Columbia Acupuncture, PC

Love this place! !! Acupuncture for my lower backed made a difference. Back massages are wonderful. It’s a simple no frills place but the service is great! Would def reccommend to any who is in WaHi area.

I had a terrible back pain, so this place was my last resort. In only 3 acupuncture sessions I was put back on track. Very professional staff.

My back has been a mess for weeks and I finally decided it was time to get a massage. I don’t have much experience getting professional massages, but Columbia Acupuncture offered VERY reasonable rates, got good reviews on Unilocal,and were able to take a last minute booking (I called at 2:00 and was on the massage table at 3:30), so they seemed like a good place to start!
It’s true, their location doesn’t look like a fancy spa, but the massage room was clean and comfortable and the temperature was warm (I went on a cold day). As this was my first TuiNa message, I wasn’t exactly sure how much to undress, but after a few semi-​awkward moments with my masseuse, Grace, I figured it out. She didn’t ask me why I was there or if there were any spots in particular I wanted to be worked on or avoided, which seemed a bit strange, but as the massage went on, she found every single problem spot on her own and seemed to know exactly what was wrong with it without me having to tell her. That was pretty impressive! For the most part, the massage felt wonderful and I had no trouble relaxing and enjoying myself.
The only issue I had was that there was one technique she did that I found painful. I told her as much but she just said «yeah» and kept doing it. I’m not sure if she didn’t understand what I said or if she was basically telling me that if I wanted to feel better, I needed to let her do her thing. I suspect it’s the latter because everything else she was doing was right on point. I just wish she had a better way of expressing that to me.
I left feeling great and I’ll probably start going there every few weeks to keep myself from getting into such bad shape again!

Is it abnormal that upon entering this office I was immediately jealous of what must have originally been an incredible flat? I think it is a NYC characteristic to constantly evaluate apartments we see and try to picture how our furniture would fit in the space: our friend’s apartments, those of random acquaintances, apartments we see featured in the NYT, even on TV and movies? Like I was watching Rosemary’s Baby again for the coming Halloween season and all I could think of during the movie was «How the heck did Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes afford that incredible apartment on one income»? I mean, he was a struggling actor at the beginning of the movie, right? How is this fair?
Anyways, the place is sort of cool, if you’re a fan of old buildings. It’s right near NYPres, on a quiet block. If you’re walking from the hospital, there is a little fresh market on the sidewalk some summer weekdays. They have a pretty busy practice, do acupuncture and massage, are open on weekends and charge an average rate. The linens are clean and the front desk are accommodating.
If you want massage, I will tell you, Sam is the man! He came highly recommended from a former client and he does an excellent deep (but relaxing and refreshing) massage. These are the go-​to people if you are uptown…

Heaven. I seriously looked forward to every single visit.
I came here for Carpel Tunnel treatment in 2013 and ended up getting a mind/​body overhaul. First I had a TCM consultation where the doctor checked my tongue, my pulse, and asked me lots of questions. She used all the info to form a treatment plan, as well as tell me what was behind what was ailing me.
I ended up getting a course of scary sounding electro-​acupuncture. But it was fine, and it worked. My favorite part of each visit was when they asked what else I wanted support in and then put extra needles in. I also loved loved loved it when they turned the infrared lamp on me.
I also went back a few extra times for cupping and seriously good Tui Na massage on my back and shoulders. I’m knocking off one star because one of the staff members chatted on and on during my cupping… killing my vibe.

May gives the best facials. Her extractions and facial massages are like no other. The facial consists of cleansing, face massage, steaming, THOROUGH extraction, electric current pore shrinking, ultrasound collagen treatment, more shoulder/​neck/​forearm massage, AND customized mask. There is a 60 min or 90 min option. Her hands are divine!

I walked into Columbia Acu-​Herb at around 12:30 pm on a Tuesday. I didn’t have an appointment, but what I did have was an unexplained radiating pain/​stiffness from the top of my neck down to my lumbar region on the right side of my back. I’d had it for 3 days; it was bad to the point that I couldn’t turn my head to the right side of my body. I walked in and asked for a Chinese tui-​na massage.
I was seen in about 5 minutes. I don’t know the therapist’s name, but she did a fantastic job. If you’ve ever been to one of those body work places, this is nothing like that — she did use some similar techniques (hot stones, using her elbows and forearms) but this was obviously the work of a trained technician working on a more medical model. And I say that even though I like body work places. Still a pretty deep massage, but the focus is on healing.
When I walked out 60 minutes later, the pain in my back was much duller and I could turn my head. It’s about 5 hours later, and I was prompted to write this review because I turned to the right and bent to pick up something that had fallen off the desk, and when I straightened I realized that this was something I couldn’t do this morning.

