Acupuncture is a therapy developed more than 2000 years ago in Asia that consists of stimulating designated points on the skin by the insertion of needles in order to restore and balance the body’s energy or “Qi” (pronounced “chi”). It is a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which also includes the application of heat, shiatsu massage, and herbal medicine.
All natural – All healing is done by the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Even the greatest surgeon can’t heal the smallest cut. Only the body can do that.
Acupuncture works with your body instead of against it. Modern medicine is miraculous, but your body’s self-healing abilities are even more so. Most modern drugs work by preventing symptoms instead of helping to bring your self-healing abilities into play. Often these symptoms (such as fever, inflammation, etc.) are actually your body’s attempt to heal itself. Blocking these symptoms can give relief, at the cost of true healing.
Traditional Chinese Medicine is outstanding for chronic conditions – Modern medicine is exceptional at acute conditions – health problems needing immediate attention, such as infections, broken bones, trauma, and anything requiring surgery. It’s not as good at chronic conditions – health conditions that just don’t go away on their own. These persistent conditions are where acupuncture is especially effective.
This is the most common question asked, and the answer is “no.” There is a big misconception that the needles will hurt, but the needles are hair-thin, and generally you will not feel a thing.
Some patients experience a burst of energy while feel relaxed or even tired. Many people experience a sense of calm and well being. Occasionally a patient may feel euphoric or lightheaded, especially after the first treatment.
Very few people experience small bruises at the point of contact. This is no big deal and no cause for alarm.
A typical visit with Dr. Zhang lasts about 45 mins to 1 hour.
Dr. Zhang has used acupuncture to treat many conditions such as:
Acne
Allergies
Ankle Pain
Anxiety
Arthritis
Asthma
Auto Injury
Bad Breath
Bell’s Palsy
Bone Spurs
Bursitis
Carpal Tunnel
Chronic Fatigue
Common Cold
Depression
Golf Elbow
Gout
Heel Pain
Hemorrhoids
Herniated Disc
Hypertension
Infertility
Insomnia
Knee Pain
Lower Back Pain
Menopause
Migraines
Neck Pain
Pinched Nerve
P.M.S.
Rotator Cuff Pain
Sciatica
Shingles
Skin Problems
Smoking
Sports Injury
Stroke
Tendonitis
Tennis Elbow
Weight Loss
No. When treated by a licensed acupuncturist there are no side effects and is a very safe process.
The entire visit lasts between 45 minutes and 1 hour.
Initially, Dr. Zhang will spend 10-15 minutes with you to get an exact diagnosis such as what is the problem, how long you’ve had it for, your health history, your current eating and exercise habits, along with a few other questions.
From there, you will lie down and between 4-12 acupuncture points are selected. From there the areas are swabbed with alcohol and the acupuncture needle is gently inserted.
Once that is complete, Dr. Zhang will then allow you to rest for 20 minutes to allow the healing process to begin. Once that is complete, he will ask how you are feeling and give you further instructions from there.
Acupuncture is extremely safe and has been administered for over 2,000 years. If it didn’t work, people won’t continue to use it.
Yes! The needles are single-use needles that are sterile and approved by the FDA.
This depends on what you are being treated for. The more severe and chronic the concern, the more treatments will be needed. Most people come in between 1-3 times a week. Generally speaking, the total number of treatments is usually between six to twenty-five total treatments.
There is a big difference. A licensed acupuncturist has at least 3,000 hours of acupuncture-specific training and knows every single detail of Chinese medicine and acupuncture techniques.
A physician who is certified to practice acupuncture only knows the very basics and has only 300 hours of training, some of which include watching videos.
Yes. Acupuncture is safe to be combined with regular checkups as well as medication you may be taking.
Yes, but be sure to let Dr. Zhang know.
Many companies do. Be sure to check with your insurance carrier to make sure.