What can you expect when you come for an acupuncture treatment?

Well, first, the office is lovely and friendly. You will spend a few moments in the waiting room before we enter the treatment room where we talk for awhile. I will ask why you have come to acupuncture and to describe your present symptoms as well as your past medical and general history. Acupuncture care considers emotional states, life events, and other medical treatments, so our interviewing time is thorough.

You will lie down on a treatment table and I will take your “pulses.” This feels much like a doctor or nurse checking the pulse in your wrist. However, unlike the pulse reading of a doctor or nurse, who is simply checking heart rate and rhythm, acupuncture pulse taking is a complex and fascinating diagnostic tool. Pulse taking happens often throughout a treatment session as a way to gauge the progress of the treatment.

The treatment itself involves insertion of tiny little needles into the skin. The needles are the size of a few human hairs and create a mild sensation upon insertion, but nothing dramatic. Within moments, the sensation disappears. Most people feel extremely calm and relaxed during acupuncture treatment and many people actually fall asleep.

When the treatment is over you simply get up and go home!

Many insurance companies do offer some coverage. Check yours for specifics. It is good to know that people who receive acupuncture often enjoy a greater degree of health, spend less money on medications and loose less time at work.

When will I notice results?

Some people notice the effects of treatment immediately, and some feel the improvements over the next few days. Sometimes it takes a few treatments.

How often do I need to come back for treatment?

I tell my new patients to plan on once a week for three weeks. People usually feel results after the first treatment, and within three treatments, will have met or begun to meet many of our treatment goals. After these initial sessions, it is an individual choice whether to continue coming weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, seasonally or as needed.

Do I need to change my medications in order to have acupuncture?

No. Acupuncture works even if you are taking medications.

Can I combine acupuncture with chiropractic or other kinds of treatment?

Absolutely. Adding acupuncture can make other treatments even more effective.

Do I have to believe in acupuncture for it to work?

Absolutely not. Many people come to believe in it, even if they do not understand it, after they see it work.