shortage of vital substance or energy like Qi, blood, yin, or yang. Excess (or "shi" in Chinese) refers to an overabundance of pathogenic factors or an overwhelming reaction against them that can damage tissues and weaken our immune systems. When such imbalances are left untreated for an extended period of time, they subsequently can develop into disease or, in severe cases, lead to death. Acupuncture points and the acupuncture channels on which they are situated were established over the course of thousands of years. Ancient records cite their discovery through historical autopsies, historical surgery and imperial punishments, anecdotal evidence and patient reports of sensations felt throughout the body after needle insertions, observation of actual effects, and classical Chinese philosophy. While the majority of these tactics are surely outdated, the legacy they have left behind invite us to humbly consider the longevity, and thus, consistency and effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Now we live in an age where academic support and enthusiasm for a modality that was widely considered theoretical "woo-woo" medicine is growing in the west and being used to compliment modern-day healthcare advancements of our time.

Of course everyone is different and sensitivity levels vary, but acupuncture is generally a very gentle practice. Many patients fall asleep during their treatments and the average acupuncture needle is about as thin as a strand of hair! With proper needling technique and patient positioning, pain is minimal if experienced at all and should not be a lasting effect of treatment. Some areas of the body tend to be more sensitive than others, such as the hands, feet, and face. Dry needling, which is a bit more aggressive in technique, requires deeper needle insertion and is intended to generate muscular twitch responses for trigger point release. Patients often experience localized soreness for a few days following treatment but it ultimately reduces muscular tension and trigger point referral pain.

It feels a little different for everyone, but there is a Chinese phrase used to describe the sensations felt during acupuncture treatment. This is known as "De Qi" (pronounced "duh-chee"), which is translated as "the arrival of Qi." Qi is the vital energy that flows through all living organisms and circulates through our bodies to power all of our physiological processes. When acupuncture needles are inserted accurately and at just the right depth, the patient may experience several physical sensations that indicate the achievement of optimal therapeutic effect. These sensations may feel like a dull ache, movement toward or away from the insertion sites, temperature changes, gentle numbness or tingling, heaviness, pressure, fullness, or even just a wave of relaxation that can wash over the body. Many patients fall asleep during their treatments or even leave the treatment table experiencing what's informally referred to as an "acu-high" or feeling "acu-stoned." Acupuncture does not actually lead to impairment like recreational drugs or alcohol do. Instead, an acu-high refers to a state of deep relaxation, mild euphoria, and mental clarity triggered entirely by your body's natural chemistry and the release of endorphins or "happy chemicals." The arrival of Qi is also something your acupuncturist can feel! Practitioners may notice that the needle feels heavier or as though it's being gripped by the underlying tissues; like fish taking the bait on a hook.De Qi sensations can last a few seconds to a few minutes and fades naturally over time. If the needles are stimulated again, the sensation may return. Not every treatment will feel the same and that's totally normal. The arrival of Qi can also depend on the sensitivity of the patient. It's important to know that De Qi should not feel unbearably painful. Intensely sharp, burning, or shooting pain is not normal and should be reported to your acupuncturist immediately so the needle(s) can be adjusted accordingly.

Please be sure to have eaten at least one meal or a snack at least two hours prior to your appointment. Wear loose-fitting clothing and/or removable layers. We recommend you stay hydrated as well. Come with an open mind and ready to relax! If you are a new patient, be aware that your first session can last up to 2 hours to account for a full patient intake. Returning patient appointments can last up to an hour or hour and a half.

The frequency of acupuncture treatments depends on a few things: severity of the condition being treated, whether or not the condition is acute or chronic, the goals of the patient, and so on. Consider physical therapy for a moment. If you tear your ACL, you're not seeing a physical therapist once after that and calling it a day. You're likely attending sessions multiple times per week until you reach a particular milestone of healing. If you were to roll your ankle though, an injury like that is much less severe than an ACL tear and may only require you to show up for physical therapy once a week or every other week to get you back on your feet and improve mobility confidence. The same applies to acupuncture. Stubborn conditions you've been living with for an extended period of time require more attention. On the other hand, you may be in a maintenance stage of sorts and only require a "tune-up" once every quarter. Your acupuncturist will regularly assess where you stand, evaluate your condition, and adjust your acupuncture treatment plan accordingly over time. While many conditions can be improved in a single treatment, it's important to understand that acupuncture treatments generally require compound visits to have a lasting effect. The more consistent you are with your treatments, the longer effects will last, as long as you're adhering to your treatment plan and avoiding lifestyle habits that can set you back. It is our goal for our patients to eventually reach maintenance-level care.

