Have Questions About Acupuncture? Click on the Questions Below to be Taken to the Answers.
How does acupuncture work?
Is acupuncture good for ______ (fill in the blank with any ailment you can think of)?
Does acupuncture hurt?
Am I supposed to feel something in my leg when you put it in my hand?
How long is a treatment?
What do my pulses say?
Should I be doing something while I lay here?
Is it ok if I fall asleep?
What should I do after the treatment?
How many treatments do I need?
Will my insurance cover this?
How many needles will you use in my acupuncture treatment?
I know someone who would really benefit from acupuncture. Can I buy a gift certificate?
When can I book an appointment?
How does acupuncture work?
According to Chinese Medicine, the most basic cause of pain and dysfunction in the body is the stagnation of qi. Needles are inserted in strategic locations to move this stuck, or stagnant, qi. This is what you feel when the needles are inserted, and it’s a very unique feeling. Once movement is reestablished in your system, your body is able to enact its own natural healing mechanisms, which is the ideal method of recovery.
Is acupuncture good for ______ (fill in the blank with any ailment you can think of)?
Acupuncture is a complete system of medicine. Anything you go to your medical doctor for, you can see an acupuncturist for. But each have their relative strengths. If you coming down with a cold or flu, have chronic pain, allergies, digestive problems, menstrual pain, etc., try your acupuncturist. If you have been hit by a car, are having a heart attack or stroke, or having some other medical emergency, please, go to the emergency room. This is where western medicine definitely excels. There is a very large list of conditions that the World Health Organization has determined acupuncture to be very effective at treating.
You can check that out here:
http://www.acupuncturetoday.com/archives2004/oct/10amaro.html
At Ross Acupuncture, we specialize in the treatment of orthopedic acupuncture. That means neurological and musculo-skeletal pain and injury, chronic pain, and sports injuries. Anything that isn’t orthopedic in nature, we use mainly Chinese herbal formulas to treat them.
Does acupuncture hurt?
I’m not going to lie here. Yes, sometimes, for a moment. The needles are very thin, literally hair thin, and most of the time you may feel a very slight prick as it touches your skin. That feeling is very momentary, and sometimes you don’t even notice that.
Other times, especially on the hands and feet where there is more nerve supply, the needle may feel a little sharp, but again, that is fleeting. Taking a deep breath into your belly, and breathing out slowly will ease any needle insertion, and decreases the sensitivity of the needle dramatically. The point is to feel the needle sensation (also knows as “de qi”), and to prompt your body to make a change, though we want to do this as comfortably as possible. After the initial insertion, the more important sensations you may notice could be a tingling, radiating or dull heavy feeling. If I am working on deeper ligaments, or breaking up knots (trigger points) in muscles you may definitely feel a more prominent dull ache. This is good. This is the feeling of energy, or qi, moving, and this is the point (eesh, the pun) of acupuncture, to move qi. Once the qi can move, blood will follow. That new blood in the area is what starts the healing process.
Am I supposed to feel something in my leg when you put it in my hand?
This is a very common occurrence. The phrase “everything is connected” is very relevant to acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Treating an arm by putting needles in your leg is very common, or a head for a back, or shoulder for a hip. There are 6 major channels on each side of the body. Just one will run from the very end of your toes, up your legs and torso, to the top of your head, then back down to the tips of your fingers. If I put a needle in your ankle, you may very well feel a tingling qi sensation in your wrist.
How long is a treatment?
Acupuncture needles stay in the body 20-30 minutes. This is the amount of time it takes for qi to make a complete circuit through an acupuncture channel. There is always an intake involved before the acupuncture needles are put in, which includes questioning and pulse taking. The initial appointment will last 60-90 minutes, a follow up appointment lasts 45 minutes to an hour.
What do my pulses say?
Pulse taking in Chinese Medicine is a major diagnostic tool. We use this mostly when we are prescribing Chinese herbal formulas. It is much more than counting beats per minute. The radial artery on the wrist (thumb side) is felt with the first three fingers. Each finger is a different location, representing a different body system, and each location has three different depths. The quality of the pulse (the feeling of the pulse) at each location and depth is assessed, and in conjunction with the patient’s symptoms, a diagnosis is made. This diagnosis is what determines the treatment plan and guides the placement of the acupuncture needles.
Should I be doing something while I lay here?
During acupuncture the best thing to do is absolutely nothing. There is usually a deep feeling of relaxation that occurs during acupuncture. The body will switch out of the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight), and into the parasympathetic system (rest and digest). This is the nervous system that needs to be functioning for self healing to occur, and it does naturally when we sleep. Allowing this to occur is the best thing to do, which doesn’t take any effort on your part. This is disrupted if you are scrolling your phone.
Is it ok if I fall asleep?
Yes! This is the best sleep you are going to get. If your conscious mind and all it’s thoughts and worries and plans are out of the way, your body can work much more efficiently to reestablish a natural healthy state.
What should I do after the treatment?
It’s best to not overexert after getting acupuncture, as in going to the gym and working up a big sweat. It’s also best to stay warm, eat cooked, warm, nourishing foods after acupuncture. Taking a gentle walk, drinking some warm tea is nice after a treatment. But otherwise, continuing regular activities or going to work is fine. You may find you are much less stressed, and able to perform better. You may also feel very tired, a nap or going to bed early is also recommended.
How many treatments do I need?
This is very dependent on the condition and the individual, but I usually like to start with 6 to 8 treatments as a baseline. For very acute problems, where treatment is started right away, 3-5 treatments over 2-3 weeks may be all we need. For long term and chronic issues, a good guideline is a month of weekly treatments for every year you have had a problem. After about 4-6 treatments, we should know if you are being helped by acupuncture. Sometimes it takes a little bit of trial and error to really hone in on your diagnosis. More often, we know very quickly if it’s helping, because you are feeling better. When a condition has been sufficiently helped and weekly treatment is no longer necessary, I like to see patients for “tune ups” once a month, or every few months.
Will my insurance cover this?
It may, many of my patients are using their insurance to pay for treatment. I accept most insurances that are PPOs and cover acupuncture out of network. We will check your benefits to see whether your insurance covers you for acupuncture treatments. Click here to fill out a short form. We are also in network with United Healthcare and Triwest.
How many needles will you use in my acupuncture treatment?
This will depend on your individual condition. I may use as few as 3 needles, and occasionally use as many as 20, though that is usually the upper limit.
I know someone who would really benefit from acupuncture. Can I buy a gift certificate?
Yes, definitely, I offer gift certificates for any of the services I provide. You can find them in the store on this website.
When can I book an appointment?
Mondays 1pm-7pm
Tuesdays 12pm-6:30pm
Wednesdays 9am-6:30pm
Thursdays 12pm-6:00pm
Fridays 10am-3:30p
You can call us at 510-629-9456 or book online here