Health Awareness and Disease Prevention
POKING AROUND ABOUT
ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT
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WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
When a new patient visits the clinic for an initial consultation
and acupuncture treatment they should plan on spending about
90 minutes. Follow-up visits require only 60 minutes. During
the initial consult important details are gathered on the
patient's health concern and medical history. Acupuncture,
a more than 3,000 year old traditional medicine, has been
introduce to Europeans more than 300 years ago but is still
in it's infancy here in the USA with just over 30 years
of therapeutic history. Most people aren't aware of the
health benefits therefore this first visit can be very informative
and the patient is encouraged to asked questions.
A Patient History Form is required to be completed for
the initial visit. A Patient History Form details a patient's
medical history and can be filled out prior to the initial
visit at the patient's convenience. In a private, comfortable
setting, specific and general questions are asked to develop
a diagnosis. These questions explore topics such as sleep,
diet, digestion, muscular-skeletal problems, energy level,
mental-emotional issues, stress level and more to identify
health imbalances. Additional diagnostic methods include
pulse taking and a visual inspection of the tongue. These
methods help reveal the internal condition of the body and
add detail to the diagnosis. Acupuncture is 'pattern discrimination
based' instead of 'disease based'. In other words, two patients
with the same disease will not receive the same treatment.
The treatment plan is tailored to each person as an individual
with a unique pattern of signs and symptoms.
The diagnosis is thoroughly explained and with the patient's
consent the treatment begins. Loose fitting clothes make
the treatment more comfortable. The patient is positioned
on the treatment table with pillows and blankets to provide
a comfortable experience. The areas typically treated include
the arms and legs below the elbows and knees and along the
abdomen or back. Soft music is often used to promote relaxation.
Warm pouches or a heat lamp are often used to relax and
rejuvenate the body. The needles are gently inserted and
retained for about 20 minutes before being carefully removed.
Patients often report a deep feeling of relaxation during
or after treatment. Acupuncture needles are much smaller
than hypodermic needles and are relatively painless. These
single-use needles are regulated by the FDA and are completely
sterilized.
The treatment session ends with a short, complementary
medical massage and a follow up appointment is scheduled
if needed. The number of visits to benefit a health imbalance
depends on the condition. Generally chronic conditions require
multiple sessions. Prevention is a major focus, so in addition
to treating presently active health problems maintenance
treatments can help the body stay in balance.
Christopher Carlow, D. Ac.
Doctor of Acupuncture
May, 2008
