Frequently Asked Questions about Acupuncture

How can acupuncture help physical ailments?
In general, acupuncture can help “rewire” your body so that you are not aware of certain tendencies or physical ailments. Spinal abnormalities are a good example of how properly flowing Qi can obviate a physical disorder. Thousands of people have slipped disks, genetic abnormalities, bulging discs, and other issues with their spines. Some are painfully aware of them and others blissfully ignorant. Acupuncture can help make you one of the blissfully ignorant.

How do Milton Acupuncture treatments differ from other acupuncture treatments?
Many acupuncturists practice several different kinds of acupuncture, run several rooms and/or treat several people at one time and/or prescribe herbs. At Milton Acupuncture, an acupuncturist runs one room at once and practices only Japanese method acupuncture.

In addition, treatments are augmented with craniosacral therapy, healing meditation, and consultations on spiritual-physical issues. This means that after the needles have been inserted, instead of leaving the room and interviewing another patient, the acupuncturist will either perform a craniosacral treatment or meditate on your well being.

In addition, if you so choose, Ms. Casinelli will consult with you about your condition by interpreting your astrological chart and explaining to you at length the Traditional Chinese Medicine metaphysics of your disorder before or after your treatment.

What is craniosacral therapy?
Craniosacral therapy is a gentle fine tuning of the rhythms of the craniosacral fluid. The practitioner cups the patients head in her hands and presses almost imperceptibly on his or her skull to gently encourage the craniosacral fluid to come back to “true”. This method uses the power of the nervous system to heal disorders in the entire body.

How is Japanese method acupuncture different from other kinds of acupuncture?
In the Japanese method which we practice, the needles are thinner, the insertions very shallow (i.e. no more than 3 millimeters) and more moxa is used. In addition, the emphasis is purely on the meridians. Five phase treatments figure prominently as do using ion pumping cords to activate the Extraordinary Vessels.

There is no electricity in the ion pumping cords invented by Yoshio Manaka, MD. The plastic coated wires, diodes, and alligator clips provided amplify and ordinary treatment.

What role does astrology play in Milton Acupuncture Treatments?
This offering was developed in response to requests from patients for more information than can be communicated during a traditional acupuncture session. A one hour or 30 minute consultation allows us to discuss your condition from a TAM, Hindu astrological, yogic, and Buddhist perspective. These Asian philosophies offer a way of understanding bodies and the world that is very different from science, psychology, sociology and other western traditions.

More Jung than Freud, more inductive than deductive and much older modern frameworks, the categories used by most Asian philosophies, such as: metal, earth, water, air, wood, fire, are rooted in thousands of years of observation of natural phenomena, not the scientific method.

Astrology, as used by Milton Acupuncture, ascribes basic demographics and genetics to birth karma. We were each born into a time, place and body because of the karma generated in previous lives. This is our only harvest from those times. We are not culpable for anything that happened in a previous life; and we are completely responsible for all our actions in this life.

Genetics encompasses our physical inheritance and our mental and emotional proclivities. You can think of your astrological birth chart as a genetic map written in the language of poets. Before our session, we will use a computer program to cast your birth chart. The consultation sessions focus on your health. If necessary and desired, we will introduce you to the field and teach you how to use so that you can continue to explore your birth chart. If we feel you need more in depth astrological counseling, we will refer you to one of two recommended astrologers.

All discussions are confidential. Although I am not a therapist, most people come into such a discussion looking for answers, so I do my best to provide them. In this way, our approach is also different from most therapists. Our role is not to help you to understand mental/emotional terms, but to interpret what you were given at birth.

Does acupuncture hurt?
Acupuncture needles are very thin, smooth and solid, unlike the needles used to give injections or draw blood. They are inserted very quickly through the surface of the skin so that you either feel a slight pinprick or nothing at all.

Is acupuncture safe?
The needles Milton Acupuncture uses are all pre-sterilized with ethylene oxide gas, used once and then thrown away. In addition, acupuncture needles are typically only inserted into the skin – and only occasionally into muscles and connective tissue. They are not inserted into nerves, blood vessels or bones.

How much does it cost and is acupuncture covered by insurance?
The nature of illness and healing raises deep spiritual and moral issues for any healer practicing in a commercial environment. We by inviting patients who are able to make a donation to Physicians for Single Payer Health Plan.
Rates for all our services are: $90 for an 1.5 hour initial intake session and $60 for an hour follow-up or ongoing session.

Most Flexible Spending or Medical Savings Accounts available through employers will reimburse people for acupuncture treatments. Please speak with Milton Acupuncture if you believe your insurance covers acupuncture and we'd be glad to discuss how this typically works.

How many treatments will I need and how much time will they take?
The number of treatments you will need depends on your age, overall health, the nature and duration of your condition. We recommend that you come for acupuncture at least 4 to 6 times at intervals of once a week. Within those 4 to 6 visits, it will become clear how well acupuncture is working for you, and we will make recommendations for further treatment or refer you to another type of practitioner if specific follow-on treatment would be beneficial.