What happens during an acupuncture treatment ?
Acupuncture therapy usually involves a series of weekly or biweekly treatments. Each visit typically includes an exam, an assessment of your current condition, and the application of needles. The first visit will typically last up to 90 minutes, and the follow up visits generally last up to 60 minutes.
Before the needles are placed, the patient will lie down on a comfortable surface. Depending on where the needles are to go, the patient will lie face down, face up or on their side. Single-use sterile packaged needles will be used. You may feel a brief, sharp sensation when the needle is inserted, but generally the procedure is not painful.
It is common, however, to feel a deep aching sensation when the needle reaches the correct depth. After placement, the needles are sometimes moved gently or stimulated with electricity or heat. As many as a dozen needles may need to be placed for each treatment. Once the needles are placed, they are usually left in place for at least 30 minutes.
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How can I get the most out of my treatments ?
The positive effects of acupuncture begin right away at your first visit, but can be temporary at first and any initial improvements may disappear hours or days. As we progress through a course of acupuncture therapy, the level of symptom relief and the time period of increased wellness following each treatment will become more pronounced, until your body holds the changes on its own. It is important to be consistent with frequent visits at the beginning of care in order to build momentum and hold on to the progress we make from visit to visit.
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How many acupuncture treatments do I need ?
We ask our patients to make a commitment to their acupuncture treatment and to have realistic expectations of this system of medicine. While some patients obtain quick relief from only a few visits, most patients require 2-6 weeks of 2 visits per week to make significant changes, followed by weekly visits for another 4-8 weeks to consolidate gains made and prevent relapse. While acute conditions may resolve within just a few visits, chronic conditions that have persisted for many years may take many treatments over a long period of time to completely resolve.
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Is acupuncture treatment safe ?
When done by a experienced acupuncturist, acupuncture is generally considered safe. Still, complications have resulted from inadequate sterilization of needles and from improper delivery of treatments. Acupuncture may not be safe if you have a bleeding disorder or if you are taking blood thinners.
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What is the traditional theory behind acupuncture ?
The meridian network is like a road map superimposed over the body with highways, secondary roads, on and off ramps, et cetera, running throughout the body. One could also think of it in terms of an energetic irrigation system carrying “Qi” (pronounced “chee”, meaning “vital energy”) to nourish all areas of the body. The smooth flow of Qi is essential for good health and for healing. When the flow of Qi becomes obstructed, like a knot in the garden hose, symptoms can occur. Restoring the flow of Qi through the meridians using acupuncture helps bring the body back into balance and facilitates the natural healing process.
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What is the scientific basis for acupuncture ?
Scientific research is attempting to understand the mechanism of acupuncture. At this point, researchers are able to measure activity in specific various body systems when an acupuncture needle is inserted: 1) increase in peripheral blood flow, 2) increase in the neural pain threshold, 3) release of neurochemicals similar to endorphins, 4) increase in T cells and other immune constituents, 5) increase activity at nerve “gates”. Thermal PET scans also show activity in the regions of the brain responsible for “pain” messages. However, the logic of
the meridian network continues to elude scientific observation.
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What diseases can be treated with Acupuncture ?
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Arthritis
Bursitis
Fibromyalgia and fasciitis
Neuropsychological Disorders
Anxiety
Bell’s Palsy / Facial Spasm
Depress
Insomnia
Paralysis / Stroke Rehabilitation
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Acid Reflux / Heartburn
Anorexia
Biliary colic
Bloating
Chemo / Radiation side effects
Cholecystitis, chronic, with acute exacerbation
Cholelithiasis
Chronic Duodenal Ulcer
Colitis
Constipation
Diarrhea / Dysentery, acute bacillary
Gastritis
Genito-Urinary Disorders
Bed Wetting (Children)
Chronic Bladder Infection
Ejaculation Dysfunction
Impotence
Incontinence
Kidney and Urinary Tract Stone
Low Sperm Count
Pregnancy and Gynecology Disorders
Dysmenorrhoea, primary
Female Infertility
Female Urethral Syndrome
Habitual Miscarriage
Heavy Menstruation
Irregular Menstruation
Labour pain
Cardiovascular Disorders
Arrhythmia
Cardiac Neurosis
Hyperlipaemia
Hypertension, essential
Hypotension, primary
Respiratory Disorders
Allergy
Bronchial Asthma
Dermatological Disorders
Acne Vulgaris
Herpes Zoster
Hives
Head, Eye, Ears, Nose, and Throat Disorders
Allergic Rhinitis
Conjunctivitis
Dental pain
Dizziness / Vertigo
Ear Ringing
Earaches
Epistaxis, simple (without generalized or
local disease)
Excessive Tear
Others
Cancer Pain
Chronic Fatigue
Pain due to endoscopic examination
Poor Memory
Muscle Spasms/ Sprain
Pain at: Neck, Shoulder, Back, Elbow, Hand/Wrist, Hip, Knee,Foot/Ankle, etc.
Tendonitis
Peripheral Neuritis
Post-Herpetic Neuralgia
Sciatica
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Gastroptosis
Gastrospasm
Hiccups
Indigestion / Digestion Weakness
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Nausea & Vomiting
Peptic ulcer
Rectal Inflammation
Sialism, drug-induced
Spastic Colon
Stomachache
Ulcerative Colitis, chronic
Male Sexual Dysfunction, non-organic
Neurological Bladder Dysfunction
Nocturnal Emissions
Prostate Disorders
Recurrent lower urinary-tract infection
Renal Colic
Retention of Urine, traumatic
Lactation, deficiency
Malposition of fetus
Menopause Syndromes
Menstrual Cramps
Morning Sickness
Premenstrual Syndrome
Pain in Thromboangiitis Obliterans
Palpitation
Raynaud’s Syndrome
Restlessness Leg Syndrome
Bronchitis
Cough
Neurodermatitis
Pruritus
Eye Dryness
Facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
Headache
Ménière Disease
Migraine
Poor Hearing
Sinusitis
Sore Throat
Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction
Post-Operative Pain
Quit Smoking
Weight Control