What to Expect at your first treatment
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.
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.
