Frequently Asked Questions

Upon booking your initial visit with us, you will receive a link to create an account in the patient portal. Please create an account and complete our online intake forms. Plan on coming a few minutes early to give extra time for filling out documents in case you did not get a chance to do so before your appointment. Wear loose and comfy clothing that will allow access to above the knees and elbows, but do not worry if you cannot, as we have sheets that can cover you if needed. If possible, make sure you have eaten before your treatment, but if you don't the chance to eat, we provide some light snacks. 

Your practitioner will begin your session with a more in depth intake, where they will explain how Chinese medicine works, answer all your questions, and then perform a full treatment.

After the treatment, most people feel calm and relaxed, and some might feel a bit disoriented or tired. In both cases it is recommended to take time to rest after the treatment. It is very common after the first treatment (especially for musculoskeletal cases) to feel sore. It is also possible feel an emotional release or reaction. These healing reactions are a part of re-directing the body’s energy to a new homeostatic state which help it to discharge toxins and wastes that have been accumulating for a long time.

All of these reactions should disappear within 1-2 days after the treatment. Bruising is also very common with acupuncture, some people bruise easier than others, and we as practitioners take this as sign that guides us to give more focus on certain organs of the body. And as treatments progress, the bruising will decrease.

The initial visit usually takes 90 min, a follow up visit is 60 min. Please give yourself extra 15 min. 

Acupuncture has a cumulative effect, so the number of treatments required is determined by your health history and the severity of your symptoms. For example, you cannot stop taking your anti-biotics in the middle of the course just because your fever went down; you need to finish the whole course of treatment. The same concept applies to acupuncture. In order to receive the full range if healing benefits, a full course of treatment must achieved. The more chronic the condition is, the more consistent treatments will be. Generally, a first course of treatment is 8-12 treatments twice a week (if less severe, once a week is acceptable). As relief is achieved, treatments can be gradually spread out. Each case should be discussed on an individual basis with the practitioner. 

Yes! Once we address the original problem, we need to maintain our health intact. In general, the frequency of maintenance treatments after reaching a stable balanced state ranges from once every 2-4 weeks. 

Yes, absolutely! We are always prone to imbalances. This medicine is designed to be a prophylactic medicine, which corrects your imbalances before they become problematic. We do encourage everyone to do regular acupuncture as a way of staying well and caring for the body. 

 Listen to the music, nap, meditate or just relax!

Cupping is applying suction on the skin using glass or pump cups. This negative pressure improves blood and fluid circulation, mobilizes muscle, sinew and fascia, giving some breathing room to adhesions, helping to bring more blood flow to scars and diminish their rough look. By bringing more blood flow to the area, we aid in dredging the lymphatic system, improving skin tone, and breaking up cellulite.

It is very common to see marks after cupping. Those marks are generally described as perfectly round bruises. They are a release of stagnations and build-ups. Individuals with congestion or poor blood circulation will have more marks with darker color, but the more cupping that is done, the less noticeable the marks are.

Gua Sha is a round edged stone that is used by scraping the skin in strokes, with pressure. This process extravagates blood and metabolic waste congesting the surface tissues and muscles, promoting normal circulation and metabolic processes. By resolving fluid and blood stasis, Gua Sha is valuable in the treatment of pain, in the prevention and treatment of acute infectious illness, upper respiratory and digestive problems, and many acute or chronic disorders. 

Electro-Acupuncture is similar in concept to a TENS machine that Physical Therapists use. It sends low frequency electrical impulses through electrodes placed at specific points on the body. The impulses can be sent continuously or intermittently, depending on the patient's condition. Although the patient feels only a tingling sensation, Electro Acupuncture has been shown to be an effective and safe method for the treatment of acute and chronic pain, through stimulating nerve regeneration, bone growth and bone matrix healing, capillary formation, natural endorphins release, and stimulating blood flow to the area treated which means bringing more oxygen and nutrients to that area and promote faster healing.

Moxa is mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris, Ai Ye) an invasive weed, which grows in many climates, including Western North Carolina. Mugwort has a long history of use in folk medicine. It is believed that the Romans planted mugwort by roadsides to make it available to travelers to put in their shoes to relieve aching feet and protect them from exhaustion. Maybe this is because of its ability to enhance the movement of qi and blood. Mugwort gets its botanical name from the Greek moon goddess Artemis, a patron of women, and is a wonderful herb for gynecological conditions. In Chinese Herbal Medicine it is used to treat heavy menstrual bleeding and uterine bleeding and to increase blood circulation to the pelvic area to treat menstrual pain. Moxibustion (applying heat near the skin) has successfully been used to turn breech babies into a normal head-down position before childbirth. Any type of heat applied to the body can increase the flow of qi and blood. Heat lamps, heating pads, or warming liniments can give a similar effect to moxibustion. But the heat combined with the powerful healing properties of mugwort gives moxibustion a proven advantage. Mugwort is used because of its acrid, spicy odor which makes it able to travel through all of the meridians, regulate qi and blood, and expel cold. One of mugwort’s active components, borneol, is commonly used in topical therapies for its analgesic effects. What is moxibustion used for? Moxibustion can be used to prevent diseases and maintain health as part of tonification treatments to help strengthen the organs and immune system. It warms the meridians and expels cold. It can be used to promote circulation over areas of chronic pain or muscle tension. It is especially used for pain that is worse with exposure to cold or damp weather, as with some types of arthritis pain. When applied to acupuncture points that strengthen and lift the qi, moxibustion can boost the immune system and help with fatigue, digestive issues, and much more.

There are many uses for moxa but there are some instances where it should be avoided. Talk to your Chinese Medicine practitioner to see if mugwort is right for you.

Herbal medicine is typically prescribed in the form of granules which will dissolve in hot water to create a tea. The granules are concentrated extracts of raw herbs.  The raw herbs are grown, harvested and extracted adhering to the highest standards to maintain their natural and chemical-free state.

Herbs are food grade plants parts that are prescribed with a focus of restoring balance by nourishing the body and resolving pathological patterns in a well designed and anciently practiced methodology. Herbs are generally gentle and natural and therefore often require a few days to demonstrate their full effect. Chinese herbal remedies may be prescribed in raw form, granules, powders, concentrated capsules, or tea pills. When herbs are prescribed by a well-trained and well-educated practitioner, Chinese herbs are very effective and safe. Careful attention is always paid to dosage, combination of herbs, as well as any known drug-herb interactions. We only prescribe herbal medicines that come from companies who abide by GMP practices.

Yes we do! we accept BlueCross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim, and Always.

Please make sure to verify your insurance coverage BEFORE your appointment. If your coverage is not verified you will have to make the full payments of your visits until your coverage is verified.

Some insurance companies are now covering acupuncture sessions only for pain conditions. It is important to check with your policy on your specific coverage.

If you have insurance that covers acupuncture and we are an out-of-network provider, we will be happy to give you a payment receipt with an acupuncture procedure code to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. 

However, remember not all acupuncture benefits are guaranteed for coverage. It is important to know that although you may have benefits, your insurance may not choose to cover services. If this is the case, it is your responsibility to pay the remaining balances as we mentioned above.