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Frequently Asked Questions About Acupuncture and Herbs
How does it
work?
What are the needles like?
Does the US FDA regulate acupuncture needles?
Do you use herbs?
How do herbs differ from western medicine?
Can I take Chinese herbs when I am on medication?
How quickly can I expect to feel better?
How often should I be treated?
Does acupuncture always help?
How can acupuncture & Chinese herbal medicine treat so
many conditions?
How many treatments will I need?
If I am treated with acupuncture & herbal medicine, will I
be able to stop taking my prescription medicines?
Do the needles hurt?
What about danger of disease transmission from the
needles?
How does it work?
Chinese
medicine uses tiny needles and herbs to help nurture the body back to
health by helping resolve energy imbalances. (See history of Chinese
medicine for more information).
What are the needles like?
Only
sterile, disposable needles are used so there is no risk of infection.
We use a needle once, then dispose of it. Acupuncture needles are small
and hair-thin. They are solid, not hollow like needles used by doctors.
The end of an acupuncture needle is smooth and rounded. Acupuncture
needles are not designed to cut the skin. Instead, when an acupuncture
needle is inserted, the round edge pushes the tissue aside without
cutting it. Acupuncture needles are so thin it's as if they can glide
through the spaces between the individual cells of the body.
Does the US FDA regulate acupuncture needles?
In
1996, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed the
experimental status tag on acupuncture needles. The FDA reclassified
acupuncture needles, regulating them as it does medical devices such as
surgical scalpels and hypodermic syringes. Acupuncture needles must now
be manufactured according to single-use standards of sterility.
Do you use herbs?
Yes,
although my primary training is as an acupuncturist, I have also been
trained in herbal medicine, and sometimes use herbal formulas to support
the acupuncture treatment.
How do herbs differ from western medicine?
Chinese
herbal formulas tend to be much gentler than western medicines, and work
to not only help relieve symptoms, but to help return the body to
balance and equilibrium, so that herbs will not be needed further. That
is why we often modify the herbs as treatment continues, since the body
starts to shift towards being healthier, and therefore the herbs are
modified to meet the changing needs of the body.
Can I take Chinese herbs when I am on medication?
It
depends on the medications you are taking. This would have to be
evaluated on a case by case basis.
How quickly can I expect to feel better?
In
general, I tell my patients they should start to feel the benefits from
acupuncture in 2-3 treatments. If the problem is acute, sometimes
improvement is felt after 1 treatment, and may only need 3-5 treatments
to resolve. If the problem is chronic and long term, it may take many
treatments to help resolve.
How often should I be treated?
Typically I treat patients once a week. If the condition is acute and
painful, I may want to do treatments 2-3 times per week for the first
couple of weeks. The benefits of acupuncture treatments tend to hold
longer as you receive treatments, so what typically happens is that my
patients start to need to see me less and less, so after a while they
only come only periodically for maintenance.
Does acupuncture always help?
No, but
it usually does. If you do not feel any benefit after 3-5 treatments,
then acupuncture may not work for you.
How can acupuncture & Chinese herbal medicine treat so
many conditions?
Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine treat individual people rather
than isolated symptoms; therefore any condition that can be understood
as an imbalance in the body¡¯s systems can be treated and altered. Once a
pattern is correctly identified and treated, it is common for many of
the symptoms associated with this pattern to improve even ones that
didn¡¯t seem related to the initial condition.
Treatment of any health issue with acupuncture and herbal medicine does
not replace a physician¡¯s care. It is important to utilize both medical
systems, as each one has its own strengths and weaknesses.
How many treatments will I need?
A
better question would be ¡°How many treatments will be necessary until I
know if the treatments are helping?¡± The answer to this depends on a
number of factors, including the severity and duration of the problem,
as well as its complexity. An issue that has been troublesome for many
years tends to require more treatments than a recent problem. Initial
improvements for long-standing problems may be more temporary. As
treatments progress further, improvements become more sustained.
If I am treated with acupuncture & herbal medicine,
will I be able to stop taking my prescription medicines?
It
depends on the conditions for which you take the medicines. If the
medicines are taken as needed to control symptoms, then as these
symptoms decrease with your acupuncture & herbal treatment, you will
need less and less prescription medication. If you are on a regular
regime of medicine for potentially serious medical problems, reducing
these medicines may be advised in some cases, but only with the full
cooperation and guidance of your medical doctor.
Do the needles hurt?
Almost
every first-time acupuncture patient has some trepidation before the
first visit. However, once the first needle has been inserted, it
becomes very clear that an acupuncture needle has little in common with
the nightmarish needles from our memories of childhood visits to the
doctor. An acupuncture needle is a fraction the thickness of a
hypodermic needle. Common sensations from an acupuncture needle may
include a mild temporary heaviness or soreness, slight tingling, warmth,
moderate pulsations, or no sensation at all. If there is an initial
sensation, it dissipates very quickly.
What about danger of disease transmission from the
needles?
Any acupuncturist licensed
in New York State has been thoroughly trained in and tested on OSHA
standards for disease transmission prevention. At the East Mountain
Center, as is the rule throughout our profession, only sterile,
disposable single-use needles are used. Prior to each needle¡¯s
insertion, the skin at each point to be stimulated is cleaned with
alcohol. |
