WHAT CAN I EXPECT?
What can I expect during an acupuncture session?
The initial one hour telehealth consultation & intake includes a complete “head-to-toe” survey of the body and all its systems, discussion of the patient’s main complaint & concerns, and lifestyle & dietary evaluation. This telehealth appointment is followed up by the intial in-office 90 minute acupuncture treatment in the same week. At this appointment palpation of the radial pulses & abdomen, and tongue diagnosis will occur to corroborate or adjust findings from the telehealth intake. After gathering all this valuable information, a deeper understanding of the patient’s situation is possible and a diagnosis according Chinese Medical principles can be established. With this diagnosis in place, an individualized treatment plan can be determined that will address what treatment techniques are appropriate, how frequent treatments need to be, how long a course of treatment may be, and what lifestyle and dietary changes can be implemented to enhance the effect of the acupuncture & adjunct treatment techniques.
The in-office 90 minute acupuncture treatment consists of the insertion of thin, sterile, disposable needles into the points on the appropriate meridians. Usually the patient may feel nothing at all or a slight pinch, followed by a tingling, warm, heavy sensation. The needles are left in the body for ten to fifty minutes, during which most people feel a heightened level of relaxation. This longer session allows for time to work on both the front and back of the body. Symptomatic relief may occur immediately or may take longer depending on the severity and duration of the condition.
Course of treatment depends on the nature of the disease and the patient’s general health. Treatments may be scheduled as often as several times per week, or as little as once per month. As a rule, more acute conditions usually resolve quickly, and more chronic conditions may require sustained treatment.