Bridges Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

12/14/2025

Visit the link in our bio or call 724-453-4335 to schedule your new patient appointment!

12/14/2025

Wishing a joyful Hanukkah to those in our Bridges community who celebrate.

May your nights be bright, your hearts be full, and your days feel supported and held. 🕯️💙

12/13/2025

For those of you who heard about T.J. Watts’ collapsed lung and have questions, my colleague in Pittsburgh just wrote a wonderful explanation of what exactly dry needling is and why it can be risky when performed by someone who hasn’t had full acupuncture training.

I haven’t announced this yet, but I’ve recently accepted the position of Vice Chair of the Association for Professional Acupuncturists in PA, and this is exactly the kind of preventable accident that we’re trying to protect our patients from. We’re sending in a letter of concern and official comments on an upcoming bill to our legislators in Harrisburg this weekend because of this incident and another pneumothorax that happened in Philly a few months ago due to dry needling. If you’d like to donate to support our efforts, go to apapenn.com

With the news coming out about Pgh Steeler TJ Watt's dry needling lung injury, I thought I'd explain a bit more in depth about what most likely occurred and the behind the scenes fight happening between Licensed Acupuncturists (LAc) and Physical Therapists (PTs) and others who are employing these treatments with minimal knowledge, practice, or in depth training.

Dry Needling is a form of acupuncture used to release trigger points in muscles. There are many styles and techniques in acupuncture, and this is just one of them. In the past decade or so, many PTs have been taking a short course in dry needling which is around 56 hours total. A few weekends, that's it.

Licensed acupuncturists, on the other hand, attend a 3-4 year Master program with over 3000 hours of instruction, practice, and training. Acupuncture is one part of a full internal medical system. Even if PTs stay strictly using needles on muscles, they don't understand what they could be affecting in other ways. Aside from this, a huge part of acupuncture school is learning to needle at the correct depth and angle for every point and area on the body.

Several years ago, some PA acupuncturists and many of the PA Acu Board members including me, traveled out to Harrisburg to attend a hearing on whether or not PTs should legally be allowed to add "dry needling" to their scope of practice. The hearing came out in our favor, and the PTs were told if you want to practice acupuncture, then you can go to acupuncture school, pass the boards, and get an acupuncture license.

They keep doing it anyhow with no repercussions from their own board when reported. Overall, it remains in a "grey area" because due to acts already on the books, the PT Board can't pre-authorize it without a change. A new act HB2070 was introduced just last week with PTs attempting again to get it added to their scope to make it fully legal.

As of this moment only L.Acs who graduated from an accredited acupuncture school, pass 3-4 state board exams, and MDs who took a 200 hour Medical Acupuncture course can legally get licensed by the PA medical board to practice in PA. However, it varies from state to state. PTs and Chiropractors are able to practice in some other states.

In addition to PTs, some Athletic Trainers are also doing Dry needling which is even worse. At this moment, it is still unclear who was working on TJ Watt when he got injured, but based on the use of the term, discussion about the PT association's definition of dry needling in the media, and comments made in the NYT and ESPN by fellow player Patrick Queen, it all really points to a PT or trainer.
Patrick Queen from ESPN:

Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen said he prefers to utilize acupuncture.
"Kind of two different things," Queen said of the practices. "One [acupuncture], you got to go to school for a longer period of time. There's a whole much more scientific thing that goes into it. I don't do the whole dry needle thing. I'm actually scared of dry needling, so I kind of stay away from that stuff.
"It is unfortunate. You could probably get dry needle a thousand times and never have anything happen, and it just probably a half an inch in the wrong direction."
Queen said the extra education required to administer acupuncture is why he uses it.
"I just feel, me personally, more comfortable with somebody has a little bit more experience," Queen said. "Not saying anything wrong about anybody that did it or whatever, but that's just me personally."

