What to Expect from Acupuncture

People describe the feeling of having acupuncture in many different ways. Sometimes it feels like a dull ache where the needles have been inserted. This is a good thing - it means the needles are working! Sometimes it can feel distending, warm, or radiating.  Some people feel sensations in other parts of their body far away from where the needles are inserted. This is all fine and good, as long as you are comfortable. Some people find that it feels amazing to get acupuncture, both physically and emotionally -  We’ve treated people who have remembered something during their treatment from long ago, or have come up with an answer to a problem they have been struggling with for a long time. We have treated people who cry deeply or experience profound joy. We once had someone tell us they kept wanting to laugh during their treatment but had the peculiar feeling that if they did, a frog was going to jump out of their mouth! All sorts of experiences are possible. If all goes well, you will enjoy your treatment and most importantly, the symptoms we are treating you for will improve over time.

Acupuncture should not be painful, though sometimes it can feel slightly sharp when the needle is inserted. If any of the needles we put in feel too intense or painful, we will adjust them. It is important that you feel completely at ease while receiving treatment. so we urge all those receiving acupuncture to communicate with me about the sensation of the needles and whether they are too hot or too cold, all of which enables me to provide the optimum environment for rest, relaxation, and healing.

What to Expect During Your Treatment

Each session at the Community Acupuncture Clinic of Eureka is usually around one hour. However, the length of time for each treatment is flexible. Some days you might need to get in and out quickly, and other days you may choose to have a one to two hour treatment because you want to spend more time relaxing on the warm table. This is completely up to you. It’s important that you come at least 15 minutes early to your first appointment. When you come in for the first time, you will fill out all of the paperwork in the new patient folder. Each new patient folder will contain a blank envelope. After filling out your initial paperwork, you will then write your first initial and last name on the envelope. This is where you put your payment each time you come in, then you slip your envelope into the wooden box. Then you can get comfortable and wait a few moments for us to come get you.

When we come to greet you, we'll sit together at my desk for a few minutes. We will read your intake form, ask you pertinent questions, look at your tongue and check your pulse. You will tell us how long you want your treatment to be. We might put a few needles into your ear. Then you are welcome to go into the treatment room, choose a table to lie on, and get comfortable.  We will make a treatment plan for you. Then we will come and insert your needles.

What I Expect From You

We are quite serious about helping people get better. If you are honest with yourself and totally transparent with us about whether the treatments are helping, you'll be much more likely to get better. If after treatment you discover no obvious changes in your symptoms in the days that follow, it is important that you communicate this information to us. If no changes occur, that is exactly what you tell us: "no change yet!" Likewise, if your condition is improving, you tell us just that. Acupuncture is a holistic medicine: it can treat the whole body, even areas you didn’t imagine could be connected. This means that if we are treating you for reflux and you notice that you are urinating less at night, you should tell us that, too. Your feedback is one of the primary ways in which we will be able to gauge whether or not we are on the right track. Your comments and observations about your response to treatment helps us to decide if we should continue treating you in the same way or if we need to recalibrate and try a different set of points or channels.

This clinic is here for your benefit and for the benefit of this community. If you enjoy coming to the clinic, please tell others!  We are not doing much advertising and will be depending upon word of mouth as one way to spread the word. On the other hand, if something we did made you uncomfortable or if there's something you noticed that we could do better or differently, please do let us know!  We will greatly appreciate your honesty and insight. There will be a comment box where you can either sign your name or just write an anonymous note.  We will read each note very carefully.