What to Expect

Initial Appointment:

Initial appointments generally take up to two hours. An acupuncturist must understand you as a whole person, not a collection of symptoms.

Make-up and Perfume:

If possible, try not to wear make-up or perfume as these products can sometimes make it more difficult to understand your underlying condition. 

Needles:

Treatment will include the insertion of hair thin, stainless steel needles at points along the channels of energy in your body. Needles are sterile and used only once.

Steps in Treatment:

Five Element Acupuncture treatment consists of a series of steps. First, the energy channels are opened, and negative energy is dispelled. These treatments usually involve leaving the needles in the body for a period of time. 

Continuing Treatments: 

Subsequent treatments work on building up energy so that the channels stay open and flowing. These treatments utilize a technique where the needle is inserted, and then immediately removed when it connects with the point. 

Number of Treatments:

Ideally, you should come for three weekly treatments to get this process underway. Follow up treatments usually last one hour. The treatments can then be spaced to every two weeks, then monthly, and then seasonally to build your energy and insure that it continues to flow smoothly. 

You should leave each treatment feeling relaxed yet alert. If you ever feel uncomfortable in any way, let me know. 

Post Treatment Tips:

After treatment, avoid strenuous exercise, hot baths, alcohol or large meals for the next four hours. This will help insure that your body can assimilate new changes. While change is sometimes dramatic, it can often occur slowly and subtly. 

Healing Process:

When your body can access the resources it needs to heal, it decides what to work on first. Often this might not be the symptom you were hoping to address. Trust that the body knows how to heal itself, and it will address each symptom in its own time. 

Observing Changes:

Because the symptoms you came in with are linked to the rest of the system, you may find improvements in unexpected areas before initial complaints are resolved. Sleep and digestion are often the first to improve. Try to observe any changes, both physical and emotional, as this will help your acupuncturist assess what you need. Just as we fall into routine patterns in our lives, our energy tends to fall back into old patterns when under stress.