Acu Qs

Got some Q’s? Here are the A’s!

  • Acupuncture can help with pretty much everything: allergies, pain, scars, arthritis, post-surgical care, digestion, fertility, insomnia, PMS, and more!

    It’s minimally invasive with minimal side effects and positive change can happen in as little as 4 weekly treatments.

    Acupuncture also works as a great complementary treatment if you’re already seeing a chiropractor or physical therapist.

  • Chinese Medicine approaches your health differently than modern medicine. While the techniques themselves date back thousands of years, they’ve stood the test of time and still prove effective; it has been used together with modern medicine in China and Taiwan for decades and is even used as a primary form of care.

    Chinese Medicine offers a holistic treatment approach that is tailored specifically to your Chinese Medicine diagnosis to get to the root of the problem faster and with precision.

  • At your first appointment, you can expect an interview regarding your health history and your primary reason for seeking acupuncture. Some questions you aren’t normally asked may come up (e.g. Can you describe the texture of your bowel movements? Can you give detailed information about your menstrual cycle?). If you don’t know how to answer them, no worries! We can answer them when you do know. Once we have as much information as we need, you will be able to be given a Chinese Medicine diagnosis.

    In every appointment you can expect to be needled, so it is highly recommended to wear light or loose clothing or to bring a change of clothes where your arms, legs, and back are easily accessible. We can provide linens for your comfort, but keep in mind that they cannot be placed on top of needles.

    If your particular diagnosis requires additional treatments, those will be performed as well.

  • Acupuncture needles are still needles which means you could still feel pain when they’re inserted, but they’re very thin — about the width of a hair from your head — and they’re solid unlike a hypodermic needle for a blood draw.

    We use various sized needles to provide the best care with minimal pain, but if your condition requires a little extra work, there could be some discomfort to work through to reach your goals.

    Manual therapies such as tui na may also cause discomfort as it is meant to restore Qi flow through the affected area rather than promote relaxation. If at any time the discomfort becomes too much, we can use less force or switch to a different form of treatment.

  • Sure! Remember that acupuncture is just one part of Chinese Medicine and, that in place of needles, we can use tools for acupressure. There are also other treatments you can receive.

  • Yes! Children over the age of 8 can receive acupuncture. The only differences are that the needle insertion is very shallow and they are quickly removed after.

    Children under the age of 8 can still come in and receive treatment, but only acupressure and shoni shin tools will be used.

  • No.

    Dry needling is performed on tight muscles and the needles are strongly manipulated to cause a muscle release. Absolutely no acupuncture or Chinese Medicine theory is involved. It can be done by chiropractors and physical therapists after a short training period.

    Acupuncture uses acupuncture channels and points as well as Chinese Medicine theory to work with the energetics of the body. Needles are, at most, gently manipulated to encourage Qi and blood to the point being used. Acupuncture can only be done those who have completed a Master’s level program, performed 1000+ hours of clinical training, and passed the NCCAOM Board Examinations.

  • No.

    Medical acupuncture is performed for much of the same reasons as dry needling. It can be done by MDs and DOs after a short training period. No acupuncture theory or Chinese Medicine theory is involved.

    Acupuncture uses acupuncture channels and points as well as Chinese Medicine theory to work with the energetics of the body. Needles are, at most, gently manipulated to encourage Qi and blood to the point being used. Acupuncture can only be done those who have completed a Master’s level program, performed 1000+ hours of clinical training, and passed the NCCAOM Board Examinations.

  • The short answer is no.

    The long answer is that only a select few states allow a Chinese Medicine Doctor to be a primary care provider, and Delaware is not one of them. We are more than happy to provide complementary care for whatever ails you, and we will certainly work with your primary doctor to coordinate and provide the highest quality care.

  • The answer to this varies based on your treatment goals. The effects of acupuncture are cumulative, so it is recommended that you come in at least once a week at the start of treatment regardless of diagnosis. In most cases, we will front-end treatment with twice weekly or once weekly appointments for 3-4 weeks, then taper down to once every 2 weeks until improvement appears to be holding, and then taper down to again to once monthly for maintenance.

    However, this is not true for all cases; there is no one-size-fits-all approach in Chinese Medicine. A more detailed plan will be made after you have been fully evaluated and had your first treatment.

Payment and Insurance

Payment

Full payment is required at time of service. Payments may be made in advance in the patient portal.

Cash, check, credit, and debit are accepted.

Insurance

Middle Earth Acupuncture does not participate in medical insurance.

If you have acupuncture benefits under your insurance plan, you can request a superbill to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.

  • A superbill is a detailed receipt that you will receive from the office in your email inbox. The document contains all the necessary information (provider’s information, diagnostic codes, and service codes) for you to get reimbursed by your insurance company.

  • Unfortunately, we cannot submit the superbill on your behalf. The reimbursement from the insurance company must be made directly to you.

  • Most health insurance companies have an online patient portal that will allow you to submit the superbill and track the claim. You can also reach out directly to your insurance company through the number on the back of your insurance card to find out where you can submit the superbill.

  • This depends largely on what your insurance will cover. For example, some insurances will cover the full cost of treatment, while others may only cover the acupuncture and not the manual therapies like tui na, cupping, and gua sha.

    If you have a Medicare Advantage plan through a major insurance company (e.g. UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Highmark), they will most likely cover a limited number of appointments per year where they will reimburse you directly.

  • Dr. Yiu and Middle Earth Acupuncture are not enrolled in Medicare and therefore cannot submit bills to Medicare for reimbursement.

    If you have a Medicare Advantage plan through a major insurance company (e.g. UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Highmark), they will most likely cover a limited number of appointments per year where they will reimburse you directly.

  • Unfortunately, Dr. Yiu and Middle Earth Acupuncture will not be able to accommodate prior authorizations if required by your insurance.

    Prior authorizations require submission of documents about your health history, your case history and treatment plan, and supporting scientific research for your specific case diagnosis and treatment plan. This requires a human support staff, which Middle Earth Acupuncture does not have at this time, and it ultimately reduces the amount of time that can be spent with you and other patients.