Frequently Asked Questions
Where do the needles go on the body?
People often get surprised when they say their left elbow hurts, and Josh needles their right leg. It really differs depending on what is being treated. Josh will always explain where he is placing needles and frequently check in between insertions how you are feeling and if there is something he can do to make you more comfortable with the process.
Are the needles sterile?
Absolutely! Any needle inserted is a brand-new medical grade stainless steel needle. Straight from its antimicrobial packing to your skin. The insertion areas will be swabbed with alcohol first as well to assure a sterile process.
Does acupuncture hurt?
The needles are as thick as a strand of hair. At most, in certain areas the pain will be quick and may feel like a pinch or at worst a cramp, but it shouldn’t remain that way for more than a moment after. Most people really don't notice anything and are surprised! Some patients can easily move around with needles throughout their body. While others though less commonly, are much more sensitive — (such as the office lady writing this very FAQ, haha) — Josh will prepare you if he is needling in an area that is more likely to hurt for a few moments. You should absolutely let Josh know if the pain continues longer than that so the needle can be adjusted, and you can be comfortable in the chair.
What are the common side effects?
One of the main reasons why acupuncture is so beneficial is because there are rarely and few negative side effects when performed by a licensed acupuncturist. The areas where needles are placed might turn a bit red and might feel a little warm. This usually goes away in an hour or two but a majority of people don't even experience that to begin with. You might bleed but it won't be much, just some mild spotting. We rarely see minor bruising, but if you are someone who already bruises easily that may be a bit more likely for you. Senior populations are also more at risk of having bruises. Serious side effects are very rare (we have never had such an incident) and almost always came about from either a non-licensed practitioner or one who performed services outside the defined scope of their education — Josh is licensed, very careful, very communicative and always stays up to date on mandated “Continuing Education Units” to assure his understanding remains experienced and modernized to the best found practices today.
Is there evidence for acupuncture?
Studies have shown acupuncture to be effective for the treatment of pain, stress, anxiety, and addiction. Since these findings, acupuncture has become a popular choice of treatment as we here in the US have seen the problem with opioid addiction, which largely started with the over prescribing of pain killers. The US National Library of medicine theorizes efficacy in acupuncture treatment comes down to our nervous system having a general positive response. You can expect to see acupuncture more mainstream now that it's being utilized even in major hospitals and cancer clinics! Like anything though, be it medicine or other specialty care — what works for one person may not for another and vice versa.
Do I need to make an appointment?
Yes, you'll need to reach out to us to schedule an appointment we do not take walk-ins. For new patients, through our website is the best and fastest way for us to see and get back to your request. You can also call or text 508-530-1883: Text will be faster than call as we get a lot of sales/spam calls along with updates from health insurance agents to sort through in the voicemail. Whatever method you use, we will try to get back to you within 2 businesses days but if you left a voicemail that might be delayed by another day or so.
How much does treatment cost?
It mostly depends on your insurance situation, but you can review our services and their costs on the "Services" tab of this site. We offer discounts for certain circumstances. We accept Cash, Credit/Debit, and FSA/HSA plans. If using insurance, then it depends on your member specific plan that we will verify for you before making your appointment.
Are the rooms private?
Yes, you will have your own room with a closed door to relax and decompress in. Our clinic uses Zero-Gravity reclining chairs for treatments, unless your back is what is being needled, then you would be lying face down on a standard massage table. Each room has optional (no charge) aroma therapy if you request it in advance, and a music player that we can set to whatever music you prefer. Most patient’s like spa music, others like metal — your room, your music pick! After your appointment we can offer you a cup of tea or coffee for after your appointment to drink on your way home.
What age range do you treat?
Josh is trained to treat any age, but experience is almost exclusively with 12+ and what we are most comfortable and confident working with. A parent or guardian must be present for anyone under 16. Anyone 16-17 will need a parent present just for the first appointment. There is no maximum age, we have elevator access but don't provide transition-hoyer services at this time. Our building is wheelchair accessible, with an elevator leading to us on the second floor, as well as a handicap restroom.
What is Herbal Medicine?
Chinese Herbal Medicine comes in variety of forms such as tablets, capsules, powders or extracts; essentially, they are wellness formulas made from medicinal botanicals or plants. Some patients come here exclusively for our formula's, all of which are tailor made to each individual aside from our seasonal viral care herbs. The taste varies depending on what is being treated. They could be delightful and sweet! Sometimes they're bitter and eye wincing. We’d make sure you’re aware of what to expect with your formula.
Do you accept my insurance? What will insurance cover?
