FAQ

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of healing known to mankind. It originated in the east nearly four thousand years ago. It consists of the gentle insertion and stimulation of very fine needles into specific points on the body and/or burning an herb (artemisia vulgaris latiflora) over these points. The stimulus wake up certain body functions to fight against diseases. It is believed that acupuncture alone is a contributing factor to health, prosperity and long life expectancy in ancient China.

Do Needles Hurt?

The needles are one-time disposable and are made of stainless steel. They are as fine as a human hair. Usually nothing is felt as the needle penetrates the skin but there will be some sensation as the needle reaches the subcutaneous acupuncture point. This can be a feeling of delightful slight numbness, which means that needle tips just reaches meridian blockage and acupuncture stimulation is turned on. Feeling nothing may mean that needles have not reached anything and patients only get placebo effect; feeling pain is not supposed to happen in treatments and usually because needles end up at wrong spots. Feeling some delightful stimulates is a critical element in acupuncture treatment, and is only achieved by a few highly skilled acupuncturists. Dr. Zhang is one of them!

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Traditional Chinese Medicine states that it is the energy, which is called Ch’i by Chinese, in the body that power and channel the blood moment. Blood streams bring nutrients and energy to tissues and organs to repair damage and to improve functions. This Ch’i energy circulates from one organ to another along channels or pathways called meridians. Ch’i always follows in certain routes and in balance. In all illnesses, Ch’i is blocked or out of balance which is been signaled as pain or other disease symptoms. Acupuncture treatments set out to remove those blockage and to correct imbalance of Ch’i or energy. The goal is to restore Ch’i or energy to its natural balance level to make it flow smoothly again.

What Can Acupuncture Treat?

While acupuncture is often known to its effectiveness in pain control, the fundemental approach to bring energy balance would enable acupuncture to treatment any disorders. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the use of acupuncture in the treatment of a wider range of medical problems, such as, arthritis, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder, neck pain, TMJ, sciatica, low back pain, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, knee pain, menstrual irregularity, endometriosis, PMS, infertility, menstrual cramps, menopausal syndrome, urinary tract infections, indigestion, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, ulcers, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, colds and flu, bronchitis, asthma, allergies, emphysema, hypertension, high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, angina pectoris, impotence, premature ejaculation, incontinence, prostatitis, prostatic hypertrophy, stress, headache, depression, anxiety, migraine, multiple sclerosis, post-stroke paralysis, dizziness, chronic fatigue, insomnia, smoking.

Do I need to skip meal before treatment?

Patients should eat normally and well before treatment sessions. There is no need to skip meals.

What Can I Expect From an Acupuncture Treatment?

Typically, an acupuncturist will begin by taking a comprehensive intake and exam, which will consist of asking numerous questions about your primary complaint as well as more general health issues. It also includes taking your pulse, examining color of tongues, and facial color. Then, the acupuncturists choose several acupuncture points and insert fine sterile needles into points. The needles will be left in the points anywhere from a few seconds to 40 minutes. The acupuncturist may manually stimulate acupuncture points by touching the needles. Occasionally electrical stimulators are added.

How Many Treatments Will I Need?

The number of treatments needed varies considerably from disease to disease and from person to person. It depends on the severity of the disease, medical history, and current treatment. Some patients feel difference right after the first treatment. Typically, 5-8 treatment sessions will stabilize the improvement. Degenerative conditions will require many more treatments over time.