What To Expect at Your First Appointment
It is reccomended to wear loose comfortable clothing that can be pulled up above your knees and elbows. It is always recommended to have a light snack before you come, although a heavy meal is not necessary. Plan to stay for up to an hour and a half your first treatment and subsequent treatments up to an hour. Your practitioner will have you fill out a detailed health history asking a broad list of questions from sleep patterns to diet and emotional health. Your practitioner will go over your primary concerns and at that time you will be given an opportunity to ask any questions you may have. After that your practitioner will take your pulses and ask to look at your tongue. These two things are the most important part of your diagnosis and key in determening the best treatment plan for you. Once your practitioner has determined a proper treatment, you will then be asked to lie down at which point your practitioner will insert between 10 and 25 needles at various points on the body. Once finished the practitioner will make sure you are comfortable and then step out of the room for you to relax for up to 45 minutes. Additionaly your practitioner may suggest dietery changes, lifestyle adjustments, or use other modalities as deemed appropriate. At the end of your treatment your practitioner will return to take out the needles review your treatment plan and discuss the frequecy and consistency that is needed for your particular condition.
Acupuncture is a part of the medical health care system of china which dates back over 2,500 years. It is based on the premise that the body is composed of channels where energy (Qi) flows much like the blood in our circulatory system. When these channels become blocked or imbalanced, disease occurs. The purpose of acupuncture is to help restore the body's natural balacing system by opening the flow of energy and reharmonizing the body's natural frequencies.
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
Acupuncture is a system that builds on the previous treatment and the effects are cummulative. That being said more than one treatment is necessary for effectiveness. For acute conditions between 8-10 treatments can be expected; but patients often report experiencing relief after the first few treatments. For more chronic conditions it will depend on the severity, duration and level of discomfort you are experiencing. Patients who are able to space their first few treatments with in a few days of each other will often notice more rapid results. Over time as your condition improves you will find that you may not need to come in as frequently and begin to space your treatments out as needed.