361.356.4760
Because Great Health Is Your Birthright
Birthright Acupuncture
Relaxing into Health and Wellness
Enjoying a healthy mind, body and spirit is our birthright. When we allow ourselves to connect with our true nature we regain the wisdom of the body to heal itself. Sometimes we need help to find these resources inside ourselves and that is where acupuncture and herbal medicine are here for you.
Meet Your Acupuncturist
Michael Wells, LAc, MAcOM, Dipl. OM (NCCAOM)
I first discovered the vast healing power of the human body after overcoming Grave's disease/ hyperthyroidism as a young adult. Diagnosed in my early teens and treated for almost a decade, my physicians told me the only option left was to have a radioactive ablation (non-surgical removal) of my thyroid leaving me dependent on medication for the rest of my life. I decided this was not the way to go for me and stepped away from medical care not knowing what to do.
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Within a couple years the symptoms of hyperthyroidism returned even worse than when I was a teenager. An emergency room visit for extreme heart palpitations led to a visit with a wiser physician and the advice that I get a new endocrinologist.
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Instead I went to local health food stores, herbal practitioners and books (pre-web days) to learn what I could about natural healing. Over the course of a few years I experienced what pharmaceutical medicine could not give me, a healthy thyroid and a lasting revelation of how resilient the human body truly is.
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This is what sparked my desire to pursue a career in natural health. My next steps in life involved a master's program in acupuncture and Chinese medicine and starting a business here in my hometown of Corpus Christi, TX in 2012. Six and a half years later with no business training and the resulting burnout I made the devastating decision in 2019 to close my practice. At first I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to practice again. After a year away and time to process a lot of the reasons for my burnout beyond a lack of business acumen, I felt confident that I could move forward... then came 2020.
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Now for some hard honest truth. I always thought I was in control of my mental health until those walls came crashing down. I fell into this world with my heart on my sleeve and life is not often kind for sensitive little kids who have to learn to suck it up and survive in the craziness society has made for itself. The last two years I've had to focus on healing my heart and learn to unlearn all the patterns that don't serve me anymore. After questioning myself where my life is headed and what I'd like to commit my life to, I was shown that I cannot allow myself to turn away from the direction I've been given to share my talents. Our lives only have true purpose when we help others.
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In honor of this direction, it is my mission to offer what I can to guide others on their own paths to realize their unique potential. Whether that's helping ease a bum knee that keeps you from enjoying your favorite activities, or helping heal your broken heart from the last bum that dumped you, I am here to serve. We are all divine beings. Sometimes the struggles we face hide us from our true nature. I welcome you to reconnect with your divine self.
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With love,
Michael
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Testimonials
What Our Patients Are Saying About Us
I have been going to see Michael for awhile now we started with sleep problems and I am now ambien free. He has worked with me handling stress and relaxation. Finally, I have chronic knee pain and he has helped me so much with that I can work out again.
Donna T
Michael Wells is a compassionate and talented healer. When Western or Traditional medicine leaves us without many options for treating viruses, pain or restoring vitality and decreasing stress, Traditional Chinese Medicine can really give us much relief and create space for healing. I've been getting acupuncture for nearly 20 years in San Francisco, Colorado and Tucson, and Michael's skill and intuition is up to par with great healers that I've had the good fortune to find. His office is nicely laid out, quiet, and comfortable. I look forward to my treatments and am impressed as my symptoms are resolving and I am gaining more energy.
Lindsey G
I felt layer after layer of stress and tension melting away. I learn something new and interesting about acupuncture every time and look forward to each visit.
Laurie H
FAQ
Your questions, to the point.
I've never had acupuncture before. What should I expect?
Initial treatments include a detailed health history and consultation and last on average one to one and a half hours. Follow-up visits last thirty minutes to an hour. Please plan accordingly. Also, please come dressed for your appointment in comfortable clothes that allow access to your arms and legs or bring a change of clothes with you. Shorts or loose fitting sweat pants and a t-shirt are fine. Sport tops are also good for women. It is very important that you eat within an hour of your appointment. Acupuncture may cause some people to feel faint if they have not eaten in a while.
How many treatments are typically needed?
Acupuncture helps the body heal faster. For an acute injury or illness, 4-6 treatments will usually get the job done. For chronic or complicated cases 10 or more treatments are going to be needed. Additionally, you should see some improvement in your condition within those first 4-6 treatments, even if the improvement does not last. Remember this is healing, not a cure. Frequency of treatments is also a factor. In the initial stage of healing, treatment are best done 2-3 times a week. This helps provide a quicker recovery. Who doesn’t want that? Chronic conditions may require ongoing support from once a week to once a month. It all depends on how bad the condition is and how much other factors such as age, genetics, lifestyle and environment play a part. This is a team effort after all.
What age groups do you accept?
We treat all ages. From the very young to the young at heart.
What does acupuncture feel like?
Acupuncture is relatively painless. Acupuncture needles are quite different from hypodermic needles used for injections and drawing blood. The needles are almost hair thin and the tips are polished to make them glide through the skin instead of cutting the way other needles do. Some people never even feel the needles. Others feel a slight sting as the needle is inserted. Occasionally, you might feel something like an electricity run along the meridian path if the needle triggers a nerve. Other common sensations are heaviness, dull aching, or distending sensation at the needle site. The practitioner will also manipulate the needles to increase these mild sensations to achieve stronger affects. If the needle insertion feels burning, throbbing or continues to trigger nerve impulses, please notify the practitioner immediately.
What is cupping?
Cupping is a therapy that uses glass or plastic cups to create suction on the surface of the body. A vacuum is created in the cups with either fire or a suction pump. The cups are placed on the skin over areas of congestion in the deeper muscles of the body. The suction lifts the superficial layers of the skin away from the muscles tissues which allows the metabolic waste products that are trapped in the muscles to release back into the lymphatic circulation of the body. It is very useful for chronic painful conditions, enhancing circulation, reducing inflammation, and improving immune function. In cases of severe muscle tension, cupping can produce bruise like blemishes which fade over the course of a few days to a week.
What is guasha?
Guasha uses a smooth edged object such as a piece of hard plastic or animal horn rubbed over the surface of the body to help relieve congestion within the superficial layers of the body. This congestion often results from sudden changes in temperature exposure, especially cold. Similar to cupping, there is a release of blood and other cellular fluids from the capillaries into the surrounding tissues. This produces a reddening of the skin which usually fades of the course of a few days.
What is moxibustion?
Moxibustion is the use of herbs burnt over acupuncture points or other areas of the body to improve circulation, relieve pain, and enhance the functioning of various bodily functions. The primary herb used for moxibustion is mugwort. Other herbs are sometimes added in to enhance the function of mugwort for different diseases.
Are Chinese herbs safe?
Chinese herbs have been used for centuries and are generally very safe to use. We only buy our herbal products from companies that use third party testing for product purity and safety.
Contact Us
Get in touch with Birthright Acupuncture and Wellness to learn more about our treatments and services.
321 Texan Trail, suite 210, Corpus Christi, TX 78411
361.356.4760