How does acupuncture work?
What are the needles like?
Does it hurt?
How do herbs differ from western medicine?
Can I take Chinese herbs when I am on medication?
How quickly can I expect to feel better?
How often should I be treated?
Does insurance cover acupuncture?
What is the training like for a Western practitioner of Chinese Medicine?


Q: How does acupuncture work?
A: Chinese medicine uses tiny needles and herbs to help nurture the body back to health by helping resolve energy imbalances.
________________________________________
Q: What are the needles like?
A: Only sterile, disposable needles are used so there is no risk of infection. We use a needle once, then dispose of it in sharps containers. Acupuncture needles are small, solid, and hair-thin; it's as if they can glide through the spaces between the cells.
________________________________________
Q: Does it hurt?
A: People experience needling differently. Treatments are rarely described as painful. I gently insert the needle under the skin, and it can be easily adjusted if the patient does feel discomfort. If any sensation is experienced during insertion, it is often compared to a mosquito bite and disappears very quickly. Often people describe their sensations as warming, heavy, numb, or tingling. Many people even fall asleep during treatment.
Following treatment it is common to feel a tremendous sense of relaxation and calm.
________________________________________
Q: How do herbs differ from western medicine?
A: Chinese herbal formulas tend to be much gentler than western medicines, and work to not only help relieve symptoms, but to help return the body to balance and equilibrium, so that herbs will not be needed further. I generally modify the formulas as treatment continues, since the body starts to shift towards being healthier, and therefore the herbs are modified to meet the changing needs of the body.
________________________________________
Q: Can I take Chinese herbs when I am on medication?
A: In most cases, yes. I follow up-to-date guidelines on herb-drug interactions.
________________________________________
Q: How quickly can I expect to feel better?
A: Healing takes time! Your treatment schedule will vary according to your condition, how long you’ve felt unbalanced, and your compliance with treatment protocol. It is important to recognize day-to-day achievements. It is also natural to expect to see some results in a relatively short time-frame. Some conditions are resolved in one or two treatments. Others take months or longer. There are many treatment options according to budget and condition, but always remember that nurturing yourself is essential in order to be of assistance to others. You come first, and you are worth it! In general, I tell my patients they should start to feel the benefits from acupuncture in 2-3 treatments. If the problem is acute, sometimes improvement is felt after 1 treatment, and may only need 3-5 treatments to resolve. If the problem is chronic and long term, it may take a many treatments to help resolve.
________________________________________

Q: What is the training and licensure like for a Western practitioner of Chinese Medicine?
A: In the United States, L.Ac.s receive a 4 year master’s degree in Chinese Medicine. In addition to Chinese Medical theories and practices, course of study includes nutrition, western anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and western diagnostic training, as well as basic science courses. Integral to the training, in most schools, is tai chi and qi gong. In California, where I trained, we have a minimum of one year of clinical training with a supervisor.

California required a minimum of 2,348 hours of theoretical and clinical training and 50 continuing ed units every 2 years. Now the minimum hours of training are even higher, and the CA standards are much higher than the national average. Ca does not accept the National Certification, instead requiring an even stricter examination for its candidates.
It is important to realize the training and continuing ed requirements, because there are many doctors such as MDs, Chiropractors, and Naturopaths who can take a few hundred hours course and then practice acupuncture. They will have some effect, yes, but not like what you will get with a true licensed practitioner. The medicine is very deep and ancient.

Regarding titles, L.Ac. is standard (Licensed Acupuncturist). D.OM. is used in some states, particularly New Mexico. It is an equivilant to L.Ac. The new doctoral programs allow further academic study and you may see a few PhDs and DAOMs popping up in the near future as the classes graduate. Though these new doctoral level scholars will have a deeper knowledge, they practice at the same level of licensure as the L.Ac. Only a PhD may refer to themselves as Dr. Unfortunately, though Chinese Medicine practitioners practice a complete medicine, the AMA sets strict guidelines as to the title Dr.