What should I expect on the first office visit?
The first office visit usually takes about 2 hours. An in depth interview of the patient’s reason for seeking treatment, health history, lifestyle behaviors, diet, sleeping habits, etc. will be conducted. A physical exam will also take place followed by an acupuncture treatment. All subsequent visits will take 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Will My Insurance Pay for my Acupuncture Treatments?
We accept all health insurance plans upon approval. We also work with Personal Injury Patients (PIP) and auto accident victims. To find out if your health insurance plan covers acupuncture, please download the Insurance Verification Form off of this website, fill it out and bring it with you to your first appointment. If your health insurance does not cover acupuncture, we offer discounts to cash-paying customers and have Wellness Plans that help make your treatment more affordable.
Does Acupuncture Hurt?
Acupuncture needles are inserted into the body in order to bring about a healing response. The treatment is relatively painless – especially compared to many other medical procedures. Occasionally, a patient might experience a slight “aching” sensation at the sight of needle insertion. However, the health benefits achieved through this natural, gentle therapy far outweigh one or two seconds of minor discomfort.
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
It varies from person to person. Chronic conditions usually require more treatments than acute conditions. If someone has been suffering from an ailment for 20 years, it stands to reason that it will take more than 1 or 2 acupuncture treatments to get rid of such a long-standing problem. We encourage patients to give acupuncture a fair chance. Usually, we can tell if someone is responding favorably after 5 treatments. Realistically, it may take several months of treatment to resolve a chronic problem. After symptoms subside, the patient should still maintain their treatments on a less frequent basis for a period of time in order to stabilize the situation and prevent the problem from recurring.
For acute conditions, such as the common cold or a muscle strain, just a few treatments – maybe even 1 or 2 – will usually do the trick.
How Often Do I Need To Get a Treatment?
If you are actively seeking and committed to resolving a particular health problem, 1 to 2 times per week is the general rule. You should discuss this with your acupuncturist, however, as all people are unique, and this will vary from person to person depending on the circumstances.
From a preventative health perspective, if you are looking to optimize your health and well being and keep all systems in balance, once or twice a month should suffice. Again, please consult your acupuncturist as all people are unique, and this will vary from person to person depending on the circumstances.