Yes! There are many kinds of acupuncture that have developed over time and have different functions and are influenced by different cultures. Acupuncture originated in ancient China but different styles eventually developed in other east Asian countries such as Korea, Japan, and Vietnam. Traditional Chinese acupuncture is the most well-known style and widely practiced globally. At On-Point Recovery, we utilize this style the most and often combine it with other variations of acupuncture such as Five-Element, Master Tung, Dr. Tan, electro-acupuncture, auricular (ear) acupuncture and ear seeding, scalp acupuncture, and dry needling. Every acupuncturist has their own style(s) they prefer to use. This may be because of personal philosophy, clinical experience, family lineage, or the specific curriculum taught at whichever institution they attended to learn. Some acupuncture institutions specialize in a specific style while others expose their students to multiple styles and give them the freedom to develop their own preferences over time. Dr. Downey will choose the styles most appropriate for you based on the conditions you present with, evidence-based research, and clinical experience. The style may not be the same for every treatment. Acupuncture is extremely versatile! There is always room for creative freedom and modifications when it comes to treatment planning. If one style proves ineffective for you, there is no shortage of other approaches you can try.

During a patient intake, an acupuncturist may ask you to stick your tongue out so they can see what it looks like―Don't be alarmed! Tongue diagnosis is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) skill often paired with radial pulse assessment to evaluate the condition of various internal organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, spleen, stomach, etc. Your tongue is the only muscle we can see with our own eyes. In TCM, its appearance reflects how well you're metabolizing fluids, the integrity of your immune system, gut health, and other parameters of wellness. Different surface areas of the tongue are associated with different organs in the body. Characteristics we observe include tongue color, width, moisture level, tongue coating, visible tongue cracks or fissures, teeth indentations, and more. They all give us a piece of the puzzle and inform acupuncture point prescription during treatment!

Pulse diagnosis is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) skill that involves the assessment of the radial pulses of each wrist. It is a pillar of TCM diagnosis and is often combined with tongue diagnosis during the patient intake process to paint your acupuncturist a vivid picture of the kind of stress your organs are under. It can also give your acupuncturist insight on whether or not a pathogen of some kind is in early stages of bodily invasion or if it has sunken past your initial defenses and invaded muscle, bone, or visceral tissue. When your pulse is being assessed, it's not just the speed that's being observed like in most doctors' offices. The quality of the blood vessel felt beneath the skin is also observed. This may include amplitude, force of the pulse, vessel width, rhythm or lack thereof, vessel depth, how it responds to pressure, and more. The radial pulse is divided into six sections between both wrists, three on each side. Each section is associated with a different region of the body. The findings help inform acupuncture point prescription for your treatment!

Yes, acupuncture is a great tool for both pre-operative and post-operative care! Surgery is an invasive procedure and traumatizes the affected tissues in a number of ways. Acupuncture improves circulation, which is required to heal damaged tissues near surgical sites. Acupuncture, especially when combined with other modalities such as cupping and gua sha, can also help break up scar tissue and improve the appearance and flexibility of scars.

You can still receive acupuncture treatment while on medications or various supplements but transparency is key. Certain medications and past medical history are important for your acupuncturist to be aware of so they can modify treatment accordingly. Anticoagulants and supplements such as vitamin E or fish oils thin the blood, increasing susceptibility to bleeding and bruising during treatment. Acupuncture can also help decrease blood pressure. If you are already on medications for high blood pressure, acupuncture can lead to additive hypotensive effects including feelings of dizziness, lightheadedness, or even fainting if not monitored appropriately. Under circumstances such as these, you can still receive treatment, but shorter treatment lengths or the utilization of fewer needles may be in order. Safety is our number one priority at On-Point Recovery!

Absolutely! Acupuncture is safe during pregnancy and is even employed for IVF and fertility support. It can also be used to adjust a breech baby and prepare the body for labor, manage pregnancy hormones, morning sickness, ease pain during delivery, and encourage labor induction when baby has reached full term. If you are pregnant, it is crucial to alert your acupuncturist as certain acupuncture points are contraindicated during pregnancy and should be avoided. While most acupuncture points are safe during early stages of pregnancy, some points promote the downward flow of Qi and blood, which can lead to a spontaneous miscarriage.

