What to expect on your first acupuncture session
If you've never had acupuncture before, I know it can be nerve wracking and exciting because it is so different from visiting your medical doctor.
If you come see me, you'll come in, fill out some paperwork and then we'll have a thorough discussion about why you came in. You'll choose 1 or 2 things you'd like to treat and you'll tell me how and when it started and I'll ask you some basic overall wellness questions that I ask everyone.
If you're here for what I consider an "internal" issue, like insomnia, PMS, PCOS, irregular menstruation, a cold, digestion problems, anxiety, low energy, poor focus, quit smoking, etc then I will check your tongue and feel your pulse. In eastern medicine, we ask lots of questions and make observations that we use as parts of puzzle to come up with your unique pattern. Based on the pattern your presenting with, I will then choose the appropriate acupuncture points for you.
If you are in pain, I will palpate (feel) your body to find tender areas that may need to be treated. At the end, I might do some cupping, gua sha (gentle scraping with a tool to relieve pain and stagnation), or mild massage. Aromatherapy and soft music are always on to help you relax.
Depending on the severity of your condition, treatments will be scheduled 1-3 times a week for several weeks. As you get better, the treatments may be spaced a week or two apart. All pain patients, who have recovered fully, schedule maintenance visits once every 4 weeks to keep their bodies flexible and pain free.
For rates click here.