FAQ's & Resources & Resources

FAQ's

General Chinese Medicine FAQ's

• What is the difference between an East Asian Medicine Practitioner (EAMP) and a Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc)?

• What is the frequency of treatments?

• What kind of herbal medicine do you prescribe?

Fertility and Pregnancy Related FAQ's

• My care provider has recommended I avoid taking Chinese herbs as he/she believes they are often contaminated or contain alternate ingredients to the label, is this true?

• I am currently pregnant, without any complaints so far, when should I begin treatment?

• My partner and I have been trying to get pregnant but we have been unsuccessful so far, when should we consider treatment and which of us should come in?

Policies and Payment Related FAQ's

• Do you accept insurance?

• What methods of payment do you accept?

What is the difference between an East Asian Medicine Practitioner (EAMP) and a Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc)?

These credentials have the same meaning, Washington State has decided to change the name of the acupuncturist credential to East Asian Medicine Practitioner, or EAMP to more clearly recognize all of the aspects of our medicine. Very few Licensed Acupuncturists actually only practice acupuncture as our field of medicine encompasses so much more including, herbal medicine, dietary therapy, Tui Na (Chinese medicine massage), Qi Gong (Chinese medicine meditation and lifestyle therapy), Gua Sha (a superficial technique of opening the pores of the skin), acupressure, etc.  At this time, the state is allowing practitioners to use either EAMP or LAc in their title, but our official yearly state issued healthcare provider license will change to EAMP.

What is the frequency of treatments?

This is variable depending on the specific health concerns we are addressing and your body's response to the treatments. In general, for women's reproductive health, plan on 3 visits per month initially to correspond with the various phases of your menstrual cycle. Chinese herbal medicine is often taken several times per day, the length of time the herbal formula will be necessary is variable based on your health concern and response.

What kind of herbal medicine do you prescribe?

We custom make your herbal formula in our office using whole, raw herbs that you boil into a decoction or tea to be drunk, usually one-two times per day. We use only the highest quality herbal products available and  have taken great measures to source our selection of herbs to ensure your safety, as well as our safety (we consume our herbs on almost a daily basis.)  Many of our herbs are custom sourced from small, reliable growers to ensure your safety, most are also lab tested for pesticides, metals, and other contaminates.

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My care provider has recommended I avoid taking Chinese herbs as he/she believes they are often contaminated or contain alternate ingredients to the label, is this true?

Chinese Herbal Medicine has come under much scrutiny over the last several years for a few reasons. FIrst, the herbal formulas that have been found to be unsafe have been illegally imported, improperly labeled and manufactured in basements and sheds rather than certified, legal manufacturing facilities. We also see this happen quite frequently with Western pharmaceuticals, this is not a problem limited to herbs, this problem is avoidable by only receiving herbs prescribed by a Licensed EAMP who works directly with the herb suppliers or with a reputable dispensary. Purchasing your herbs online or over the counter from retailers, whether for Western or Chinese herbs may be a risk. Secondly, though the regulations around herbs is minimal in the US, many other countries do regulate herbal medicine as strictly as other pharmaceuticals, so in addition to the third party laboratory testing facilities reputable herbal manufacturers use to ensure safety, many other countries are also strictly testing the quality of the herbs coming from the same manufacturers that supply herbs to EAMP's and Chinese Herbal dispensaries in the US.

As licensed medical practitioners, we take our form of medicine very seriously and use herbal medicine very judiciously. As any healthcare provider should, we only recommend herbs if necessary and when the benefit of using herbs outweighs any risks. If you and your caregiver are uncomfortable taking the recommended herbal formula, then we will discontinue that portion of your treatment and continue with other methods of Chinese medicine.

As with any therapy, we recommend you be open with your care providers about all of your medications, supplements, and other therapies you are using. If they are adamantly against something you find benefit in and would like to keep using, it may signify that a change in care providers is warranted to someone who is supportive and open about your choices. Withholding information about any medication, supplement or therapy you are taking from any care provider may put your health or your baby's health at risk.

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I am currently pregnant, without any complaints so far, when should I begin treatment?

Chinese Medicine can be beneficial at any time in life, especially pregnancy. You can begin treatments anytime and our recommendation is to begin before you begin experiencing discomforts or complications as Chinese Medicine may help you avoid or limit these conditions altogether. Also, see the prenatal information page to see our pre-birth treatment protocol timeline.

My partner and I have been trying to get pregnant but we have been unsuccessful so far, when should we consider treatment and which of us should come in?

We recommend you begin treatments as soon as you are ready to incorporate Chinese medicine into your healthcare routine. Chinese medicine can become a part of your routine even if you aren't experiencing fertility struggles, but are simply beginning the process of trying to conceive and wish to examine your health prior to pregnancy. If you have been struggling with fertility, we recommend beginning Chinese medicine as soon as you can. Ideally, both of you consider receiving treatments from Chinese medicine, but if that is not possible our recommendations are that women come in for evaluation of their menstrual cycle and general health to determine if treatment is necessary, while men should come in for a consult if they have had an abnormal semen analysis or experience any ill health or sexual dysfunction.

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Do you accept insurance?

We are in-network with many insurance carriers, including: Premera, Lifewise, Cigna, Aetna, and Uniform. If we are out-of-network with your carrier, you may still be eligible for coverage of your Chinese medicine appointments, we are happy to submit the paperwork to your insurance company for you, but we may require payment up front as some carriers send out-of-network reimbursements directly to the patient rather than the practitioner. If you need assistance understanding your insurance coverage, please contact us, we are happy to help you.

Please note, insurance does not cover the cost of herbal medicine prescriptions, though this may be reimbursable by your health savings or flex spend account.

What methods of payment do you accept?

We accept cash, personal check, all major credit cards (via paypal), and paypal. If you don't have insurance, or your benefits have run out, please ask about our time-of-service discount. In addition, uncovered expenses may be reimbursable by your health savings or flex spend account.

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