First Visit |
Healing Process |
Asian Medicine Modalities - Treatment Types
"The good physician treats the disease;
the great physician treats the patient who has the disease"
- William Osler
Activities Before and After an Acupuncture Session
Because acupuncture mobilizes the
body’s different kinds of energy (Qi), it is advisable to have a healthy, but
not a heavy meal, a couple hours prior to each treatment. Acupuncture received on an empty stomach may,
in some patients who are new to acupuncture, produce a slight lightheadedness or mild nausea for a few
hours. After an acupuncture treatment, it
is best to wait a few hours before eating a meal that is moderately light. And, to prolong the calming and therapeutic
effects afterwards, the best activity to engage in is simply to relax, if
possible.
Consultation and First Visit
Our consultations are comprehensive
and detailed. Depending upon the nature
and complexity of the patient’s condition(s), 90 minutes or in some cases 2
hours may be spent with the patient. The
consultation may be completed at the first session or divided between two
sessions, or more.
During the consultation a detailed health history is taken and a
physical exam is performed. A comprehensive range of questions will be
asked covering the areas of the patient's mind, body and spirit, in
addition to symptom-related experiences concerning his/her chief
complaints. This is an important time for us to get to know the patient
and his/her health concerns, as well as allow the patient to ask
questions and address any concerns. It is this initial consultation which establishes the
baseline by which a diagnosis is made, a treatment plan is developed,
and progress is measured.
Depending on the conditions to be treated, the physical exam may
consist of palpating the regions affected such as the head, neck,
abdomen, back, limbs, and joints. Functional testing may be employed to
check for range of motion and/or movement deficits. Certain diagnostics
measurements may be taken such as weight, blood pressure, oral
temperature and respiration. In all cases and for each visit, the
tongue will be examined and the pulse palpated for their conditions and
diagnostics information.
Upon completing the consultation, an Asian medical diagnosis is made and the treatment
plan discussed with the patient. If the patient is on prescription
medications or undergoing other forms of medical therapy, their
effects, side effects and any possible drug-herb or therapy-herb
interactions are researched and evaluated prior to prescribing
medicinal herbs.
For
patients who are taking supplements and/or medications, it will be
helpful to bring either the entire bottle/package or an itemized list
of each item and the daily dosages taken.
Acupuncture Needle Retention
Acupuncture needles are generally
retained for 20-40 minutes after insertion of the last needle. However, certain conditions may require
either shorter or longer retention. For
children, needle retention is generally about 10 to 15 minutes. This retention period is an important time
for the body’s innate healing mechanisms to be activated and distributed. It is also an important time for the patient
to relax and quiet his/her mind to allow the healing activities of the needling
to occur unimpeded.
Follow-up Sessions
Follow-up sessions generally are
scheduled for 60 minutes. For certain
conditions and disorders, up to 90 minutes may be necessary.
Frequency of
follow-up sessions depend on numerous factors specific to each
individual. Please see the paragraph entitled Frequency of Treatments
and Duration of Care further down on this page.
Treatment Plan
Treatment strategy depends on factors such as the condition being
treated, progression of the disease, intensity of the symptoms, the
patient's constitution, age, pharmaceutical drugs being taken, and
more. Generally, the following strategy types may be employed:
- Treat the symptoms (Manifestations) first and then address the underlying causes (Root) later. This approach is taken when the symptoms are severe and/or the condition is acute.
- Treat both the Manifestation and Root simultaneously.
This approach is taken when the symptoms are less severe and the
underlying causes are chronic and conducive to concurrent treatment.
- Treat the Root only.
This approach is taken when treating the underlying causes will
effectively eliminate the outward manifested symptoms. In most cases,
this approach applies to very chronic conditions which have existed for
a long time.
Treatment Modalities
A variety of treatment modalities are available. Depending on the
symptoms presented at each session, the condition being treated, and
the stage of the therapy, different modalities may be employed at
different times. These modalities may include acupuncture,
electro-acupuncture (e-stim), moxibustion (moxa), cupping, gua sha,
plum blossom needling, intradermal needle retention, ear seeds,
medicinal herbs, and therapeutic body work.
Please see the section on
Asian Medicine Modalities for additional information.
