Your first Acupuncture Visit

Your first Acupuncture Visit

Acupuncture & Chinese medicine are such a huge part of my life that at times I just assume most people are familiar with the medicine and therefore have a good idea what to expect during an Acupuncture treatment.  But in reality this is just not the case.  So in this week’s article I am going to take the time to explain what someone new to Acupuncture & Chinese medicine can expect from an Acupuncture treatment with me.

I think anyone who practices Acupuncture or is an Acupuncture patient would agree with the cartoon below.   I know I was guilty of having this incorrect viewpoint before my first Acupuncture treatment. 

When a new Acupuncture patient comes into my office for a treatment the very first thing I do is establish a health history and perform a thorough medical assessment.   In my experience it is the medical assessment that surprises people the most about the new treatment experience.  The reason I believe there is a surprise with the initial medical assessment is due to the unfortunate misconception that some hold of Acupuncture, that it involves no more assessment or diagnostic skills than asking the patient “where does it hurt” and inserting a needle in that area. I can assure you there is more to it than that.

A Registered and properly trained Acupuncturists (R.Ac) will perform a thorough medical assessment that looks at the patient’s life-style, diet, current medications, level of activity, digestive function, sleep habits, emotional state, posture, respiration, circulation, pulse rate, and current symptom location, quality, frequency and intensity.

All of these factors are assessed regardless if the patient has come in for neck pain, IBS, anxiety, constipation or any other medical condition.  The view in Acupuncture & Chinese medicine is that to properly treat the root of the problem (not just the symptoms) and the patient to the best of your ability an Acupuncturist needs the WHOLE patient picture regardless of the condition being treated.

Once all the pertinent medical information is gathered a diagnosis is made and a treatment plan is carried out using Acupuncture and/or the other therapies of Chinese medicine.

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