Average time it takes to be seen by a provider
Verified providers with a 4.8 average rating
In the business of finding quality care for patients
On average, patients who use Zocdoc can search for an Acupuncturist in Denver, book an appointment, and see the Acupuncturist within 24 hours. Same-day appointments are often available, you can search for real-time availability of Acupuncturists in Denver who accept your insurance and make an appointment online.
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for a Denver Acupuncturist who takes your insurance. Just choose your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. If you’re not sure which plan you have, you can use Zocdoc’s insurance checker to find out.
Zocdoc is a free online service that helps patients find Acupuncturists in Denver and book appointments instantly. You can search for Denver Acupuncturists by symptom or visit reason. Then, choose your insurance plan. Based on that information, you’ll see a list of providers who meet your search criteria, along with their available appointment slots.
When you search for Denver Acupuncturists on Zocdoc, you can filter your results by gender, in addition to other criteria. That way, you’ll only see Acupuncturists in Denver who match your preferences.
On Zocdoc, you can search specifically for Denver Acupuncturists with availability after 5 p.m.
You can use Zocdoc to find Acupuncturists in Denver who are highly rated by other patients. These ratings are based on verified reviews submitted by real patients. Every time a patient completes an appointment booked on Zocdoc, they’re invited to review their experience. Each review must comply with Zocdoc’s guidelines.
Acupuncturists in Denver on Zocdoc who see patients through online video visits will have a purple video icon on their profiles. You can also filter your search results to show only Acupuncturists who offer video visits.
Most insurers provide coverage for video visits at the same cost as in-person visits. You can search on Zocdoc specifically for Acupuncturists in Denver who accept your insurance for video visits by selecting your carrier and plan from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. We recommend you check with your insurance carrier directly to confirm your coverage and out of pocket costs for video visits.
Zocdoc lets you search specifically for an Acupuncturist who has appointments available before 10:00 am, or after 5:00 pm. Just choose the special hours filter at the top of our search page.
Zocdoc let's you see real-time availability for Acupuncturists in Denver. Many Acupuncturists offer appointments on Saturdays and Sundays.
Acupuncturists are healthcare professionals who use thin steel needles and acupuncture techniques to treat diseases and symptoms associated with several conditions.
Acupuncture is a treatment practice that originated in ancient Chinese medicine. The main philosophy behind acupuncture is that human bodies have several pathways through which the life force called "qi" (pronounced as "chee") flows. Disruption in this energy flow leads to loss of function, pain, and illness. The life force can be re-balanced by inserting needles at specific points along these pathways, known as acupuncture points or acupoints.
This re-imbalance cures the disease.
Acupuncture has been recently used in conjunction with Western medicine, which believes that acupuncture points are nerve endings that, when stimulated, activate the body's natural pain pathways and lead to the release of endorphins that help relieve pain and improve function.
Various forms of acupuncture are in use today, each having a distinctive methodology and philosophy.
Medical acupuncturists are generally licensed medical doctors who have received additional training in acupuncture. They may use acupuncture as a complementary therapy alongside other medical treatments.
To become an acupuncturist, one must complete a master's degree and a professional acupuncture program. The state and federal governments provide licenses for practicing acupuncture. The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) offers federal board certification in the United States. Acupuncturists need to finish more than 1900 hours of coursework to be eligible to appear for the license exam.
Acupuncture is chiefly used to relieve nerve and myofascial pain. When applied at specific acupoints, needles trigger the neurotransmitters that release the body's natural painkillers. Injury to the muscle leads to painful knots, which cause myofascial pain in these regions. The needles at the trigger points open up these knots and help relieve the pain.
Acupuncture helps relieve chronic pain in conditions such as tension headaches and migraines, arthritic pain, back, knee, and neck pain, menstrual cramps, and sports injuries leading to pain.
Other places where acupuncture needles are usually applied include:
The first acupuncture appointment begins with the acupuncturists recording a detailed history and physical examination. Medical history includes:
The acupuncturists ask the patient to describe their symptoms in detail, including the nature, frequency, and duration of pain. The physical examination generally involves:
The treatment involves lying on a padded table, and needles are inserted and left there for up to 60 minutes. During this time, the needles are manipulated, and heat and electric impulses are sometimes passed. After removing the needles, the patient is examined for side effects. The patient is asked to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before going out.
When applied during acupuncture, needles feel like tiny pricks and may have a dull, aching sensation. As time progresses, numbness appears in the region, signaling that the treatment works.
The needles used in acupuncture treatment are considered medical devices under the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation. This organization sets the standards for all medical drugs and devices in the United States (U.S.).
Acupuncture needles must meet the FDA's specific manufacturing and labeling standards before being approved for therapeutic purposes. The manufacturing requirements include structure (acupuncture needles should be solid and made of steel), sterility, and nontoxicity. The labeling requirement states that every needle used during acupuncture therapy should be labeled "for one use only."
Since acupuncture can be easily combined with several other treatments, it can treat various conditions together. It is a very effective treatment for managing migraines, tension headaches, and chronic joint pain. The risks in acupuncture are very minimal and hardly ever serious.
