Chinese Medicine is based on the basic concept of Qi, a vital energy that flows through the body, helping to maintain a person’s health.

According to Classical Chinese Philosophy, Qi is the force that makes up and binds together all things in the universe. It is, paradoxically, both everything and nothing.

When Qi is not flowing properly or is blocked it can lead to disharmony and disease.

Acupuncture uses “hair fine” and sterile needles. Most people feel no pain or very little pain when they are inserted. It is common to feel more sensitive in some places than others.

There are different sensations that can be felt during the healing process of acupuncture, but they are not defined as “pain”, like muscle twitching, electrical sensation, warmth or itchiness. Some of these sensations may change, persist or go away. If it feels uncomfortable to you, just let me know and we can adjust or figure out a way to work around it.

Serious side effects from acupuncture treatment are extremely rare if administered by a licensed and registered practitioner. You may experience some irritation, minor bleeding, bruising, redness or lumps over certain points. Sometimes you might feel signs of fatigue and weakness after treatment, that can be explained as your body is using energy as part of the healing process.

We don’t expect you’ll experience negative side effects from herbal prescriptions, when administered by a licensed and registered practitioner. Chinese medicinals have been taken for thousands of years and modern research indicates that side effects from Chinese herbs are rare.

Herbal medicine goes through many rounds of testing before it can be declared safe to consume. It can be very dangerous to take herbal medicines that have not gone through these safeguards, as they may contain toxins. For this reason, you should always seek treatment from a licensed professional rather than buying herbs online or visiting unlicensed private practitioners.

There are several contraindications in prescribing Chinese herbs with pharmaceuticals. We collect your list of medications and review them with you in order to avoid negative interactions or outcomes when prescribing.

The frequency and number of treatments differs from person to person. Every case is different, depending on how long the health issue has persisted  and how severe  the health condition is. I take into consideration not only your condition but also your lifestyle and your unique constitution.

There is a major difference between Nutrition Therapy and Chinese Medicine treatments.

Nutrition Therapy usually starts with an initial session of 1.5 hours followed up with another meeting within the first month. Further treatments can spread out between 3-6 months, depending on the treatment progress.

With Acupuncture usually we expect relief within 5-10 meetings. Many patients come weekly or monthly for general wellness and prevention.

An individualized treatment plan that includes the expected number of treatments will be discussed during your initial visit.

The initial meeting will last about 90 minutes; this intake includes a discussion about your chief complaint, health history, diet and lifestyle as well as treatment goals.

Follow up sessions last for about 60 minutes.

I use a mix of several tools in my diagnostic toolbox:
– Chinese Pulse Diganosis
– Tongue Diagnosis
– Hara Diagnosis (soft touch of the belly)
– Blood Tests
– Ayurvedic Doshas
– Face and Body Diagnosis

It is recommended to wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes that allow easy access to acupuncture points. If that is not possible, I provide blankets so you can undress privately and cover yourself.

Please make sure you’ve eaten and are hydrated before your appointment so that you don’t arrive on an empty stomach. This will help prevent any possibility of lightheadedness or dizziness afterwards.

After acupuncture, please plan to take it easy. Avoid any strenuous activity, working out and/or drinking alcohol until the next day and stay well hydrated afterward.

Changing long lasting habits can be very challenging. Sometimes life gets in the way, and you need someone to help you figure out what’s realistic and the right way to implement it according to your circumstances.

During the follow up sessions I will be able to see early signs of frustration or other changes that make your plan difficult to follow. We will make the necessary adjustments to make your journey to better health more comfortable and more enjoyable.

Please try to give 48 hours or more notice when changing your appointment. The cancellation policy is strictly 24 hours. You will be charged for the full amount if you are late, cancel or don’t show up.

When you book an appointment and do not give notice, you are taking away potential healing time and energy from others.  You can easily cancel 24hrs ahead by sending a text, email or give a call/leave a message.