Michelle Rodriguez of Middleborough has run Inside Out Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Marion for the past four years. She received her master's degree in acupuncture and oriental medicine from the New England School of Acupuncture, and her experience includes working at Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain, The Dimock Center in Roxbury, and Pathway to Wellness in Boston. We spoke to Rodriguez for this story.
Q. What's the biggest misperception about acupuncture?
A. That it hurts, but it doesn’t. At most, it might feel like a mosquito bite. We use single-use needles the width of a couple of strands of human hair; most people don’t feel any pain.
Q. What sort of things can acupuncture treat?
A. Many things, but the big thing is chronic-pain management, particularly back pain; studies say that acupuncture outperforms surgery in many cases. A lot of my clients come for emotional disorders, like depression and anxiety. One side effect of acupuncture is relaxation; everyone leaves feeling fantastic. We do a lot of fertility work, and it feels good to help someone achieve their dream of having a child. We’ve been told by clients that in vitro fertilization didn’t work, but acupuncture did.
Q. What other services do you offer?
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A. I have another acupuncturist working here, Michelle Hamilton, who runs her own business, Herbal Retreat as well, and we have two massage therapists. We’ll also add a Reiki therapist in the next few months.
Q. How often should people get acupuncture treatments?
A. It depends on what they have going on. We recommend if it's something that's chronic, give it a fair shake and come once a week for four weeks. You'll know in a week if it's helping. The goal is not to come for the rest of your life; we want people to get better. Think of it as general maintenance, like going to the dentist or chiropractor.
Q. How much does it cost, and does insurance cover it?
A. Visits are one hour, and the initial consultation and session is $105, and follow-ups are $75. I also work with Chinese herbal medicine and make formulas for clients. The initial consultation for that is $75, and cost for herbs ranges from $15 to $25 for a one-week supply. More insurance companies are covering acupuncture, so we advise always checking with your insurer.
Paul E. Kandarian can be reached at pkandarian@aol.com.