Below you will find the answers to some of the most common questions we hear in our practice every day.
The needles:
Surgical grade stainless steal, never reusable, always disposable, ultra-thin of various lengths.
Does it hurt:
Acupuncture is best described as weird. In a good way. Warm, tingley, heavy, cool, … weird. That is the common denominator, everyone has a slightly different experience. Sometimes a patient may feel a slight poke. Sometimes none at all. It is certainly easy to take, we see young children have no problems with the treatment.
What to expect:
There is no universal experience as each patient is different. That said, we emphasize that the patient ultimately is the boss and treatment can be tailored to a patient’s needs. Patients come in, have a consultation if they are new patients, or review how they are doing if they are returning patients. Then the treatment may be face up on the treatment table, face down, or often both in one visit. (Occasionally, a patient will be seated or on their side, if the situation calls for it). The time spent during treatment also depends on the condition and will typically range from fifteen minutes up to an hour. More is not necessarily better, and less is not necessarily worse.
When it is over, patients often feel deeply relaxed, in fact many patients come specifically because it calms their anxiety and relieves their stress.
Is one visit enough/how many visits will it take: How long is a piece of string? Some patients feel immediate relief after their first visit. Other patients with chronic conditions require long term care to help manage their condition, and are happy to receive it. We treat a large variety of conditions and every case is different. With that in mind, remember we are not injecting anything or cutting anything out. Like all other forms of therapy it can take some time to see dramatic changes, all though we have seen some amazing results with some challenging patients surprisingly quickly.
How Acupuncture Works:
Acupuncture points are areas of designated electrical sensitivity. Inserting needles at these points stimulates various sensory receptors that, in turn, stimulate nerves that transmit impulses to the hypothalamic-pituitary system at the base of the brain.
The hypothalamus-pituitary glands are responsible for releasing neurotransmitters and endorphins, the body’s natural pain-killing hormones. It is estimated that endorphins are 200 times more potent than morphine. Endorphins also play a big role in the functioning of the hormonal system. This is why acupuncture works well for back pain and arthritis and also for P.M.S. and infertility.
The substances released as a result of acupuncture not only relax the whole body, they regulate serotonin in the brain which plays a role in human and animal disposition. This is why depression is often treated with acupuncture.
Some of the physiological effects observed throughout the body include increased circulation, decreased inflammation, relief from pain, relief of muscle spasms and increased T-cell count which stimulates the immune system.
How often:
See above. It all depends on what the patient has going on.
Safety:
It sure is safe. In the hands of a qualified and experienced professional, acupuncture is extremely safe.
Cupping:
They may be glass or plastic and of various sizes. It’s all about increasing circulation of blood and lymph. The bruising that is left over cause platelets to aggregate and with them come white blood cells and other healing factors. Usually used for musculo-skeletal complaints or upper/lower respiratory issues. The key issue is that of bruising. Cups often leave bruises. They are superficial and not painful. The treatment can be tailored to minimize this effect. We will ask you if this is a concern every time.
