Some common questions about acupuncture are answered below. Call us if you have other questions or if you are interested in improving your life through acupuncture treatment.
Chinese Medicine is a nature based medicine. By observing how plants and animals grow and live in the environment practitioners learned that living in harmony with one’s surroundings promotes life and well-being. The Chinese Taoists viewed themselves as being part of nature, not separate from nature so they were affected by seasonal changes and their specific geographic environments whether by wind, heat, damp, dry or cold or any combination of the five conditions.
Five Element Acupuncture is built on the theory of the five elements which are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Each element represents a season, a cycle of human growth, a personality type, an organ system in the body, a color, a sound, an odor and an emotion. The elements also represent constitutional types. So in treating a patient, the practitioner is determining the primary constitution and any other elements at play in the present moment.
The benefit of this style of treatment is to bring balance and grounding to the individual because he or she is having their primary constitution nurtured and supported by the treatment allowing the body to be in more of a flow state so the body systems can repair and heal with greater ease.
One of the central tenets of the Five Element System is that ones past or present emotional responses to life events are quite often at the root of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual problems. Thus the practitioner will investigate the patients background to understand what drives the patient and what could be the cause of the present issue. We take into account past traumas and early childhood experiences that can influence the course of a persons life.
The medicine honors each persons specific characteristics and health conditions. It is also important to note that in addition to receiving treatments that other factors affecting our health include our diets, our physical activities, relationships, our emotional and spiritual lives. All of these must be taken into account and nurtured as part of living healthy and balanced lives.
The first 20-40 minutes is spent talking to determine the goal of treatment and to deepen our understanding of what underlying factors may be contributing to your primary complaint. We discuss many things including anything that is on your mind, your thought patterns, goals for healing, practical exercises, lifestyle changes, and physical symptoms. Many people comment that this time reminds them of a therapy session.
The next 10 minutes cover any necessary physical examination. During this time, I feel the pulses on both wrists, examine your tongue, and gather many other pieces of information to further determine what treatment is most appropriate for you.
The next 10-20 minutes are spent applying various treatments. Once we have determined what the best course of treatment is for you, I select 10-15 acupuncture points and apply needles, cupping, and/or electrical stimulation to those points.
The final 20 minutes are time for you to rest and relax with needles. The needles create a state of deep relaxation. Many people report feeling like they have had a restorative nap during this time.
Herbs can be a powerful adjunct to acupuncture care. They are used to strengthen, build and support the body or to clear it of excess problems like a cold, fever or acute pain. Your practitioner may suggest starting with herbs and then adding acupuncture to your treatment in the future. This is suggested to build up your internal strength so you can receive the full benefits acupuncture has to offer.
Yes. In some instances children actually respond more quickly than adults. If your child has an aversion to needles, your acupuncturist may massage the acupuncture points. This is called acupressure or tuina.
The answer to this question is highly individual depending on what your specific goals and complaints are. With that said, I like to see people every 7-14 days for the initial 6-8 visits. As soon as it makes sense to, I start moving the appointments further apart until we reach a monthly frequency. At this point, the frequency it is up to you.
Sessions and Prices
Each appointment is 90 minutes long. The first 40 minutes are similar to counseling and are spent discussing your concerns to determine the appropriate treatment for that session. The following 30 minutes are used for additional diagnostic assessment and insertion of the acupuncture needles. The final 20 minutes are for you to relax and allow the needles to do their work.
The cost for each 90 minute session is $125. I offer flexible payment options for anyone who requires them. See the Q&A page for more information.
Acupuncture is extremely safe. It is an all-natural, drug-free therapy, yielding no side effects just feelings of relaxation and well-being. There is little danger of infection from acupuncture needles because they are sterile, used once, and then discarded.
