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Embrace Health, Strength and Vitality
7101A South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, Florida
(941)-313-2148
Meet the Team
Ying Xiong
AP, DOM
Most Popular Treatments:
Acupuncture
Energy balance and healing.
Chinese Medicine
The combination of herbal remedies and wellness practices.
Shannon Lamoureux
LMT, MFR
Most Popular Treatments:
Massage Therapy
Stress relief and pain management.
Myofascial Release
Manipulation of connective tissue to relieve pain and improve movement.
Knowledge Hub
FAQs
Is Dr. Xiong certified?
Dr. Ying Xiong is a nationally certified Acupuncturist and Doctor of Oriental Medicine by NCCAOM.
Can I get refund from the insurance?
Yes, some insurances refund for acupuncture. We help our patients filing by providing itemized bills and related information. Please check with your insurance company.
What is acupuncture? How does it work?
Acupuncture is a form of an ancient healing method originated in China from about 2,500 years ago. According to Chinese Medicine theory, the body’s vital energy or Qi (pronounced chee) flows through the body’s energy pathways or meridians. A person is healthy when this vital energy flows smoothly through the meridians and when Yin energy and Yang energy are balanced. Acupuncture uses a list of theories such as Yin/Yang, Five Elements, etc. to balance the human body’s energy field, in order to promote body’s own healing properties, and smooth the flow of Qi through the meridians.
What is Yin and Yang?
“Yin-Yang theory is based on the philosophical construct of two polar elements, called Yin and Yang. These complementary opposites are neither forces nor material entities. Nor are they mythical concepts that transcend rationality. Rather, they are convenient labels used to describe how things function in relation to each other and to the universe. They are used to explain the continuous process of natural change…. The character for Yin originally meant the shady side of a slope. It is associated with such qualities as cold, rest, responsiveness, decrease, satiation, tranquility, and quiescence. It is the end, completion, and realized fruition. The original meaning of Yang was the sunny side of a slope. The term implies brightness and is part of one common Chinese expression for the sun. Yang is associated with qualities such as heat, stimulation, movement, activity, excitement, vigor, light, exteriority, upwardness, outwardness, and increase. It is arousal, beginning, and dynamic potential.” States Kaptchuk in The Web That Has No Weaver: Understanding Chinese Medicine
Does acupuncture hurt?
Acupuncture needles are very thin, flexible, sterile, and only for a single use. They are not injection needles. With skillful needle insertion there is often none to very minimal sensation and none to minimal bleeding. Patients are resting in a calm and comfortable environment during treatment. We frequently have needle-phobic patients who usually find themselves with no problem accepting acupuncture needles. They often feel so relaxed and rejuvenated both during and after treatment that they barely remember anything about needles. In addition to acupuncture, our clinic also offers a full range of other Chinese Medicine treatment methods including cupping, tuina, gua-sha and Chinese herbal formulas. These methods can all help with patient’s health issues without using needles.
What is acupuncture good for?
Doctors in China have been using Acupuncture to treat patients for thousands of years. It is becoming more and more popular in western countries because of its high effectiveness, lack of negative side-effects, and wide range of application. Acupuncture treats all kinds of pain, muscle/joint disorder, nervous system, emotional and psychological disorders such as cravings and addictions, and respiratory, gastrointestinal, and infertility disorders.
Does it really work? Do I have to believe in it for it to work?
Acupuncture is successfully used on animals. When treating animals, the placebo effect does not work. Since animals cannot “believe” in acupuncture, and positive results are observed, the conclusion is that you do not have to make up your mind until you try it for yourself. Please check the following articles for more information. “World’s Largest Acupuncture Study” Results from the cohort phase showed that approximately nine out of every ten participants (89.9%) experienced relief from pain after being treated with acupuncture. Of those patients who experienced relief, 50.7% said the pain had subsided within two weeks, usually after four treatments or less.
What happens during a treatment?
Patients who come to our clinic for the first time will be asked to complete the New Patient Registration Forms. You can either download it here, or you will receive a printed version at your first appointment. After you filled out the forms, in the privacy of a comfortable treatment room, we will perform a complete diagnosis by asking a series of questions, taking your pulse and pressing specific points on the body. These steps are important diagnostic tools, which help to determine the root cause of any imbalance. We will formulate a treatment protocol afterwards, and choose a list of acupuncture points. Patients will be relaxing on a soft treatment table covered with professionally laundered cotton sheets. Most of them experience a deep, comfortable, healing relaxation as a positive side-effect of the treatment. Some patients even fall asleep. After about twenty five minutes or sometimes longer, the needles will be removed. We will have an additional discussion in order to evaluate the efficiency of the treatments afterwards.
How many treatments will I need?
The number of treatments varries from patient to patient. A standard treatment includes the following: Stage I involves 4-5 one-hour sessions over a two to four week period. Normall patients see improvement during this time. If symptoms start improving, then we will start Stage II. Stage II consists of one treatment every other week for two months. Following that, Stage III involves one treatment every one to two months as maintenance. This is only a general guideline for treatment; your personalized treatment may vary. Acute injuries may get significantly better within the first few treatments. More chronic problems usually require more treatments. The more you can change your lifestyle in order to regain and maintain health, the faster and better you will heal.