Does it hurt?
The
acupuncture needles are
typically not much
thicker than a human
hair. They are not like
the needles used to draw
blood or give shots. In
some instances, you
won’t feel it at all.
Other times, there may
be a tingling, warmth,
heaviness, or a
pressure. At worst, it
might feel like a
mosquito bite. Most
people find acupuncture
very relaxing and
actually fall asleep
during treatments.
Does
it work?
Acupuncture
works for approximately
80% of the people.
Success may be reduction
or elimination of pain,
improved strengthen and
stamina, lessening or
elimination of the
problem. The World
Health Organization
lists over 40 conditions
in which it recognizes
acupunctures’
effectiveness. (See the
page "Conditions
Appropriate for
Acupuncture Therapy").
How does it work?
The ancient Chinese
observed that certain
points of the body
helped certain
conditions. These were
first taught from one
generation to the next,
and then written in
books. The oldest book
was written in 221 B.C.
So acupuncture has been
practiced for 2500 to
5000 years; no one is
sure just how long. This
ancient Chinese people
were an agricultural
society, so they
described their theories
of the body the way they
saw the land. Heat,
cold, dampness, dryness,
and wind all made their
effects known. The basic
theory says that Qi (an
energy force or life
force) moves through the
body in pathways called
meridians. Any blockage
of these pathways will
cause problems (like a
beaver building a dam in
the river will cause
problems). The goal of
acupuncture is to clear
any blockages and allow
the pathways to flow
free and full of Qi.
Modern western medicine
does not yet have the
technology to observe
these meridians with our
current machines. Just
as we once thought atoms
were the smallest
particles, with advance
technology we have now
seen the smaller
particles that make up
atoms. Whether or not we
advance technologically
to explain the theories
of Chinese medicine in
western medical terms,
the fact remains that
this is the oldest
continually practiced
medicine in the world.
This is because it
works. If it didn’t
work, it would not have
lasted so long – we
don’t continue doing
things that don’t work –
we change. This has
remained essentially the
same over all these
centuries.
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Is
acupuncture safe?
When
performed by a
competently trained,
licensed professional,
acupuncture is extremely
safe. The needles are
prepackaged, disposable
and sterile. They are
used one time and then
put into a medical
hazardous waste
container.
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What is a treatment
like?
Acupuncture,
the gentle insertion of
very small sterile,
disposable, needles
stimulates specific
points along the
meridians. As the flow
of energy is released,
the natural balance of
Qi is restored, and the
body is allowed to heal
and recover. When the
needles are inserted you
may experience a
sensation of tingling or
warmth. People usually
find the treatments to
be relaxing.
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How long do
treatments last?
The initial
visit can take
approximately 1 1/2 -2
hours due the extensive
history and questions
required to assess the
problems. The follow up
treatments usually take
about an hour.
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How many treatments
will I need?
It depends upon
the nature, duration,
and severity of your
complaint. Treatment
protocol and duration
are as individual as
each of you. Treatments
are scheduled according
to the nature of your
conditions and as
improvement takes place,
fewer visits are needed.
You may need only
several for an acute
condition, while five to
twelve treatments will
usually resolve more
chronic problems. Some
very long-term and
degenerative conditions
may require several
additional treatments
over a period of time.
The length and frequency
of treatment will vary
for each individual and
will be determined by
your Acupuncturist or
Doctor of Oriental
Medicine.
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How deep do the needles
go?
That depends
upon the nature of the
problem, the location of
the points selected, the
patient's size, age, and
constitution.
Herbal Medicine
uses plants to treat
health care concerns. An
herbal prescription
consists of one to
twenty herbs taken as
tea, tablet, or
tinctures and has many
synergistic benefits
when combined with
acupuncture. The clinic
offers non-invasive
saliva testing for
hormonal imbalances and
natural hormonal
treatment along with
nutritional counseling
and anti-aging
therapies.
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Safety usually
concerns the sterility
of the needles. Most
Practitioners today use
only pre-sterilized,
disposable needles.
Nationally Board
Certified practitioners
comply with strict rules
for needle
sterilization.
Acupuncture and
medicinal herbs are safe
medical procedures and
are well known for their
efficacy and lack of
side effects when
administered by a
qualified practitioner.
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How did you get
interested?
I first learned about
acupuncture in 1985.
I had treatments
by the Acupuncturist for
the Dallas Cowboys then
and have stayed with it
since.
I’ve always
preferred natural ways
of doing things: foods,
medicines, etc. This
treatment method takes
into account the whole
person including
physical, emotional, and
spiritual. Even our
ancient books talk about
the emotional components
of disease. The methods
used to restore
imbalances are minimally
invasive (acupuncture)
and use whole herbs - as
nature gave them to us.
The method does not
attempt to improve on
the natural substances
by just using the active
ingredients – but
formulates mixtures of
‘the real thing’, tried
and tested over
thousands of years. It
really works and with
very little or no side
effects because of this.
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How
do I find an
acupuncturist?
Prospective patients
should ask about the
training and experience
of the practitioner.
Acupuncture is a
licensed and regulated
health care profession
in over 40 states in the
U.S. In Pennsylvania,
the Board of Medicine
regulates
acupuncturists.
Nationally, the National
Commission for the
Certification of
Acupuncture & Oriental
Medicine (NCCAOM)
certifies both
acupuncturists and
Chinese herbal
practitioners.
Acupuncturists who have
passed the NCCAOM exam
are entitled to add
Dipl. Ac. (Diplomate of
Acupuncture) after their
name.
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Is it covered by
insurance?
While our
office does no third
party billing at this
time, many insurance
companies across the
country currently cover
acupuncture treatments.
Most insurers pay only
for NCCAOM Certified
Practitioner services.
Check with your carrier
to determine your
coverage.
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Certification,
licensure, and
registration of
Acupuncture and Oriental
Medicine vary from state
to state. The NCCAOM
(National Commission for
the Certification of
Acupuncture and Oriental
Medicine) has
established standards to
practice. Most states
use the NCCAOM
examination to meet
licensing requirements,
while a few states such
as California administer
their own exam. You can
be assured that an
NCCAOM Board Certified
practitioner has met
both highest of
educational requirements
and the passing of
arduous examinations.
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