Acupuncture
A
cupuncture is the use of fine sterilized needles that are inserted in different areas of the body: ear, scalp, limbs, abdomen and/or back. The needles are inserted on specific "acupuncture points" depending on the licensed acupuncturist diagnosis. The acupuncturist, in order to make the diagnosis, will perform a thorough and comprehensive questioning, followed by pulse palpation and tongue observation.
F
acial diagnosis - this ancient technique allows the practitioner to analyze the face features, colors, marks, etc and make a diagnosis according to the five elements, 6 channels theory or/and zang-fu paradigms.
P
ulse diagnosis - the ability to describe 28 basic pulses. The practitioner looks for how the pulse feels under the fingers.
What ailments or disease can acupuncture treat?
-
According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the World Health Organization (WHO), acupuncture has proven effective in the treatment of many common problems:
- Addictions
- Anxiety
- Arthritis
- Asthma
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Chronic fatigue
- Colitis
- Common cold
- Constipation
- Dental pain
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Digestive trouble
- Dizziness
- Dysentery
- Emotional problems
- Eye problems
- Facial palsy/tics
- Fatigue
- Fertility
- Fibromyalgia
- Gingivitis
- Headache
- Hiccups
- Incontinence
- Indigestion
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Low back pain
- Menopause
- Menstrual irregularities
- Migraine
- Morning sickness
- Nausea
- Osteoarthritis
- Pain
- PMS
- Pneumonia
- Reproductive problems
- Rhinitis
- Sciatica
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
- Shoulder pain
- Sinusitis
- Sleep disturbances
- Smoking cessation
- Sore throat
- Stress
- Tennis elbow
- Tonsillitis
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Urinary tract infections
- Vomiting
Does it hurt?
T
his seems to be the biggest concern among some patients. The needles are fine like a hair and patients do not experience pain. What they experience is what is called Da Qi, the sensation obtained as result of the arrival of Qi to the needle. Many patients have expressed the sensation of heaviness, tightness, tingling, spinning or moving sensations on the area of the insertion.
What should I expect on my first visit?
O
n your first visit your acupuncturist will ask many questions from simple as what brought you here to how is your bowel movement? After the questioning your practitioner will palpate at your pulse and look at your tongue. The practitioner will do a diagnosis according to Oriental Medicine teachings and a selection of points and needling will follow.
How long does a treatment last?
T
reatments last from 30 mins to 1 hour.
How often should I be treated and for how long?
I
always recommend my patients to take acupuncture treatments 2 or 3 times per week or 2 or 3 the first week then slowly reducing one day every week or depending on the patients progress. The treatments could last one day for several months depending on the severity and how chronic the condition is. Remember this is a medicine that stimulates the body's own ability of healing therefore expect some time to see results.
How long does it take to see results?
S
ome patients have reported results the same day others after several treatments.
How much will it cost?
W
e are offering packages that reduce costs of treatments. Contact us for further information.