How does Chinese Medicine work?

Chinese Medical Theory views the human body as a system of interconnected pathways or meridians (rivers). These meridians form a web throughout the whole body and are responsible for circulating your energy (Qi) to all your organs, tissues and systems.

Simply put, imagine a healthy river. A river with abundant and freely flowing waters. When it flows properly, it is clean and free of debris. Its waters nourish and cleanse everything near its path. This river supports healthy ecosystems. Now imagine a river that is blocked by garbage and debris. This river is stagnant and unhealthy. Its slow moving waters encourage disease and excessive plant growth. The two are very different.

Chinese medicine views your body as a system of rivers that function optimally when they are flowing freely. If a energy meridian (river) is stagnant, it creates pain and disease.

Acupuncture and herbal medicine restore the balance to the flow of your rivers, returning your body to a healthy and vital state.

"Does Chinese Medicine/Acupuncture provide lasting results?"

YES! Chinese medicine addresses the underlying cause of disease, not merely the symptoms. When the cause of the problem is corrected, the results are long-lasting or permanent.

"How does a treatment feel?"

People often ask if acupuncture is painful. The thin needles used in an acupuncture treatment are much smaller than hypodermic needles used for injections. When a needle is properly inserted, it creates a sensation of pressure, much like someone pressing that spot with their thumb. There is generally little to no pain. Once the needles are in place, treatments are often so relaxing people fall asleep or report falling into a dreamlike, or meditative state. In this state of relaxation your body has the opportunity to heal. After the treatment, you leave feeling relaxed and renewed, like the weight of the world has been taken off your shoulders.

"Do you have to believe in Acupuncture for it to work?"

No. You can be completely and utterly skeptical and still get positive results using acupuncture. Some people only turn to acupuncture when they have tried everything else. The treatment will still work and you will be pleasantly surprised. We welcome your concerns, it is a foreign concept after all.

"How many treatments will I need?"

The number of treatment needed varies wildly according to the condition. Generally, we recommend a course of 4-8 treatments, with weekly visits. Chronic illnesses may require longer treatment and acute problems generally respond much faster. Occasional treatments throughout the year are usually recommended to maintain good health.

"How long does a session take?"

The first treatment generally lasts between 60- 90 minutes. This first treatment includes a detailed intake, answering questions, acupuncture and getting comfortable with one another. Follow up treatments are generally 60 minutes and include a discussion of your progress, acupuncture, and possible herbal prescription.

"Do the needles hurt?"

Acupuncture needles are very thin(about the size of a single hair) and are inserted quickly to avoid the sensation of pain. Sometimes there is a mild discomfort felt upon the insertion of the needles. Once the needles are in place, the patient usually does not notice them. And many people report not feeling anything.

"Are the needles disposable?"

YES. We use only one time use disposable needles. We are committed to using a very high quality needle that is painless and safe.

"Are there alternatives to needles?"

Yes, we carefully assess your condition and your comfort with needles. Generally, with children and elderly people we use acu-pressure (instead of needles, we use ours hands), Qigong (energy work), herbal medicine, or tuning forks( similar to tuning forks used with instruments, the music or sound frequency is deeply healing)

"Is Acupuncture covered by insurance?"

It depends on your policy. Due to public demand, more and more health insurance companies are covering acupuncture . Chinese Medicine is the number one most requested form of alternative medicine by policy holders. We willingly accept insurance, just ask us to check on your policy.

"Is there proven scientific research about acupuncture?"

Yes, please refer to our links page for web information, or come into our office and access our library of information.