Before your first visit, please download the Health History Form, fill it out and bring it on your first appointment. Upon arrival, you will also be asked to sign an Informed Consent, which will explain treatment modalities and generally inform you of treatment options.

You can expect to discuss, in detail, your health concerns and any presenting symptoms. This is a time for you to share information about your health history so that treatment can be tailored to your specific needs. You can expect a detailed overview of your treatment plan and course of action offered at the end of the session.

You will then receive an acupuncture treatment and recommendation for herbal therapy.

Loose fitting clothes will be the most comfortable option for your visits. Preferably pants that can comfortably roll up to the knee and tops with sleeves that can be rolled up to the elbow. 

Alternatively, the clinic has sheets for covering if you choose to remove some clothing.

Most people find acupuncture treatment to be immensely relaxing. The small diameter of acupuncture needles result in a virtually painless insertion. Upon first insertion it may feel as if a small hair is being pulled, but this sensation should go away quickly.

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Needling sensation is important for the activation of the channels’ Qi and is referred to as Deqi.

Deqi may be felt at the needling site and/or along the channel pathway and may include a feeling of pressure, heaviness, numbness, tingling, aching, or a sensation of warmth or coolness.

It is often very helpful to combine acupuncture with herbal treatment. This can assist in speeding up the healing process and can be useful in both chronic and acute conditions.

Herbal treatment will be discussed at your initial appointment to decide if it is an option for your needs.

Treatments following your initial visit will involve a quick conversation to evaluate your current well-being and treatment progress.

This should take around 10 minutes, followed by 30 minutes of relaxing on the treatment table during the acupuncture session.

In our busy society it is common to have an acupuncture treatment once a week, sometimes two to three times per week for certain conditions such as Bell’s Palsy or other acute problems.

However, in China one course of treatment is considered to be every day for about 10 days. This can assist in rapid results with certain health issues.

This is usually not feasible in our current fast-paced environment. Instead, herbal therapy is often prescribed to help with

attaining health results in between visits.

This is a very safe treatment option when performed by a qualified

professional. You can find a list of NCCAOM certified practitioners at www.nccaom.org, where there are very specific educational and internship requirements.

This usually requires an acupuncturist to attend a 4-year degree program in Chinese medicine, with 2 years of clinical internship.

Acupuncturists in the U.S. only use sterile, pre-packaged, single-use, disposable needles that are in accordance with Clean Needling Technique.

Chinese herbs are a safe, effective, time-tested resource both for maintaining and restoring health. Many centuries of use, careful observation, research, and documentation have resulted in more knowledge about Chinese herbal medicine than any other system of natural medicine.

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Human beings have employed plants for healing since prehistory, but the Chinese have cultivated their knowledge within a highly-developed medical system which has survived into the modern era. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-you-should-know-about-chinese-herbs/

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All herbs in Chinese medicine are categorized by temperature, flavor, action, and affinity for one or more organ channels. For example, dang gui (angelica root) is warm, sweet, and pungent, entering the liver, spleen, and heart channels. It nourishes the blood and invigorates circulation, while also having the function of moistening and unblocking the bowels. Most herbs are combined with others in a harmonious formula that can address several aspects of a person’s complaint (this will treat symptoms but also the root cause). Chinese diagnosis seeks to identify patterns of imbalance and treat the patient rather than the disease.

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Ancient Spring uses herbs that are sourced in Taiwan and meet the U.S. standards of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). This requires a rigorous authentication process in which the species of plant are identified, product inspection to guard against contamination, and current scientific technology to test and evaluate products. This ensures that all herbs are free from sulfur dioxide, pesticide residuals, aflatoxin, heavy metals, and aristolochic acid. See the link for more details: https://www.kpc.com/quality-assurance/

Acupuncture is not a “quick fix” and usually requires a course of

treatment. This varies with each individual as each patient’s health concerns are unique.

With that said, there should always be signs of progress or a continued sense of feeling better. Chronic conditions can usually be expected to take longer than acute conditions.