If you have been searching for alternative medicine in Metuchen, NJ or North Brunswick, you have probably found a long list of very different things under one label: acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, Ayurveda, herbal remedies, naturopathy, homeopathy, yoga and more. They are not alike. They differ in training, in how New Jersey regulates them, and in how much research supports them. This guide sorts them out so you can make a careful choice, and it explains in detail the treatments our clinic in South Plainfield offers.
We describe only our own services in depth. Other approaches are covered in general terms, with links to independent sources so you can check what we say.
Alternative, complementary and integrative: what the words mean
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health, draws a clear line between these terms on its page explaining what's in a name:
- Complementary means a non-mainstream approach used together with conventional medicine.
- Alternative means a non-mainstream approach used in place of conventional medicine.
- Integrative means bringing conventional and complementary approaches together in a coordinated way, with attention to the whole person.
The same page reports that a 2012 national survey found more than 30% of American adults used health approaches outside conventional care, and that most people who use them also use conventional medicine. So in practice, much of what is marketed as alternative medicine is actually used as complementary care.
That is how we practice. Everything at Netra Integrative Health Clinic is offered alongside your regular medical treatment, never in place of it. We will not advise you to stop a prescribed medicine, skip a recommended test or delay surgery, and if you are hoping for that, we are not the right clinic for you.
Alternative medicine in Metuchen and North Brunswick, NJ: what you will come across
NCCIH groups complementary approaches by their main input, and that grouping is a useful map of what is available locally.
- Nutritional approaches: special diets, dietary supplements, herbs and probiotics. These are sold in pharmacies, health food stores and online, and are also prescribed by some practitioners.
- Psychological approaches: mindfulness and meditation, often taught in classes or through apps.
- Physical approaches: massage and spinal manipulation, offered by massage therapists, chiropractors and some physical therapists and osteopathic physicians.
- Combined approaches: yoga and tai chi, which join movement with breathing and attention.
Alongside those sit whole systems of medicine with their own theory, assessment and range of treatments. The two our clinic practices are traditional Chinese medicine, which includes acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India. Naturopathy and homeopathy are two other systems you may come across, and they are regulated very differently, as the next section explains.
Metuchen is a borough entirely surrounded by Edison, and North Brunswick is a township bordering New Brunswick, so residents of both towns can choose from practitioners across Middlesex County. Distance matters less than training, regulation and evidence, and those are worth checking before you book anywhere.
How New Jersey regulates these practices
Regulation varies enormously by discipline. NCCIH notes in its advice on selecting a practitioner that credential requirements differ widely from state to state and from one field to another. Here is how the main options stand in New Jersey.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a licensed profession in New Jersey. Under the state's Acupuncture Licensing Act, the Acupuncture Examining Board sits within the Division of Consumer Affairs and operates under the State Board of Medical Examiners. A person who is not licensed may not practice acupuncture or call themselves a licensed acupuncturist or use the letters L.Ac. Applicants need a bachelor's degree and an approved course of study, and must pass a written and practical examination; the board's own FAQ states that the acupuncture program must total at least 2,500 clock hours. The act defines acupuncture as the practice of Oriental medicine, including electroacupuncture and moxibustion. Herbology is allowed as an adjunct only with additional certification, which the act ties to the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
One exception matters. New Jersey physicians and dentists whose training included acupuncture may practice it under their own licensing boards, so not everyone who offers needling is a licensed acupuncturist.
Chiropractic and massage
Chiropractors are licensed and regulated in New Jersey by the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, whose rules are set out in chapter 44E of the New Jersey Administrative Code. Massage and bodywork therapists are licensed by the New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy. That board's consumer brief notes that massage and bodywork do not include diagnosing or treating illness, and that you do not need a prescription to see a therapist.
On the evidence side, NCCIH's page on spinal manipulation says it may bring small improvements in pain and function for low back pain and can help acute neck pain. Short-lived soreness or headache afterwards is common. Manipulation of the neck has been linked to rare but potentially dangerous tears in neck arteries, although experts disagree about whether it causes them.
Naturopathy
NCCIH's naturopathy page separates licensed naturopathic physicians, who complete a four-year graduate program at an accredited school, from traditional naturopaths, who train through non-accredited programs and are not eligible for licensing. Licensing rules vary by state. New Jersey does not appear on the list of jurisdictions that license naturopathic doctors published by the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education, so there is no state license to check for a naturopath here. Ask any naturopath directly about their training and where it was accredited.
