Treatment

Please download, print out, and thoroughly fill out the forms below and bring them with you to your first appointment. If you are unable to print out the forms, plan to arrive at least twenty minutes early for your treatment and fill them out at the clinic.

Patient Registration Form
Confidential Heath History Form
Consent to Treatment Form
Notice of Health Information Privacy Practices

Please wear loose, comfortable clothing that can be rolled back enough to expose your elbows and knees. It’s a good idea to have a light meal before acupuncture, but try not to arrive uncomfortably full. Avoid consuming alcohol and strenuous exercise before and immediately after your visit.
If you find you have to cancel a treatment, kindly give us at least 24 hour notice.
Allow about one and a half hours for your first treatment to give us ample time to gather a thorough health history and chart all of the details relevant to the condition(s) that you want treated. It’s important we take the time during your first visit to make sure we have a complete picture.
During that time, I’ll ask you questions about your family history; your lifestyle, diet, and exercise routines; your mental state and emotions; any physical pain or discomfort you’re having; your work; your sleep patterns; and so on. The physical-exam includes palpation of your pulse, examination of your tongue and face, as well as taking vital signs (temperature and blood pressure) and weight measurements. For the tongue diagnosis, coffee, cigarettes, and artificially colored foods can stain your tongue coat and are best avoided before a treatment.
Everything we discuss in relation to your health is held in strict confidence and will be shared with no one without your written consent, except as required by law.
After the health-history interview, I’ll have you lie down on the massage table and do the acupuncture treatment. Most people receive average of ten needles in a visit, though some treatments require as many as twenty. After the needles are inserted and the heat lamp is administered, you will be left alone to rest in the treatment room for about twenty minutes. Soothing music is available to help you relax. Other modalities, such as moxa, cupping, or bloodletting will be added as needed. Please allow 40 minutes – one hour total treatment time.

After the Treatment

Though most people feel extremely relaxed after acupuncture, some report feeling a bit lightheaded. If this happens to you, please rest awhile in the waiting room. It will pass in short order.
Some patients occasionally experience a worsening of their symptoms after an acupuncture treatment. This can be a part of the healing process and is usually soon followed by a marked improvement in overall wellbeing. Even still, please contact me or my office if you have any concerns or feel any unpleasant effects after your visit.