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Frequently Asked Questions Does Acupuncture Hurt? Most patients feel little pain during acupuncture treatment. The needles I use are very thin, as thin as a human hair, and the point locations avoid nerves and blood vessels. Patients often note interesting sensations when the needles are placed-some feel temperature changes at the site or throughout their bodies, others feel a rushing of energy to the needles or along the meridian lines. In general, the acupuncture I perform helps a patient relax, and many patients fall asleep while having their treatments. |
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Are Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine safe? Both of these health care traditions have been around for centuries. Millions have experienced their benefit, and the reason while millions continue to seek treatment using these traditions is because of their safety and effectiveness. The needles I use are sterile, single use, disposable needles which meet the exacting standards of Colorado health laws. The needling procedures I use are designed to provide you with the maximum of safety and comfort. The herbal medications I use are mild, have few side effects, and meet FDA approval for both good manufacturing practices and safe contents. |
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How Long Will It Take Me To Heal? The course of treatment is different for each individual. For people in good health with an acute problem, the course of treatment will be short, often one or two visits. For people with chronic problems whose health has been damaged, the treatment course will take longer. The course of treatment for these patients is divided into three phases: Acute-I will treat you weekly, or in severe cases that need more attention, twice a week. Convalescent-I will treat you every 2-3 weeks. Maintenance-I will treat you once a month. The length of time you spend in each phase depends upon the progress we make restoring in your health, and this can depend upon how faithful you are with following your treatment plan. Every visit we will evaluate how you are doing and modify your treatment plan to insure that you continue to make good progress. To make good progress, you also need to come to all of your appointments, take your herbal medications, and follow the lifestyle changes I recommend. |
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Will you accept my health or accident insurance? I do not accept insurance as payment for treatment. Insurance companies vary greatly on their acceptance and payment of acupuncture claims. Some companies require many forms, and may take up to a year to pay claims. For me to make it financially worth my while to file and accept insurance business, I would have to hire additional staff and see many more patients for shorter periods of time. Since I don't wish to raise my rates by adding staff, or spend less time with patients, I have decided to maintain my office as a fee-for-service establishment. If you wish to file your own claims for your visits, please let me know and I will be happy to either print you out receipts, or for a small fee, to generate a coded super-bill for services rendered. |
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May I continue to see my other health care practitioners while I am under your care? Chinese medicine is quite compatible with most forms of treatment, including your MD's care, chiropractic, massage therapy, and homeopathy. You and I will review who is treating you, what medications you are taking, and what treatments are being performed. We will then integrate your acupuncture/herbal treatments into your total treatment plan. If at any point I feel that another form of therapy is more appropriate or effective for your healing process, I will refer you to another health care practitioner depending upon your needs. |