Ayurveda
NCCIH's Ayurvedic medicine page states that there is no significant regulation of Ayurvedic practice or education in the United States and that no state requires Ayurvedic practitioners to be licensed. In practice, that means the title "Ayurvedic practitioner" tells you little by itself. What matters is the person's actual training and whether they hold a license in a related, regulated field.
Homeopathy
Homeopathic products are regulated as drugs under federal law, but NCCIH's homeopathy page notes that the FDA has approved none of them. NCCIH also states that there is little evidence that homeopathy is effective for any specific health condition, and that some products have contained substantial amounts of active ingredients.
Dietary supplements and herbal products
Supplements, including most herbal products sold over the counter, are not approved before sale. According to NCCIH's guide to using dietary supplements wisely, the FDA is not authorized to review them for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed, and companies are responsible for having evidence that their products are safe. The FDA generally acts only after a problem product is already on the market.
Checking a license
For any New Jersey licensed profession, including acupuncture, chiropractic and massage, the Division of Consumer Affairs offers a "Verify a Current License" search through its online licensing services. A license shows that a person met the state's minimum standards and is subject to a board that handles complaints. As NCCIH points out, it does not by itself guarantee that a particular treatment is safe or effective.
The treatments we offer, explained
Our clinic offers six closely related services. Each is described below from our own treatment pages, with an honest note on the evidence.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is the insertion of very thin, sterile, single-use needles at chosen points on the body. In Chinese medicine theory, the points lie along channels called meridians, and treatment aims to restore the smooth flow of Qi, the body's vital energy. Modern research describes possible effects on the nervous system and on local tissue, and NCCIH notes that the mechanism is not fully understood.
Acupuncture has the strongest research base of anything we offer. NCCIH's acupuncture summary reports a 2018 review in which acupuncture outperformed both no treatment and sham acupuncture for back and neck pain, with relief comparable to anti-inflammatory drugs. The American College of Physicians' 2017 guideline names it among the first-line nondrug options for chronic low back pain. A 2018 review found it helped osteoarthritis pain, and moderate-quality evidence from 22 studies with almost 5,000 people shows it reduces how often migraines occur. On the other side of the ledger, acupuncture has not beaten sham treatment for irritable bowel syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome or IVF pregnancy rates. You can read more in our acupuncture treatment page and our guide to acupuncture near Metuchen.
Chinese medicine
Chinese medicine is a complete system of care that has been practiced for more than 2,000 years. It rests on the ideas of Qi, the balance of Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, the meridians and the Zang-Fu organ systems, which are understood as functional systems rather than only physical structures. Diagnosis draws on the pulse, the tongue, observation and touch. As a system it traditionally includes acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, moxibustion, tuina massage and dietary therapy; the parts described in detail on this page are acupuncture and herbal medicine.
The value of the system is in its assessment. Treatment follows the pattern found in you, so two people given the same Western diagnosis can leave with different plans. On evidence, NCCIH's page on traditional Chinese medicine says some of its physical approaches, such as acupuncture and tai chi, may help quality of life and certain pain conditions, while studies of Chinese herbal products have had mixed results. See our Chinese medicine page.
Herbal medicine, Chinese and Ayurvedic
Chinese herbal medicine uses plant, mineral and some animal substances, usually combined into formulas of roughly 4 to 20 ingredients, each with a defined role. Formulas may be taken as decoctions (boiled teas), powders, tinctures or pills. Ayurvedic herbal medicine draws on its own long tradition, with herbs such as ashwagandha, triphala, tulsi, turmeric, ginger and brahmi chosen according to the person's constitution and condition.
At our clinic, herbal medicines from either tradition are prescribed individually, and every prescription is checked against the medicines you already take. That check is essential, because herbs are pharmacologically active and can interact with prescription drugs. The uses described for individual herbs on our herbal medicine page are their traditional uses, not proven medical effects, and we say so on that page.
Ayurvedic medicine
Ayurveda originated in India more than 3,000 years ago; the name combines Sanskrit words for life and knowledge. It describes the body through five elements and three doshas, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, whose balance is thought to govern health. It places great weight on agni, the digestive fire, and on daily routine, diet, sleep and the connection between mind and body. Treatment combines diet and nutrition, herbs, yoga and movement, breathing exercises and meditation.
