New Patients
Congratulations on making a commitment to your health and well-being! We are looking forward to working with you and committed to helping you with your health care goals and accommodating your needs. Please read below for information on setting up and preparing for your first treatment.
• Booking Appointments • Filling Out Necessary Paperwork Before Your Appointment • Preparing For Your First Acupuncture Treatment • What to Expect During Your First Acupuncture Treatment • Recurring Treatments • Getting Answers to Your Questions
To book an appointment, please call us directly at (323) 423-3061 or by e-mailing us at [email protected].
Filling Out Necessary Paperwork Before Your Appointment
Please arrive 20 minutes early to fill out necessary paperwork for your first acupuncture treatment. You can also have the paperwork emailed to you and you can then print and fill it out before you come in for your first appointment.
Preparing For Your First Acupuncture Treatment
It is important to eat before having an acupuncture treatment. It is not advisable to come in for a treatment on an empty stomach.
Do not brush or scrape your tongue the day of your acupuncture treatment. To do an accurate tongue analysis, which is a unique and critical part of Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis, your tongue must be examined in its natural unaltered form.
Dress comfortably. Loose pants that roll up comfortably above your knees and tops that roll up above your elbows is preferable. If your clothes do not allow access to necessary acupuncture points, then a robe or a gown will be provided for you to change into.
What to Expect During Your First Acupuncture Treatment
The duration of your time in the clinic would be about 60 minutes as well as successive treatments.
During your first acupuncture treatment, a full medical assessment will be conducted with a focus on your chief health concern(s) as well as any other symptoms you may be experiencing. We will then do a tongue and pulse examination. This is a unique and critical part of Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis that gives better insight on the internal disharmonies that exist inside the body. It also gives a deeper appreciation and understanding of how to treat your specific concern(s). Other western physical assessment exams may also be conducted.
In summary, we will provide a Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis and put together a detailed treatment plan for your specific needs. This treatment plan will include the number of treatments you will need to undergo to achieve your health goals, the frequency of treatments, lifestyle and diet modifications, recommendations for other treatment modalities.
On the average, 12-16 acupuncture points, that are located below the elbows and knees, are chosen. Depending on the your specific individual concerns, I can also choose points on your scalp, ears, face, back or abdomen. The needles will stay in for at least 30 minutes. During that time, you will rest comfortably on a treatment table with the lights off or dimmed. Most patients fall asleep during this part of the treatment and find it very relaxing.
The majority of patients feel their symptoms decrease between 25%-100% with the first treatment, sometimes even as they are resting on the treatment table with the needles inserted. With successive acupuncture treatments and by following the recommended lifestyle and diet plan, you can possibly remain symptom free for months, up to years, or even for the rest of your life!
The goal and long term potential of acupuncture is that you do not have to experience the condition that you are being treated for, again. Each person is different. It is within the first 5 treatments that we can gauge how fast your body responds and heals with acupuncture. Depending on your prevailing health condition(s), the symptoms, duration, and degree of severity, and lifestyle, it can take between 8 to 24 acupuncture treatments, give or take a few, to successfully treat your health concern(s). In general, the longer and more severe the condition, the more treatments will be required to return your body back to homeostasis. Optimal results are best achieved by daily treatments or treatments close together, however we do understand the scheduling of these treatments will be dependent on your availability, convenience, and lifestyle. We will work together to create a treatment plan that best suites your needs.
Getting Answers to Your Questions
If you have any questions pertaining to acupuncture and your health, please schedule a complimentary consultation at (323) 423-3061 or click on the QUESTION link. Here you can discuss directly with your acupuncturist how acupuncture can benefit your specific health concerns.