ATC - Frequently Asked Questions


—FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS—

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ACUPUNCTURE — CHINESE HERBS — DISEASES & TCM

Q: WHAT IS ACUPUNCTURE?
A: ACUPUNCTURE IS AN ANCIENT TECHNIQUE THAT USES HAIR-THIN NEEDLES TO DIRECTLY MANIPULATE THE BODY'S ENERGY FIELDS. NEEDLES ARE INSERTED INTO THE SKIN ALONG KEY ENERGY PATHS (MERIDIANS). ACUPUNCTURE WORKS BY NOURISHING AND PROMOTING THE FLOW OF LIFE-GIVING ENERGY IN THE BODY. THE NEEDLES ACT LIKE SWITCHES THAT REPROGRAM ENERGY FIELDS, TREATING THE ROOT CAUSE OF IMBALANCE, AND RETURNING THE BODY TO ITS NATURAL STATE OF WELL-BEING.

Q: WHAT ARE THE NEEDLES LIKE AND HOW MANY DO YOU USE?
A: THE NEEDLES USED TO STIMULATE THE ACUPUNCTURE POINTS ARE STERILE, DISPOSABLE, AND MADE OF SOLID STAINLESS STEEL. THEY ARE EXTREMELY FINE. AN AVERAGE OF FOUR TO EIGHT NEEDLES ARE USED DURING A CLASSICAL ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT. (CLICK HERE TO SEE A PHOTO OF AN ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLE.)

Q: DOES ACUPUNCTURE HURT?
A: MINIMAL DISCOMFORT MAY BE FELT UPON INSERTION OF THE NEEDLES, BUT MANY PEOPLE FEEL LITTLE OR NO SENSATION OF PAIN IN THE MUSCULAR PARTS OF THE BODY. SOME EMOTIONAL CONDITIONS CREATE MORE SENSITIVITY IN THE SKIN, AND AS A RESULT, THERE MAY BE DISCOMFORT. YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO COMMUNICATE YOUR FEELINGS DURING THE PROCESS. AN ACUPUNCTURE SESSION IS A PEACEFUL, MEDITATIVE EXPERIENCE. SEASONED PATIENTS ENJOY ACUPUNCTURE AND ITS NOTICEABLE EFFECTS ON THEIR HEALTH.

Q: INTO WHAT PARTS OF THE BODY ARE NEEDLES INSERTED?
A: USUALLY MOST NEEDLES ARE INSERTED INTO THE MUSCULAR AREAS OF THE LEGS, ARMS, HANDS OR FEET. OCCASIONALLY NEEDLES WILL BE PLACED IN THE ABDOMEN OR HEAD, IN THE SURFACE LAYERS ONLY.

Q: ARE THE NEEDLES USED TO INJECT MEDICINE INTO THE BLOODSTREAM?
A: NO. ACUPUNCTURE NEEDLES ARE NOT HOLLOW AND BEAR NO RESEMBLANCE TO HYPODERMIC NEEDLES. THEY ARE SHAPED LIKE A PINE NEEDLE TIP AND ARE HAIR-FINE. WHEN THE NEEDLES ARE REMOVED, THE SKIN RETURNS TO ITS PREVIOUS CONDITION.

Q: WHAT SHOULD I WEAR FOR AN ACUPUNCTURE SESSION?
A: WEAR LOOSE, COMFORTABLE CLOTHING; IF PRACTICAL, SHORTS AND SHORT-SLEEVED SHIRTS WORK WELL.

Q: HOW LONG DOES AN ACUPUNCTURE SESSION LAST?
A: AFTER YOUR INITIAL APPOINTMENT, WHICH INCLUDES AN EXTENSIVE INTERVIEW AND DIAGNOSIS, ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTS ARE USUALLY ONE HOUR OR LESS.

