Techniques
Acupuncture
Over 3000 years old, acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of healing still practiced today. Acupuncture uses very fine pins (the size of a strand of hair) to unblock constrictions and bring blood and nutrients to areas of deficiency so that the body can harmonize and restore its health. There are many different systems and techniques involving acupuncture diagnosis and treatment. In my practice I use four different techniques:
Master Tung and Dr. Tang Style:
This is the most clinically effective style for pain. It uses distal (away from the area that is in pain) acupuncture points as its primary method of healing. I often combine this style with trigger point acupuncture.
Kiiko Matsumoto Japanese Style:
This style is based on Japanese Meridian therapy acupuncture. Each patient is palpated for pressure pain in certain areas of the body, mostly on the abdomen, to determine the diagnosis. When pressure pain is found, points are located to relieve that pain, when the point that relieves the pain is located it is then needled. This style employs a systematic approach that is very useful in the treatment of many internal and external ailments.
Traditional Chinese Medicine:
This approach uses a combination of asking specific questions, examining the tongue and taking the pulse to reveal the patient’s diagnosis. Certain acupuncture points are then prescribed dependent on the findings. If you have ever received acupuncture, this is probably the style of acupuncture you received.
Acupuncture Physical Medicine/Trigger Point Acupuncture:
APM style is a Vietnamese/French meridian approach that focuses on identifying constrictions in the body using palpation. This approach is very useful in relieving myofascial pain caused by trigger points by employing dry needling techniques.
Electro-Acupuncture
Electric stimulation helps relax muscles, move stagnant blood and lymph from the area, and relieve pain. Needles are inserted at different acupuncture points or in specific muscles and the device is attached to the needles via wires and small clips. The device generates continuous electric pulses through the needles which then contracts the muscles. If there is a trigger point in the muscle, the electric stimulation will relax the knotted fibers so the muscle can stretch and return to its normal position and size.
Trigger Point Dry Needling Therapy
Trigger point dry needling is an advanced needling technique and the #1 therapy to treat painful muscle knots. One of my clients referred to it as, "a deep-tissue massage on steroids"; I am able to get to those deep or hard to reach knots often unable to be treated by massage using this specialty. In Pennsylvania and New Jersey, only licensed acupuncturists are able to perform this highly specialized technique.
Do your MRIs and X-Rays show that you shouldn't be in any pain?
Trigger points are tight, contracted knots in muscles that do not show up on imaging (x-rays, MRI's etc). When these knots form, either from stress, a repetitive strain injury, or trauma, they can cause pain at the location of the trigger point and/or referral pain to other parts of the body. Dry needling uses the tip of the acupuncture needle to loosen the knot in the muscle, reducing or eliminating pain caused by that trigger point. Often patients will feel the muscle jump (or contract) and then fully release and relax. Trigger points can be the cause of acute (recent gym injury) or chronic (old sports injury or car accident) pain. The "X's" in the diagrams are where Trigger points are often located in each muscle. The red is the pain pattern that is often produced by the trigger points.
Brittany Lombardo, M.S. L.Ac is a Dry Needling Specialist and one of the only practitioners in the Philadelphia area that is trained in this advanced technique. She has been practicing this needling therapy for 13 years. This technique can only be performed by a licensed acupuncturist in PA, NJ and NY.
Pain pattern for SCM muscle.
Piriformis muscle trigger points can also cause "sciatica-like" pain.
Pain pattern for Levator Scapulae muscle.
Rhomboid muscle trigger point pain pattern.
Soleus muscle trigger points may cause heel pain.
Scalene muscle trigger point pain pattern.
Pain Pattern for gluteus muscle can cause "sciatica-like" pain.
Quadratus Lumborum trigger point pain pattern.
Exstore© Assessment
Exstore© is a musculoskeletal assessment system developed by Dr. Anthony Lombardi that allows the practitioner to test specific muscles in order to more efficiently treat the underlying cause of injury, instead of solely focusing on the area of pain. This system allows practitioners to easily find areas of motor muscle inhibition and find the best treatment solution to restore function.
Orthopedic Acupuncture
Orthopedic Acupuncture is a musculoskeletal approach to the treatment of sports and performance injuries, postural correction, and chronic repetitive strain, to reduce or eliminate pain.
Gua Sha
We offer Gua Sha used in conjunction with acupuncture to hasten the relief of pain. Gua Sha is an ancient medical treatment that has been used for thousands of years to bring relief from very common conditions such as fever and general muscle pain. Gua Sha helps remove stagnation (which is often the source of pain) to help bring blood flow to the area. It also can help bring toxins to the surface so that your body can easily flush them out. The treatments are very safe, but can often result in sub-cutaneous blemishing which usually takes about 2-4 days to fade.
Gua Sha is often performed on the back and neck.
Cupping
We offer Cupping used in conjunction with acupuncture to hasten the relief of pain. Cupping is an ancient medical treatment that has been used for thousands of years to bring relief from very common conditions such as fever, stress, and general muscle pain. Cupping helps remove stagnation (which is often the source of pain) to help bring blood flow to the area. It also can help bring toxins to the surface so that your body can easily flush them out. The treatments are very safe, but can often result in sub-cutaneous blemishing which usually takes about 2-4 days to fade.
FREE CUPPING with any acupuncture visit!
Gwyneth Paltrow loves Cupping!
Cupping on the lower back.
Acupuncture for Professional Athletes
Whether you want to fully relax before an event or have an injury that needs special attention, acupuncture and trigger point dry needling can help you reach your peak mental and physical health. We have treated many athletes and performers including professional basketball and baseball players and dancers in the Pennsylvania Ballet.
Acupuncture and trigger point dry needling technique can be very effective in easing muscle tension, increasing range of motion, elongating muscles, and increasing blood flow to muscles and tendons to reduce scar tissue and promote healing. Learn more about trigger point dry needling.
We understand the hectic schedules of athletes and performers and would be happy to travel to you! Please call, text or email for availability and pricing.
***We provide the highest level of professionalism and take privacy very seriously. We are bound by the laws of HIPAA not to discuss your treatment or any medical history with a third party unless authorized by you.
Further outside reading:
Why all athletes should use Acupuncture
Despite Skeptics, Acupuncture finds favor with athletes
Acupuncture for Fertility
Treating fertility is one of our passions. Acupuncture can improve your chances of conception by:
Regulating the hormones (estrogen & progesterone) involved in the mensural cycle to improve ovulation and increase chances of contraception.
Acupuncture can improve blood flow to the reproductive organs, including the ovaries and uterus. This increased blood flow can help to thicken the uterine lining, making it easier for a fertilized egg to implant and develop.
Reducing stress: Acupuncture is known to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Stress can negatively impact fertility by disrupting hormonal balance and reducing blood flow to the reproductive organs.
Enhancing male fertility: Acupuncture may also benefit male fertility by improving sperm count, motility, and morphology.
Microcurrent
Microcurrent is a non-invasive treatment that uses low-level electrical currents to boost cellular activity and ATP production, the body’s energy source. It’s great for combating fatigue and, when combined with acupuncture, can help restore energy and get you back to doing what you love.
