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northshorechinese
medicine.com
Acupuncture on the North Shore in Highland Park
Your Part
Preparing for Your Appointment
In this section, you will find information on your role in the healing process. I believe strongly in educating my clients and equipping them with the tools to sustain their health independently whenever possible. The more you become involved with your health care, the better you will feel.
Download, Print and Complete the 3 New Patient Intake Forms Below:
On the Day of Your Appointment
Please read the following section carefully. If you have any questions, please contact me prior to your first visit.
- Bring any notes to make sure we address all your concerns.
- Eat a light meal 2 hours prior to your visit as acupuncture is not performed on individuals who are fasting. Being over-hungry increases the risk of nausea or dizziness.
- Avoid alcohol on the day of your treatment.
- Acupuncture is not performed on intoxicated individuals. It is also not advisable to become intoxicated shortly after treatment.
- Avoid heavy exertion immediately before and after treatment (i.e. within 2 hours).
- Set aside enough time so that you are not rushing to and from your visit. Please schedule your activities on the day of your visit accordingly (for example, do not schedule your appointment for an hour before your 2-hour kickboxing class).
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing that can be rolled up to your elbows or knees. Acupuncture points are located all over the body. Many of the acupuncture points that are commonly used are located between the wrists and elbows, and the ankles and knees. You will be more comfortable if your clothing can be easily rolled up to your elbows and knees.
- Be on time for your appointment so that you may benefit fully. When you make an appointment, please understand that time has been reserved for you. There will be a charge for missed appointments without 24 hours' notice.
What to Expect
Initial Assessment
Your first visit will begin with an assessment of your condition and an initial treatment. The intake and treatment will take an hour. Typical follow-up treatments last approximately 45 minutes.
During the assessment, you may be asked about things that you might not think are connected to your chief complaint, such as your emotions, sleeping patterns, and eating habits. Chinese Medicine considers the whole person, not just one isolated symptom. When put together, the myriad of symptoms and signs you are experiencing reveal patterns of disharmony. Although treatment will focus on your chief complaint, your whole being must be considered in order to develop the most appropriate course of treatment. Chinese Medicine is unique in that it always takes into consideration that while illnesses may seem to be identical, the persons suffering from them are individuals.
Treatment
Needles are typically retained for about 30 minutes in total. Soothing music/sound machines will be played to help you relax during this time - many people even fall asleep during treatment!
What to Expect After Treatment
Your relief may be immediate, delayed for a few hours, or even develop after one to three days. The relief may last for a few hours on the first visit and then last longer with each successive treatment, or relief may last from the first treatment until your next visit. Individual response to treatment varies. The effect of acupuncture is cumulative; each treatment builds on the one before.
Course of Treatment
As part of your first visit, we will discuss the appropriate course of treatment for your specific condition. In general, acute conditions of recent onset may only require two or three treatments. Chronic conditions usually require more treatments to achieve sustained results.
The ideal approach to illness is to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat. For longstanding illnesses, weekly treatments may be required for several months in order to have a curative effect.
Once you initiate a healing process, it is important to follow through on treatments. The more consistent you are, the better the likelihood of results. As mentioned above, the effects of acupuncture tend to be cumulative.