You’d be surprised how many insurances offer acupuncture benefits so long as they are based in Massachusetts. You can review the “Services/Insurance” tab on our site here to see a list of the insurances we are credentialed with. Unfortunately, nothing in US healthcare is ever made easy and accessible: Even if we may be credentialed with your insurance company it doesn’t mean your plan covers acupuncture. Insurances often contradict the details of their approved coverage between what they inform a patient and what they tell a provider; due to this, we will always need to call your insurance ourselves to verify your benefits before placing you on the schedule unless you prior indicate being comfortable with the out of pocket rate. Even though ‘legally’ the mandate is on the patient to understand their own insurance benefits, we know how challenging the system is to navigate, so we do our best to extract as much information as we can for every patient to prevent as many surprise rejections as possible.
Can you help me with my specific condition?
Anything pain, swelling and discomfort related be it stemming from acute injury, long term physical trauma, symptoms and or side effects of diseases, disorders, or otherwise chronic without known origin is what makes up for the large majority of cases of the patients we have treated over the many years. Acupuncturist Josh lives with his own disabling conditions and personally knows the struggle of our health care system and how often a patient’s pain and struggle are not believed or for some other reason, left untreated. Let alone how much our “productivity” focused society leaves behind those with disabilities. It’s this personal experience that gives our clinic the warm reputation we have, and why we take our time with each and every individual patient.
How many visits until I get better?
It varies greatly depending on the individual, and the severity/cause of what they are seeking treatment for. Some people have immediate relief, and are done in 1-3 sessions such as acute injuries/tweaks and spasms. Others have been coming to us for years to manage pain instead of relying on opioids. We are invested in your health and well-being, whether that be from us or not. We feel it’s our ethical responsibility to make sure you take the right course of action for you. We ask new patients to give us 3 visits for us to try a few different approaches of treatment. If you don't seem to be getting results, that is okay to say! It’s not about us, it’s about YOU. Josh is confident with his experience and does the very best he can for his patient’s.
Do I need to wear certain clothes?
Loose fitted, comfortable clothing! Pants should be able to roll up to the knee, and shirts should expose above the elbows at least. If we treat your back, we provide hospital gowns to wear, along with a sheet if you're feeling cold.
Do you require any COVID protocols?
We still require masks (over the nose, too) and will do a basic health questionnaire before each appointment to minimize the risk of viral spread regardless of it being COVID, COLD or FLU. We are aware that the CDC has removed all mandates for businesses and even hospitals don’t require masks — we disagree with this decision for healthcare settings. We treat many immunocompromised or otherwise high-risk patients that feel that society has left them behind and doesn’t care about what happens to them: our clinic is a rare place of solace and solidarity for them. We ask in good-faith you please not give us a hard time about our decision as a business to continue requiring masks as we’re just trying to look out for the comfort of some of our longest term, most at-risk patients that have nowhere else to go. If Long-COVID is unfamiliar to you and you’re curious to learn more, check out this “Time” Article on Long-COVID along with the links on our COVID tab.
What’s up with the frequent waiting lists, and why is there no time estimate?
We apologize to the strained ability to take on new patients. If there isn't a waiting list posted on our contact page at the time you're reading this — then you have nothing to worry about, and don't need to read on.
If the contact page does say we have a waiting list — the primary factor, is ever since we reopened after the COVID quarantine ended – the demand for treatment has exponentially grown. Provider availability vs. patient needs is becoming a nation-wide issue regardless of practice. Aside from that, we have a strict patient focused philosophy — when we take on a new patient, we do our best to guarantee we have ongoing availability to see their course of treatment through to the end and they get as much help as they need. We do our best to never rush appointments and Josh takes his time to get fully on the same page with patients and get them sincerely relaxed. If we filled every single schedule gap in the future with new patients that would leave many active patients left ‘needing’ in between care, and competing with other patient's based on who has the most schedule flexibility to book far out. That would be easier for us, but goes against our self-imposed moral code as it denies access to care for many struggling working families with tight schedules. Once we've done the intake, scheduling follow-up appointments is easier.
It would be helpful if potential patients adding themselves onto our waiting list would let us know they no longer need assistance, but understandably life is busy and chaotic, so we are rarely informed — due to that, we have no real way to estimate how long you will be on that waiting list. At different times of the year, the list may be filled with people eagerly waiting just to specifically see Josh and no one else and then it takes months to get in. Sometimes half the list we call never responds and someone who thought they might have had to wait months only ends up waiting 5 days. We open new patient slots as previous patients conclude their care.