Acupuncture and Massage
The mission of our Acupuncture and Massage Therapy services are to provide certified and skilled treatments that promote health and healing in mind, body and spirit for the purposes of client relaxation, stress management, and the treatment of some health conditions.
The goals of the unit are to:
- Enhance health knowledge and academic performance as well as leadership productivity and a healthy work/life balance.
- Facilitate the adoption and maintenance of positive health care methods, practices and behaviors.
- Collaborate with University Health Center Clinical staff in delivering quality patient care, education and customer service, promoting a less stressed, healthier campus community.
Acupuncture
During the first visit, the practitioner may ask you about your health conditions and lifestyle. The practitioner will want to obtain a complete picture of your treatment needs and behaviors that may contribute to your condition(s) and wellness. Inform the Acupuncturist about all treatments, practices or medications you are taking and all medical conditions you have. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.
Please note, there are no limitations on the number of acupuncture sessions if you are covered under the Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP).
If you are not covered under the Student Health Insurance Plan and have questions about your insurance coverage, please visit our insurance and billing page or contact your insurance provider.
The service fees are $65 a visit for students and $80 a visit for non-students. There is a fee for missed appointments. Please see the Billing and Cost page for more details.
Acupuncture is among the oldest healing practices in the world. As part of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture aims to restore and maintain health through the stimulation of specific points on the body by penetrating the skin with thin, solid, needles (about the width of a hair strand).
People experience acupuncture differently. Most people feel little or no discomfort when the needles are inserted. Some people feel energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed. If at any point during the treatment process you feel uncomfortable, please notify the practitioner immediately.
Treatments are one hour in length and a course of treatment may take place over a period of several weeks or more.
- Make sure to eat prior to arriving for your appointment
- Wear comfortable, loose fitting clothing. Please bring shorts to access legs and feet.
- If you have long hair, please bring a hair tie.
Massage Therapy
Massage therapy services are not offered for people who have the following conditions:
- Are in the first trimester of pregnancy
- Fever
- Rashes
- Contagious conditions such as colds, flu, etc.
Massage Therapy is not currently billable to health insurance. Students who participate in the SHIP are eligible for one free massage therapy session per semester.
The service fees are $65 a visit for students and $80 a visit for non-students. There is a fee for missed appointments. Please see the Billing and Cost page for more details. These visits are not complimentary for students.
What is Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy encompasses many different techniques. In general, therapists press, rub, and otherwise manipulate the muscles and other soft tissues of the body. They most often use their hands and fingers, but may use their forearms, elbows, or feet. A variety of massage techniques may be used during your massage. (Source: https://nccih.nih.gov/health/massage)
Swedish Massage involves the use of long, smooth strokes to increase circulation, relieve muscle tension, and promote profound relaxation. It can be focused on particular areas of tension in the body or the entire body.
Deep Tissue massage may be done for part of the session. It incorporates firm, detailed strokes to relieve tension in specific muscle groups to ease pain and muscle spasms.
Stretching is a muscle and joint specific technique that can help break up scar tissue, increase flexibility, circulation and increase energy and blood flow to promote healing.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Resources
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) Clearinghouse provides information on Complementary and Alternative Medicine, including publications and searches of Federal databases of scientific and medical literature. The Clearinghouse does not provide medical advice, treatment recommendations, or referrals to practitioners.
A service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), PubMed contains publication information and (in most cases) brief summaries of articles from scientific and medical journals. CAM on PubMed, developed jointly by NCCAM and NLM, is a subset of the PubMed system and focuses on the topic of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
ClinicalTrials.gov is a database of information on federally and privately supported clinical trials (research studies in people) for a wide range of diseases and conditions. It is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine, Center for Integrative Medicine was founded in 1991 and has received over $37 million in government-funded grants grants . It is the first U.S. academic medical center-based program for integrative medicine in the U.S., with programs in education, research, and clinical care.