FAQ

Your initial visit will cover two one hour appointments that are within 7 days of each other this way we have time to gather the information we need and ask each other questions with time to think.  In these two sessions you will also receive two treatments.

Being an acupuncturist is a bit like being a medical detective, once I have clear evidence I will formulate initial diagnosis and treatment strategy.

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In a 2001 study in the Journal of American Medicine the #1 side effect of Acupuncture noted in 86% of the patients was relaxation. Acupuncture is completely safe when conducted by a licensed practitioner. In New Hampshire, acupuncturists are required to attend a rigorous Masters Degree program, and pass national board exams, and apply for a state license prior to practicing. Although there are typically no side effects to acupuncture, a patient should be forthcoming in disclosing any medical conditions. I promote the highest standards of safety by complying with OSHA regulations, practicing universal precautions, following clean needle techniques, and using only stainless steel, sterile, disposable needles.

It is true that other side effects have been noted, according to the World Health Organization,published August 2010."The most common adverse events of this type were local pain from needling (range: 1.1-2.9%) and slight bleeding or haematoma (range: 2.1-6.1%). In a prospective observational study of 190 924 patients, the incidence of serious adverse events (death, organ trauma or hospital admission) was about 0.024%".5

I agree with the Mayo Clinic and Harvard Health if you 

• Have a bleeding disorder. Your chances of bleeding or bruising from the needles increase if you have a bleeding disorder or if you're taking blood thinners.

• Have a pacemaker. Electro-acupuncture that involves applying mild electrical pulses to the needles can interfere with a pacemaker's operation.

• Are pregnant. Some types of acupuncture are thought to stimulate labor, which could result in a premature delivery.

These three conditions do not exclude you from the benefits of acupuncture, they just mean we need to be good at communicating with one another.

I know what I need to do to keep you safe.

As part of my education I am certified in clean needle techniques and therefore only use needles that are pre-sterilized, pre-packaged, and disposable. The needles are solid, very thin and very smooth and sharp for quick painless insertions. Each needle is used only one time and deposited in a hard plastic bio-hazard container, to ensure safe disposal.

2,500 years ago when Traditional Chinese Medicine was developing, practitioners did not have microscopes, diagnostic imaging, and labs so practitioners learned to "read" the body. 

Information about the function of the body was found by feeling the quality of the pulse, looking for the color and coating of the tongue, palpating the abdomen for sore spots, and asking questions about the stool and urine.

Today all of these skills are still used and are very important in helping your acupuncturist to properly diagnose your condition. In tongue, pulse and abdomen diagnosis, different areas of the tongue, pulse, and abdomen relate to various organ systems in the body.

For example, a thick white coating on the tongue indicates an internal cold, so appropriate points would be chosen to help the body expel the cold. You can assist me in making the best possible diagnosis by not scraping your tongue, or eating anything that may stain it prior to your visit, and by paying attention to your stool and urine for a few days prior to your visit.

That very question is very question is being researched all over the world right now as more and more people are finding acupuncture to be effective for their condition. In fact random control trials in acupuncture is one of the fastest growing field of research. How it works can be answered from two points of view.

In the tradition of Chinese medicine theory, Acupuncturist see the in tune with Nature. Being made up of the same elements as the world around us the body is a universe within a universe. The vital energy (Qi) that flows throughout Nature also flows through the human body. Acupuncture works primarily by promoting the free movement of Qi energy, which acts to balance and harmonize the body. When the meridians of the body are flowing freeling the maximum potential of the body is working and the body can heal itself.  

Through another lens, Western (bio-medical) scientific research has shown that acupuncture causes the production of the morphine-like pain suppressing molecules in the body called endorphins, our bodies natural pain reliever. However, acupuncture is used for many other conditions besides pain. In more recent studies, functional MRI studies are showing that when an acupuncture needle is inserted into the body, specific regions of the brain are activated. This brain activation allows for the modulation of molecules such as neurotransmitters and hormones. Collectively scientific research has shown that acupuncture can modulate all the primary systems in the body including the nervous, endocrine, endocannabinoid, and immune systems. Current research is aimed at understanding exactly how this happens, and the nature and specific usage of the various acupuncture points for different medical conditions.

Acupuncture needles are much thinner than the regular needles used to inject substances like vaccines or insulin. In fact, the needles are so fine, a bundle can fit inside a hypodermic needle.

When an acupuncture needle is inserted into the skin many patients feel only a mild sensation - or nothing at all! The amount of sensation varies between different point locations on the body and different people's sensitivity level. It is essentially a painless experience, and is not stressful, even for people who dislike needles.

With those with an extraordinary fear of needles and children under 7, I use other effective, non-needle methods to activate the acupuncture points.

We will start with the initial two no more than 7 days apart, and then determine the  number of treatments required by the nature of the complaint, your underlying health and how responsive your body is to treatment. 

For many complaints, especially acute conditions, 2 treatments per week for the first 2-4 weeks is optimal. At least one every 5-7 days for 6 treatments will either dramatically improve what ails you or will give us vital information to help you pick a more appropriate course of action. 

Some folks continue treatment on a monthly basis to prevent illness. Optimally you will see me at the turn of every season recognizing that are bodies are in tune to Nature. This is in keeping with one of the most fundamental and basic philosophies of Chinese medicine, prevention is better than cure.

• Acupuncture: very fine needles placed gently in the skin
• Cupping: glass or plastic cups that create suction on your skin
• Gua Sha: gentle scraping of the skin with a smooth edge tool 
• Herbs: teas, powders, and capsules made mostly from plants
• Meditation: a way to sit quietly and calm your mind
• Moxibustion: dried herbs burned near the skin
• Tai chi exercise/ Qi Gong: with slow movements and focus on the breath
• Electro Acupuncture: clips are attached to the inserted acupuncture needle and a small amount of electrical current is used to stimulate the point/ tissue at the site of insertion

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/patient/acupuncture-pdq for patients

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/cam/hp/acupuncture-pdq for health care practitioners

If you are currently seeing me I will tell you at the end of every appointment the optimal time between visits.  Remember to bring your calendar and you can book your next appointment with Lauren or Caryl before you leave. If we are just getting started working on symptoms I will ask you to return once a week for 3-6 weeks. As symptoms clear you will notice that your treatments "hold" for longer and longer time. At this point we will move to every other or every third week, then once a month then once a quarter. I highly recommend everyone have an acupuncture tune-up at least once a season, especially right before a seasonal change whether they are feeling particular symptoms or not. The best doctors treat preventatively to keep the body, mind, and spirit strong and full of vitality.

Yes! See DIY page for some simple things you can do to improve your health with Eastern Medicine!