Dry needling is a form of trigger point therapy that addresses tight knots of muscle fibers that can't relax on their own and often refer pain to other areas of the body when aggravated or pressed. Dry needling is more aggressive in technique than traditional acupuncture needling. It requires deeper insertion to reach muscle bellies and manual needle thrusting that is meant to stimulate a localized muscle twitch response. The twitch response acts as an involuntary reflex that signals the sudden release of a tight muscle knot. You may experience localized soreness for a few days following a dry needling treatment, but it ultimately leads to a reduction in muscle tension and decreased referral pain. It is very popular in areas that store a lot of tension or muscles that are too deep or difficult to stretch on your own. This includes the upper trapezius, the piriformis muscle in the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calf muscles in the legs.

Both are therapeutic needling modalities that reduce pain, stimulate the central nervous system, and require expert knowledge of the musculoskeletal system for best results. However, acupuncture and dry needling differ greatly in foundational philosophies, theory, training, education, and who is authorized to administer each one.Traditional acupuncture acknowledges the body as a system meant to be addressed holistically. Because of this, it is both a preventative and reactive form of treatment that can treat a number of other conditions outside of muscular tension including gastrointestinal dysfunction, allergies, cold and flu symptoms, headaches, insomnia, irregular menstruation, anxiety, and more. It promotes systemic circulation, reduces stress, and treats visceral conditions as well as active injury sites. Acupuncture has existed for thousands of years and point prescription is informed by ancient Chinese philosophy and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) channel theory. It is meant to promote the natural healing abilities of the body and harmonize the relationship between the body and our external environment. Acupuncture needling is gentle and needle insertion is shallower than dry needling. It requires needle retention anywhere between 20 minutes to an hour depending on the treatment goals. It is intended to feel restorative and restful.Dry needling developed in the west in the 1900's and is based on our modern understanding of myofascial and neuromuscular mappings of the body. Outside of acupuncturists, it can be performed by other healthcare professionals such as physical therapists, chiropractors, and athletic trainers depending on the state. It specifically targets trigger points in the muscles and is more aggressive in technique. Trigger points are hyperirritable muscular knots that refer pain to other areas of the body when aggravated or pressed. Dry needling technique requires deeper insertion to target muscle bellies and involves manual needle thrusting to stimulate localized muscle twitch responses. These involuntary muscle twitches signal the release of tight musculature and resets abnormal nerve signals that had prevented the muscular knot from releasing on its own. Once the twitch response has been achieved, the needle is immediately removed. Needle retention is not a characteristic of dry needling. You may experience local tenderness and soreness for a few days following a dry needling session, but it ultimately leads to temporary reduction in muscle tension and referral pain.Dry needling false under the scope of all licensed acupuncturists, but not all healthcare professionals who perform dry needling are authorized to perform acupuncture. At On-Point Recovery, you can get the best of both worlds and it's not uncommon for both modalities to be administered in a single treatment session. Both are greatly beneficial!

Dr. Downey is a graduate of Virginia University of Integrative Medicine where she was thoroughly trained in collaborative care that compliments the efforts of the rest of your healthcare team. Her coursework and clinical training guaranteed a comprehensive understanding of both eastern and western approaches to healthcare. This includes TCM diagnostic techniques, acupuncture, herbology, eastern nutrition, evidence-based practice and research methods, lifestyle medicine, western biomedicine, pharmacology, infectious disease, internal medicine, diagnostic imaging, specialty topics such as orthopedics, mental health and trauma-informed care, gynecology, pediatrics, cancer care, and more. She has been trained to coexist with your everyday primary care physicians, pharmacists, physical therapists, psychotherapists, radiologists, and other healthcare professionals to put your wellness first.At On-Point Recovery, a patient-centered and integrative approach to your wellness is prioritized. Dr. Downey welcomes routine communication and teamwork with the rest of your care team and is open to modifying treatments as needed. Dr. Downey also thoroughly examines vitals, past medical history, and family history of her patients to establish necessary treatment modifications, account for medications, identify medical red flags, refer patients appropriately, and more. She is also prepared to advocate for the safety of her patients as needed if it appears to be at risk due to oversight or neglect of other clinicians or authoritative figures in her patients' lives.

