Acupuncture is one treatment method of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), a medical treatment system designed to promote overall health and balance.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the individual is seen as an integrated whole. Every aspect of your health and wellbeing is considered – home life, work life, diet and lifestyle – to understand what is affecting the healthy functioning of the whole person. Disease or dysfunction is seen as a manifestation of being out of balance, not just physically, but in any aspect of life.
How can acupuncture treatments benefit me?
Acupuncture stimulates meridians (“energy pathways”) within you via specific locations on your body (“points”), to help you achieve healthy functioning. It is often said that acupuncture helps the body heal itself. If you are uncomfortable with needles, we offer acupressure.
What conditions can acupuncture help treat?
This list is by no means exhaustive! Please ask us about any conditions you don’t see listed.
- Musculoskeletal: Arthritis, back pain, muscle cramping, muscle pain/weakness, neck pain, knee pain, shoulder pain, and sciatica pain
- Neurological: headaches, neurogenic bladder dysfunction, postoperative pain, and strokes, Bell’s palsy
- Digestive: Abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, hyper-acidity, bloating, and indigestion
- Emotional: Anxiety, depression, insomnia, nervousness, easily angered, and neurosis
- Eye-Ear-Nose-Throat: Eye floaters, post-nasal drip, and tinnitus
- Gynecological: Infertility, menopausal symptoms, PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids, cysts, and premenstrual syndrome
- Respiratory: Asthma, bronchitis, common cold, sinusitis, smoking cessation, and tonsillitis
- Miscellaneous: Addiction, athletic performance, blood pressure regulation, chronic fatigue, immune system strengthening, support during chemo or radiation therapy, and stress reduction
What does acupuncture feel like?
Everyone thinks “needles” when they hear “acupuncture,” and wonder if it hurts. Most people do not feel anything, or, if they do, it is a “bug bite” sensation. We use sterile, single-use needles that are barely the width of a cat whisker. To achieve a therapeutic effect, needles will be left in for a minimum of 15 minutes, up to 45 minutes, while you lie comfortably on a heated table. If you are uncomfortable with needles, acupressure is an alternative.
Your TCM Diagnostic Pattern
Licensed acupuncturists use the entire framework of TCM to understand your symptoms and to decide which other forms of treatment, such as herbal medicine or cupping, to use in addition to acupuncture. Your acupuncturist’s holistic approach produces what is known as your TCM Diagnostic Pattern, which represents the total picture of your physical, emotional, and spiritual health. The TCM Diagnostic Pattern guides the treatment you receive, including where the needles are placed. This is why people with the same Western medicine diagnosis receive different TCM treatments.
We use pulse diagnosis to give us insight into your pattern, and how you are presenting on each day we see you for an acupuncture treatment. We look at the depth, rate, and quality of the pulse on both hands. Each side and finger position represents a different organ system. If we ask you a question like, “Are you having vivid dreams?” it is because we are feeling something in your pulse suggesting that symptom. This does not make us mind readers! Please be completely honest with us about the symptoms that you are experiencing. We’ll also ask to see your tongue because it gives us more information about your pattern.
A la Carte Acupuncture Services
Each service takes only 30 minutes or less. Appointment required.
- Ear seeding. Ear seeds are a form of acupressure – no needles are used. Small black seeds from the Vaccaria plant are secured over specific acupuncture points on the outer ear with a piece of adhesive tape. A brief intake is done to decide where to place the seeds, which stimulate the selected points by exerting mild pressure. They may be kept in place until they release themselves, or whenever you’re done.
- Cupping is used primarily to release the fascia (the tough layer of tissue surrounding muscle groups), and also to alleviate “stasis” deep within the muscle tissues, thus helping to relieve pain and promote healthier circulation within the tissues. Read more about cupping here.
- LifeWave Phototherapy Coaching and Patches. Session can be in person or via telemedicine. Receive an initial evaluation and recommendation of patches and protocols, plus instructions on how to apply them yourself at home. Pick up patches in person or have them sent to you. See below for more about LifeWave Phototherapy Patches.
LifeWave Phototherapy Patches for Healing at Home
How do LifeWave Phototherapy patches work?
We are now offering LifeWave Phototherapy patches as an adjunct or alternative to in-office sessions.
LifeWave Phototherapy patches work by magnifying and reflecting the body’s own infrared light and heat back into the skin, thereby stimulating acupuncture points to induce the free flow of Qi (bioenergy). According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, illness results when Qi becomes blocked or stagnant.
