Ricardo Villalba

Ricardo Villalba LAc, DiplOM UTP, is an NCCAOM Board Certified Diplomate of Oriental Medicine and licensed in the state of Florida. He is a specialist in chronic pain, fatigue, mood disorders, and digestive health using Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Therapeutic Nutrition, and Unified Therapy. After completing eight years of fast paced and high demand military service in the United States Coast Guard as an Electrical Engineer, he followed his passion to serve and educate his community using Chinese and Holistic Medicine that would provide non surgical solutions.

He graduated from Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine with a Bachelor in Health Science and Master’s in Oriental Medicine. He is certified by the National Certification Commission for

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. During this time he also pursued pain management and emotional release techniques certification at the Evolutionary Healing Institute.

Ricardo was born to two loving and hard working parents. His mother came to the United States

from Italy and his father from Colombia. His family always encouraged him to learn as much as

he could as he had the opportunity to simultaneously experience multiple cultures.

After transitioning from the military and experiencing chronic pain and fatigue along with

sustained injuries and surgeries, Ricardo sought out Holistic Care for help with chronic pain and

fatigue issues to help manage and minimize time away from doing things in life that he loves.

He wanted to pursue a career where he could continue to change lives and empower those

with chronic pain, fatigue, and digestive disorders.

His Introduction to Chinese Medicine and Unified Therapy started immediately after his Coast

Guard career and had a profound impact on his thought process about the human body.

Chinese medicine and Unified Therapy are powerful mind-body systems that truly find the root

of many disorders. Ricardo worked with seasoned acupuncturists and Unified Therapy masters.

The results he witnessed were nothing short of amazing. He learned how to focus attention on

the pain and learn how one can communicate with it to learn a way through times of distress.

The practice of allowing oneself to explore the pain can lead to discovering feelings and

emotions that have been suppressed or distorted.

As he combined the use of Acupuncture, specialized breathing techniques, and meditation,

he was able to identify the physiological processes and diseases that take place during or after

times of stress. One of the key secrets that he combines with a specialized way of listening to

patient and client stories, as well as active diagnosis of energetic patterns, after reviewing complete

medical history. Ricardo’s mission and purpose is to bring relief to his patients with chronic pain, fatigue and

anxiety, depression, and PTSD (which are often linked)

He sees pain in the body as an opportunity not only to learn and listen to what it can teach us to

make adjustments to our daily lives but also to communicate with it, allowing it to guide us back

to optimal health.

Ricardo continually focuses on personal growth and volunteering in his community. He also has

a love for playing music and studying native traditions.

Want to meet with Ricardo to see if he can help you get relief and increase the energy in your

life?

Free Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

A licensed and trained acupuncturist inserts a needle in an acupoint causing physiological effects. Muscle tension, contraction, and cramping can relax, providing rapid relief. Blood circulation in the area can increase. Inflammation can be reduced and most importantly, you experience relief from pain and other symptoms. These are scientifically proven effects. Even the western Medicine website, WebMD describes how effective acupuncture is.

Administered by a trained practitioner, acupuncture is often mildly felt or not felt by most patients. The type of acupuncture used dictates the diameter of the needles, some of which may be thinner than ahuman hair. A common sensation is a slight pressure as a needle is inserted. Following insertion, patients may feel an electrical or dull achy sensation. People experience Acupuncture differently. Acupuncture insertion through the skin is not painful as injections or blood draws using a hollow hyperdermic needles.

Acupuncture needles are hair-like solid very thin needles.

TCM and acupuncture have served as the primary healthcare model for many countries for thousands of years. As a result, the list of conditions acupuncture can address is lengthy. In America where the primary healthcare delivery system is Western Medicine, acupuncture is generally used in fewer situations. In Asia, the healthcare delivery system is balanced integration of both Modern Western Medicine, Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Our practice treats:

Headache

Migraine

Complex Regional Syndrome

Neck Pain

Back Pain

Shoulder Pain

Tendonitis

Functional Neurological Disorder

Post Surgical Discomfort

Digestive and GastroIntestinal Disorders to Include IBS and Acid Reflux Constipation

Diarrhea

Allergy

Cough Cold

Stress Anxiety, PTSD

Depression

Chronic Fatigue

Sleep Disorders

Sciatica

Insomnia

Arthritis

Neuropathy

FibroMyalgia

Plantar Fasciitis

Acid Reflux

Muscle Spasms

TMJ

Addiction

Immune

Flu Fever

Carpal Tunnel

Complex Regional Syndrome

Sprains

Bell's Palsy

Tennis Elbow

Tinnitus

Nausea

Vomiting

Trauma

Vertigo

Acne

Sore Throat

Constipation

Diarrhea

Weight Loss

Acupuncture is a highly effective treatment for sports injuries. Acupuncture relieves pain; reduces inflammation, swelling and bruising; relieves spasms; increases circulation; accelerates healing; increases range of motion; and lowers the body’s response to pain.