Since acupuncture treatment involves the usage of needles, the most common risk is excessive soreness, bruising, and bleeding at the insertion sites. If the needles used during treatment are not sterilized properly, it can lead to infections. One of the uncommon risks sometimes seen during an acupuncture treatment is the needle breaking inside the body. This broken piece can cause damage to any internal organs in the vicinity and injure the nervous system.
Acupuncture is a complementary therapy that should only be used with conventional medical treatment. However, patients should not use it in some conditions.
A patient suffering from a bleeding disorder and taking blood thinners is at a higher risk of bleeding and, hence, not a good candidate for acupuncture treatment.
Mild electrical impulses are often used with the needles and can interfere with an artificial pacemaker. Hence, acupuncture treatment is generally contraindicated in patients having a pacemaker.
Since the needles used in acupuncture stimulate nerve endings, they can stimulate premature labor in pregnant women. Therefore, acupuncture is not the preferred line of treatment in high-risk pregnancies.
The Zocdoc database provides answers to all these crucial questions. You can easily filter for the best acupuncturists near you who are experts in managing your condition.
The number of treatments you need depends on the nature of your condition, its severity, and how your body responds. The majority of individuals have one appointment every week. Some undergo treatment more or less often, based on the duration of the effects. Your acupuncturist will suggest a routine that is appropriate for you.
You may experience only some of the benefits of acupuncture on your first or second visit. If you decide to try acupuncture, you must try it for 5-6 sessions.
Acupuncture does not substitute for seeing a doctor for a health issue. It is typically used together with other forms of treatment. For instance, someone with severe pain will likely take prescription drugs and may also receive acupuncture. A patient with cancer might use acupuncture in addition to their recommended cancer treatment. Regardless of how good acupuncture makes you feel, it would be best to continue taking your prescribed medications.
Acupuncture is similar to dry needling but is not the same procedure. Both require the use of needles, but this is where the similarities end.
Dry needling is a treatment procedure for pain and mobility concerns caused by myofascial trigger points, characterized by stiff patches of connective (fascial) tissue that can limit muscle and joint movement. The needles stimulate your muscles, causing them to twitch or contract, reducing tightness, increasing blood flow, and relieving pain. Dry needling takes a myofascial approach to pain management, directly targeting the muscles and connective tissue, whereas acupuncture focuses on realigning energy and boosting your body's natural ability to heal.
Acupuncturists insert needles into specific acupoints on the body, which are placed along 14 "energy-carrying channels" called meridians. Each meridian is assumed to be associated with a particular organ system, and activating acupoints along those meridians is thought to help restore the body's energy flow.
Dry needling involves inserting needles directly into your trigger point, the part of your muscle that causes discomfort and limits movement. The acupuncturist will feel around with their hands to determine where to implant a needle.
Both techniques employ thin, stainless-steel needles that resemble a robust thread rather than the type of needle seen at the end of a syringe. Dry needling sometimes employs needles slightly thicker than those used in acupuncture, although there is no standard.
The number of needles used varies between acupuncture and dry needling; however, dry needling typically utilizes extremely few.
Dry needling procedures may be shorter than acupuncture sessions, especially if combined with other pain treatments such as soft tissue massage and electrical stimulation.
Your medical condition and personal preferences will influence your decision between acupuncture and dry needling.
For example, dry needling may be the best option for relieving muscle soreness and tightness. On the other hand, acupuncture could be the answer if you are looking for relief from a mental or physical problem such as anxiety, nausea, or allergies.
Acupuncture and dry needling both have distinct pros and cons. Whatever approach you select, consult your healthcare practitioner first to ensure it is safe to try.
Now that you know who an acupuncturist is and when you should see one, the next step is to select one who meets your needs and expectations.
Log into Zocdoc and enter your location or symptoms to receive a list of top-rated acupuncturists in your area. By browsing through this list, you can learn about the listed practitioners' licensure, areas of expertise, experience, and educational background. You can also become acquainted with their awards and accreditations through their personalized profiles. You can add additional filters to streamline your search according to gender, language, whether they cater to your insurance plan, treat children, etc.
When you choose an in-network practitioner, you can rest assured that Zocdoc will safeguard information about your health insurance according to industry best practices. For any insurance-related questions, contact Zocdoc's patient help center.
After narrowing the list of acupuncturists near you, finalize your decision by reading verified and trustworthy reviews from previous patients. After choosing the practitioner you want to seek treatment from, Zocdoc allows you to directly and securely book an in-person and virtual appointment per your needs. Furthermore, depending on your chosen provider's availability, you can schedule a session during regular business hours, before 10 a.m., after hours, or even on holidays and weekends.
All bookings on Zocdoc are fast, free, and secure.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Colorado ranks fourth among metropolitan areas in the ranking of states with the highest employment level of acupuncturists in the United States. The employment per thousand jobs has increased the most in Colorado.
Regarding the location quotient, the ratio between the employment concentration in a particular area and the national average employment concentration, Colorado is in second place with a value of 3.89. Denver, Colorado, has a location quotient of 3.77, and it is among the metropolitan areas with the highest location quotients in the U.S.
UC San Diego School of Medicine
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
National Center for Biotechnology Information[1]
The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.