Acupuncture & TCM
What to Expect
Of all the complimentary medical choices, why Acupuncture?
Acupuncture and Chinese herbology is the oldest documented medicine in the world. It is very safe, effective, natural, and drug free. Furthermore, it is a complete medical system. It is often expressed as a relaxing and rejuvenating experience. Many people even fall asleep during their treatment. With acupuncture, the mind and body are treated simultaneously, leaving you with a great sense of well being.
What can acupuncture help with?
Pain Management * Insomnia * Infertility * Digestive disorders * Allergies * Carpal Tunnel Syndrome * Morning Sickness * Nausea * All Addictions * Arthritis * PMS * Chronic Fatigue * Asthma * Bronchitis * Common Cold * Emotional Problems * Depression * Anxiety * Nervousness * And much much more!
Q: What Happens during a treatment?
On your first visit you will spend a few minutes filling out some basic information about yourself and health related issues. The acupuncturist will ask a few basic questions for diagnostic and assessment purposes. You and the acupuncturist will discuss your desired result, and a treatment plan will be advised. This process can take up to 30 minutes.
After the initial consultation, you will receive your first acupuncture treatment which usually takes 20 to 30 minutes. In total, the first session is approximately one hour to an hour and half. Follow up treatments are usually much shorter, on average about 40 minutes.
This first session will help identify the imbalances in your health, and determine the best course of treatment. You will lie down on the exam table and the acupuncturist will check your tongue and feel your pulse on both wrists. This helps with the diagnosis process in TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine). Relaxing music is played and sometimes the practitioner leaves you to relax. If you become uncomfortable at anytime, you can ring the bell which is placed next to you and the acupuncturist will address your comfort needs.
Q: What do the needles feel like?
Many people are concerned about what the needles feel like. The sensation experienced is different from person to person and from one treatment to another. Sometimes you will feel an electrical tingle, sometimes a dull heavy feeling of pressure, and sometimes a slight pinch. Most of the time, you won’t feel the needle at all. Once the needles are in place, most people become very relaxed and sometimes even drift off.
Q: How many treatments will I need?
If the condition is mild and acute, a rapid result may be achieved with one treatment! However, if the condition is chronic or severe, it will take several treatments. Typically, not more than 12 treatments are needed. Depending on how your body responds it could be even less treatments. Each person is different; some people respond faster than others and some a bit slower.
Q: Can Acupuncture increase my odds with IVF?
Acupuncture has the ability to regulate circulation and blood flow to the ovaries and uterus and lower the stress hormone cortisol, which impairs the reproductive system. More and more studies are published that show how acupuncture treatments combined with IVF, can improve pregnancy rates by up to 50% than those who did not receive Acupuncture!
“It can allow you to cross the line from infertile to fertile by helping your body function more efficiently, which in turn allows other, more modern reproductive treatments, like IVF, to also work more efficiently,” says James Dillard, MD, assistant clinical professor, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and clinical adviser to Columbia’s Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Q: What are the benefits of acupuncture for cancer patients undergoing treatment?
Acupuncture is strongly linked to alleviating the nausea associated with chemotherapy and the pain incurred from the constant surgeries that cancer patients undergo. Those coping with asbestos-related diseases, such as malignant mesothelioma can use acupuncture to help improve appetite, relieve pain, ease insomnia and reduce depression and anxiety associated with cancer. Visit this site to learn more about mesothelioma and acupuncture as effective palliative therapy.
Q: Is acupuncture just a placebo?
A: No. Recent studies have shown that acupuncture needling stimulates bio-chemical/electrical activity in the limbic system (part of the brain) which in turn affects different parts of the body. This explains why a point needled on the leg can increase intestinal motility or why a point on the ankle can eliminate a headache. Acupuncture is also becoming increasingly popular in the world of veterinarian medicine. Animals probably aren’t aware that acupuncture is supposed to be helping them, yet their conditions improve anyway. Western science is catching up with what the Chinese have known for over four thousand years!
For more information on scientific findings, see the links page.
Q: Is it expensive?
The initial consultation fee is $50, and that includes your first treatment and a FREE Spa Membership! You can then pay as you go on our sliding scale, or purchase discounted packages. Please see the Acupuncture Pricing Page.
Q: Do you take insurance?
We do not accept insurance at this time. However, we do accept FSA cards. We can also provide an itemized receipt upon request, which may be applicable towards an insurance reimbursement. Please check with your insurance provider and policy.
Q: Do you accept credit cards?
Yes, we accept Visa, MasterCard (including debit Visa), AMEX, and Discover. Cash and Gift Cards are also accepted.