~ what will the initial visit be like? and the following visits?
~ do the needles hurt? how do you decide where to put the needles?
~ how often will I be treated?
~ what are Chinese herbs? how are the herbs taken?
~ please click here for a printable version of these faqs.
what will the initial visit be like?
During your first visit, you will have the opportunity to tell me what
you would like to address with acupuncture and/or Chinese herbs. Many times just
telling your story will help both of us understand better. The first
visit lasts about an hour and forty-five minutes. We generally will
have time for a short treatment during the first visit.
and the following visits?
After the first visit, session of one hour or one and a half hours are available. The session begins with you talking about yourself for the
first 10 to 15 minutes. You may report how you felt after the last treatment,
give an update of any particular pain or discomfort that you have been
feeling or talk about what is most important in your life at the moment.
do the needles hurt?
Acupuncture needles are very fine, about the diameter of a human hair.
Most people find that the needles are virtually painless. Generally, needles
are inserted superficially—about 1/4th of an inch. Once the needle
is inserted, a person may feel an ache, a swirling sensation, a warmth,
or a sensation of energy opening along a pathway. Occasionally, a tiny
droplet of blood appears once a needle is removed. And, less occasionally,
a person will get a small bruise at the area of the needle insertion.
how do you decide where to put the needles?
There are about 400 documented acupuncture points along the primary
channels of energy. “Ah shi” points are places where a person
feels a tenderness or locus of pain. There are innumerable ah shi points.
Points are chosen based on classical patterns of rebalancing energy.
Reading a person’s pulses, listening to their story, and palpating
areas of concern are a few ways a practitioner determines where the
needles need to be inserted.
what is moxa?
moxa is a dried plant (artemisia latiflora) that has been used
as a complement to
acupuncture needles for centuries. Moxa is soft, spongy fluff which is
formed into small cones or tiny pieces and burned over acupuncture points.
An ointment is placed on the skin before the small piece of moxa is placed
and then lit with a small stick of incense. The moxa extinguishes or is
removed before a person feels too much heat. Generally moxa is considered
nourishing, tonifying and warming. Sometimes moxa is placed on the end
of a needle to warm and release an area of pain.
how often do I need to be treated?
People usually come for treatment once a week for six to eight weeks.
In acute conditions treatment may be required more than once a week. After
the initial phase of treatment, a person moves to being treated every
two weeks. Some people find that acupuncture assists them in maintaining
a healthy lifestyle so that they continue to come monthly, or at the change of seasons. What works
best for you is the determining factor in frequency of treatment.
what about herbs?
Chinese herbs can be very helpful and tend to complement acupuncture
treatments. Herbs are a daily reminder that you are caring for your
health and well-being. They empower you to continue the treatment that
the needles began.
Chinese herbal medicine (as
well as acupuncture) is a sophisticated, ancient form of treatment.
In Chinese herbalism, individual herbs are combined into a formula much
the same way a group of people join to accomplish a task (like the carpenter,
brick-layer, electrician, plumber and roofer all working together to
build a house).
how are the herbs taken?
Herbs are dispensed in many forms. The most effective form is a decoction
of "raw" herbs. An herbal pharmacy prepares a mixture of dried
herbs that are roots, berries, twigs, flowers and sometimes minerals.
The client cooks the herbs in water to make a tea or decoction. This
tea is taken usually two times a day and the excess is refrigerated
for up to two weeks. A typical formula lasts seven to ten days.
If a client prefers to not
cook the raw herbs, a tincture can be purchased. A tincture is raw herbs
cooked into a very concentrated form with alcohol added to preserve
the solution. Either an
individualized formula is prepared by a pharmacy or I mix a tincture
from herbal formulas kept in stock.
If neither the raw herbs nor
a tincture is appealing, herbs can be made into either a powder or pills.
The powder is actually the concentrated decoction with the water removed.
The pills are the dehydrated powder put into capsule form or made into
tablets.
©2004 daisy barquist