What should patient expect at first visit?

Patient's first visit at Silver Crane Center for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine will begin with an in-depth assessment of patient's body constitution using pulse palpation and tongue examination. The practitioner then determines the cause of the symptoms based on traditional Chinese medical theories.

After that, acupuncturist will insert needles into specific acupuncture points on the patient's body. These needles will be retained for about 20-40 minutes. Moxibustion, Tuina, or mild electrical stimulation to enhance acupuncture's therapeutic effects may also be used.

How many treatments is needed?

The length, number and frequency of treatments will vary from person to person depending on the conditions being treated, patient's age and health, and how the patient responds to acupuncture.  Acupuncture is a natural medicine that is assisting the body to make changes. Hence, this can be a gradual process.

A typical course of treatment is 8 sessions, although significant improvements can occur after just a couple visits.

How long will it take for the treatments to work?

A positive response to acupuncture treatments is generally seen after the first to fourth treatment. 

If the patient is being treated for a menstrual problem or infertility, give the treatments three menstrual cycles for the body to respond. The patient will schedule the appointments further and further apart after the patient has achieved optimal response.

How often should a patient be treated?

It is common for treatments to be scheduled one or two times a week in the beginning to obtain optimal response and then once every other week. If the patient is not able to schedule appointments that frequently, acupuncturist may prescribe Chinese herbs, dietary changes, exercises or pressure points for the patient to use at home.

Acupuncture is also often used as a preventative medicine. Many people see their acupuncturist only 2-4 times a year for a "tune up" or "balancing" treatment. This can prevent disease and promote health, energy and vitality.

Does acupuncture hurt?

Acupuncture needles are 25-50 times thinner than a hypodermic needle. They are so thin that several acupuncture needles can go into the middle of a hypodermic needle. There is little sensitivity to the insertion of acupuncture needles.

While some people feel nothing at all; others experience a brief moment of discomfort as the needle penetrates the skin that can be followed by a mild sensation of cramping, tingling, numbness, traveling warmth, or heaviness.

Are there risks or side effects to acupuncture?

If it is done properly, acupuncture rarely causes serious side effects. Many people feel a brief stinging sensation, like a pinprick, during insertion of the needles. Others experience a dull ache around the needle after it goes in.  It is also common with the first one or two treatments to have a sensation of deep relaxation or even mild disorientation immediately following the treatment. These effects should wear off within 24-48 hours.

Acupuncture is a very safe method of encouraging the body to promote natural healing and improve function.

There are also some problems documented by researchers resulted from mistakes made by the acupuncturists. For example, some have failed to refer their patients for other kinds of treatment that might be more effective for their illness. Others have spread serious infections by using needles that were not sterile. A handful has injured patients by pushing a needle into a vital organ such as a lung. But overall, as the National Institutes of Health recently concluded, acupuncturists have an extremely good safety record.

Below are some possible risks

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Bruising
Fainting
Muscle Spasms
Bleeding
Nerve Damage
Pneumothorax
Accidental Injury to organs (Brain, Spinal Cord, Heart, Liver, Spleen, Kidney)

While these risks are EXTREMELY RARE, it is important to select an experienced licensed acupuncturist who graduated from an accredited Traditional Chinese Medicine institution.