Frequently Asked Questions

Wear loose comfortable clothing that can be rolled up to your elbows and knees. Try not to come with an empty stomach, and make sure you’re well hydrated. You can expect to receive a thorough intake form from me to fill out before your first treatment which will help me know how best to help you.

You can expect to feel relaxed and peaceful. You might experience an immediate pain or symptom reduction, or it may take time. It can often take a few treatments or more to experience the change you desire. During your treatment we will discuss your healthcare goals and at the end of your treatment I will make suggestions for frequency of follow up visits.

During your treatment we will discuss your healthcare goals and at the end of your treatment I will make suggestions for frequency of follow up visits. Depending on the duration and severity of what you would like to work on the treatment plan will vary. Weekly or biweekly visits are often recommended initially for symptom relief, then dropping down to visits once a month or as needed for maintenance. Oftentimes it can initially take 6 to 10 treatments to achieve the desired result.

Acupuncture works to engage the body with it’s innate healing process thereby helping us to move towards greater balance and aiding in the treatment of pain and many disease conditions. Physiologically speaking, every time a needle is placed, a cue is sent to the body to bring more movement to the area in the form of blood and lymph. Every needle serves as a reminder to ‘go there’, to focus the system on the region that needs to be helped. As acupuncture needles are placed in the body, the nervous system becomes activated, stimulating the release of beta-endorphins and other deeply relaxing, feel-good chemicals which aid in alleviating stress and anxiety and lessen the pain response.

The channel system running from head to toe upon which acupuncture is like a roadmap to our body. The channels are the blueprint of connections between the organs, muscles, skin and all other structures that make up our physiology. The way the system works can be likened to a subway map - there are the main pathways that traverse the terrain of the body, and then there are the acupoints. Like stops on a subway, acupoints are where the activity is and from them you can access much of the body and it’s processes. Each external acu-point is connected through a vast neural network to the internal organs and deeper physiological processes of the body; this is why a point on the legs can be used to treat local pain, digestion or systemic inflammation.

Acupoints mark the many junction points along the channels where the potential for change exists. By inserting an acupuncture needle into these points, the body’s energy and physiology is gently accessed and a shift in health can occur.

The channels and acupoints are not limited to affecting our physiology; they also have a relationship with our emotions, and change on a mental emotional level can be brought about through acupuncture treatment. With the specific placement of acupuncture needles, the nervous system is activated and our fight or flight response is turned off. Feel-good chemicals are released which aid in alleviating stress and anxiety and over time can modulate our emotional responses.