Frequently Asked Questions
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is one component of Chinese medicine, along with herbs, massage, cupping, moxabustion, and nutritional therapy. It is a holistic system of healing based on the concept of qi (energy) flowing throughout the body. This theory, or way of conceptualizing the body, states that energy should move in free flowing currents; however, sometimes obstacles develop through injury, illness, poor diet, or emotional stress, and lead to symptoms of imbalance and disease. In order to restore health, acupuncturists insert hair thin needles into strategic points on the body.
What can I expect at my first appointment?
We will spend 20 minutes or so talking about your background and current health concerns. Then I will choose the appropriate points for you, given your symptoms and constitution. You will relax with the needles for 20-30 minutes, and after that, the treatment may include an additional healing modality, such as cupping or massage. Before you leave, we will discuss a specific treatment plan and any questions you may have.
Does acupuncture hurt?
Generally, no. Acupuncture needles are extremely thin, literally a fraction of the size of needles used to draw blood. Often you don't feel the insertion of the needle at all, or if you do, it is the slightest momentary sensation. When the needle is stimulated, you may feel warmth, tingling, a dull ache, or nothing at all. If something feels uncomfortable, we will adjust it, and as you rest with the needles, you typically won't feel much of anything besides deep relaxation. If you have an appointment scheduled, try to avoid caffeine before you come in. Caffeine consumption before treatment makes people more sensitive to discomfort, and research shows that it may reduce the pain mediating effects of acupuncture.
How many treatments will I need before I see improvement?
This depends a lot on your condition (and what you may or may not be doing at home), and we will discuss a specific treatment plan on your first visit. Acupuncture works on a cumulative basis, and we want to build on your progress without losing ground. Ideally, we want you to see improvement after a treatment, and have it last until the next treatment. Therefore, initially, it is best to schedule appointments close together (once or twice a week at first). As you make progress, we space treatments further and further apart, before tapering off to an occasional maintenance treatment.
I'm curious about acupuncture, but I'm not sick. Can I still benefit?
Absolutely! Acupuncture treatments are extremely relaxing and can provide excellent preventative care by building immunity and calming the nervous system. Patients often report decreased stress, deeper sleep, and increased energy after a treatment. Ideally, all people would continue to get periodic treatments as 'maintenance' for optimal health.
So... how does acupuncture actually work?
It can be difficult to wrap our heads around an entirely new paradigm for conceptualizing health, and many of us Westerners want to understand Chinese medicine on familiar terms. Thousands of years of anecdotal evidence show that acupuncture and herbal medicine are effective, and now modern controlled research is supporting that.
Just like many aspects of Western allopathic medicine, it isn't possible to say with certainty exactly how acupuncture works; however, several theories have been proposed. One theory suggests that acupuncture needles access the connective tissue network that runs throughout our bodies to send cellularly mediated messages. Other research confirms that acupuncture points have higher rates of electrical conductance than other places on the body; points are found at neuro-vascular nodes where blood vessels and sensory nerve fibers are particularly concentrated. Stimulation of certain points has shown increased neural activity in related areas of the brain on functional MRIs (to read an article demonstrating recent examination of acupuncture points with CT scans, click here).
Physiologically, acupuncture promotes the release of endorphins and oxytocin, encourages blood flow, relaxes contracted muscles, and seems to interrupt the pathways involved in chronic pain. Many studies show that acupuncture is as good as (or even better than) conventional Western care for a variety of ailments. It also has far fewer side effects, making it a great alternative or complementary form of care.
Acupuncture is one component of Chinese medicine, along with herbs, massage, cupping, moxabustion, and nutritional therapy. It is a holistic system of healing based on the concept of qi (energy) flowing throughout the body. This theory, or way of conceptualizing the body, states that energy should move in free flowing currents; however, sometimes obstacles develop through injury, illness, poor diet, or emotional stress, and lead to symptoms of imbalance and disease. In order to restore health, acupuncturists insert hair thin needles into strategic points on the body.
What can I expect at my first appointment?
We will spend 20 minutes or so talking about your background and current health concerns. Then I will choose the appropriate points for you, given your symptoms and constitution. You will relax with the needles for 20-30 minutes, and after that, the treatment may include an additional healing modality, such as cupping or massage. Before you leave, we will discuss a specific treatment plan and any questions you may have.
Does acupuncture hurt?
Generally, no. Acupuncture needles are extremely thin, literally a fraction of the size of needles used to draw blood. Often you don't feel the insertion of the needle at all, or if you do, it is the slightest momentary sensation. When the needle is stimulated, you may feel warmth, tingling, a dull ache, or nothing at all. If something feels uncomfortable, we will adjust it, and as you rest with the needles, you typically won't feel much of anything besides deep relaxation. If you have an appointment scheduled, try to avoid caffeine before you come in. Caffeine consumption before treatment makes people more sensitive to discomfort, and research shows that it may reduce the pain mediating effects of acupuncture.
How many treatments will I need before I see improvement?
This depends a lot on your condition (and what you may or may not be doing at home), and we will discuss a specific treatment plan on your first visit. Acupuncture works on a cumulative basis, and we want to build on your progress without losing ground. Ideally, we want you to see improvement after a treatment, and have it last until the next treatment. Therefore, initially, it is best to schedule appointments close together (once or twice a week at first). As you make progress, we space treatments further and further apart, before tapering off to an occasional maintenance treatment.
I'm curious about acupuncture, but I'm not sick. Can I still benefit?
Absolutely! Acupuncture treatments are extremely relaxing and can provide excellent preventative care by building immunity and calming the nervous system. Patients often report decreased stress, deeper sleep, and increased energy after a treatment. Ideally, all people would continue to get periodic treatments as 'maintenance' for optimal health.
So... how does acupuncture actually work?
It can be difficult to wrap our heads around an entirely new paradigm for conceptualizing health, and many of us Westerners want to understand Chinese medicine on familiar terms. Thousands of years of anecdotal evidence show that acupuncture and herbal medicine are effective, and now modern controlled research is supporting that.
Just like many aspects of Western allopathic medicine, it isn't possible to say with certainty exactly how acupuncture works; however, several theories have been proposed. One theory suggests that acupuncture needles access the connective tissue network that runs throughout our bodies to send cellularly mediated messages. Other research confirms that acupuncture points have higher rates of electrical conductance than other places on the body; points are found at neuro-vascular nodes where blood vessels and sensory nerve fibers are particularly concentrated. Stimulation of certain points has shown increased neural activity in related areas of the brain on functional MRIs (to read an article demonstrating recent examination of acupuncture points with CT scans, click here).
Physiologically, acupuncture promotes the release of endorphins and oxytocin, encourages blood flow, relaxes contracted muscles, and seems to interrupt the pathways involved in chronic pain. Many studies show that acupuncture is as good as (or even better than) conventional Western care for a variety of ailments. It also has far fewer side effects, making it a great alternative or complementary form of care.
Kim Culligan LAc, MAcOM
458-245-1302
birdsongacueugene@gmail.com
458-245-1302
birdsongacueugene@gmail.com