Acupuncture

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a natural therapy that involves the strategic insertion of very fine needles into specific points on the body for therapeutic effect. It has been used for thousands of years, and has been shown to improve circulation, promote tissue repair, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain.

How does acupuncture work?

One way acupuncture works is by stimulating the body’s central nervous system to promote the secretion of neurotransmitters like endorphins and serotonin. These chemicals naturally help relieve pain and regulate mood, thereby improving both physical and emotional well-being. Acupuncture often treats both physical and emotional conditions, viewing them as interrelated aspects of one’s health. Due to the holistic nature of acupuncture, treatments may start by addressing an isolated, local symptom — such as pain in a specific area of the body — but then branch out to treat other interrelated symptoms, such as anxiety, poor digestion, insomnia, migraines, irregular menstrual cycles, or neurological dysfunction.

What can acupuncture treat?

Clinical trials overseen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that acupuncture is an effective therapy for chronic pain, such as low back pain, neck pain, sciatica and osteoarthritis, as well as headaches, menstrual cramps, and nausea. Around the world, acupuncture has been used to help relieve a variety of musculoskeletal ailments as well as symptoms of digestive, respiratory, neurological, reproductive, and emotional health conditions. There is a broadening view of the benefits of acupuncture in the U.S., and many Americans have sought out acupuncture to help with stress management, physical rehabilitation, and fertility support.

Is it safe?

According to the Mayo Clinic, “The risks of acupuncture are low if you have a competent, certified acupuncture practitioner using sterile needles. Common side effects include soreness and minor bleeding or bruising where the needles were inserted. Single-use, disposable needles are now the practice standard, so the risk of infection is minimal.“

At LIC Community Acupuncture, all practitioners are fully licensed, and all treatments are done with sterile, single-use needles that are disposed of after each session.

How are acupuncturists trained?

Nearly all states (including New York) require that acupuncture practitioners graduate from an accredited Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AOM) school with a Master’s or Doctorate degree and acquire a state license to practice acupuncture. All of the practitioners at LIC Community Acupuncture are fully licensed.

Does it hurt?

Acupuncture uses very fine needles that are approximately the width of a human hair. About 40 acupuncture needles can fit into the space of one hollow, hypodermic needle. Most needles will be painless upon insertion, though some points may feel sharp, achy, tingly or warm. Some of these sensations can indicate contact with an area that has tension or dysfunction. If there is any discomfort, it usually subsides in seconds. But if it continues during the treatment, the needles can be adjusted or removed.

What are treatments like?

For your first appointment (your intake appointment), we ask that you first fill out an intake form outlining your personal health history and the conditions you would like to treat. You will then meet your acupuncturist, and together you will work toward understanding the nature of your health conditions and how to treat or manage them, including a rough estimate of the frequency and length of treatment.

After this intake interview, you will be led to the treatment space. Your acupuncturist will apply needles and incorporate any relevant adjunct therapies.

The needles will be left to work for about 25 minutes. After this resting period, the needles will be removed, and any relevant, requested post-acupuncture therapies will be applied to finish your treatment.

Follow-up appointments follow the same structure but with a shorter intake interview. You and your acupuncturist will discuss how your body responded to the last treatment, which will help guide his or her approach to your follow-up sessions.

how many sessions do i need?

The number of sessions needed will depend on several factors, including the condition being treated, the severity of the condition, and how long the issue has been going on. If your symptoms are currently severe — to the point where they affect your ability to manage daily life activities — you may benefit from a period of more frequent sessions. In general, conditions that have been going on for longer periods of time will benefit from more sessions.

When estimating the length of your treatment plan, we take into consideration the signs and symptoms you are experiencing, as well as your personal history, your current lifestyle, the environmental factors that may influence your condition, and any forms of therapy you may be receiving outside of acupuncture. 

Feedback from your acupuncture sessions will play an important role in assessing your responsiveness to treatments and finding the most effective path toward healing.

Herbs

How can i incorporate herbs into my treatment?

Herbal interventions are an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. If during the course of your treatment it seems that you may benefit from the addition of herbs, we will recommend formulas for you to incorporate into your treatment.

how do i take herbs?

Most herbal formulas will be available as granules (water-soluble powder) or capsules. Some herbal formulas are available as tinctures (in liquid form) and tea pills (small pea-sized pills).

For patients taking granules, we recommend a dose of 3-5 spoonfuls taken twice a day. For patients taking capsules, we recommend 3-5 capsules taken twice a day.

For best results, herbs should be taken one hour before eating, or two hours after. Consuming herbs with other food can sometimes dilute the curative effects of the herbs. Herbs should also be consumed 2 hours away from other medications.

Payment

HOW MUCH does TREATMENT cost?

The cost of your sessions will depend on your Treatment Plan. This will be discussed and determined during your free consultation with your practitioner.

CAN i use FSA OR HSA for payment?

We are listed as a medical facility that can accept payment from both FSA (Flexible Spending Account) and HSA (Health Savings Account).

Schedule your free consultation to see if our natural therapies are right for you.

Individual results may vary. No guarantee of specific results is warranted or implied. See full disclaimer.