1) What is
Acupuncture?
Acupuncture
is a safe and effective form of medical treatment which
originated at least five thousand years ago. When the
flow of Qi (body’s vital energy) is impeded or disturbed,
pain or illness occurs. Technically, acupuncture is the
insertion of ultra thin, hair like needles into specific
areas of the body for the purpose of rebalancing and restoring
the body’s energies.
2) How acupuncture
works?
Acupuncture
works by stimulating the flow of "Qi" throughout
the body. Where there is injury, the Qi or energy of the
body gets stuck or becomes deficient. The painless insertion
of needles helps bring the body's attention to the area
and resume the free flow of energy, which balances and
harmonizes the body systems. The effect of the treatment
is very balancing and stabilizing, resulting in a calmer,
more peaceful state of mind.
3) Does acupuncture
hurt?
Many
patients fear needles due to previous unpleasant experiences
with medical injections. While medical hypodermic needles
are stiff and hollow, acupuncture needles are extremely
fine and flexible. You can fit about 18 acupuncture needles
in one Hypodermic needle. Each needle is no larger than
a human hair and the insertion often produces no pain
or only a mild sensation of tingling, traveling warmth,
or heaviness. Many people feel a brief stinging sensation,
like a pinprick, during insertion. In fact, most people
experience a profound feeling of relaxation and even fall
asleep for the duration of treatment.
4) What can
acupuncture treat?
In
reality, it is a complete medical system that addresses
all the problems associated with human condition.
These include:
Musculo-skeletal disorders
Gastrointestinal disorders
Urogenital disorders
Gynecological disorders
Respiratory disorders
Neuro-muscular disorders
Circulatory disorders
Emotional and psychological disorders
Additions, Etc.
5)
Does acupuncture treat infertility?
Yes, there has been many cases reported that have had
success. I too, in my practice have had many successful
cases of women Progesterone levels have been found to
be higher in women receiving acupuncture and herbal treatments
before ART treatments. Progesterone is the hormone in
the body that transforms the uterine lining into a receptive
environment for implantation and nurturing of the fertilized
egg. Another reason that acupuncture may have such a dramatic
impact on IVF success is through increased blood flow
to the uterus. It is well known that acupuncture stimulates
the parasympathetic nervous system which increases blood
flow (vasodilatation) and also allows the patient to become
incredibly relaxed. During implantation sometimes the
uterus "flutters" and has small contractions.
It has been suggested that acupuncture allows for such
deep relaxation that this no longer occurs.
6) How
many treatments will I need?
There is no definitive answer to this question. The length,
number and frequency of treatments will vary from person
to person depending on the conditions being treated, your
age and health, and how you respond to acupuncture. Many
conditions respond rapidly to acupuncture. However, some
conditions that have taken many years to develop will
require a longer treatment period. Acute conditions may
respond in two-to-five treatments and chronic conditions
may require five-to-twenty treatments.
A consultation with an experienced practitioner about
you and your condition will offer the best guide for the
length of treatment.
7) How often should I be treated?
Again, this depends on what you are being treated for
and your practitioner. It is common for treatments to
be scheduled one or two times a week in the beginning
to obtain optimal response and then once every other week.
If you are not able to schedule appointments that frequently,
your acupuncturist may prescribe Chinese herbs, dietary
changes, exercises or pressure points for you to use at
home.
Acupuncture is also often used as a preventative medicine.
Many people see their acupuncturist only 3-6 times a year
for a "tune up" or "balancing" treatment.
This can prevent disease and promote health, energy and
vitality.
8) IS ACUPUNCTURE COVERED BY INSURANCE?
Yes, today most insurance plans cover acupuncture. As
various insurance plans may have different coverage which
may be confusing. Our office utilizes the resources of
a professional biller for verification and billing of
insurance. This service is at no extra cost to our patients.
9) Are there risks or side effects
to acupuncture?
Usually not. Acupuncture is a very safe method of encouraging
the body to promote natural healing and improve function.
A side effect that I have sometimes seen in my own practice
is the original symptoms worsening for a few days after
an acupuncture treatment. 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.
While Acupuncture is an extremely safe form of physical
medicine, here are some rarely seen contraindications
and risks:
10) Precautions and Contraindications:
1. It is contraindicated to needle the abdomen and lumbo-sacral
areas of pregnant women
2. Avoid blood vessels to prevent bleeding
3. Points on the chest and back should be carefully needled
to avoid injury to organs
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