Tag: faq

If we haven’t met yet, we’re Buffalo Pelvic Health and Acupuncture Clinic.

…or BPHAC [bee-fak] for short 🙂

We are a team of acupuncturists, physical therapists, massage therapists, and overall-helpers and problem solvers. We take a holistic (physical, mental, social) and collaborative approach to healthcare – prioritizing inclusivity and compassion, to help our patients have a better quality of life.

Our founders, Toni Haugen (L.Ac, MSW) and Kathleen Ross (PT DPT), created BPHAC with the vision to create a new standard of care – one focused on treating the whole person, and starting from a place of compassion. Our mission is to help people understand and address the underlying causes of their symptoms, in order to empower a more successful path to healing.

We treat with a variety of modalities, including; acupuncture / East Asian Medicine, physical therapy (both orthopedic and pelvic floor), Softwave (Shockwave) Therapy, massage therapy, and more.

What makes BPHAC different from other healthcare providers?

Honestly, we think it’s lots of things 😉 but most of it boils down to…

• Personalized: Everyone’s experiences are unique and we work with you to develop a custom plan to best address your individual needs and lifestyle.
• Holistic: We take an integrated approach to wellness that accounts for the functioning of our minds, bodies, and environments. 
• Compassionate: This is a new approach to healthcare where nothing is dismissed, concerns are respected, and everyone is welcome.

Why the big focus on Pelvic Health?

Our physical therapists are skilled experts not only in orthopedic health, but also the function and specifics of the pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissues located at the bottom of the pelvis, supporting organs such as the bladder, uterus, and rectum.  Everyone has a pelvic floor, and these muscles play a crucial role in posture, controlling urinary and bowel functions, as well as sexual health in all folks!

Understanding this part of our bodies is an integral part of supporting your whole health. Our practitioners are experts in helping to educate and treat you in a shame-free, trauma-informed, and supportive environment.

While we specialize in the pelvic floor and are experts in treating pelvic floor dysfunction, we also absolutely treat the whole body! Rest assured, you can come to us for support on any issue you are facing.

What sorts of things do you treat?

Long story short; everything! Because our clinic is able to work with all functional disorders (this means anything is not emergency medicine!) we are here not only to treat your pain, but to maintain your health. We are a general care practice that will see you continuously, in order to keep you in good health and manage problems as they arise. We treat people of all ages, and at all stages of life.

• Chronic and Acute Pain, anywhere in the body
• Pregnancy & Postpartum Care
• Stress & Anxiety
• Sexual Health & Wellness
• Pelvic Pain & Dysfunction
• Oncology/Cancer Treatment Support

What can I expect during my visits?

No matter if you’re coming in for an acupuncture or a physical therapy initial assessment, your first appointment starts with a practitioner who will listen to your story and your concerns to best understand your individual needs.  

We take a very personalized approach to treatment and will craft a custom plan that addresses your specific symptoms, diagnostics, lifestyle and goals.  Treatment begins at the first session as well, after a thorough exam/consultation.

For pelvic floor physical therapy, treatments will include a discussion between you and your practitioner about your struggles, symptoms, and goals, and an assessment of the integrity of the pelvic floor muscles intravaginally or intrarectally (with patient’s consent), or externally using an assessment of movement, abdominal mechanics and breathing. Your practitioner will provide some combination of various exercises & breathwork coaching, manual therapies, activity modification, and at-home movement prescription best suited to your lifestyle and needs.

Acupuncture appointments include a thorough consultation and discussion of symptoms, concerns, goals and any recent life changes. Your practitioner will get you settled comfortably for your treatment session, inserting very thin, sterile stainless steel needles into specific points throughout the body. Different combinations of points have different effects, but in general, the needles stimulate nerves, muscles, and connective tissue. Your practitioner may also incorporate infrared heat, cupping, gua-sha, moxibustion, posture/breathwork exercises, or herbal medicine into your session as well.

As your life and progress shifts, your practitioner will update you on the best timing for when to follow up with them next, and provide at-home resources for continued care.