DO THE EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE LAST?

 

Acupuncture treatments build upon each other.  Usually people come for a series.  For acute issues, a few treatments may be all that’s needed.  For chronic issues which have been going on for a while, more treatments are useful.  As the treatments accumulate, changes occur.  We evaluate at about 3,  6, and 10 treatments to make sure things are moving in the right direction and you’re feeling results.  Typically, 10-12 treatments constitute a series.  For serious conditions, sometimes more than one series is useful.  With a healthy lifestyle, the effects are long lasting.  Sometimes a “tune up” session can remind the body of health.

 

 

ARE  THE NEEDLES SAFE AND STERILE?

 

All the needles used in my offices are new, prepackaged and sterile. They are used for only one insertion on a patient and then disposed of in a biohazard container. The biohazards are disposed of appropriately by a biohazard disposal company.

 

HOW DOES ACUPUNCTURE WORK?

 

Acupuncture needles are used to either tonify or disperse the flow of energy or Qi (pronounced chee) through specific channels in the body.  These channels were identified thousands of years ago, and have access points throughout the body.  Pain is usually a blockage of energy or Qi, and weakness of an organ or tissue is usually caused by a deficiency of energy or Qi.  

 

DOES IT HURT?

 

Needle sensations are usually minimal to nothing.  When the needle access energy or Qi, one may feel sensations of tingling, electric, throbbing, heavy, dull or aching as the energy moves and balances.  Sometimes, a heat treatment called moxa is appropriate when there are cold or deficient symptoms.  This involves burning moxa or mugwort near a point and feels wonderful and relaxing.  Patients often feel relaxed during a treatment and sometimes even fall asleep.

 

I also do NON INSERTIVE acupuncture for children.  They love it.  Their points are brushed with a special instrument, and they find it soothing and relaxing.  Children respond very quickly and well to acupuncture.  If they’re doing NAET, they don’t even need any acupuncture if they’re under age 10.

 

 

WHAT IS THE FIRST SESSION LIKE?

 

The first session is about 1 ¼ hours.  It’s where you tell me about your main complaints. I ask lots of seemingly unrelated questions and then come up with an Oriental medical diagnosis and treatment plan.   We get to a short treatment after this.  In follow up sessions, which are 1 hour, you can get right on the table and start relaxing.  We check in and get to a treatment right away.

 

If we’re doing NAET,  in addition to telling me about your main complaints, I’ll use muscle testing to test your response to a series of substances in small vials.  If your arm is strong while you’re holding the vial, your body’s energy is flowing and there’s no allergy.  If your arm is weak while holding a certain vial, it indicates an allergy or adverse response to that substance.  Energy stops flowing through channels when the body is having an allergic reaction, because the immune system is setting up blocks or firewalls trying to keep that substance out and/or expel it from the body.  This makes the arm muscles weak, and also creates the symptoms of allergic reaction or chronic ill health.