What should I expect at the first acupuncture visit?
Plan to arrive 5-10 minutes before your first appointment to fill out a brief consent form and intake form. The acupuncturist will call you into the office to get your health history and treatment goals, go over what to expect from the visit and answer any additional questions you have (~10-15 minutes). Then the acupuncturist will lead you into the treatment room for the acupuncture treatment (usually about 45 minutes at the first visit though treatment times vary widely).
Where does the treatment take place?
We have a large community acupuncture treatment room with 7 recliners. Two table rooms, one of which has an additional 2 recliners. The room is dimly lit, cozy and relaxing.
Does acupuncture hurt?
When the needle is first inserted, you may feel a slight prick or nothing at all. It is common to feel a heavy sensation at the point after awhile. You should not feel a sharp pain that lasts more than a few seconds, and should let the acupuncturist know if you do so they can adjust the needle.
Tell me more about the acupuncture needles.
The acupuncture needles we use are hair-thin, either made of stainless steel or polycarbonate, and are sterile packed for one time use only. After each package is open and used, the needles are disposed in biohazard bins.
How do you treat back pain in a community setting?
For chronic back pain, we typically treat using distal acupuncture points while you sit in a recliner. This means that we use points in the arms and legs that help relieve back pain. We mostly use Dr. Tan method and Master Tung points that help with pain that is not at the site of needle insertion. We do have massage tables, where we can place needles directly in the back. We usually reserve this for acute back pain or on a case-by-case basis depending on patients’ responses and needs. At your acupuncture visit, the acupuncturist will discuss with you if this is an appropriate option for your case.
Can I read or use my phone during the treatment?
Using your phone or reading is discouraged during the acupuncture treatment. An acupuncture treatment is like meditation on supercharge. Concentrating with a phone or a book engages brain activity that interferes with that process. Furthermore, increasing that type of activity can be disruptive to others’ treatments in the treatment room.
What kinds of outcomes should I expect after acupuncture treatments? How do I know it’s working?
Everyone is different and the range of responses after acupuncture is vast. For most issues and for most people, you can expect about 1-3 days of decreased intensity and/or frequency of your chief complaint. Usually after each subsequent visit, you will see longer lasting results. When you find your ailment is gone or more manageable, you can start to decrease the frequency of your visits. We typically ask people to try to commit to 3-4 treatments at first in order to understand how they respond to acupuncture and what it is doing for them.
For others, you may not notice any change in your chief complaint. However, you may notice that your sleep, energy, mood, or appetite regularity is better. Acupuncture works when you can get it frequently and regularly. (This is the whole reason we try to make it affordable and accessible!) Very often, we see people improve over time and they are able to use acupuncture as one of their tools for managing symptoms that affect their quality of life.
Can I see different practitioners?
Absolutely! We share medical records between our practitioners at Ann Arbor Community Acupuncture. We try to make it convenient to get acupuncture so we encourage you to come based on your scheduling needs. Schedule an appointment.
How does acupuncture work?
Loads of research about acupuncture’s mechanisms of actions and theories on how acupuncture works exist out there. In terms of why placing a needle in a particular point elicits specific health responses remains a mystery. Until we can develop a way to visualize meridians, we are only stuck with pieces of the puzzle. We know that acupuncture treatments increase the production of endogenous endorphins and neurotransmitters, regulate inflammatory cytokines and hormones, and creates oscillating brain wave activity between Alpha and Theta brain wave states. In tissues where a needle is placed, substance P (one chemical responsible for the sensation of pain) decreases, and capillaries vasodilate and blood cells release prostaglandins and glutamate, and much more. In other words, a lot of neurobiochemistry is going on all at once during an acupuncture treatment that generally supports your body’s ability to regulate pain, inflammation and increase circulation. However, the best part of getting acupuncture is that you don’t have to think about any of it, and your job is to just relax and let your body do the work.
How much are the treatments?
We charge on a sliding scale. No income verification needed. Pay whatever you want within the scale. The first visit is $35-$60. Return visits are $25-$50.
Does my insurance cover acupuncture?
Acupuncture insurance coverage is limited. Many plans still require a copay of $20-$40. We do not bill insurance at our office. Check with your insurance company to see if they cover acupuncture. If needed, we can provide you with a receipt for reimbursement.
What other services do you offer?
We may recommend cupping, moxa, or electroacupuncture case-by-case. If the acupuncturist thinks these additional services can help you reach your health outcomes, they will discuss it with you before your treatment. There is no extra charge for these services. We may also recommend Chinese herbal therapies as needed as well. There is an additional cost for herbal products.
What’s the story with community acupuncture?
Before the 1970s, when relations between the US and China opened, acupuncture was not widely used outside of Asia. In China, patients received acupuncture at the hospital in shared rooms. This therapeutic tool became more widespread in the US, but the profession was developing it into more of a specialty spa-like treatment, which was expensive and not affordable for most people. A group of acupuncturists were influenced by the Lincoln Detox project, a program that the Black Panthers and the Young Lords started in the South Bronx to treat heroin addiction recovery. At the Lincoln Detox project, patients received a simple acupuncture treatment in a group setting. The treatment was easy and affordable to administer and produced effective results. These acupuncturists began experimenting with new clinic models to make acupuncture more affordable and accessible. Community acupuncture was born! A cooperative of clinics called POCA (People’s Organization of
Community Acupuncture) formed to help support those who wanted to provide
the service across the country.
How are you addressing the COVID-19 pandemic?
We’ve been following the data and official guidelines, and using them as guides for us in order to make decisions about the clinic as the virus has changed throughout the pandemic. Over these 2 years, we have doubled the size of our clinic to accommodate more social distancing, while reducing the number of chairs in the treatment room. Each chair is 10-15 feet apart from head to head. Everyone is required to be masked. We use hand sanitizer between each patient interaction. We were using gloves between each patient when we didn’t know if the virus could be spread on surfaces. But we stopped using gloves after we found Sars-Cov-2 is not really transmissible from surfaces and because the WHO actually recommends not using gloves for acupuncturists since wearing them increases the risk of needle stick for the acupuncturist. Sheets are changed and washed for each patient’s chair. We disinfect surfaces regularly throughout the day. When we have had a confirmed case of COVID come through the clinic, we contact traced everyone that was at the clinic. We didn’t start work until each staff exposed received a negative pcr test. So far, we have not had anyone who was exposed at the clinic contract COVID from any of those exposures.