Acupuncture

The short answer is "No". The long answer is that Acupuncturists cannot bill Medicare, even if we wanted to. Medicare does not recognize Acupuncturists as healthcare providers. I know you're probably thinking, "But wait... Didn't medicare just approve acupuncture for low back pain?!?" And you would be right, they did. That same approval requires that an MD or Nurse Practitioner (NP) supervise acupuncture treatment. We are actively trying to change this! The American Society of Acupuncturists (ASA) and The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) introduced a bill entitled "Acupuncture for Our Seniors Act of 2023 (H.R 3133)" which would recognize acupuncturists as healthcare providers and allow us to bill medicare. This bill currently has bipartisan support and I recommend that you reach out to your representatives and let them know how important acupuncture is to your health. ASA and NCCAOM have made it very easy to reach out to your representatives. They have a prefab message that you can customize or send as is. Just text any of the following phrases to 52886 and follow the link: “Acupuncture” – Acupuncturists seeking support for H.R. 3133 “Student” – Acupuncture students seeking support for H.R. 3133 “Acupuncture Patient” – Non-Medicare patients seeking support for H.R. 3133 “Senior Citizen” – Prospective and current patients of acupuncture who are Medicare beneficiaries “Acupuncture Ally” – Allies (non-acupuncture providers, family members of patients, patient advocacy groups, community members, etc.) of the acupuncture profession seeking support for H.R. 3133 Example: If you’re an acupuncturist, text Acupuncture to 52886

Acupuncture treatments are not painful. Acupuncture is performed with hair-thin needles that do not resemble the pain felt from a hypodermic needle. Patients often fall asleep and are in a state of deep relaxation on the table.

Yes! More and more insurances are beginning to cover acupuncture. We are happy to verify your insurance to see if you have acupuncture coverage.

Yes! Absolutely. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) insurance covers acupuncture treatment. Being in a car accident can be extremely stressful. Acupuncture can not only help to manage your pain, but also decrease your stress so you can heal faster.

During the first treatment the practitioner will take a complete health history and ask about the condition you are coming in for. The practitioner will do a physical assessment which may or maynot include palpating areas of pain, feeling your pulse and checking your tongue (due to COVID-19, tongue checks are not currently being done). The initial evaluation and treatment generally lasts about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. Subsequent treatments take 45 minutes to an hour. After your assessment, you will be comfortably positioned on a heated massage table while the acupuncture needles are inserted. You are allowed to rest with the needles in for 20-25 minutes. Needles are removed and often times manual therapy, massage or cupping is done.

Acupuncture is a whole body treatment and due to the way acupuncture meridians cover the body, it is entirely possible to treat your shoulder pain from your shin. For this reason, where your acupuncture needles go will depend on what you're coming in for, the type and quality of your pain and your body's unique make up.

Acupuncture is an incredibly safe treatment and the only common side effects are bruising or bleeding (just a drop or two). Acupuncture can also have positive side effects. Studies have shown people who undergo acupuncture treatment report sleeping better and better digestion even when that isn't the condition they came in for!

Acupuncture treatment is a full body treatment. Dry needling or Trigger Point Acupuncture (TPA) is a form of acupuncture where needles are used to manipulate and release trigger points to eliminate a muscle spasm. Dry needling does not address the root cause in the same way traditional acupuncture does. Acupuncturists often combine dry needling or TPA with traditional acupuncture.

Acupuncturists undergo a lot more training in needling than Physical Therapists. New Jersey requires an Acupuncturist have a minimum of 2,500 hours of instruction in their field. Physical Therapists can needle with just 80 hours of instruction, only 40 of which need to be hands on.

There is still a lot we don't know about acupuncture, but with the help of modern research there is a lot we are learning about the pathways through which acupuncture affects the body. Acupuncture has been shown through functional MRI to stimulate different areas of the brain. It also has the ability to stimulate the production and release of different hormones such as serotonin, estrogen, progesterone, and endorphins. This is how it is able to regulate your body's hormones and relieve pain.

Yes! Acupuncture is a safe and effective way to alleviate many discomforts commonly associated with pregnancy. In addition, acupuncture can be used to help promote a more efficient labor. In fact, many midwives and obstetricians refer their pregnant patients to Winter Wellness.

Microneedling, also called collagen induction therapy, is a cosmetic modality to induce collagen production, increase cellular turnover, and minimize acne, fine lines and wrinkles, and appearance of scars.

The microtrauma helps stimulate your skin's healing process, so it produces more collagen and elastin. These proteins keep your skin firm and smooth.

Anyone who is looking to reduce the effects of aging and improve the appearance of their skin. It helps reduce the appearance of acne scarring, fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation and age spots.

A typical session is 45 minutes to 1 hour and includes 15-20 minutes of actively microneedling.

It’s a full facial without extractions. Your face will be cleansed and a numbing cream applied. Microneedling will be performed with hyaluronic acid serum and a collagen boosting serum. Afterward, the face will be dabbed and a cooling cucumber mask applied. That will be removed and a replenishing mist toner applied. Then your face will be dabbed with phyto-stem cell serum and peptide eye cream.

Infrared light therapy LED light therapy is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes different wavelengths of infrared light to help treat various skin issues such as acne, fine lines, and wrinkles. Different LED wavelengths that show up as color have different benefits. RED light - Stimulates collagen production, reduces inflammation (rosacea), promotes wound healing, improves fine lines. Excellent after a peel or micro-needling. Good for inflammation and pain in joints. BLUE light - Kills bacteria and reduces over sebaceous gland production. CYAN light -Gentle acne treatment, perfect for combination aging skin, controls oil production and promotes collagen synthesis. GREEN light - Treats and prevents hyper-pigmentation by inhibiting the production of excess melanin. YELLOW light - Treats redness, sensitivity, irritation, and rosacea. Reduces the appearance of the tiny blood vessels. PURPLE light - Combination of red and blue benefits. Nanoneedling Nanoneedling is minimally invasive and is used for the skin under your eyes and on your lips. This is a standard part of your microneedling session Nanoneedling can also be performed weekly all over the face as a standalone treatment in between microneedling sessions to further increase cellular turnover and the appearance of your skin.

We are proud to use TOMA Skincare’s amazing product line and highly recommend their regular use at home. This is a super clean line of products that does not contain any chemicals or hormone disruptors. You can learn more about their products here.

We use TOMA Skin Therapy products because they are clean, cruelty-free and vegan! They are committed to using whole, nourishing ingredients from nature. Their products are never tested on animals and contain no animal byproducts. TOMA goes beyond the standard “free of” list by promising that their formulas are 100% free of hormone-disrupting ingredients and their byproducts, including parabens, synthetic fragrances, GMOs and phthalates.