What to Expect

The initial visit involves an extensive intake to assess medical history, diet, lifestyle, stress, emotions, environmental influences and symptomatology. Chinese medicine diagnoses and treats syndromes rather than diseases.

Diagnostic procedures usually include specific questions about physical functions and mental processes, examination of tongue and pulses, and some palpation to detect areas of deficiency or stagnation. Unique to this medicine is an examination of the patient’s tongue and the taking of a patient’s pulses. These methods allow the practitioner to better understand the internal environment of the patient. Both are more intricate than with Western models. For example, pulse-taking involves six pulse positions allowing the practitioner to understand all 12 meridians. The tongue can show internal heat or cold, deficiency, excess conditions, etc.

Depending on patient preferences and indicated treatment protocols, massage, acupressure, acupuncture, heat therapy, essential oils, cupping, or various other techniques may be applied to achieve longer-lasting results in a shorter amount of time. Individually-tailored granular herbal formulas may be suggested, and dietary/exercise recommendations recommended for daily maintenance between visits.

Subsequent visits last 45 minutes to an hour, and the frequency of treatments will vary with each individual and their needs. Acute syndromes might need two to three treatments per week while the general protocol for treatment of chronic syndromes is four to six weekly treatments. Once a patient realizes satisfactory results from treatment, they are encouraged to maintain a seasonal maintenance schedule in order to stay in balance.

Many conditions may be alleviated very rapidly by Acupuncture and Chinese medicine. However, some conditions that have developed over a course of years will be relieved only with slow, steady progress. As in any form of healing, the patient’s attitude, diet, determination and lifestyle will affect the outcome of a course of treatment. Patients are encouraged to actively participate in their healing process. Although Chinese medicine can treat most conditions, there are circumstances that can be dealt with more effectively by Western medicine. In such cases, I will recommend you contact a Western medical doctor. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine should be seen as complementary to Western medicine.