Dusty Foot Acupuncture Clinic
What can I expect?
Acupuncture is an increasingly popular choice as a complementary therapy and an alternative therapy. It is endorsed by the National Institute of Health (NIH), the federal focal point for biomedical research in the United States and the World Health Organization (WHO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health.
For a list of conditions that acupuncture can help you with please visit conditions treated.
There are over 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body that connect with 12 main and eight secondary “meridians” or channels . The more commonly used points perform more than one function. The Food and Drug Administration approved acupuncture for use by licensed practioners in 1996, and requires that needles be used only once.
Initial Visit and Patient Exam
When you come in for the first time, you will be asked for a long health history. We will discuss your health history before we start treatment. I will tell you, after going over your history, whether I think I can help you or not. If I cannot help you I will refer you to someone that may be able to help you. With your permission, I will begin acupuncture treatment at the time of the initial visit. Whether or not you have to change clothes into a gown depends on the condition being treated. You will then sit on a table. I will sit in front of you and palpate your wrist, check your pulse, and observe your tongue. Acupuncturists perform this in a way that is different from Western medicine. I measure basic movements in nine fundamental positions on each wrist. I observe your tongue to see how your body is functioning and to detect imbalances in your body. Using your pulse quality, observation of your tongue, and your medical history I anticipate a method of diagnosis and treatment that is truly unique to your condition.
Treatment
I will clean the needle sites with alcohol. My needling technique comes with 17 years of experience as a medical technologist/phlebotomist and is very gentle. A little pinch may be felt when the hair-thin needles are inserted which disappear in moments. Many individuals feel no pain at all. I strive to make your experience as pain free as possible. The needles are typically retained for approximately 20 minutes. I often play soothing music to help you relax during this time. Many people even fall asleep. Each session lasts about an hour and costs $70.00; the cost is sometimes covered by insurance. The number of treatments depends on the condition.
What to Expect After Treatment
Your relief may be immediate, delayed for a few hours or even develop after 1 to 3 days. The relief may last for a few hours on the first visit and then last longer with each successive treatment. Relief may last from the first treatment until your next visit. It is important to recognize that we are all individuals. Individual response to treatment varies. You can expect significant improvement upon several consecutive sessions.Side Effects
Done properly, acupuncture rarely causes serious side effects. Many people feel a brief stinging sensation, like a pinprick, during insertion of the needles. Others experience a dull ache around the needle after it goes in.
A side effect that I have seen in clinical internship is the original symptoms worsening for a few days after an acupuncture treatment. Sometimes other general changes in appetite, sleep, bowel or urination patterns, or emotional state may be triggered. These should not cause concern, as they are simply indications that the acupuncture is starting to work. My teacher explained it to me like this: Acupuncture is smoothing out blocked Qi (energy) that is stuck in areas of your body. When a garden hose gets a kink in it, the water stops flowing. When you straighten the hose, the built up pressure makes the water burst out in the beginning. This is what can happen when you first have acupuncture.
It is also common with the first one or two treatments to have a sensation of deep relaxation or even mild disorientation immediately following the treatment. These effects should wear off within 24-48 hours.
Some people may experience dizziness, sweatiness, or nausea.
Please discuss what you have been experiencing with me. Your comfort is a priority. The more you communicate with me, the more I will be able to help you.
Please make sure to bring a list of all medications, supplements, herbs or previous medical tests.
