Avigail Cohen, the founder of Ballard Acupuncture Center, proves that her awarding-winning clinic is more than just pins and needles.
“People are wondering what you can do with acupuncture via telemedicine. We obviously can’t put the needles in, but we can offer consults on specific Chinese herbs that are in the continuity of what we’re doing with the acupuncture,” Avigail says. “With Chinese herbs, we can make up some very specific formulas for that individual person and what’s going on with them. If they’re in pain, we can give them herbs that help with that. If they’re also stressed or can’t sleep – we can make a specific formula to treat what’s going on.”
In addition to Chinese herbs, the Ballard Acupuncture Center team can advise you on different western supplements you can take, your diet, lifestyle, and nutrition. Avigail also advises patients on DIY acupressure.
Ballard Acupuncture Center works with Full Script, a supplement company that offers practitioner-grade supplements. You can’t order directly through the company itself, but you can purchase them through Ballard Acupuncture’s website.
“They’re really good quality. Often, when people order on Amazon they’re not getting the same quality. They might look like the same bottle, but if it’s being offered at a lower price, they’re really not the same bottle,” Avigail says. “We can also give advice about what they should be taking.”
A Seasoned Acupuncturist
Avigail specializes in pain management and fertility and has been practicing acupuncture for over 16 years.
During that time, she’s studied different techniques and has developed her own style of treatment, which sometimes also involves Chinese herbs and western supplements. She’s also learned a lot from her travels, which have included Nepal, Thailand, Amsterdam, Greece, Israel, and Jordan, to name a few.
“I always knew that I wanted to work with people in some alternative way with their healthcare,” Avigail says.
She partook in several internships with physical therapists and pondered becoming a chiropractor. In the end, she was drawn to acupuncture because it focuses on the root cause of things, and not necessarily only the symptoms.
“I always knew that I wanted to work with people in some alternative way with their healthcare,” Avigail says. She partook in several internships with physical therapists and pondered becoming a chiropractor. In the end, she was drawn to acupuncture because it focuses on the root cause of things, and not necessarily only the symptoms.
“If someone has a headache, oftentimes in western medicine everyone gets a Tylenol, and it doesn’t matter what kind of headache it is, what the root cause of it is, or what part of your head is hurting,” Avigail explains. “In acupuncture, we really individualize each situation according to that person and what’s going on at that time. Everyone’s treatment looks a little bit different. I can work with patients on a lot of things that western medicine doesn’t necessarily have an answer for.”
Ballard Acupuncture and Fertility
Avigail often works with women who are trying to get pregnant or are pregnant already. This involves looking at a woman’s cycle and tracking it. She also charts their Basal Body Temperature – your body’s temperature when at complete rest. A resting temperature should be around 98 degrees Fahrenheit but will be higher if your body is using more energy for any reason.
“There’s a lot we can do through telemedicine. We’re looking at the charts together and analyzing them. We see if they’re ovulating and if they have long cycles or short cycles,” Avigail says. She also discusses “different detox levels of what they’ve done or what detoxing they can do if they do want to get pregnant.”
In addition, Avigail can advise women about what things they can be doing at home, their diet, and what supplements they should be taking.
Your First Appointment
Besides fertility, Avigail works with people who are suffering from pain, stress, anxiety, or digestive disorders. At your first appointment, Avigail conducts an extensive health history check.
“I ask them questions about every aspect of what’s going on with them. If they’re coming in for pain, very specifically – where is the pain and what exact channel is the pain on. If their pain is on their shoulder, it could be the front, the side, or the back. Treatment could be different based on the quality of the pain and things like that,” Avigail says.
Other focuses Avigail asks about include (but are not limited to):
- Your stress level
- How you’re sleeping/if you’re having trouble falling asleep
- Is pain interrupting your sleep
- Your digestion
- Your energy level
She also quickly debunks a popular myth about acupuncture itself. “People worry that acupuncture hurts, but it really doesn’t! Some people are really afraid of the needles, but they’re actually really relaxing when they’re in.”
Having acupuncture point needles feels like a weight is being placed on you. The heaviness can expand and spread throughout the area where the needle is placed, but actually feels relaxing, not invasive. Often, you don’t even feel the needle.
A “Best of Seattle” Clinic
Ballard Acupuncture Center has been providing functional medicine, acupuncture, fertility treatment, and other holistic healthcare services in the same office for over 10 years. Recently, the clinic has earned both the 2019 Seattle Award for Best Acupuncture Clinic and Fresh Chalk’s 2020 Award for Best Seattle Acupuncturists.
“We really love connecting to the community. It’s nice because so many people can walk to us, and we can be an everyday part of their lives,” Avigail says. “We really connect with our patients and give them individualized plans. I think there are many different practitioners and doctors out there. When you connect with them, you get the best results.”
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