We treat any form of tendon, muscle or connective tissue injury, sprain-strain, muscle soreness, chronic over use injuries, repetitive motion injuries, postural misalignment or inhibited range of motion, numbness, tingling, burning pain, migraine and tension headache, knee pain, elbow pain, wrist pain, ankle pain, low back pain, hip pain, shoulder pain, neck pain, whiplash, stress, depression, and performance anxiety.

Acupuncture diagnosis and treatment begins with a consultation regarding medical history, current symptoms and goals for treatment. The Acupuncturist performs a physical exam including inspection, palpation of the disease or site of injury and associated musculoskelatal structures. Review of existing medical history, lab tests, diagnostic imaging reports etc. The practitioner will inspect the tongue and radial pulse, which gives clues of the patient’s overall health and constitution. Information gathered from the interview and examination is used to reach a diagnosis and treatment plan.

Acupuncture is usually performed with a patient lying comfortably on a treatment table or in a chair. TheAcupuncturist inserts needles at the locations which may include limbs, torso, head and neck. Needles are inserted and manipulated briefly to produce a therapeutic stimulus and are left in place while the patient rests quietly 20-45 minutes in most cases.

1. Individualization- The beauty of Traditional Chinese Medicine is that Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine therapies are catered to the individual. The treatment of disease will vary with each person, place, time, pathogenesis, and type of disease. We caoo this “treating the same disease with different methods.” Each person’s unique physical constitution, mental state, daily activity, dietary intake etc. varies and thus the diagnosis and treatment plan will reflect this individualization. The treatment can also change depending on the seasons. This is mainly due to the fact that weather plays an important role in how disease manifests itself.

2. Quality of Care- Practitioners have their own unique quality of care and energetic sensibility to a patients presenting illness. Several Acupuncturists will approach the same illness with different treatments. It is important to find an Acupuncturist who is a good match and understands the individual patient. Once you find the right practitioner, trust and communication are key to optimal health and a healing environment.

3. Holistic- Treating the whole body. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) looks at the entire body instead of its parts, and to a larger extent vies the body in accordance with the environment and the natural world. Critical thinking is required in understanding and treating the disease regarding the vicera organs/tissues environment and patient as an integrated whole.

4. Long Lasting Results- Acupuncture treatments stimulate the body’s self-healing mechanism to speed up recovery. The results can take longer than modern Western Medication as Acupuncture is an incremental process. Once Acupuncture takes effect, the results are typically often long lasting. In some cases without relapse.

5. Preventative Therapy- Acupuncture and TCM are health and wellness care instead of disease care. Most people believe that if you do not have any disease you are healthy. THis is often not true. Everyone at one time or another has experienced a felling of being vulnerable to invading pathogens and has a hard time fighting off illness. Even though you may be feeling healthy now, a majority of people have some form of weakness (imbalance) in certain areas due to their environment or genetic constitution. Acupuncture can help to prevent illness or imbalance in the future. Regularly seeing an Acupuncturist is the best way to prevent sickness and maintain a healthy immune system to prevent sickness, keeping you physically and mentally balanced to prevent illness and promote wellness.

6. Safety- Acupuncture treatment is generally very safe, with a minimal of harmful side effects This is based on thousands of years in use being both safe and effective.

Seeking care is a personal decision each of us answers differently. In acupuncture and TCM, there are three steps or stages of care.

● Acute Care- Most people come to an acupuncturist for immediate relief of pain, discomfort, or other symptoms. THis is called acute or relief care where the effects and benefits of each visit build upon the previous ones

● Corrective Care- is the second stage and begins after you have received relief. It further corrects the underlying causes of your condition. Visits during this stage are less frequent, maintaining and strengthening the benefits of the firs state. You may feel tempted to stop visits because of the relief you have experienced. It is important to continue care as prescribed!

● Maintenance Care- Finally, you come to the maintenance stage.Once you have corrected your condition, routine maintenance will prevent relapses and help you maintain a balanced, healthy body.

Yes. To enhance the value of treatment follow these simple guidelines…

● Do not eat an unusually large meal before or after treatment.

● Do not over exercise, engage in sexual activity or consume alcoholic beverages within 6 hours of treatment.

● Plan activities so that after the treatment you can rest or at least not have to be working or performing at top performance immediately after treatment.

● Continue to take any prescription medicine as directed by your other physicians.

● Substance abuse (drugs and alcohol) must be avoided prior to treatment or can seriously interfere with the effectiveness of Acupuncture Treatment.

●Remember to keep good mental or written notes of response to treatment. This is important for Acupuncturist to know so that follow-up treatments can be designed to best help you and your problems.

