|
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Does acupuncture hurt?
A.
At La Verne Acupuncture, we use very thin wires
(about 36 gauge) and a painless insertion
technique. 90% of the thousands of patients we have treated over the past 18 years had
never been treated with acupuncture before and most were concerned about the pain.
Not a single patient has ever found the treatments painful. In fact, most find the treatments
very relaxing and some even fall asleep during the time the needles are in place!
Modern acupuncture needles come in a range of sizes from ultra-thin wires to fairly thick
needles. The thinner the wire, the less the sensation. Some acupuncturists still prefer to
use the older-style, thicker needles and believe a patient should feel some pain in order
for acupuncture to work. If anyone tells you they had acupuncture and it was painful,
that acupuncturist was almost certainly using the thicker needles.
Q. What kind of conditions can acupuncture treat?
A.
While acupuncture is best known for its ability to treat pain, it can also be effective for a
very wide range of medical problems. The reason for this is because acupuncture helps
the body to more effectively heal itself. The human body constantly struggles to maintain
balance (homeostasis) and instantly reacts to any disruption of its’ delicate balancing act.
However, for a variety of reasons, sometimes the body is unable to restore balance and
pain and/or illness is the result. Acupuncture helps the body to better focus its healing
efforts and gain the upper hand on the problem. This is why acupuncture can help so many
disorders from internal problems such as hormone imbalances or disorders of the organs or
glands, to such varied problems such as anxiety disorders, tobacco addiction, chronic fatigue,
weak immune systems, infections including colds and flu, neurological problems such as recovery
from stroke and neuropathy, and others.
More Info on Conditions Treated with Acupuncture
Q. Is there anything acupuncture can not treat?
A.
Nature endowed humans with the ability to heal most problems and acupuncture helps us to
do this. There are some problems that the body cannot heal and acupuncture cannot help
these problems. Our bodies are unable, for example, to dissolve a bone spur or repair a severed
spinal chord. But, while acupuncture cannot make something such as a bone spur disappear, it
can sometimes help relive the pain associated with a bone spur. Please feel free to contact us
for more information about any particular condition.
Q. How does acupuncture work?
A.
Acupuncture was developed and refined to a high level at least 2,000 and perhaps more than
5,000 years ago. The ancient Chinese who developed acupuncture understood it to work by
balancing the flow of qi in the body. Today, scientist around the world are trying to understand
how acupuncture works in terms of modern science. Researchers have found that acupuncture
can cause a complex range of chemical changes in the body including increasing white blood cells
and producing different pain-killing endorphins. The most promising research strongly suggests
that acupuncture stimulates the brain to increase its role in regulating the body’s healing processes.
More Info on How Acupuncture Works
Q. How many treatments are needed?
A.
The number of treatments needed vary by the type of condition and individual characteristics
of each patient. As a general rule, problems that recently began (acute) require fewer treatments
and may improve after the first 1-3 treatments. Long standing problems (chronic) usually take
longer to respond and a greater number of treatments overall. Most acute problems will require
from 2-6 treatments in total while chronic problems may require a dozen or more treatments.
Most patients are seen twice a week at first then reduced to once a week or less.
More Info on How Many Treatments are needed
Q. Will I have to disrobe for the treatment?
A.
Depending on the location the needles will be placed in, patients may be asked to partially
disrobe except for undergarments, which are left on. Clean towels are used to cover patients
as they allow the greatest flexibility in uncovering the areas necessary for treatment while
keeping the patients as covered as possible. All efforts are made to insure your comfort and
privacy, if you have any concerns, please let us know.
|
