Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What exactly is Acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture is a holistic method of healing, which was originally introduced to the world over 2,000 years ago. Acupuncture includes points of the body that are chosen to have a certain level of electrical sensitivity that is known to be beneficial in the treatment of certain health ailments. You’ve likely heard of acupuncture for its traditional pain relief benefits. However, acupuncture can be used to help improve a wide variety of health concerns.
It takes into account a patient’s overall health and well-being instead of just treating individual issues. The traditional treatment principles come from Asian beliefs that “Qi” can be used to balance factors such as stress, anxiety, digestion, toxins, pain, and more.
The acupuncturist is able to tap into this flow of energy within the body by using stainless steel sterilized needles into an energy channel, called meridian, within the body. The main goal of the treatment is to restore the patient’s balance of harmony with “Qi” that leads to better emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Your skilled acupuncturist will be able to diagnose the proper treatment plan that is based on your individual need.
Q: Do I have to believe in Acupuncture in order for it to work properly?
A: No. There have been many studies and documented cases where Acupuncture has been used to successfully to treat animals that do not understand the principles and they have still received improved health benefits. Animals do not have a placebo effect. If it can work for them, it can work for you too.
Q: Does it hurt?
A: Not usually. However, everyone’s tolerance for pain is different. At Lien On Me Acupuncture we practice a style of acupuncture called Japanese Meridian Therapy. This Japanese style uses hair sized needles placed very shallow in the skin. This shallow needling allows most needles to be inserted painless. Sometimes a needle will stimulate a nerve when it is going in and it could bring a slight pain. However, in such a case, it is simple to make an adjustment to prevent it from occurring again. Other patients will not feel any pain and may feel a tingling or sensation where the needle enters the skin. Most patients will find that the treatments they receive are relaxing and may even fall asleep.
Q: How many treatments will I need and how often will I need them?
A: It depends. For smaller concerns, you may only need a few treatments, but for larger more chronic concerns, you may need several until there is lasting relief. In most cases, the longer the issue has been going on, the longer it takes to get the benefits to have a long-lasting effect. For ongoing health maintenance, some patients may need to continue to receive treatment weekly, or 1-2x per month.
Q: How long does a treatment usually take to complete?
A: In most cases and depending on the concern being treated, sessions last from 30 minutes to an hour.
Q: Is there an exam before the treatment?
A: Yes, typically there is a 30-minute exam prior to your initial treatment. There will be a short exam, 5-10 minutes, before follow up treatments. This involves a health history and physical exam. The physical exam would include any orthopedic or neuro tests, pulse exam, abdominal exam and palpation of the meridians, arms & legs.
Is Acupuncture safe?
A: Yes. An Acupuncturist is a licensed professional that is skilled at assessing the needs of patients for the treatment of acupuncture. They are required to be certified in the Clean Needle Technique exam which ensures the safety of acupuncture treatment. Only sterilized needles are used in this office, which have been individually packed and needles are never saved or used in multiple treatments.
Q: What can I expect after a treatment?
A: Feeling calm and having a sense of euphoria is common after treatments. Acupuncture activates your endorphin system that is similar to exercising. Some patients report complete improvement or partial relief as early as the first treatment. Better sleep and more energy are the most common side effects.
Occasionally after acupuncture you may notice a spot of blood at the place where the needle entered your skin or a small bruise could develop. However, these are not harmful and are a natural part of your body’s healing response to being pricked with the needle. You can massage the area to disperse the bruise more quickly.
If you have any concerns you can talk with your acupuncturist. In some cases, there may be no immediate signs of relief, but patients feel a decrease of their pain over the next couple of days after treatment. In General, most patients can expect to feel better quickly!
Q: What is Cupping?
A: Cupping is use of small glass cups as suction devices that are placed on the skin to disperse and break up stagnation and congestion of blood, fluids and toxins. Cupping is much like the inverse of massage – rather than applying pressure to muscles, it uses gentle pressure to pull them upward. There are two types of cupping we use, fire cupping and cupping with pump. Fire cupping involves placing an alcohol-soaked cotton ball held by forceps inside the cup while on fire, this creates suction so the cup can be placed on the skin. The cup is not on fire nor will the skin get burned. Massage oil or CBD cream will be placed on the skin area that need healed and then the cups are placed. The second type of cupping places small glass cups on the skin with a pump.
Q: Is cupping Painful?
A: No it should not be painful. If the cupping causes discomfort. Let the practitioner know and they will adjust the pressure.
Q: Does cupping cause bruising?
A: Cupping does cause bruising or redness within the skin for 1-2 days and sometimes up to a week. Cupping opens up your capillaries and increases blood flow to the tissues. A common side effect is bruising where the cups where placed. We like to use sliding cupping at Lien On Me Acupuncture that helps to prevent as much bruising.
Q: What to expect after cupping treatment?
A: Most people feel a sense of relief. This can be decreased pain, increased range of motion, or improvement in muscle tension.