If you are new to acupuncture and Chinese medicine, this post will answer your most common questions. If not, just give us a call at 415-640-2341 or complete our contact form!
How many sessions will I need?
Typically we recommend 4 visits weekly for a month, then we re-evaluate. Chinese medicine is very powerful, but it is also a gentle medicine that works with your body to heal at a pace that makes sense for your body.
Do the needles hurt? Are they safe?
Acupuncture needles are much much smaller than your typical doctor’s needle. They are about as thin as hair (about 17 can fit inside the needles your regular doctor’s needle!) and many patients are surprised at how painless it is. Many patients describe a dull, aching feeling or nothing at all.
And yes, the needles are very safe. We are certified in clean needle technique and use only single-use, sterile acupuncture needles.
Will my insurance cover treatment?
Many insurance plans DO cover acupuncture – and we can check for you! Please complete our form.
How does acupuncture work?
Needles are inserted in specific anatomical locations with the intent to stimulate circulation of blood and energy (known in Chinese as Qi, “chee”) and create balance. Additionally, various needling techniques can be utilized depending on the patient’s specific condition.
Do you treat fertility issues?
Yes! Chinese medicine can strengthen reproductive health and improve fertility. One of our patients was kind enough to share her experience with us:
Tina is the first acupuncturist I’ve been to, and honestly I was a little nervous about getting a bunch of needles stuck in me. I went to see her to help my body prepare for pregnancy since I was having a bit of a hard time due to stress. In just 3 short months, I was pregnant! Tina was even able to feel my pulse and correctly predict the gender of my baby.
– “I”
What training do you have?
Please see my about page for full details!
How can you treat so many different conditions?
Chinese medicine is a complete system of medicine that seeks to balance all the body’s systems. This means virtually any “imbalance” – from headaches and migraines to infertility and musculoskeletal conditions – can be balanced out at the root. This is an important difference between many symptomatic treatments you will find in conventional medicine in which medications may be prescribed to alleviate symptoms without treating the root cause. With Chinese Medicine, we treat both the root (cause) and branch (symptoms).
According to the 2003 study on Acupuncture by the World Health Organization, effective acupuncture treatments were demonstrated for various diseases, disorders and conditions. You can check out the study here.
