Frequently Asked Questions
You can also learn about our clinic with this article in Bellingham Alive! magazine -
"Acupuncture for the People" By Laura Boynton
"Acupuncture for the People" By Laura Boynton
- Q: Does acupuncture hurt?
- A: You'll either feel nothing at all, or a tiny prick. We can fit multiple of our needles inside of one that takes your blood. They're really thin and bendable little pins.
- Q: How long is an appointment?
- A: We spend approximately 15 min talking with you and giving you the acupuncture. Then, you rest with the needles in you for 30-60 min, depending on your comfort.
- Q: Why did you put that needle there?
- A: Good question! There's a simple, short, and wonderful book to read for free about that here.
- Q: So, how can you make it so affordable?
- A: You'll be in a large room with other people. By treating multiple people in a given hour, we're able to lower the cost for you. We'll still have the privacy to talk, and you won't be disrobing in front of strangers. In fact, you won't be disrobing at all. Many people come to prefer relaxing in a room with others. You'll likely be in a recliner, or possibly on a massage table. We don't necessarily have to do acupuncture on your low back to treat your low back pain.
- Q: How many treatments will it take?
- A: A common dose of acupuncture is 5 treatments over the course of 3 weeks to see if it's helping you. If it is, you continue for another 3 weeks to see how far we can progress. After that, many people come as needed, or semi-regularly to maintenance their issues. Sometimes results are really fast, and sometimes it can take awhile. It depends on how complicated your issues are and how long they've been around.
- Q: Do I have to believe in acupuncture for it to work?
- A: Not at all. We're pretty sure that horses and dogs don't believe in it when they get acupuncture. They just stop limping if it works. Acupuncture on non-human animals has been happening for a long long time. And, we have patients all the time that start out skeptical.
- Q: Can I combine acupuncture with massage, chiropractic, physical therapy, or other modalities?
- A: Absolutely. Not only will acupuncture not conflict with what you're doing, other modalities combined with acupuncture may speed up your healing.
- Q: Is it safe? What do you do with those needles after you use them?
- A: We use sterile, one-time use needles made of surgical steel. They are safely disposed of after each use. Once in awhile we see a non-painful bruise after acupuncture. That's about it.