An Ayurvedic consultation at our clinic is therefore likely to cover much more than symptoms: your digestion, appetite, sleep pattern, energy across the day, stress and the foods you eat and when. Dr. Gandapodi is classically trained in Ayurvedic medicine and is also a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, so the assessment can draw on both traditions.
On evidence, NCCIH says few well-designed trials and systematic reviews show that Ayurvedic approaches are effective. It describes some encouraging results: a 2013 trial of 440 people with knee osteoarthritis in which two Ayurvedic formulas gave pain relief similar to glucosamine and to the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib, and a small 2011 pilot of 43 people with rheumatoid arthritis in which an Ayurvedic treatment and the standard drug methotrexate performed similarly. It also notes the limits of a small diabetes trial. NCCIH advises against using Ayurveda to delay conventional care. Our Ayurvedic medicine page describes the conditions for which people seek this care, and our guide to Ayurvedic doctors in New Jersey covers what to look for.
Panchakarma
Panchakarma is a core Ayurvedic therapy whose name means "five actions." The five classical procedures are Vamana (therapeutic vomiting), Virechana (herbal purgation), Basti (medicated enemas), Nasya (herbal oils or powders through the nose) and Raktamokshana (controlled removal of small amounts of blood). Classical Panchakarma runs in stages: preparation with oil massage and steam, the main procedures, and a period of rest, specific diet and herbs afterwards.
Here is the important part for anyone considering it locally. Not every classical procedure is needed for every patient, and not all of them are safe or appropriate to perform. At our clinic, only the safer Panchakarma procedures are used, chosen to suit each patient, and they may be combined with herbal medicine and acupuncture. Because Panchakarma is intensive, it should be done only under the supervision of a qualified practitioner who knows your medical history, especially if you have an existing health condition. NCCIH's Ayurveda page does not report trials of Panchakarma, so we present it as a traditional therapy, not one with established clinical evidence. More detail is on our Panchakarma page and in our article on Panchakarma in New Jersey.
Transdermal Medication Therapy
Transdermal Medication Therapy delivers herbal medicines through the skin rather than by mouth. Specially prepared herbal medicines are applied as oils, creams, gels or ointments, absorbed through the outer layers of the skin and carried into the circulation. The intended advantages are gradual release over time and avoiding the digestive system and the first pass through the liver, which may reduce digestive side effects.
We are not citing clinical trials for this therapy here, so you should regard it as an individually prescribed traditional treatment and judge it as you would anything else: by whether it helps you within an agreed review period. As with oral herbs, the ingredients are checked against your other medicines. See our Transdermal Medication Therapy page.
About your practitioner
Every patient at the clinic is seen by one practitioner: Dr. Saikumar Gandapodi, DAOM, Dipl. OM, AP, L.Ac., the founder and director of Netra Integrative Health Clinic. He sees all patients in person at our South Plainfield office.
Given how loosely parts of this field are regulated, his credentials are worth setting out in full. He holds a doctorate from Five Branches University and a Master of Traditional Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Health and Science. Dipl. OM indicates national board certification in Oriental Medicine. He is a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in both New Jersey and New York, and in Florida he is board certified as a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture Physician (AP). Beyond Chinese medicine, he is classically trained in Ayurvedic medicine, holds a graduate qualification in Yoga Therapy, and completed advanced clinical training in India.
His approach is integrative, drawing on Chinese medicine, Ayurveda and Yoga Therapy together. His particular areas of expertise are complex and chronic conditions, orthopedic disorders, fertility and internal medicine. He writes and clinically reviews the condition pages on this website.
Much of his practice consists of complex and advanced cases, including patients for whom other practitioners, conventional or alternative, produced no results. He will tell you at the consultation what he thinks is realistic. No outcome can be promised in any individual case. More is on our team page.
How to tell evidence-based practice from unsupported claims
The most useful skill in this field is knowing when to be skeptical. Two federal sources give practical tests.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration lists six tip-offs to health fraud:
- One product does it all. Be wary of anything claimed to cure a long list of unrelated diseases.
- Personal testimonials. Individual success stories are easy to invent and are not evidence. Online reviews can be fake.
- Quick fixes. Few conditions can be treated quickly, even with legitimate treatments.
- "All natural." Natural does not mean safe, and the FDA has found "all-natural" products containing hidden prescription drug ingredients at high doses.
- "Miracle cure" or "secret ingredient." A genuine cure would be widely reported and used by licensed professionals.
