Frequently Asked Questions

Oriental Medicine is an ancient form of medicine, also supported by modern science and research, that is holistic and supports wellness in all areas of life. It awakens and stimulates the body to heal itself.  Besides acupuncture, sessions may include herbal formula customization, dietary and nutritional counseling, cupping, electrostimulation, gua sha, topical herbal applications, and stretching or exercise recommendations. Needles are typically retained for about 30-35 minutes, but this may vary depending on person, age, and the condition being treated.

Treatment frequency varies depending on condition being treated, severity, whether it is of an acute or chronic nature and how well patient responds to treatment. Usually a minimum of weekly sessions are needed to effectively treat most conditions; some conditions may require two or even three treatments per week to get optimal results. On the other hand, sometimes treatment on as as-needed basis may be sufficient. Call if you have any questions or would like to get an idea of what treatment might be like. As a typical example, if you are coming in for pain relief and your pain subsides for 3-4 days after the initial treatment, you'd want to come in for twice/week treatments prior to the pain increasing.

We ask that clients who test positive for COVID-19, cancel their appointment and wait until at least 10 days post-onset of symptoms and test negative with a home test prior to coming in for an appointment.  A medical grade HEPA filtration system is available for use in treatment rooms. We encourage you to call and schedule a virtual appointment if you are ill to get started on herbal medicine.  We respect that our clients have various views and we will always honor your health care decisions.  

Call to find out about coverage for your specific policy. We are currently in-network with United Healthcare and Landmark plans, but conditions eligible for coverage are limited by insurance plans and mainly include pain relief. We also see preapproved worker's compensation patients. If you plan on using insurance coverage, let us know when you call to book since coverage must be confirmed prior to your appointment; we do not have time available to confirm when you come in for your appointment. If we are not an in-network provider with your plan, we can submit an insurance form on your behalf to your insurance company for direct reimbursement to you if applicable; services are still paid for at time of visit; we cannot guarantee coverage or reimbursement. Call your insurance company to confirm that acupuncture is covered under your policy, your specific condition to be treated, and whether or not your plan accepts out-of-network providers. Treatment costs can also be reimbursed through Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Plans.  

At Vital Health, we typically compound your formulas using a concentrated granular (powdered) form of herbs. This enables us to customize the formula for your specific presentation. To drink, mix a few scoops with hot water three times/day. Pre-formulated capsules are also available for your convenience if preferred. 

We use reliable suppliers and pay more for good quality herbs. Each batch of herbs are checked extensively in the laboratory prior to and after processing to ensure safety. Herbs are checked for substances such as pesticide residue, E. Coli, and heavy metals. The majority of our herbs come from Taiwan where herbal medicine is also used in the medical system in conjunction with pharmaceutical drugs. Our main supplier is GMP certified and produces herbal granules of pharmaceutical grade. They also maintain USDA NOP Organic Processor and Kosher certifications. Herbal medicine in traditional Chinese medicine includes not only plant derived sources (leaves/roots/berries), but also animal, shell, and mineral sources.

Call or email to purchase and we will send you an invoice via Square. Either arrange for pick-up at our office or we will mail it to you or the gift recipient for you.

In the event you need to change or cancel an appointment, we require a minimum of 24 hours notice and appreciate a heads up a few days prior to that.  Your appointment time and treatment room are reserved exclusively for you.  We understand and sympathize that unanticipated events and emergencies happen in everyone’s life, however, we have found it necessary to adapt the following 24-hour cancellation policy.  Full treatment service is charged for missed appointments or those cancelled within 24 hours for any reason, including emergencies or illness.   Being a small practice with limited appointment availability, this enables enough time for clients on the wait list to be scheduled and to be fair to all clients, providing increased availability, without leaving a gap that could have been filled in the therapist's day. Health insurance patients are responsible for the entire service at non-insurance rates since insurance cannot be billed for missed appointments or late cancellations. Fees will be automatically charged or invoiced (worker's comp patients are exempt from charge but treatment is discontinued after two 24 hour cancellations or missed appointments). At Vital Health, we value your time and you will be pleasantly surprised to find there is no wait as is typical in many health care offices.