HOW TO DRESS
Loose fitting, comfortable clothes that you can push up to expose elbows and knees. If that isn’t possible, you can bring a change of clothes or I can give a cover up.
EAT A SNACK
Getting acupuncture on an empty stomach isn’t recommended. You may faint or have other adverse reactions.
FIRST VISIT
Once you book, you will be emailed a link to fill out all your forms online. The practice is completely paperless. If you are unable to fill them out, you can fill out your forms on the office iPad, but do allow an extra 10-15 minutes so it doesn’t cut into your treatment time.
The waiting room is closed for your safety, so the door is locked until 5 minutes before your appointment. Please wait until I text you to let you know I’m ready. If you arrive early, you can wait in your car, or on the chairs outside the door.
COVID PROTOCOLS
For everyone’s safety, if you’ve been diagnosed with Covid or any contagious disease, please do not come in. We can do a phone or virtual herbal visits.
We use a Blueair anti viral air purifier. Touchless payment options are available
HEALTH HISTORY
We’ll talk about your health concerns and goals and discuss how they can be addressed with Chinese Medicine, formulate a treatment and figure out if we’re a good fit. I will ask you about your current issues, and general health. We will talk for 5-30 minutes, depending on how much we need to discuss.
TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICAL EXAM
Chinese medicine dates back 5000 years, and since we view the body much differently than Western Medicine, the diagnosis process is probably not what you’ve experienced when visiting an MD. Rather than lab tests, we use tongue diagnosis and other physical assessments.
Your tongue almost always reveals your true condition, with clearly visible clues to underlying, basic patterns. It’s useful in complex, chronic issues, with contradicting symptoms and signs. Pain, stress and inflammation can mask or change your perception of what’s happening in your body.
If you’re coming in for pain treatment, we might do some palpating to look for scar tissue and circulation blockages in the area, but we’ll obviously discuss this first.
Because masks are mandatory for the length of your visit, I do ask that you text a photo of your tongue, which is stored on my secure electronic record system.
Since everyone has unique needs and expectations, I customize the treatment for your comfort.
Possible Chinese Medical protocols we’ll use during a treatment, all included in the cost of treatment:
ACUPUNCTURE (needles optional) we can do cold laser or essential oils if needles aren’t your thing!
You’ll relax on a heated table for @45 minutes. I leave a bell with you so you can call me if you need anything or feel uncomfortable. If you have difficulty lying still, have sensory issues or need any modifications because of mobility or pain, please just let me know and we can adapt.
HERBS
Herbs are entirely optional, but they are a large part of the healing process in Chinese Medicine.. Most of us have stress, inflammation, digestive issues or other chronic challenges that respond well to herbs. Herbs are an important stop gap to keep you feeling good between treatment, and will considerably shorten your treatment time. Herbs can also be used to boost your immune system, and keep your respiratory system healthy. Chinese herbs have been researched extensively. Traditional Chinese Medicine formula textbooks were published over 2000 years ago. Cleveland Clinic, Mayo Clinic and many other top hospitals carry and prescribe Chinese herbal formulas.
I use a few trusted, ethical professional grade supplement companies that do third party testing to ensure their products are free of heavy metals and other contaminants. I also write custom, individualized formulas that can be filled from an online herbal pharmacy and mailed to you. You have the option of granules, tinctures, tea, or capsules. The granules and tea are stronger and work faster than tinctures or capsules. The tinctures are a great choice if you want something portable (a stress, anxiety or pain formula) or have poor digestion.
CUPPING
Cupping is fantastic for pain, stress, improving lung function and facilitating removal of cellular waste. Cupping pulls the fascia (connective tissue) apart to allow circulation to flow into tight, restricted muscles.
FOOD AS MEDICINE
Eastern style nutrition has classified every food for its specific healing qualities on each organ system. So we wouldn’t talk about carbs or fat, but rather foods that help lung function, or improve mood.
QI GONG OR LIFESTYLE COACHING
Qi Gong is an exercise appropriate for all ages and fitness levels, and it strengthens muscles, bones and ligaments and helps with stress, flexibility and balance. There are many simple changes which can help with pain and stress.
ACCOMMODATIONS
Acupuncture visits entail keeping still for 30-40 minutes, lying down on your back, side or stomach, and talking in detail about your condition in order to get a proper diagnosis. Cupping involves lying still for 20-25 minutes. If you are unable to do any of those things , please let Donna know before your treatment, and she will make accommodations.