Preparation for Your Visit

• Please bring the names and dosages of your medications, copies of any relevant test results and/or medical documents pertaining to your health concerns.
• You may wear anything you like for your visit.
• Please arrive 10-15 minutes early for your first visit, as there will be some short forms to fill out prior to your appointment.
• The practitioner will ask extensive questions regarding your history, current complaints and overall health status.
• A physical examination will be performed, including taking your pulse and examining your tongue to determine its color and coating. In addition, the abdomen, back and other body areas may be palpated.
• The information obtained from these procedures contributes to the overall diagnosis and enables the practitioner to plan a suitable course of treatment.

Length of Treatments
The first visit usually will be about 45 minutes. This includes consultation and first treatment. Subsequent visits will vary with the average being about 30-60 minutes depending on the nature of your particular condition that day.

Course of Treatments
The number of treatments necessary depends upon the nature, depth and seriousness of the disorder. Other influencing factors include your response to the treatment and how well you follow the practitioners’ recommendations. It is important to remember that everybody has a different rate and pattern of recovery. Once the course of treatment is complete, you may need to return if symptoms reoccur, or if new ones develop. In addition, further treatment for maintenance care, or for preventative health measures may be advised.

Frequency of Treatments
The frequency of treatments given varies from individual to individual. At the beginning, it may be necessary to treat you up to several times a week. Once your body starts to respond, the frequency of treatments will gradually taper, leaving longer intervals between visits. After treatment you may feel sleepy and very relaxed. You should try to get a full night's sleep the evening of your treatment. Sound sleep will allow your body to heal and you will wake up much more refreshed in the morning.

Private Medical Insurance?
Many of our treatments, including acupuncture and massage therapy, may be covered by private medical insurance companies. Please check with your insurance company to ensure that your treatments will be covered.

Regardless of which treatment approach is decided upon, there are always common aims and objectives involved; those of treating the disharmony to facilitate the individual's return to balance and good health. All medicine arises out of the need to avoid pain and keep illness and disability at bay. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses acupuncture, herbal medicine, moxibustion, cupping, acupressure massage (shiatsu), diet and a general approach to lifestyle factors as its modalities to achieve these objectives. You do not need to "believe in" acupuncture and TCM for it to work. Western researchhas proved that needles work whether or not the patient believes they will.