How Does Acupuncture Work?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, your overall health is determined by the quality of the Qi (vital energy) that flows through the natural pathways of your body (meridians). In Western Medicine, this correlates with health of the nervous system, circulatory system, groupings of muscles and fascia and the overall functioning of the organ system.
Acupuncture uses a variety of techniques, including placing very thin sterile needles into specific points on the body, to stimulate and improve your Qi flow (blood flow and circulation). By optimizing blood flow throughout your body and retraining your nervous system, acupuncture helps your body to heal naturally while improving wellness and increasing vitality.
At it’s core, acupuncture was founded on the Buddhist principle that “Every Human being is the Author of his own Health or Disease”- in other words, each of us possess our own natural healing abilities within us. Every human body desires to exist in an instinctive state of homeostasis. When you experience disease, pathology, pain, or emotional disharmony, this is a sign that your body’s natural state has been tipped out of balance. Acupuncture helps restore your mind, body and spirit to a natural state of equilibrium.
Do The Needles Hurt?
During acupuncture treatment, hair-fine pins are gently inserted into the surface of the skin to stimulate the nervous and circulatory systems. There will be some associated sensation, which is actually good because it facilitates the triggering of the nervous system and sends the appropriate signals to the brain. You may notice a pinching feeling as the needle is inserted. This is followed by the sensation immediately beginning to lessen and relax. Often after the needle is placed you may not even notice the needle is in. If a needle continues to have a strong sensation, this can be immediately lessened by a gentle adjustment.
Some patients feel a distinct energetic sensation, tingling or heaviness from the location of the needles, while others feel nothing. Either way, this is not indicative of the treatment’s effectiveness. The needles are typically left in place for about 30 minutes, although specific treatments may dictate a longer or shorter amount of time. Needles used are sterile, disposable and used just once. After treatment, the needles are then discarded, eliminating any risk of infection.
Acupuncture treatment naturally settles your nervous system. Most of us are running around with our nervous systems in a sympathetic state or in ‘fight or flight’ mode. Acupuncture relaxes your body and puts it into a parasympathetic state, or ‘rest and digest’. Clients often fall asleep on the table, or simply relax into a very comfortable and tranquil state.
What Should I Expect On My First Visit?
Donna will assess and treat you individually, taking into account your specific health condition, needs and goals. The initial visit can take up to 90 minutes and includes a thorough health history and treatment. Return visits are scheduled for an hour. You will have the opportunity to discuss your progress and any new concerns.
To ready yourself for acupuncture, please have on clothing that that you can rest comfortably in. Your shirtsleeves need to be able to pull just above your elbows and your pant legs just above your knees. I specialize in a distal style of acupuncture, which means that I typically do not treat at the site of pain. You will be lying comfortably on a heated table, face up.
Many patients drift into a very relaxed state and may even fall asleep. The treatment table is heated, the lights are turned down, there is optional relaxing music- the perfect environment for a tranquil moment in your day, while your body repairs and renews.
How Many Visits Will I Need?
Everyone has a different rate of response to acupuncture depending on a person’s age and state of health and how long they have had the problem we are treating (older problems can take longer to treat). Often acupuncture results don’t show up until the second, third or even eighth visit. This doesn’t mean change is not happening, it is often culminating just below the surface. Completing an initial series of 3-4 treatments is the easiest way to determine rate of response and estimated outcome. When a patient is in a lot of pain or having an acute injury or illness, it is common to see them twice a week for several weeks.
Does Insurance Really Cover Acupuncture?
Many Insurance companies do cover acupuncture. We do not verify coverage or benefits. It is always a good idea to call the number on the back of your card yourself so you have all the information regarding your coverage and limitations.
