Aloha Acupuncture: What to Expect

Flare-up
On rare occasions one's original symptoms may briefly get worse or 'flare-up' after a treatment. A flare-up typically occurs later on the day of your treatment and only for an hour or so and then improvement and relief follow. If the flare-up lasts longer than this, please call me and let me know. In the long run, acupuncture does not make symptoms worse.

In some conditions, the body must fully expel a pathogen in order for healing to occur. For example, if you have a cold, acupuncture will not get rid of the cold, but can help accelerate the cold cycle so your body gets healthy sooner. If you are fatigued and starting to get a cold, acupuncture may help your body ward it off. There are also some terrific herbal formulas that can help.

In cases of chronic pain, your original pain may improve and then unmask other less obvious pain in the surrounding area. Please report what happened when you return so I can modify your treatment accordingly. I will also be interested in any change in your use of pain-killer medications as a result of treatment. Please be advised that changes in prescription medication require prior approval and strict monitoring by your family physician.

What to Expect
Your first visit will begin with an in depth assessment of your condition and an initial treatment. The intake and treatment may take up to 1 1/2 hours. Typical treatments afterward last approximately 45 minutes to one hour.

During the assessment I may ask you about some things that you might not think are connected to your chief complaint, for example, your emotions, sleeping patterns, and eating habits. Chinese medicine considers the whole person, not just one isolated symptom. When put together, the myriad of symptoms and signs you are experiencing reveal patterns of disharmony. Although treatment will focus on your chief complaint, your whole being must be considered in order to develop the most appropriate course. Chinese medicine is unique in that it appreciates that illnesses may be identical, but the persons suffering from them are individuals.

Treatment
My needling technique is very gentle, and my clients usually do not feel anything more than sense of a small "mosquito bite", which disappears in moments. Although people experience different levels of sensitivity, I work very closely with you to make sure your experience is comfortable and positive.

My approach is always to use the fewest needles possible to achieve therapeutic results. With acupuncture, more needles does not always mean better results, but accurate selection of specific acupuncture points and placement are really the keys giving an excellent treatment.

Needles are typically retained for about 20-40 minutes. I play soothing music to help you relax during this time. Many people even fall asleep.

Course of Treatment
As part of your first visit, I will discuss with you a proposed course of treatment with a more detailed Report of Findings (ROF) on your second visit. In general, there are three step of care using Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine: Relief Care, Corrective Care and Maintenance and Wellness Care.

In Relief Care, the goal is quick recovery and relief of pain. Frequent visits are necessary 1-2 times per week for 8 – 12 visits. In Corrective Care, visits are less frequent as one begins to feel better. This treatment plan requires one acupuncture session per week or every other week. In the Maintenance and Wellness Care phase, monthly sessions addressing the whole body preserves progress made during the course of treatment. Along with regular exercise, a healthy diet and a positive attitude, monthly preventative treatments keep the body strong and free from illness.

The ideal approach to illness is to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat. For longstanding illnesses, weekly treatments may be required for several months in order to have a curative effect.

Once you initiate a healing process, it is important to follow through on treatments. The more consistent you are, the better the likelihood of results. The effects of acupuncture tend to be cumulative. After you are feeling better, I will likely recommend an additional few treatments. In Chinese medicine, this is referred to as "solidifying the constitution." The goal is to further strengthen your body to prevent recurrence of the illness. Once they are feeling better, many people find it difficult to follow through with even just a couple treatments. Healing requires a lot of energy. Your body is most vulnerable following recovery from illness because it has expended much of its energy and internal resources in order to get better. It is therefore important to have a few treatments in order to prevent repeated or new illness. In general, when an illness recurs it is often more difficult to treat.