... and then a year passed ...

Seriously?

Wow. I have thought about posting something new to this blog at least once a week for the past year. Clearly, I didn't make time to do that. 

Why not?

Well, like many acupuncturists, I am a one-man business. The captain and crew. I generate my patients, I schedule, I treat, I clean (my wife helps sometimes). Wash, rinse, and repeat. 

Don't get me wrong--I'm not complaining. I love what I do. It's been an amazing experience, and I relish each day. 

It's just made it challenging to do things like writing for this blog. 

This past cycle of seasons has seen my practice grow at a pace beyond expectations. I've learned much about running a business and being a practitioner. The beauty is, I get to learn more every day. 

And I'd really like to get back to utilizing this forum as a way to share those learnings.

So I'm going to give it a another shot.

Next time: Why The Change in Seasons Can Kick Your $#$%!

October's Free Friday (and Saturday)

Ever wondered what acupuncture is all about? What it's like to get a treatment? How it can help you deal with _________?

Free Friday is my way of introducing the good peoples of NE Ohio to the awesomeness that is acupuncture.

So come check out my office, see what a needle really looks like, and, if you're willing and able, get a FREE TREATMENT. If you want to book back-to-back treatment times with a friend or a loved one, feel free.

One caveat . . . In order to be able to devote proper time/attention to each individual, I need you to schedule a 1/2 hour treatment time. Treatments are booked on a first-come/first-served basis, so reserve your time now!

Contact via phone: 440.251.4754 or Email: austin@lakeerieacupuncture.com

Treatment times available (updated as slots are taken):
Friday 28th: 11:00a, 11:30a, 12:00p, 12:30p, 4:00p, 4:30p, 5:00p, 5:30p
Saturday the 29th: 9:00a, 9:30a, 10:00a, 12:00p, 12:30p, 1:00p

Feel free to spread the word to anyone you think may want to stop in.

Thank you, and hope to see you then!

Do you notice a difference in the experiences of clients who are more and less open to the treatment?

Sometimes.

Every person's experience in the treatment room is unique. The level of comfort that one experiences in the treatment room is something that I, as practitioner, do my best to maximize, but it's not completely within my realm of control. I check in and interact with them during the treatment, and they ultimately are in control of what's being done, of what's ok. I like to call acupuncture elective medicine, because patients are empowered in my treatment room. They provide feedback, they help us make decisions in partnership, and they contribute to what each specific treatment is focused on.

In my experience, the biggest hinderance to the treatment experience is the fear of needles hurting. If a person has a fear of needles, I do my best to help quell that fear. I will remove one of the single use, sterile needles from its packaging, and they can touch it to see how thin it is. We will use breath to prepare and time the insertion of a needle. Often their fears are alleviated quickly, but if it is too much of a hinderance to a treatment, I can offer stimulation of the acupuncture points with tuning forks or palpation with fingertips. Both are effective at getting things moving in the body.

Patients that are resistant to treatments are often nervous on the table, which often shows up as tension in the body. They are often unwilling to take on responsibility for their actions that may be affecting them negatively, which in turn makes treatments less effective or not effective at all.

Patients that are open to the treatment are often completely relaxed and comfortable on the treatment table. They are willing to discuss changes to aspects of their lifestyle that may aid them in their quest to regain their well-being. They take on "homework" between treatments and are active in the process.

With all this in mind, any patient can experience a big shift as a result of a treatment, and any patient may leave a treatment without a sense of a change taking place. Sometimes a big shift doesn't hold very long; sometimes a shift occurs a few hours or days after a treatment. It's a part of the mysterious nature of the medicine.

Do I need to believe in acupuncture for it to work?

In my experience, a person does not need to believe in acupuncture for it to work. I've been asked this question a few times. Each time, the person asking has been interested in whether or not acupuncture is something that conflicted with their religious or spiritual beliefs.

I am not going to claim to have all the answers in relation to whether or not acupuncture is in accordance with or against one's religious beliefs. That's not for me to judge. If someone were to tell me that they believed it went against their religion, I would have to respect that. My sense is that unless someone rejects any and all medical interventions as being counter to their faith, I don't see there being an issue with what acupuncture has to offer them.

Now, irrespective of the religion conversation, I get that acupuncture is a little different. The concepts at its core such as qi are not things that the typical American is going to quite grasp (after 3+ years of study, I have difficulty completely grasping the concepts myself). And that's ok.

Two questions/counterpoints to consider:

Dogs, cats, and horses are all often treated with acupuncture. Do animals need to believe in it for it to work for them? Clinical experience leads me to believe that they do not (and that it can be effective treatment).

Does a person have to believe in or understand how taking an aspirin makes their headache go away? How an antihistamine helps their breathing? 

I hope this answer has been helpful.

Free Friday, September 23rd

Wondering what this acupuncture stuff is all about? Know someone you think may benefit from treatment?

Free Friday is Lake Erie Acupuncture's way of introducing the good peoples of Northeast Ohio to the awesomeness that is acupuncture. So please, come check out the clinic, see what a needle really looks like, and, if you're willing and able, get a FREE TREATMENT. Yep, free.

The only caveat . . . You have to schedule a treatment time. Treatments are scheduled on a first-come/first-served basis, so if you want to grab a time, get ahold of me one of the following ways:

Phone: 440.251.4754
Email: austin@lakeerieacupuncture.com

Treatment times currently available:

1:00, 1:30, 2:00, 4:30, 5:00, 5:30
(If you want to book back-to-back treatment times with a friend or a loved one, feel free!)

The clinic is located in the Willo Medical Building, 36001 Euclid Avenue, Willoughby, Ohio (across the street from Lake West Hospital). I'm on the main floor, Room B-7. After you enter the building, take a right, and I'm the last door on the right-hand side.


I welcome the opportunity to meet with you and discuss what acupuncture can do for you.


Hope to see you then!

What is Acupuncture?

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a 2000+year-old system of medicine designed to both restore and maintain one's health and well-being. Its roots are grounded in an ancient Chinese world-view and culture that stressed the importance of being in balance with the natural world that surrounds you.

The system is based on the concept that we have Qi (or Chi, pronounced "Chee"), or vital energy, flowing through our bodies. When Qi flow is optimal, we are "healthy". When Qi flow is not optimal, depending on the wheres, whys, and hows, various conditions of disease will arise. 

Things that can disrupt the flow of Qi can be either internal or external, such as an emotional disruption (being stuck in grief after a loss or overcome with anger), a pathogen (a bacteria or virus), an environmental factor (excessive exposure to cold or humidity), or an injury (straining a muscle or breaking a bone). 

Basically, life disrupts the flow of Qi in everyone to some extent, and it's our job to smooth things out so that we feel well. A lot of times, we can do that ourselves. Sometimes we need a little help, which is where acupuncture comes into play.

An acupuncturist uses various forms of observation and engagement with you to determine where the flow in your body can use some help. We will ask questions and use touch to gather information. We will listen to pulses in your wrist, take a look at your tongue, and check your range of motion. After assessment, we will determine a course of action, based on you and our understanding of you, to help your body return to optimal flow.

This post begins a series of entries designed to answer common questions people have about acupuncture. 

If you would like to submit a question, you may do so via the comments below, or by emailing me here.

Next time . . . How does it work?

Q? and A.

Have a question about acupuncture? Submit it here.