Frequently Asked Questions
Chinese Medicine invites us to look at the world through a different lens than we are perhaps accustomed to, which of course leads to a lot of questions. Below are some of the most commonly asked inquiries.
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Does acupuncture hurt?
Acupuncture consists of gentle insertion and stimulation of thin, flexible, disposable, sterile needles at strategic points near the surface of the body. The needles might elicit a feeling of heaviness, an ache, warmth or a feeling of energy moving throughout the body. Most people’s fear comes from experience with the much larger and more painful hypodermic needles used for injections. While also sterile and disposable, acupuncture needles are considerably thinner and not designed for injections. When the mental hurdles are removed, most people find acupuncture to be therapeutic and quite relaxing.
How many treatments will I need?
The number of treatments depends upon the severity and duration of your complaint, as well as your own specific goals for health. For acute symptoms, one or two treatments may be enough, while chronic or degenerative conditions may take 5-10 or even more treatments to see significant progress. When appropriate, the use of herbal formulas is a great way to extend and deepen the effects of the acupuncture treatment. This approach allows for the patient to recieve daily treatment via the appropriate herbal formulation.
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What kinds of conditions does Chinese Medicine treat?
According to the World Health Organization, the following conditions have been shown through controlled trials to be effectively treated by acupuncture. While this list is not exhaustive, it gives an idea of the types of conditions treated.
-low back pain
-neck pain
-sciatica
-tennis elbow
-knee pain
-periarthritis of the shoulder
-sprains
-facial pain (including craniomandibular disorders)
-headache
-dental pain
-tempromandibular (TMJ) dysfunction
-rheumatoid arthritis
-induction of labor
-correction of malposition of fetus (breech presentation)
-morning sickness
-nausea and vomiting
-postoperative pain
-stroke
-essential hypertension
-primary hypotension
-renal colic
-leucopenia
-adverse reactions to radiaton or chemotherapy
-allergic rhinitis, including hay fever
-biliary colic
-depression
- acute bacillary dysentery
-primary dysmenorrhea
-acute epigastralgia
-peptic ulcer
-acute and chronic gastritis
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How are practitioners of Chinese Medicine trained?
Training and licensure in Chinese Medicine requires three to four years (3000+ hours) of extensive postgraduate study. In the State of Colorado, acupuncturists must be licensed and certified. To obtain a license, they are required to pass a national licensing examination consisting of multiple modules. These modules include Foundations of Oriental Medicine, Acupuncture with Point Location, Western Biomedicine, and Chinese Herbology. The professional certification process is administered by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM).
Is there anything I should know before I try acupuncture?
Acupuncture is suitable for almost everyone, including children and the elderly.
However, you should not receive acupuncture on an empty stomach, when intoxicated, or if unusually weak and debilitated.
Don’t scrape or brush the coating off your tongue, and avoid eating or drinking things that could change the color of your tongue (coffee, juice, gum) for a couple of hours before your session.
Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes.
Bring a list of the current medications and supplements you are taking.
If possible, print off the health intake forms we will email you after you have booked your appointment and fill them out at your leisure at home. If not, please arrive at least 20 minutes early to your appointment in order to finish your paperwork.