Living in Jersey City can get stressful.
A rush hour commute on the PATH train alone is enough to raise your blood pressure.
Fortunately, we have Acuworx to help alleviate some of that stress. Located at the Vito A. Lofts on Columbus Drive, the wellness studio is a sanctuary of quiet reflection offering healing sessions that run the gamut from acupuncture and cupping to gua sha and moxibustion.
“We offer a five-star experience,” says owner Panos Ioannou.
A Linden, NJ, native, Ioannou started Acuworx in January of 2017. Prior to Acuworx, Ioannou operated Pins & Needles from Base Gym at 60 Columbus. When the opportunity to open a dedicated acupuncture studio at the Vito A. Lofts presented itself, Ioannou immediately seized the moment.
Not just pins and needles
Walking into the Acuworx studio is like walking into a day spa. The space has an industrial, yet cozy feel with high ceilings, exposed brick walls, and large windows that flood the space with natural light.
There are five treatment rooms in total and everything from aroma therapy to heated tables are used to help clients zen out and forget they’re living in a tumultuous city.
“Acupuncture is the main service we offer and everything else is adjunctive,” says Ioannou. So for instance, you can do front and back acupuncture and throw in a modality like cupping.
Popularized by athletes like Michael Phelps, cupping is a Chinese treatment used to loosen muscles, relieve tension, and detoxify the body. It involves placing upside down glass cups along a person’s back to create a vacuum-like seal. The superficial muscle layer is then drawn up into the cup, which stimulates the circulation of blood.
Another service — gua sha — is a healing technique that involves placing a scraper, or a Chinese stone like Jade, against the patient’s skin and then firmly scraping the body’s muscles to relieve pain or stiffness. The treatment is used to loosen up connective tissue, says Ioannou.
We also do moxibustion, which is really effective, says Ioannou. Moxibustion is a Chinese technique that involves the burning of moxa, usually made from dried mugwort leaves. The technique is combined with acupuncture and the heat produced penetrates deep into the body and helps with circulation and pain relief. It’s useful for anything from sprained ankles and carpal tunnel to knee injuries, says Ioannou.
Panos Ioannou & Rebecca Chang
Once a month, Ioannou also hosts workshops with group meditation. In the future, Ioannou may also host group cooking classes designed to teach clients how to cook and eat healthy.
Everything from appointments to events run smoothly thanks to Rebecca Chang, an acupuncture med student and practitioner who is currently in her third year of acupuncture studies.
For Ioannou — who has a Masters in Science from NYU and a Masters in Traditional Oriental Medicine from the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine — being healthy means taking care of not just the body, but also the mind.
“With the acupuncture, we’re trying to correct energetic imbalances,” says Ioannou. “Once those are corrected, the body can heal itself.”
Acuworx | 190 Columbus Drive, Studio 3A | www.acuworx.com