- Conspiracy claims. Stories that a cure is being hidden from you are a distraction from basic questions about the product.
NCCIH's clinical digest on knowing the science adds questions for judging research. Small studies may give inconclusive results. A single study rarely settles anything, and findings become more reliable when other investigators repeat them. Check the date, since standards change. For information online, ask who runs and pays for the site, what it is selling, and whether the claims seem too good to be true.
In practice, a practitioner who works from evidence will usually:
- Tell you which of your problems the research supports treating, and which it does not.
- Distinguish traditional uses from proven effects.
- Ask about your diagnoses, medicines and supplements before recommending anything.
- Set a review point and say what will happen if treatment is not working.
- Encourage you to keep your physician informed, and offer to share notes.
- Never ask you to stop prescribed medicine or avoid medical tests.
Be cautious of the opposite: guaranteed results, large prepaid packages sold at the first visit, a single cause blamed for every symptom, or products that can only be bought from the practitioner. NCCIH's advice on choosing a practitioner also suggests asking your doctor for names, checking credentials with the state licensing board, and confirming that the practitioner will work with your other health care providers.
Herbal safety: what to know before you take anything
Herbs are medicines. They can help, and they can harm, and the quality of what is in the bottle varies. Several independent findings are worth knowing.
- Labels are not always accurate. NCCIH reports that the FDA has found prescription drugs, including anticoagulants, in products sold as supplements, and that what is on a label may not match what is in the product. Products marketed for weight loss, sexual enhancement and bodybuilding are the main concern.
- Some Ayurvedic products have contained toxic metals. NCCIH reports that some Ayurvedic preparations contain lead, mercury or arsenic at harmful levels, and that the FDA has warned about this. In a 2015 survey of people using Ayurvedic preparations, about 40% had elevated blood lead levels, about one in four of the supplements tested had high lead, and almost half had high mercury.
- Chinese herbal products have had their own problems. NCCIH's traditional Chinese medicine page describes products contaminated with undeclared plant or animal material, drugs such as warfarin and diclofenac, heavy metals, pesticides and sulfites, as well as cases where the wrong herb was used, some causing organ damage.
- Interactions are real. St. John's wort, for example, makes many medicines less effective.
- "Natural" does not mean safe. NCCIH gives kava, which can cause liver disease, as an example.
- Surgery changes the picture. Some supplements can raise bleeding risk or affect anesthesia, so tell your surgeon and anesthesia team about everything you take, as early as possible.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children call for extra care, because many supplements have not been tested in these groups.
Here is what that means in practice at our clinic. Herbs are prescribed individually after a full consultation. They are checked against your prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines and other supplements. Please bring every bottle or packet you currently take to the first visit, including anything bought abroad or online, so nothing is missed. And tell your physician and pharmacist about the herbs you take, as we will encourage you to do.
When complementary care should wait
Some situations need conventional medical care first, and complementary treatment, if any, can come later. See a doctor promptly for unexplained weight loss, a new lump, blood in the stool or urine, a persistent cough or fever, or any symptom that is getting steadily worse. Call 911 for chest pain, sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, a sudden severe headache, trouble breathing, or signs of a severe allergic reaction.
If you have a diagnosed condition, such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, an autoimmune disease or a mental health condition, keep taking the treatment your physician prescribed. Any change to a prescription should be made only by the doctor who prescribed it. With your permission, we can send a treatment summary to your physician, and doctors who would like to refer a patient can use our referring providers page.
Your first visit
Whichever treatment interests you, the first appointment is a 60-minute consultation with Dr. Gandapodi. He will go through your health concerns, medical history, medicines, supplements and lifestyle, and will look at your tongue and feel your pulse as part of the assessment. Treatment is generally not given on the same day. At the end you will discuss which approach, or combination, makes sense for you, and how many sessions it is likely to involve. That number is not fixed in advance; it depends on your condition and how you respond.
Follow-up consultations and treatment sessions last 30 minutes. Please bring photo ID, your insurance card if you plan to use insurance for acupuncture, your most recent complete blood work reports and a list of your medications and supplements. You can arrange to send blood work ahead by calling the office. Our new patients page has more detail.
Insurance and payment
Only acupuncture can be billed to insurance. Ayurvedic medicine, Chinese herbal medicine, Panchakarma and Transdermal Medication Therapy are paid for directly. If you are planning a combined approach, the office can explain which parts insurance may cover.