Treatment Effects
Treatment effects depend on many factors. These factors may include
one's unique attributes, age, constitution, his/her physiological and
mental-emotional states, the nature and complexity of the condition,
the stage and progression of the disorder, whether or not drugs or
prescription medications are taken, and more.
For some conditions and some patients, the effect of acupuncture is
almost immediate. For others, the effect is felt a few hours later. And
for some, the healing effect is noticed a day or two later. Sometimes,
noticeable improvement may not be attained until a few sessions have
passed.
The quality of the effect may vary also. In most cases the initial
effect from any of the treatment modalities is a reduction in the
primary and related symptoms and a state of relief. Sometimes, however,
certain symptoms may seem to be aggravated initially before
reduction/elimination occurs as the body's energetics seeks to adjust
itself. For example, in chronic bronchitis where the lungs are
congested by "dry and difficult" phlegm-mucus, more frequent coughing
may occur initially and temporarily as the phlegm is loosened through
therapy and the body responds by coughing as a way to discharge it.
Duration of Effects
Generally, each treatment session builds upon the prior treatments. Therefore, the
effects of each treatment tend to last longer as treatments progress.
This is an important reason why the patient should try not to miss
scheduled appointments.
Until a satisfactory level of relief is obtained, the duration of the
effect of each treatment session will vary by the various factors
identified above.
Frequency of Treatments and Duration of Care
The frequency and duration of care are very specific to each
patient and depends on any number of factors identified above, and those
explained in the section on
Healing Process.
This is also affected by whether or not the patient elects to take
herbs. Certain symptoms/conditions, especially those of recent onset and acute nature, may be treatable in a few
sessions. Others
may require months of therapy. Conditions like HIV may require a
lifetime of complement care, in alternating phases of treatments and
no-treatments, as a way to increase the quality of life,
reduce the side effects of HIV medications, and help prevent the
disease from progressing to AIDS.
In most cases, frequency of treatments at the onset of therapy is
extremely important. In Asia for example, conditions such as
musculoskeletal, neurological, and acute disorders are treated daily
during a course with a five-day interval between courses. A course may
involve 10 sessions or more. If the condition/symptoms are
alleviated before the end of a course, treatments may be suspended at
that time or the patient placed on a maintenance schedule.
For
certain disorders, completing a full course may be advised irrespective
of resolution of symptoms prior to the end of the course. This applies
to conditions that are prone to relapsing or becoming chronic.
Elsewhere, including in America, few individuals are likely to be able to adhere to a
daily treatment plan.
To the extent possible, undertaking two or
three acupuncture treatments per week for the first few weeks of therapy will greatly
facilitate the healing process and promote a faster and more positive
outcome.
Women
Unless women are being treated
specifically for uterine/menstrual disorders, reproductive and/or
fertility matters, it is generally not advisable to get acupuncture during the
first few days of the menstrual flow. This is because acupuncture may affect
the natural downward flow of the body's energies (Qi) during this
time.
Pregnancy
Traditional Asian medicine is generally a safe medical
modality for pregnant women. However, a
handful of acupuncture points, certain procedures and techniques, and some herbs
may be inappropriate during pregnancy as they may have disruptive effects on
the fetus or may affect milk production in nursing mothers. With careful and prudent application, there
are wide ranging benefits to the pregnant mother and during the post-partum
period. This is particularly the case in
women who have had bouts of infertility, previously suffered miscarriages, or
are prone to post-partum depression.
Maintenance
Even after one's symptoms are resolved, traditional Asian medicine can
help sustain a healthy life and prevent future imbalances. At this
stage, treatments received either monthly or on alternating weeks may
be sufficient to help preserve continuing balance and wellness.
In general, acupuncture and herbs taken for 3 to 4 weeks prior to the
change of each season is an important strategy to help the body adjust
to the specific elements of the coming season. Often, infectious
diseases like the common cold, flu and other bacterial and viral
infections afflict those whose immune systems are unable to quickly and
adequately adjust to the change in seasonal elements and pathogens.
Acupuncture and herbs can help boost the immunity and help ward off the
different types of pathogenic factors associated with each season.
Numerous researches have shown that the more one incorporates
traditional Asian medicine into one's life, the more it can help
nurture the mind and body while promoting health, wellness and
longevity.
First Visit |
Healing Process |
Asian Medicine Modalities - Treatment Types
