care for your body, mind and spirit.
How should I prepare for my visit?
Here are a few simple things you can do to help prepare for your appointment, both before and after:
Please do no wear perfume or fragrances for your first appointment
Wear/bring loose fitting clothing so that your arms, legs, abdomen and back are easily accessible
Avoid caffeine the day of your appointment and be sure to have eaten something within 2 hours of your appointment time.
Plan for your first visit to take the full 2 hours; it may be possible to finish sooner, but often the full time is needed. Follow up appointments typically take around 50 minutes
Post-visit, keep the balance of the day’s activities light and allow yourself to relax and rest that evening, which will support the treatment taking effect.
It is advised to avoid alcohol for 24 hours after treatment
GETTING TO YOUR APPOINTMENT
The practice is located at 1616 SE Ankeny St
There is free and ample street parking available, please give yourself a few extra minutes to secure a spot before your appointment start time.
The practice is located within ROSE CITY FAMILY WELLNESS which is connected to the Alma Midwifery building. Look for the iron gates and as you walk through them, you’ll see the entry door on your left.
Walk straight back to the large waiting room area, make yourself comfortable and I’ll be out to greet you when your appointment starts.
RUNNING LATE? A call or text is always appreciated.
Please understand, if you are late to your appointment you will only have the remaining time in your slot available, and treatment may not be possible if time constraints do not allow.
GETTING STARTED
What will my first appointment look like?
During your initial visit, I’ll take a full health history, and ask several questions related to both your chief concern(s) and your overall health/health history. This will give me a holistic view of how your body is currently functioning, what external lifestyle and environmental factors may be contributing to your concerns, and which internal systems may be influencing one another. We’ll be sure to address any questions you have along the way. In addition to our discussions and review of labs or imaging you might provide, I’ll utilize traditional diagnostic tools like taking your pulse and examining your tongue. You’ll receive a foundational acupuncture treatment customized to your unique constitution, and we’ll discuss your anticipated treatment plan.
PROGRESS
What happens during follow up visits?
Each 50-minute follow up visit will consist of a check-in and review of progress, followed by an acupuncture treatment. After each session, I’ll ask you to mentally “note” any shifts or changes you may experience in the following days (i.e. better sleep, decreased severity in symptoms, changes in digestion, shift in mood, etc) and I’ll use that information to refine and evolve your treatment(s). Your healing process will be dynamic and non-linear, and your treatments will shift accordingly. Acupuncture may be used in conjunction with moxa, herbs, essential oils and lifestyle or dietary advice to give you a full-spectrum care experience that supports optimal results.
TIMELINE
How many treatments will I need?
This answer is different for each of us, and it’s something we’ll discuss during your initial visit and as treatments progress. Some acute conditions can be resolved within a few treatments, while those that are more complex and/or chronic take time and consistency. While it’s not uncommon to experience moderate relief of symptoms within the first few treatments, acupuncture generally works in a cumulative and compounding nature. On average, most conditions require a minimum of 6-8 consecutive treatments to see and feel the greatest impact, and have it be lasting. Typically I like to see patients weekly to start off, and once we see things moving in the right direction with reliable consistency, we start to schedule treatments further apart. Ultimately, my goal is to get you to a place where treatments are utilized as a form of maintenance and prevention, on a seasonal and as-needed basis.
ACUPUNCTURE
How does acupuncture work?
Acupuncture prompts your bodies’ own natural healing & homeostatic processes via specific points on the body that are related to your unique CM diagnosis. Many of the acupuncture points have the word “gate” in their name, and this is a helpful visual metaphor for how they function. When these points/gates, are activated/opened by the needle, they send a small electrical signal via connective tissue and fascia deep into the body, eliciting your bodies innate regulatory responses.
While Acupuncture has existed for thousands of years, we are lucky to live in modern day society, where multitudes of studies have been performed and science can explain many of its mechanisms. You can learn more about how acupuncture works and studies that support these understandings in the Perennial Health Blog