What can I expect at the first visit?

At the first visit, your practitioner will go through you or your child’s complete medical history, come up with a treatment plan, and give your first acupuncture treatment (with or without needles for children). The first visit is about 2 hours in length for adults, including an acupuncture treatment, and approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes for children. Based on your medical history and current symptoms we will offer a variety of recommendations for treatment. These can include any combination of acupuncture, Chinese herbs, homeopathic remedy, diet and nutritional advice & supplements, and lifestyle advice.

How long are follow up appointments?

Follow up visits are 30 minutes for pediatric appointments including consultation and treatment. Follow up visits are 1 hour and 15 minutes for adult follow up appointments including consultation, exam, and treatment. If a patient is having cupping at their acupuncture session, please add 30 minutes to the visit.

Does Acupuncture hurt?

Many people are concerned about the sensation of needles before trying acupuncture for the first time. And almost everyone is surprised at how gentle and easy it is. Acupuncture is normally a painless treatment. At times, you may feel a pricking sensation with the insertion of the needle, but this sensation should subside almost immediately. Other feelings you may have during your treatment can be heaviness, tingling, or electric sensations at the site of the needle, which are normal feelings of “qi” moving through body. Most people experience a deep sense of relaxation and calmness during the treatment, and discover how simple and enjoyable it is to receive acupuncture.

How many acupuncture treatment sessions will I need?

How many treatments will depend on the nature of one’s symptoms, how long someone has had them, and the severity or complexity of a patient’s condition. Most adult patients will require an average 4-12 weekly visits to begin, and should reassess as treatment progresses. For pediatric patients please consult with your practitioner on his or her first visit to determine what to expect in terms of length of treatment.

Do I need to take herbs and supplements? Do they taste bad?

Often we will recommend an herbal formula to complement and augment a patient's acupuncture treatment. Chinese herbs help to treat a large variety of imbalances in the body and can help speed up the process of recovery. Most commonly we will offer Chinese herbal pills, powders, or raw herbs that are cooked at home. Depending on one's lifestyle and budget, we can determine which kind of right for you. Chinese herbal pills have the benefit of being inexpensive and easy to take, while still being incredibly effective, and are the most common herbs we prescribe. They are generally flavorless, and the best option for someone very sensitive to flavor. Raw herbs & powders have the great benefit of being able to create formulas as we want them, and are used usually for more acute situations when we would like a stronger effect to begin a patient’s treatment. Depending on your symptoms, your acupuncturist will make recommendations on what might be best for you, and you can decide together on which option is most suitable. .