There is a time and place for everything! If you are experiencing a medical emergency, please dial 911 immediately.

An acupuncture session can be beneficial almost any time of day. For the sake of your workout routine though, it's best to schedule your sessions during your recovery days, bye-weeks, or cool-down hours after you've already exercised. Acupuncture can be very relaxing and promotes circulation, which is great for helping restore muscles that have been working hard and guiding you out of fight-or-flight mode.If you struggle with performance anxiety and get nervous before big games and matches, acupuncture sessions may be helpful a day or two before to help ease your mind and ground your spirit!If it's an injury you'd like to manage that's not quite severe enough to keep you from playing but you still struggle with keeping swelling down in a joint or nagging discomfort, acupuncture can be employed anywhere from a few hours before competition to a couple of days prior.You may even be struggling with all of the above. That's okay! Acupuncture is holistic and we can chip away at everything that's bothering you, together. At On-Point Recovery, we address mind, body, and spirit. Dr. Downey will work with you, assess your goals and priorities, your condition, and your practice and competition schedule to determine what's right for you. She also welcomes questions and encourages her patients to be transparent with her about how they're feeling.

This is a fantastic question! Acupuncture is meant for everyone, no matter your religious or spiritual affiliation. Traditional acupuncture originated in ancient China. Variations of it have also developed over time in Korea, Japan, Vietnam, France, the United States, and other countries. Dr. Downey employs and is trained in multiple styles of needling therapy to optimize your wellness. The philosophies that inform traditional acupuncture itself, including yin-yang theory, are historically rooted in Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. However, this does not require you to personally align with Chinese philosophy or abandon your faith to reap the benefits of treatment. You do not have to observe these schools of thought, pray, or meditate as a follower of these ideas. You will not be converted to or lectured on a different faith during your visits. Rather than acupuncture being reflective of a formal religious institution, it is a medical tool with an application that is informed in part by ancient Chinese natural philosophy. It is meant to harmonize our bodies with the natural world. Acupuncture treatment does not involve chanting, cursing, voodoo, or witchcraft. You will not burst into flames on the treatment table if you subscribe or don't subscribe to a particular religion. When receiving treatment at On-Point Recovery, you are still in a medical setting, protected by the use of scientifically-supported protocols, academic research, and clinical experience. Energy is energy no matter which lens you see it through. Acupuncture is simply a modality that helps you better harness your own. If you are spiritual or loyal to a particular faith, you are encouraged to lean into that during treatment for spiritual grounding if it makes you feel good! There is a common misconception that if you are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or otherwise, you are betraying your faith by receiving acupuncture treatment. This could not be further from the truth. It is not even required of your acupuncturist to personally subscribe to Taoism and the likes to be a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner.On-Point Recovery is a brand that promotes diversity and inclusion. If you have any questions, reservations, or if any of your religious practices (such as fasting, for example) interfere with any health advice you may be given, please let Dr. Downey know! Your preferences will absolutely be taken into account and modifications will be made accordingly.

Everyone is different. Many patients experience a change in their condition right on the table or immediately after treatment. For some patients, it takes a few days or even a few treatments to notice a difference. A general rule of thumb is to allow up to 72 hours after treatment for therapeutic effects to kick in. If you don't notice any changes or your condition worsens after treatment, it's important to let your acupuncturist know so your treatment plan and acupuncture point prescription can be adjusted. It's important to understand that the more consistent you are with your treatments, the more effective they will be and the longer the treatment effects will last. The therapeutic effects of acupuncture require compounding visits. How soon you begin to feel a difference also greatly depends on how long you've been living with a particular condition and how severe it is. Chronic, complex, and more severe conditions with multiple symptoms require more attention and typically take a little longer to address. Patients with mild and acute conditions tend to respond much faster to treatment.One of the most important things you can do as a patient to optimize your recovery and the effects of acupuncture is to do your best to live a balanced, healthy lifestyle. You can receive acupuncture treatments as often as you'd like, but if you live a sedentary lifestyle, have a poor diet, neglect your emotional and mental health, or engage in harmful behaviors regularly, you will routinely set back your progress and the effects of acupuncture will not last. Sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start! Dr. Downey is committed to helping you access the best version of yourself. She's happy to work with you and the rest of your healthcare team to make lifestyle changes as digestible as you need them to be, one step at a time!