Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What Is Acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture is a practice of traditional Chinese medicine which involves the insertion of hair-thin needles at specific points on the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, a subtle energy called Qi (pronounced “chee”) flows throughout our internal organs and cells, and is responsible for our physical and mental well-being. When our body’s Qi becomes blocked or is undernourished, illness will manifest. The insertion of acupuncture needles restores and supplements the normal flow of Qi to heal illnesses and promote overall health and balance.
Q: Does Acupuncture Hurt?
A: There is little to no sensation involved in the insertion of an acupuncture needle! Most patients report feeling no sensation at all when the needles are inserted. If you’ve ever plucked a hair from your body, you’ve already had the experience of what an acupuncture needle can feel like to a “sensitive” individual. Acupuncture needles are barely thicker than a hair and once the needles are inserted, most patients report they are pleasantly surprised by how relaxing the treatment process is.
Q: What is Community Acupuncture?
A: Community Acupuncture involves 4-6 recliner chairs set up in a single large room, where several patients receive their treatments simultaneously. Fees are set on a sliding scale from $20-$40 (pay what you can afford on any given day, no questions asked) to allow treatments to be offered for about the price of an insurance co-pay (an additional fee of $10 is charged at the first treatment for paperwork/processing).
Q: Why do you offer community acupuncture?
A: As a business model, community acupuncture falls under the umbrella of a broader movement called social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship is perhaps most simply defined as “creating a business with a conscience”. Whereas a traditional business entrepreneur may only measure success in terms of profits and returns, social entrepreneurs measure value in terms of how their business creates transformational change that will benefit communities and ultimately society at large.
Q: Should I have a private appointment or community acupuncture?
A: A private treatment allows for the practitioner and patient to spend more time together and thus get more “in depth” regarding the patient’s condition. Usually multiple modalities can be used in one treatment (e.g. acupuncture, electro-stim, moxa, cupping, gua sha, massage, nutritional and lifestyle counseling, therapeutic exercise, etc.) and a session generally lasts around one hour. For certain patients and conditions, a private session may be preferable to the community acupuncture setting. Please contact us for cost and appointment time availability.
Q: What Can I Expect At My First Appointment?
A: You will be asked to fill out some brief medical history forms prior to you first appointment. Upon arrival, you and your acupuncturist will discuss your reasons for seeking acupuncture treatment, the history of your complaint, any other conditions or medications that might affect your treatment. The acupuncturist will take your pulse and ask you to see your tongue in order to form a individual diagnosis according to traditional Chinese medicine. From here the acupuncture session will begin. Once the needles are inserted (typically 8-12), you will be left to rest for 15-30 minutes. At the conclusion of these session all needles are removed and you’re free to go!
A: Acupuncture is a practice of traditional Chinese medicine which involves the insertion of hair-thin needles at specific points on the body. According to traditional Chinese medicine, a subtle energy called Qi (pronounced “chee”) flows throughout our internal organs and cells, and is responsible for our physical and mental well-being. When our body’s Qi becomes blocked or is undernourished, illness will manifest. The insertion of acupuncture needles restores and supplements the normal flow of Qi to heal illnesses and promote overall health and balance.
Q: Does Acupuncture Hurt?
A: There is little to no sensation involved in the insertion of an acupuncture needle! Most patients report feeling no sensation at all when the needles are inserted. If you’ve ever plucked a hair from your body, you’ve already had the experience of what an acupuncture needle can feel like to a “sensitive” individual. Acupuncture needles are barely thicker than a hair and once the needles are inserted, most patients report they are pleasantly surprised by how relaxing the treatment process is.
Q: What is Community Acupuncture?
A: Community Acupuncture involves 4-6 recliner chairs set up in a single large room, where several patients receive their treatments simultaneously. Fees are set on a sliding scale from $20-$40 (pay what you can afford on any given day, no questions asked) to allow treatments to be offered for about the price of an insurance co-pay (an additional fee of $10 is charged at the first treatment for paperwork/processing).
Q: Why do you offer community acupuncture?
A: As a business model, community acupuncture falls under the umbrella of a broader movement called social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship is perhaps most simply defined as “creating a business with a conscience”. Whereas a traditional business entrepreneur may only measure success in terms of profits and returns, social entrepreneurs measure value in terms of how their business creates transformational change that will benefit communities and ultimately society at large.
Q: Should I have a private appointment or community acupuncture?
A: A private treatment allows for the practitioner and patient to spend more time together and thus get more “in depth” regarding the patient’s condition. Usually multiple modalities can be used in one treatment (e.g. acupuncture, electro-stim, moxa, cupping, gua sha, massage, nutritional and lifestyle counseling, therapeutic exercise, etc.) and a session generally lasts around one hour. For certain patients and conditions, a private session may be preferable to the community acupuncture setting. Please contact us for cost and appointment time availability.
Q: What Can I Expect At My First Appointment?
A: You will be asked to fill out some brief medical history forms prior to you first appointment. Upon arrival, you and your acupuncturist will discuss your reasons for seeking acupuncture treatment, the history of your complaint, any other conditions or medications that might affect your treatment. The acupuncturist will take your pulse and ask you to see your tongue in order to form a individual diagnosis according to traditional Chinese medicine. From here the acupuncture session will begin. Once the needles are inserted (typically 8-12), you will be left to rest for 15-30 minutes. At the conclusion of these session all needles are removed and you’re free to go!
