Preparing for your appointment
Wear loose, comfortable clothing
during treatment we prefer you to wear your own clothing, exposing only what skin is necessary for treatment
shirts that provide easy access to at least your elbows
shorts or pants with legs that can be pulled up to expose your knees
one piece garments are discouraged because they limit access to your abdomen
if your clothing is not accommodating to your treatment, a treatment gown is available for you to change into
Eat something before you come
acupuncture treatments utilize your own qi to initiate the healing process, your qi comes from the food that you eat and the air that you breathe
eating something light and nourishing an hour or two before your appointment usually provides the best results
Bring a list of current medications and supplements
please include dosage amount and frequency
while acupuncture doesn't have any contraindications with medications per se, the medications and supplements you take do have an effect on the overall health landscape that we are looking at, knowing what you are taking helps us to understand your pattern more clearly
it is not uncommon for patients complaints to be side effects of medications they are taking, acupuncture can help your medications work better for you by reducing your side effects
What to expect at your appointment
For your first appointment you will fill out some medical history paperwork followed by an in depth interview with your acupuncturist, so we ask that you arrive about 15 minutes before your first scheduled appointment so you can get the paperwork filled out before we start. We will discuss not only the issue that brought you in for your appointment, but your health in general and how you experience life in general. Your acupuncturist will also make a physical assessment by feeling your pulses, observing your complexion and tongue, and feeling acupuncture points as indicated by other signs and symptoms. While Western biomedicine sees the body as a machine with parts that are working or not, Chinese medicine sees the body as a garden to be cultivated and managed in harmony with the seasons. This initial interview allows us to get a lay of the land that is you and have a clear vision of the direction you want to grow in. This interview will take about 30 to 40 minuets. You will then be allowed a few moments to rest while the acupuncturist checks on other patients and formulates your treatment plan for you. The acupuncturist will then come back and place the acupuncture needles or perform other treatments. You will rest with the needles in for 20 to 40 minuets. The acupuncturist will come and check on you periodically during your treatment to make sure everything remains comfortable. When your treatment is done your needles will be removed and your acupuncturist will perform a brief post-treatment assessment before sending you on your way.
Subsequent appointments will start with a 10-15 minuet assessment to determine the success of the previous treatment and determine what should change for your current treatment. The rest of your appointment will proceed similarly to your first visit.
Cancelation Policy
Please arrive to your appointment on time. Patients who are more then 15 minutes late to their appointment might not be able to be accommodated the day of their appointment and may need to be rescheduled for another time. Please contact us at least 24 hours to cancel or reschedule your appointment. We enforce a strict cancellation policy and you will be charged the full amount for your scheduled appointment time if cancellation or rescheduling is less then 24 hours. Thank you for your time and understanding.