Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine is Rooted in history. Yet, it is fairly new to our western culture.
So you may wonder, "How does Acupuncture Work?"
How does acupuncture work?
In Acupuncture we take small, fine needles and place them on very specific parts of your body. Where we place them is based on the type of disorder we are treating and over 300+ acupuncture points. Your body is always striving for homeostasis, or balance, and with the needles we are drawing your bodies attention to an area that needs healing. We reestablish communication and connection by drawing new Qi and Blood into the area so your body can heal itself.
Your body is self healing, Chinese Medicine is all about trying to give your body everything it needs in order to heal itself. The needle is just a tool to tap into your body’s ability to heal itself. It’s a stimulus to your nervous system. It acts as a small injury, a little bit of inflammation that stimulates your body to go into action.
There’s no medicine on that needle. The body creates the healing, the needle just elicits the response. Different places on your body, which we call Acupuncture points, do different things. Dr Niemeyer has six years of Chinese Medicine education which taught her where to place these needles for which type of condition. It’s amazing.
“1972: I am convinced that acupuncture is going to be one of the greatest contributions that any group of people has made to the future of all medicine, if it is handled correctly by the people of the western world.”
What to Expect:
At your first appointment it's our time to discuss your main reasons for coming in. Then Dr. Niemeyer will take an in depth medical history; including family medical history, history of injury/surgery, current medications and supplements, and more.
In Chinese Medicine, we ask many detailed questions about dietary habits, bowel and urinary habits, sleep cycle, and many other areas that are normally ignored by other doctors. These details are our way to detect imbalances in your body that can lead to more major symptomology later in life. They also give us clues in order to determine the best treatment plan for you.
Depending on your condition we use anywhere from 10-20 needles. When we needle you may experience some needle sensation, or Qi sensation. This includes a small pinch at insertion and other sensations after insertion including: heaviness, itching sensation, tingling, and pulsation. These are desired effects from the needles and generally do not bother the patient. Then we leave the needles in place, as you rest on the treatment table, for about 30 minutes.
Please allow 90 minutes for a full first consultation and treatment. Follow up treatments will be about 45 minutes. At the end of your treatment Dr. Niemeyer will discuss your suggested treatment plan. This could include dietary changes, herbal treatments, and she will discuss how often is beneficial for you to return to acupuncture treatment. Depending on your health situation, I normally suggest coming in one to two times per week in the beginning of your treatment plan. Then we will start spacing treatments further and further apart until we reach maintenance stage, which could be once a month or once every few months. Your treatment plan will be tailored to you.
Treatment Frequency: Treatment frequency is the most important part of setting you up for success with Acupuncture. Acupuncture is done over a series of treatments, we start with treatments closer together and then space them further apart as we see results.
Active Treatment: 1-2 times per week. Most of my patients begin at once weekly. Twice weekly treatments is reserved for patients who are coming in to address physical pain like back pain, or serious acute conditions where the patient is suffering greatly and we need to address the issue aggressively. We make the most progress during Active treatment.
Transitional Treatment: Every other week. When we are transitioning to maintenance, we can still make progress here but it’s slower than active treatment. We back the treatments off slowly to make sure that we can maintain the results.
Maintenance: Monthly. Here we are maintaining your results, some patients don’t need maintenance and some people do. It depends on the condition we are treating, this is also a great measure to take for prevention of illness.
If we don’t dose Acupuncture properly, it won’t work. I liken it to a Medical Doctor prescribing antibiotics. If the Doctor tells you to take one antibiotic daily, and instead you take one antibiotic weekly, it won’t work and it won’t be the fault of the drug. It’s that the medicine wasn’t dosed properly. Same for Acupuncture, dose is everything.
What we treat
Women’s Health Issues
Mold Illness
Come Prepared:
It is imperative to come to your treatment hydrated and having eaten a substantial meal. However, please do not come too full or under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Bring a list of all of your current medications including any herbal supplements and vitamins. If you don't know the ingredients please bring the bottle with you.
Come wearing comfortable clothing that has easy access to the arms and legs, up to the elbows and knees. Some areas like the upper back may require you to drape with a towel or sheet for easier access.
Please come to the treatment having showered. Coming for treatment directly after a workout is not advisable. We use alcohol to clean the area of insertion but it is better to be clean in order to prevent any risk of infection.