For acupuncture, Dr. Gandapodi is in network with most insurance plans. The clinic does not participate in Medicare or Medicaid, but accepts most Medicare Advantage plans that include acupuncture. Coverage differs between plans, so use our free benefits check through the insurance verification form; it takes 3 to 5 business days. If you were hurt in a car accident, the clinic also bills auto insurance personal injury protection (PIP) for acupuncture. Mention the accident when you book, and have your auto insurance claim number ready.
Acupuncture is a qualified expense for HSA, FSA and HRA funds, and we can provide a Letter of Medical Necessity if your plan administrator requests one; see our HSA and FSA page. We accept CareCredit. Discounts are available for seniors and through our financial assistance program, and the office will go through the options with you by phone.
Getting here from Metuchen and North Brunswick
Our office is at 5001 Hadley Rd, Ste 210, South Plainfield, NJ 07080. Metuchen is surrounded by Edison, which borders South Plainfield, and Interstate 287 runs along Metuchen's southern edge and continues into South Plainfield. From North Brunswick, U.S. Route 1 runs north into New Brunswick, where it meets Route 18; Route 18 north ends at I-287 in Piscataway, and I-287 then passes through South Plainfield. Check the map on our location page for the best route from your address.
Parking is free and plentiful. The suite is on the second floor, with an elevator. Hours are Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, by appointment only. We do not accept walk-ins, and same-day appointments are limited. To cancel or reschedule, call at least 24 hours ahead.
Questions from Metuchen and North Brunswick readers
Is alternative medicine the same as complementary medicine?
No. NCCIH defines alternative medicine as used in place of conventional care and complementary medicine as used alongside it. Everything we offer is complementary.
Are Ayurvedic practitioners licensed in New Jersey?
According to NCCIH, no U.S. state requires Ayurvedic practitioners to be licensed. Ask about training directly, and check whether the person holds a license in a related regulated profession.
How can I check an acupuncturist's license?
Use the "Verify a Current License" search offered by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs. Licensed acupuncturists use the title L.Ac.
What is the difference between an acupuncturist and a chiropractor?
They are separate licensed professions with separate state boards. Acupuncturists use fine needles and, with additional certification, herbs, based on Chinese medicine. Chiropractors mainly use spinal manipulation and related hands-on methods.
Can I use Ayurveda instead of my prescribed medicine?
We do not recommend that. NCCIH advises against using Ayurveda to delay conventional care. Ayurvedic treatment at our clinic is used alongside your medical treatment.
Are Ayurvedic supplements from a store or website safe?
Not necessarily. Some have been found to contain lead, mercury or arsenic. Avoid self-prescribing, and bring any product you already use to your consultation.
Is Panchakarma a detox?
In Ayurvedic tradition it is described as cleansing and rejuvenating. Not all classical procedures are safe for everyone, and our clinic uses only the safer procedures, adapted to the individual.
Does insurance cover Ayurveda or herbal medicine?
No. Insurance applies to acupuncture only at our clinic.
Can I use my auto insurance after a car accident?
Yes, for acupuncture. The clinic bills auto insurance personal injury protection (PIP). Mention the accident when you book and have your claim number ready.
Can I see you while I am also seeing a chiropractor or massage therapist?
Yes. Please tell each of your practitioners, including your physician, about all the care you are receiving, as NCCIH recommends.
Which treatment should I start with?
That is decided at the consultation, based on your condition, your medicines and the evidence. For many pain problems acupuncture is the natural starting point; for long-standing digestive or constitutional problems, Ayurvedic or herbal treatment may be part of the plan.
How long is the first appointment?
Sixty minutes. Later visits are 30 minutes.
Booking a consultation
Call (908) 402-7301 or book through our appointment page; online bookings are confirmed by text and email. If you plan to use insurance for acupuncture, submit the verification form first. You can browse all our services on the treatments page and the conditions we see under conditions. If you live nearer New Brunswick, our guide to acupuncture near East Brunswick and New Brunswick may also help.
This article is general health information and does not replace advice from your own physician. Definitions, research summaries and safety information come from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (its pages on terminology, acupuncture, Ayurvedic medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, naturopathy, homeopathy, spinal manipulation, dietary supplements, selecting a practitioner and knowing the science). Regulatory information comes from the New Jersey Acupuncture Licensing Act and the Acupuncture Examining Board, the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs and its Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy, the New Jersey Administrative Code and the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education. The fraud warning signs come from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All sources are linked above.