Acupuncture:
One of the T.C.M. concepts is qi (pronounced "chi"), which is considered a vital force or energy. Qi flows through the body via channels, or pathways, called meridians. Imbalances in the flow of qi cause illness; correction of this flow restores the body to balance. Acupuncture restores the balance, thus allowing for the normal flow of qi throughout the body and restoring health to the mind and body. I use the finest quality, needles on the market. These needles are sterilized, single-use and disposable. Our approach is to use the fewest needles possible to achieve therapeutic results while ensuring that treatments are comprehensive and effective. Depending upon your preferences and the conditions being treated, modalities consist of varying combinations of acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, cupping, Tuina. Your treatments will take place on a comfortable massage table. Your acupuncturist will need to be able to get to various parts of your body and limbs so be sure to wear loose-fitting clothes. In some cases, you may need to partially or fully disrobe, in which case, we will provide a gown for you to change into (Attractive? No. Effective? Yes.) Needles are typically retained for approx. 20 minutes while you rest comfortably. What is the experience like? The psychological effect of acupuncture is to suspend time and space allowing healing to take place. The result is an induced meditation of which you are in complete control. The sensation is almost always extremely pleasant and profoundly enjoyable. Many clients have told me that the state of consciousness that they reach during acupuncture sessions is one of the most satisfying experiences of their lives. During your session you may choose to sleep, meditate or relax by listening to the music. What should I expect after treatment? Your relief may be immediate or delayed up to 48 hours. Relief may last for a few hours after the first visit and then last longer with each successive treatment. The speed of your response to treatment varies depending upon the severity of the presenting symptoms, your internal reserves of strength and your unique sensibilities. |
What are the side effects?
Side effects are occasional and mild and may include the following symptoms: light-headedness, sleepiness, euphoria, slight nausea, mild bruising, and residual muscle aching. Any of these should last only a short time. It is helpful to take a short nap after acupuncture or to doze off for the last half of your treatment. On rare occasions symptoms may briefly get worse after a treatment. Sometimes a flare-up occurs later on the day of your treatment and may last for an hour or more and then improvement and relief follow. In some conditions, the body must fully expel a pathogen in order for healing to occur. For example, if you have a cold or 'flu, acupuncture can help destroy the pathogen attacking your respiratory system so that the natural course of the cold or 'flu is shortened. If you are fatigued and have only recently been attacked by a pathogen, acupuncture can help your body strengthen its defensive capacity to ward it off. I can put together a unique formula for you based upon your specific symptoms to shorten the course of the cold. I can then create a separate formula based upon your constitution to build up your immune response to the incoming viral microbial or bacterial pathogens so that you're less likely to get a cold or 'flu in the future. The best approach is to begin treatment as soon as possible after an illness or an injury occurs. The sooner you seek help, the easier the problem is to treat. For severe or longstanding problems, weekly treatments may be required for months in order to have a curative effect. Recoveries from a serious accident or a stroke fall into this category. |
Your Treatment Plan:
As part of your first visit, I would have discussed with you a proposed course of treatment. Since individuals and the conditions they present with vary, it may be difficult to state definitively at the time of your first visit how many treatments will be required. In general, acute conditions of recent onset only require 2 or 3 treatments. A nasty case of sinusitis with headache is a good example. Chronic conditions usually require more treatments to achieve sustained results. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and long-standing neck pain are examples of chronic conditions. With chronic conditions, I usually recommend an initial course of 4-6 treatments in order to make a better assessment of whether or not acupuncture will help the condition. Most people begin to experience results within the first two treatments. If there has been no response to the acupuncture after 4 - 6 treatments, Chinese Medicine may not be adequate and other approaches should be considered. If you are being treated for menstrual problems or infertility, give the treatments three menstrual cycles for your body to respond. We will schedule your appointments further and further apart after you have achieved optimal response in order to insure that the issue is sorted. Treatments may be scheduled two or three times a week for the first week or two weeks in the beginning to obtain optimal response. Treatments may then be scheduled once or twice a week for the next two or three weeks depending on the severity of the condition and the strength of your response. Most people who begin acupuncture and Chinese medicine are so satisfied with how they feel and how their health improves that they continue treatments once a month or once every couple of months is extremely useful as a preventive medicine . Clients who see Chinese medicine practitioners in conjunction with their western Medical Doctors and other healthcare professionals report their highest levels of satisfaction with Chinese medicine. Many of our clients see me once a month for a "tune up" to keep the momentum going and for a strong immune system. Traditional Chinese Medicine is extremely useful as a preventive medicine. |