LifeWave patches are intended to stay on the body for several hours, which allows for longer stimulation of the points. This can be especially beneficial for patients who suffer from chronic disorders.
You can apply them at home yourself and we offer LifeWave Coaching Sessions to teach you how. The LifeWave patches are an excellent way to keep the Qi moving to assist your body’s healing process in between office visits. Your in-office acupuncture sessions are still important, however, if for no other reason than, as one patient says, “you get to come into a quiet office, lay down, and no one bothers you for almost an hour. It is very relaxing.”
Visit the LifeWave website to learn more about LifeWave products and how they work.
Benefits of LifeWave patches
- More energy
- Reduced pain
- Better sleep
- Aid in weight loss and digestion
- Exercise recovery
- Stress reduction
LifeWave Coaching Sessions
In-office session, 30 minutes – $20 (not including patches)
- Brief intake to discuss your primary health concerns and goals
- Recommendation of patches & protocols
- Application of patches, with coaching for how to self-apply at home
- Training on use of patches
- Individual LifeWave patches are available for purchase at our office; $5 to $7 each plus tax.
- Optional: Help setting up an account to have patches mailed directly to you
Virtual session, 30 minutes – $20 (not including patches)
- Brief intake to discuss your primary health concerns and goals
- Recommendation of patches & protocols
- Training on use of patches
- Coaching on self-application of patches
- Help with placing an online order to have patches mailed directly to you
LifeWave FAQs
How long do the patches need to stay on? – Depending on the type of patch and your own individual needs, a patch can be worn for 12 to 24 hours. Every person is slightly different. As you utilize the patches you will discover what time-frame works best for you. Certain patches, like the X39, should not be worn for more than 12 hours.
What is the difference between the white and tan patches? – The WHITE patches polarize light into a right spin, and the TAN patches polarize light into a left spin. Generally the white patches are worn on the right side of the body and the tan patches on the left.
Can I reuse the patches? – No.
What about getting the patches wet? – Not a problem. You can shower or swim with the patches on.
I’m allergic to adhesives. Can I still use the patches? – Yes. The adhesive is hypoallergenic. However, the patches have been shown to work even if they are placed over clothing.
Will I be using the patches indefinitely? – The body does take time to heal. Just like with acupuncture, everyone responds differently. You may find that you have amazing results with the first application and then a few days later the symptoms start coming back. You may find that the protocol best for you is to use a patch every day, every other day, or every third day. The basic idea is to stay ahead of the symptoms. Once the symptoms are under control you may find that you can gradually extend the time in between using the patches. Many people keep some on hand just like they would an over-the-counter medication.
Anything special I need to do while I am wearing the patches? – It is important to drink plenty of water. We recommend taking your total body weight, dividing it by two, and drinking that amount of water in ounces every day. Water is utilized in cell communication and synapses in the body, and also in detoxifying the body. It is important to release the toxins so that they do not resettle.
For New and Returning Clients
Initial appointments are 90 minutes long; follow-up appointments are 60 minutes.
New Clients
We require new acupuncture clients to schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation before their first appointment. This gives you the opportunity to discuss your health concerns and learn how your practitioner will work with you to resolve them.
Returning Clients
Returning clients may request an appointment online or by contacting our office at (312) 796-3965.
Information for Clients
- Please visit our New Client page for information and office procedures.
- Familiarize yourself with our COVID-19 procedures.
Acupuncture Services & Pricing
- New Patient Acupuncture (90 minutes), $250
- Follow-up Acupuncture (60 minutes), $105
- Follow-up Acupuncture + Energy Medicine* Combo (60 minutes), $175
- Ear Seeding (10 minutes), $20
- Cupping (30 minutes), $50
- LifeWave Coaching (30 minutes), $20 (does not include cost of patches, which are $5-$7 each)
* Energy Medicine = Either Reiki or Access Consciousness Bars
Meet Your CCHW Practitioner
Teri Calandra MSTOM, Dipl. Ac. (NCCAOM)®, LAc, LMT, RMT Locatios: Northwest Suburbs Teri Calandra is the founder and owner of Calandra Center for Health & Wellness. She is licensed by the state of Illinois in acupuncture (L.Ac.), and is board certified through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). She holds a Masters of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture, and herbology. Continue reading →