Acupuncture Treatments for Pain, Stress, Menopause, Injuries & More
How Does Acupuncture Work?
An acupuncturist places hair-thin, single-use acupuncture needles at points on the body. She then directs the flow of energy (Qi) by stimulating the points.
What’s important to know about Qi (pronounced “chi”) is that it’s like saying “energy” in terms of your body’s electrical flow. There are different kinds of Qi for how energy moves or changes in your body and how well it’s doing its job for all of your systems — digestive, respiratory, mental health, genetics, etc. Acupuncture works to restore the optimal flow of Qi in these systems.
Acupuncture doesn’t just treat the symptom you’re complaining about, though of course that’s important. It treats root causes, and many times patients experience improvements in other areas of their health. It frees up other energy in your body.
An acupuncture treatment is like a song that is written just for you. Each acupuncture point (like a musical note) has a few specific actions of its own, but then can be combined with other points into a formula (like a song).
What Symptoms Can Acupuncture Treat?
Acupuncture can be used to treat and alleviate a wide range of conditions, including:
Back pain & lower back pain
Neck pain
Knee pain
Pain or tendonitis in the elbows, shoulders, jaw & other joints
Ligament injuries
Foot pain
Stress & anxiety
Nerve pain, including ulnar nerve entrapment & spinal cord injuries
Muscle pain
Chronic pain, pain management and pain relief
Sports injuries
Indigestion, stomach pain, IBS, IBD, chronic constipation and diarrhea
Asthma
Menopause symptoms
Chronic dizziness
Chronic fatigue
Skin conditions
Supporting people in recovery from addiction including smoking (please be actively enrolled in therapy)
Ailments resulting from aging
Simple and complex cases can be treated because of the elegant and nuanced effects of acupuncture on the body.
What Evidence Is There That Acupuncture Works?
As a clinician, Hundred Grasses acupuncturist Krista McCain, MSOM LAc BSc Nutr loves research.
“I look at research from both the US and other countries that have a longer history of research into acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Since TCM is a healthcare system that’s been around for more than 1,000 years, the body of evidence is truly impressive.
And of course, there’s what I see and hear from my patients and colleagues. It’s amazing! I pay attention to global research and data on the benefits that people experience.”
Do You Practice a Specific Type of Acupuncture?
There are many lineages of acupuncture and herbal medicine. At Hundred Grasses, we practice a variety: Traditional Chinese Medicine, Balance Method (Dr Tan), Dr Tung, Japanese style, Korean style, and others.
Do You Use Electrical Stimulation?
Yes, we do commonly use electrical stimulation when clinically indicated. It’s not painful, but patients feel tapping or a tick-tick-tick. Patients do not need to be uncomfortable to experience therapeutic benefit.
What Will My First Appointment Look Like?
You will get an electronic health history form to fill out. Krista will do an assessment, then make recommendations for treatment.
If you agree with that recommendation, then you can stay and get your first acupuncture treatment right then and there. And if you prefer to think about the recommendation before getting your first treatment, that’s fine as well.
At the first appointment, I give an estimate of the number of sessions required to get you to your goal.
What Happens During Follow-Up Appointments?
Typically Krista will check in on the patient’s current condition at the beginning of the session, or sometimes there’s a more global conversation about the trajectory of a patient’s treatment.
Treatments are given while patients are laying on a massage table in a comfortable position. Patients can listen to soothing music if they prefer, and the lights can be dimmed to promote relaxation.
Patients can expect follow up appointments to last 30-45 minutes. Patients with busy schedules can be booked for 30 minute appointments if we do scheduling and remit payment prior to their sessions.
Quick-Stick Stress Relief sessions are booked for 30 minute blocks and are a fabulous way to reset a tough day or prepare for tense meeting at work.
Does Acupuncture Require More Than One Appointment?
Because it’s a therapy, one session might be good for stress management but it’s not going to provide you with a long-term improvement of your condition.
If you can come a few days a week, you will get better much faster. But if you can’t come as frequently then it’ll take longer. In general, the minimum is one visit per week except in the cases of “booster” treatments.
Patients who complete a course of treatment for a chronic or recurring condition may come into the office later for a “booster” treatment. This is also common in the case of cosmetic acupuncture, micro-needling and nano-needling.
When Should You Not Have Acupuncture?
Generally, there are no negative side effects of acupuncture — it is a non-toxic treatment. It’s possible to be tired afterward and to sleep more heavily the after the first treatment, but some people experience the opposite and they’re more energetic.
Some folks do have a phobia of needles or just can’t settle in with the idea of acupuncture, and if that is the case then acupuncture may not be them. Krista sometimes says those are her people, though. So she hopes they will give it a try.
If you have epilepsy, it’s generally best to avoid acupuncture. Come to the office for an assessment to discuss herbal medicine, nutritive therapy, cupping, gua sha, and breathwork to assist you in your healing.
Do You Accept Insurance?
No, we do not submit to insurance, but we are happy to document treatments for people to submit to their insurance on their own.
One piece of good news is that HSA and similar plans generally allow people to use that money to pay for acupuncture treatments. Some companies and insurances also offer acupuncture discounts. Check with your HR department to verify.
Feel free to see if your employer would like to discuss partnering with Hundred Grasses Acupuncture. We could discuss discounted onsite treatment, offer classes, or even offer a discount for employees to be seen at our office in the Third Ward.
What Are The Other Benefits of Acupuncture?
Even with the most difficult conditions, acupuncture can help to relax us, bring us peace, improve sleep, and relieve symptoms associated with the illness.