I usually go here to get acupuncture and Chinese massage which covers by my insurance. I had terrible shoulder ache and backache, those treatment helped me a lot. Staffs are friendly and helpful. Massage room is small and nothing fancy, but massage is great.

Made appt. 10 mins before. Really nice 30 min massage in a «no-​frills» private room (no candles, no nice music/​lighting, just the basics, but clean & it did the trick). Waiting area was pretty packed on a Friday morning. Acupuncturists/​office staff was super friendly. All the masseuses were female, which made me really comfortable. Nice experience overall.

Clean and affordable. Friendly staff.
Went for Tui Na, and they did not disappoint.

This place is amazing! Everyone who works there is really nice and I was feeling better after just one visit!

I needed a massage so gave this place a try out of geographical convenience and fiscal fairness.
To my delight, they took me within the hour for my 30 min massage. Once you walk in, a very friendly man will greet you and ask you to fill out a picture for which parts of your body needs work.
Besides for a few decorations and a much appreciated cup of water at the end, this is not your fancy resort spa; that is a good thing. You don’t waste time picking scents or chatting. The masseuse comes in and can give you as deep a massage as you can want. My mental and physical stress was instantly and lastingly relieved.
I will definitely be coming back.
–Ben R

Pros:
Convenient location for anyone who lives uptown (125^th or above). They also have a Union Square location as well but I have never been there.
Extremely affordable and accepts most major insurances.
Very knowledgeable staff who will work with you to help fix whatever health problem you may be suffering from.
Cons:
Not the most «relaxing» environment. I wish the treatment rooms had a white noise or even ambient sound machines to help the relaxation process during treatments.
One of the treatment rooms is split by a large floor to ceiling curtain so you will hear the patient next to you during your treatment.
One of the front desk employees can be very loud and boisterous disrupting my focus while I am trying to get my zen on.
Overall I am a fan. Thumbs up.

Great practice. After 5 weeks of treatment and tea, my eczema seems to be cured. I was surprised that acupuncture and herbal remedy cured something that dermatologist and allergists could not. My husband convinced me to go b/​c he used to work near here.
Very easy to make appointments and have my insurance and billing questions answered.
They also have a good massage therapist there.
–stephanie (neil’s wife)

One day several months ago, I started reaching over my shoulder to bludgeon my always aching back. A thought occurred to me: why not try acupuncture? Doesn’t my health insurance, incredibly, cover it? Check website. Yes! Is there one local to me way out in Upstate Manhattan? Yes – Columbia Acu-​Herb. Call up: can you take me? Today? In 15 minutes? Wow. That was an I Love New York moment if ever there was one. Desire to gratification in only a few clicks of a mouse and taps on a phone. I walked over, got hooked up, and felt relief only a half-​hour later. I’ve been going back regularly ever since. They’re also helping me with my allergies, insomnia, and even a skin issue or two.
Whatever your complaint, I believe Dr. Liu’s response will be, «I will cure you.» Not even, «I can help you,» but a confident, «you will not have this problem anymore when I’m finished.» Now, this isn’t Western medicine, so you have to be patient, but the treatments are not exactly unpleasant: acupuncture is strangely stimulating, and they also offer Tui Na massage. I go for both. The best part of all is the pay structure. Well, my insurance covers me, but Acu-​Herb has been very kind in accommodating my needs and ability to pay in every conceivable way. They will work with you. And then they will work *on* you. If you’re acu-​curious but still slightly acu-​skeptical, especially since so many clinics in New York are unaffordable, I can think of no better place to acu-​experiment. At a certain point, for those of us with chronic problems Western medicine can’t solve, isn’t worth trying something else?

I love this place… it’s so close to home!!! I walk in stressed out and walk out feeling completely energized and ready for anything!!! The staff is great, pleasant and very sweet. They ALL make you feel comfortable and welcomed.

Columbia Acu Herb is amazing. I never believed acupuncture would work, but after going to some of the best doctors in the country (at Johns Hopkins and Columbia Presbyterian) with a chronic condition (neurally mediated hypotension) that was only getting worse, I decided to try Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). I met with Dr. Liu and he thoroughly explained the problem to me from a TCM standpoint, the treatment outline, and my chances of success. After 3 months of treatment I have been amazed with the outcome, which is that my body is functioning better on its own after the acupuncture and herbs than it was with the prescription medicine I came in on. Another surprise was that I actually looked forward to my treatments as a time to rest and relax! I very highly recommend this practice.