Frequently Asked Questions
Does acupuncture hurt?
The word “hurt” equates with pain, and I feel that it is not common where the insertion of an acupuncture needles yields pain. Most people describe the feelings of a needle in an acupuncture point as heavy, strong, pressure, or perhaps like a filled balloon. Sometimes, when the needle is first inserted, you may feel a bit of sharpness or discomfort for a brief moment, but then it subsides. Yet many times patients feels nothing at all when a needle is inserted. If there is any discomfort, John will make immediate adjustments to ensure that you are comfortable during the treatment.
How long does a treatment last?
The best combination of points and applications is chosen to fit the treatment, therefore the timing is determined by the condition and the constitutional strength of the patient. Depending on what is being addressed, a treatment could last an hour or an hour and a half. Initial treatments are 90-120 minutes in length. In general, the duration of John's follow-up treatments are between 60 and 75 minutes. One big difference you may notice, when compared to most acupuncturists' styles, John is with you for much of the treatment time.
How should I arrive to my treatment?
It is best that you do not eat too much before the treatment, but it is also important not to arrive for a treatment when you are feeling hungry. So please take the time to have some food in your stomach within about an hour of your treatment.
Please arrive wearing either loose gym shorts or underwear on the bottom half. For women, please wear a bra or sports bra, in order for all necessary acupuncture points to be accessed. You will also be provided with a draping to respect modesties and ensure your comfort.If you are having a first treatment, please arrive 20 minutes early to complete paperwork if you have not already filled out the paperwork provided through the web site.
What are the cancellation and late arrival rules?
If you arrive late, I cannot push your treatment’s ending time up forward- that wouldn’t be fair to other patients. I do require 24 hours notice for cancellations, aside from emergencies. All cancellations within 24 hours of the scheduled treatment will require a payment in full. If you arrive more than 20 minutes late, you will be responsible for covering a missed appointment without 24 hours notice. That being said, I'm very understanding of emergency situations so the honor system must be utilized once we're within the 24 hour mark.
What should I do after treatments?
It is advised that you take it easy for the rest of the day after an acupuncture treatment. You should also drink a good amount of clean water in order to help flush released toxins from your body. If you have had some trigger points released, you may feel sore for several hours, or even a bit the next day. Sometimes you may even be left with a small bruise from an inserted needle. One thing a person can do is apply some arnica cream to those areas, which can help reduce the bruising or soreness. John may also provide you with an application of liniments that can calm the post-needling aches.
Cupping can sometimes leave marks on the back or any other parts of the body that were cupped. These bruised-looking spots may take a few days to disappear entirely. It is advised that you keep your body covered and warm over the next few days after being cupped, and do not shower for 3 hours after being cupped.
How many treatments will I need?
There is no concrete answer to that question other than it all depends on the severity of the complaints, and how long the patient has been dealing with them. As a general rule, the more severe or more chronic the problem, the more treatments it might take. However, sometimes there are moderate enough cases that cause a lot of pain and discomfort, that are resolved in one or two treatments. Many chronic conditions will require several treatments. This all depends on what is presented at the time.
Do you treat colds or flu?
If you have a cold or flu, please be sure to let me know right away, as I prefer to NOT treat anyone with a contagious illness such as common colds and flu. The treatment room easily becomes a place for spreading such illnesses to other patients. Thanks!