Traditional Chinese Medicine 101: What to Expect When Receiving Acupuncture
*Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your acupuncture experience will follow infection prevention procedures as outlined by the Ministry of Health.
If you’ve been following this blog series from the start, I hope you now have a foundational understanding of what acupuncture is in terms of its Chinese roots.
But nothing beats understanding a subject than the school of life with some hands-on experience. If you’ve never had acupuncture before, here is what you can expect. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you will have been screened prior to the treatment virtually or by phone. Please be expected to wear a mask for your appointment as will your acupuncturist. You will be asked to disinfect or wash your hands prior to entering the treatment room; your acupuncturist will do the same. An initial intake or interview will take place before even a single needle is used.
This interview is how the acupuncturist can assess the ‘big picture’ of who you are in terms of your medical history and current issues, if any.
Once the tongue and pulse are taken as a part of our diagnostic measures and using theories like Yin and Yang, along with other principles, a diagnosis and treatment plan will be crafted in order to best serve you. The practitioner will explain the treatment they have in mind and get your consent before proceeding; feel free to ask any questions you like as they are welcomed.
The acupuncturist will leave the room, giving you some privacy to prepare for the treatment and get comfortable. Once you’re ready to start, the practitioner will begin the needling, prepping the sites with rubbing alcohol first.
I often use breathing techniques and mindfulness exercises with those that are scared of needles (trypanophobia), nervous or sensitive to touch. I also employ local needling in areas of injury, spasm or pain, but I couple these points with ones that will also help the underlying constitution of the person. Once the needles are inserted, I check-in to make sure the person is comfortable and ready to relax; it’s important for one to be able to achieve that calm ‘rest and digest’, parasympathetic state in order to heal.
Depending on the length of the treatment booked, the complexity of the issue and type of acupuncture treatment, i.e. fertility, cosmetic or for muscular pain, will dictate the amount of time you get to relax.
Once the needles have been retained for a period of time, the acupuncturist will return and take all the needles out, disposing of them safely in a sharp’s container
Again, depending on the nature of the treatment, I typically employ some bodywork like cupping, gua sha, Tuina massage or a combination of these modalities. Once the treatment is over and you’ve been given a moment to collect yourself, the acupuncturist will most likely let you know what to expect post-treatment, provide instructions if necessary and discuss the treatment schedule going forward if such a plan is warranted.
Clinically, I find patients will remark that they feel a deep sense of calm or relaxation, but it’s not unusual to feel a little sore or achy, especially if another modality was also used. Bruising or soreness at the site of the needle is also not uncommon; but if you’re experiencing anything more intense, let your acupuncturist know as they’ll have strategies to help you.
Now that you’ve gotten a deeper insight into the roots of traditional acupuncture, the theories behind it, how its employed and needles used, maybe you’ll consider giving acupuncture a try? Understanding Qi, the meridians, needling was certainly challenging when I was learning about it in school; I can relate to those out there that might be still confused or wanting more answers. With anything of worth, it took time to learn and to become proficient.
If you’re keen, my advice would be to find a registered and licensed Acupuncturist or Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioner as they possess the knowledge and the skills to better serve you.
Thank you for joining me for the Chinese Medicine 101 Blog Series! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to contact me.