Yes, it's frustrating from a professional standpoint to have other professions encroaching on doing acupuncture and often disparaging it as "Weird Chinese S**t" in the same breath, but for most of us, the top concern is public safety. We've been fighting to educate the public for years on this issue. We've been advocating for at least having other fields stick to their scope of practice and have a lot more training if they do get legally permitted to do this technique.

As a Steelers fan, it's devasting to see any of the team members go out with any type of injury, but what happened to TJ Watt is doubly upsetting, especially if done by an inexperienced or unqualified provider.

With that said, Pneumothorax is a risk from any form of acupuncture, though it's extremely rare. Rarer yet on someone as big and covered in muscle as TJ. Doing any type of needling on the upper chest, between ribs, even as high up as the traps and top of the shoulder need to be done with the utmost care, proper angle, and proper depth.

I hope this provided some info and insight. I hope Watt heals and is back to kicking butt soon!

12/13/2025

Grief lives not only in the mind and heart—it also settles deeply into the body. This unique workshop brings together the healing principles of acupuncture and therapeutic yoga to create a safe, nurturing space to gently explore, release, and transform the physical effects of grief.

Through mindful movement, breathwork, guided reflection, and a restorative acupuncture treatment, participants will be supported in reconnecting with their bodies, softening areas of tension, and cultivating grounded emotional resilience.

Benefits
* Release physical tension linked to emotional holding
* Support the lungs, breath, and heart space
* Create space for emotional movement and expression
* Regulate the nervous system
* Foster a sense of connection and support
* Restore vitality, clarity, and balance

Who This Is For
Anyone navigating loss, transition, stress, emotional heaviness, or simply feeling disconnected from their body.

All levels of yoga experience welcome; no prior acupuncture experience needed.

Wed, Dec 17
06:30 PM - 07:30 PM EST

12/10/2025

Today is Human Rights Day, a reminder that dignity, respect, and the right to wellbeing belong to every person.
As a healthcare practice, we’re grateful to support a community where safety, compassion, and care are accessible and honored.
May we continue to advocate for equity in health, healing, and daily life—today and every day.

12/08/2025

12/05/2025

Check out this collab video we did with Jeff Dzubinski at That 1 Painter Pittsburgh! Jeff has such awesome energy and we had a really good time meeting up to do this (and Athena enjoyed it, too, lol). Jeff has a little bit of room in his schedule if you need a paint refresh for your home!

12/05/2025

Yup, acupuncture can help with that!

12/05/2025

Winter is coming...

Hi everyone,
As we head into the colder months, we want to be sure you have our updated Winter Weather Policy handy. Your safety—and the safety of our team—is always our priority, and this policy helps us navigate unpredictable conditions while keeping the clinic running smoothly whenever possible.

Please review the included flyer outlining how we handle closures, cancellations, and late-cancellation fees during severe weather.

A quick summary of the main points:

If our team can arrive safely, the clinic will remain open and late-cancellation fees will still apply.

If we cannot reach the clinic safely, we will close for the day and no cancellation fees will be charged.

When in doubt about road conditions near the clinic, feel free to call us the morning of your appointment to check in with us.

We appreciate your understanding and look forward to supporting your care throughout the winter season and beyond.

Warmly,
The Bridges Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine Team

12/04/2025

Help us support our community further this
month, by donating to our food drive!

All items will be donated to our local food bank
before the holidays, in hopes that everyone will
get to have their own full plate.

Thank you for helping us, help others.

12/03/2025

Healing Isn’t a Straight Line—And That’s Okay

We often hope healing will be quick and straightforward. The reality is different: it’s a journey with steps forward and sometimes steps back. Some days you’ll notice progress, and other days it may feel like you’re in a loop—and that’s completely normal.

Healing isn’t about perfection or speed. It’s about consistency, patience, and creating space for your body and mind to restore balance. Acupuncture supports this process by addressing both the physical and energetic systems of your body, helping you move forward even when it feels challenging.

If you’re ready to start your healing journey, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

✨ Schedule a free 15-minute consultation through the link in our bio or give us a call or text at (724) 453-4335.