You’ve Got Questions - We’ve Got Answers
PATIENT RESOURCES
WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?
Please read the following to understand the background/diagnosis/treatment/uses for acupuncture:
https://www.southmetroacu.com/single-post/2017/07/20/What-Is-Acupuncture
DOES ACUPUNCTURE HURT?
While the thought of acupuncture may seem scary, most admit after the initial treatment that acupuncture is painless. When inserting the needle there will be a signal to the body through sensation that something has happened, this feeling may appear as a dull ache, heavy sensation, or tingle. Due to the minute size of the hair thin acupuncture needles, and experienced technique of the practitioner, most points you will not realize go in. Acupuncture is commonly used with infants, children and animals because of its painless nature.
HOW IS ACUPUNCTURE DIFFERENT FROM DRY NEEDLING?
The theory, technique, and sensation are very different in acupuncture and dry needling. The two are often seen as interchangeable because dry needling uses an acupuncture needle. Please read the following to further understand all the differences: https://www.southmetroacu.com/single-post/2017/07/20/Acupuncture-VS-Dry-Needling
WHY DOES CUPPING LEAVE MARKS?
In Chinese Medicine pain is often the result of stagnation or poor circulation that occurs from an injury or environmental factors such as being out in the cold snow often. Cupping is a suction technique used to lift and stretch the fascia. When there is stagnation in an area due to injury, blood will be pooled in the fascias, dispersing this with cupping may cause red or purple color come to the surface. In the acupuncturist view this is a good thing as it is promoting the circulation of blood flow to heal that injury. Cupping is used in Chinese Medicine for much more than injuries, such as common colds or fevers. Red/purple marks do not appear on everyone, and will go away within a few days.
I HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING, HOW WILL ACUPUNCTURE HELP ME?
Acupuncture is successful because we see each patient as an individual, it is not one pill or one point that is used for everyone. An in-depth look into each person is done on every single visit to determine what patterns in the body are causing disharmony. By seeing each patient as an individual and instead of using disease diagnosis to group people together, it allows freedom for each person to receive a personalized treatment which will create lasting change. Acupuncturists have many different focuses, some are amazing at treating emotions while others focus on fertility or pain. If you have tried acupuncture before and are looking to try someone who had extensive research and practice in your case please reach out to find the best fit for practitioners in the area.