When you receive acupuncture and TCM from a qualified, trained practitioner, is is generally safe. The same can be said about Western Medicine. However it is generally a gentler method because the focus is on rebalancing the body to enable it to heal itself. It frequently can replace surgeries or prescription medications. Treatments that can avoid these two western medical practices can be much easier for patients to handle.

Every patient and condition is different and so is your plan. As with any healthcare procedure, the number of treatments depends on the nature and severity of your condition. The number of visits also depends on how long you’ve had the condition and its causes.

For example, chronic issues may need 5-15 visits while acute cases may need just a few. In acute cases, our goals may be to resolve a condition or simply relieve pain or symptoms. In certain situations, you may experience results on the first visit. If your condition is degenerative, the recovery process may be lengthy. The bottom line is that several visits are needed in many cases before you see results.

Fact: The response to Acupuncture is always an individual one. Some people respond quickly, within 1-3 or 3-5 treatments. Acupuncture’s effects are cumulative, building with each treatment.

After your initial consultation, your treatment plan will be discussed. This plan will include the number and types of visits required to treat your condition and achieve your goals.

Acupuncture may serve as a stand alone treatment for either Acute or Chronic conditions and can be safely combined with other treatments. Acupuncture does not generally interfere with other treatment modalities, drugs or surgeries. A safe and often most effective approach to resolving pain injury or illness is to combine potentially beneficial treatments. This is likely to result in a synergistic benefit greater than trying individual treatments one at a time. The reserach-oriented “one at a time” approach works better after the condition is stabalized at a safe and satisfactory level as a way of tapering down or ceasing individual treatment modalities. However, patients are advised not to quit any current regimen of treatment without discussion with the physician or healthcare professional who prescribed that care.

Because of its minimal side effects, acupuncture is a low risk, effective treatment for a wide range of conditions. As energy is stimulated from Acupuncture, internal chemicals and hormones are released and healing begins to take place.

Occasionally symptoms may worsen for a few days. Other general changes in appetite, sleep, bowel movements, urination patterns or emotional release states may be affected. These should not cause concern as they are simply indications that Acupuncture is starting to work. It is quite common with initial treatments to have a sensation of deep relaxation. Aside from the sensations described above (see “Is acupuncture painful?” above), there is a slight possibility of minor swelling, bleeding, discoloration of the skin, bruising at the needle site, or fainting (for those with a high aversion to needles or needle shock). Acupuncture can be potentially dangerous if a patient has a bleeding disorder or is on blood thinning medication.

According to AcuTakeHealth.com, the following side effects can occur in addition to those listed above:

● Worse symptoms-referred to by many as a “healing crisis.”

● Fatigue following a treatment.

● Muscle twitching away form the treatment site during a visit.

● Emotional release- crying, laughing.

● Infection- invariably the result of improper sterilization techniques.

● THis is NOT an issue at Unified Earth Medicine Acupuncture.

● We follow strict sterilization procedures on all our equipment. And we only use disposable, pre-sterilized needles.

● In very rare cases there is a risk of pneumothorax if needle inserted into the chest or upper back punctures a lung.

● Important! You need to tell your acupuncturist about all existing medical conditions because people with implanted electrical devices should not use electroacupuncture.

● Some conditions limit the types of Chinese herbs used.

You should take the same care in selecting an acupuncturist as when choosing any healthcare provider. In Florida, acupuncture and TCM are carefully regulated with the best licensing ad monitoring requirements in the US. Here are the qualifications we recommend you look for when selecting your acupuncturist.

● They must be licensed to practice in the State of Florida (as indicated by L.Ac. following their name), be a licensed physician, dentist, or podiatrist, or have a national certification from the National Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).

● How long they been in practice? Every practitioner was brand new at some point, but you need to be comfortable with their length in practice.

● Do they have experience in your specific condition? Make sure that they do.

● Ask for examples of successful outcomes.

● Acknowledges the value of Western medicine in your treatment, and has experience integrating it with their TCM and acupuncture practice.

● Make sure they can work closely with your primary physician or specialist.

● When you meet a practitioner, are you comfortable with their “bedside” manner?

● Maintains malpractice insurance and has a good record.

Ricardo Villalba

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when you get Acupuncture?

Is Acupuncture painful?

How long does a session last?

What kind of conditions does Acupuncture treat?

Is Acupuncture good for athletes?

What is an Acupuncture session like?

What are the unique characteristics of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine?

When should I see an Acupuncturist?

Are there any “do’s and don'ts on the day of treatment?

Are Acupuncture and TCM safe?

Is acupuncture covered by insurance?

How many treatments before I see results?

When should I start Acupuncture and or Traditional Herbal Medicine Treatments?

What are the methods of diagnosis?

Can Acupuncture be combined with other forms of treatment?

Does Acupuncture have side effects?

How to chose an Acupuncturist?