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Q: HOW LONG WILL THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS LAST?
A: ACUPUNCTURE EFFECTS ARE SUBTLE, BUT PROFOUND. DEPENDING ON MANY FACTORS, YOU MIGHT FEEL AN IMMEDIATE POSITIVE EFFECT, OR YOU MAY NOTICE A CHANGE IN YOUR BEHAVIOR OR ATTITUDE LATER. WITH SIMPLE PAIN PROBLEMS, EFFECTS LAST LONGER FOLLOWING EACH TREATMENT, AND EVENTUALLY THE PAIN DISAPPEARS. YOU WILL BE ADVISED ON HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE BENEFITS, ESPECIALLY DURING THE FIRST 48 HOURS FOLLOWING YOUR TREATMENT.

Q: ARE THERE ANY DANGERS OR SIDE EFFECTS FROM ACUPUNCTURE?
A: NONE, WITH A PROPERLY-TRAINED PRACTITIONER. IN CERTAIN BODY TYPE CONDITIONS, A SMALL BRUISE MAY STAY IN ONE OR TWO SPOTS FOR A FEW DAYS; HOWEVER, THIS IS PART OF WHAT THE TREATMENT IS FOCUSED ON FIXING.

Q: IF A WESTERN DOCTOR IS TREATING ME, MUST I GET HIS/HER APPROVAL BEFORE TRYING ACUPUNCTURE?
A: NOT IN MOST STATES; HOWEVER, SOME STATES REQUIRE YOU TO SIGN A STATEMENT THAT YOU HAVE CONSULTED WITH A DOCTOR PRIOR TO ACUPUNCTURE.

Q: WILL ACUPUNCTURE INTERFERE WITH PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION, CHEMOTHERAPY, OR OTHER MEDICAL TREATMENTS?
A: SOME PRESCRIPTION DRUGS CREATE A HUGE IMBALANCE IN THE BODY AND CAN BE RENDERED LESS EFFECTIVE BY ACUPUNCTURE, OR THEIR EFFECTS MIGHT BECOME ACCELERATED. THIS IS RARE, HOWEVER, AND CAN BE VIRTUALLY ELIMINATED BY THE PROPER TIMING OF TREATMENTS. PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU ARE UNDERGOING OTHER MEDICAL TREATMENTS AT THE TIME OF YOUR ACUPUNCTURE.

Q: IF I AM SCHEDULED FOR SURGERY, CAN ACUPUNCTURE HELP WITH PRE-OP AND POST-OP PROCEDURES, AND/OR THE HEALING PROCESS?
A: YES! ALL OF THE ABOVE.

Q: IS ACUPUNCTURE EXPENSIVE?
A: NO. IT OFTEN COSTS LESS THAN THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE.

Q: IS ACUPUNCTURE COVERED BY MEDICAL INSURANCE?
A: CHECK WITH YOUR PROVIDER. THE SITUATION IS IMPROVING EVERY DAY.

Q: CAN CHILDREN BE TREATED WITH ACUPUNCTURE?
A: YES, BUT APPROPRIATE TREATMENTS ARE DETERMINED BY AGE AND CONDITION. CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHT HAVE A DIFFERENT MERIDIAN SYSTEM, SO IN THAT CASE, WE MIGHT RECOMMEND MASSAGE TECHNIQUES INSTEAD OF ACUPUNCTURE.

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Click here for instructions
on how to brew Chinese Herb Tea

Q: WHAT ARE CHINESE HERBS?
A: CHINESE HERBS ARE MEDICINALLY CULTIVATED PLANT, MINERAL, AND FAUNA SUBSTANCES, USED IN A RAW, DRIED FORM. YOUR HERBALIST WILL CREATE A PRECISE FORMULA (PRESCRIPTION) FOR YOU THAT WILL ADJUST THE ROOT CAUSE OF YOUR HEALTH IMBALANCES.

Q: ARE CHINESE HERBS USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH ACUPUNCTURE?
A: YES! THEY WORK HAND-IN-HAND, BECAUSE THEY OPERATE FROM THE SAME FOUNDATION OF CHINESE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS. THE HERBS ALLOW YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN YOUR TREATMENT AND CONTINUE THE MOMENTUM STARTED BY THE ACUPUNCTURE.

Q: WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO TAKE THE HERBAL FORMULA?
A: WATER-BASED BOILING EXTRACTION IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREPARE THE HERBS. YOU BREW THE DRIED HERBS, FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS, AND DRINK A CUP OF CONCENTRATED "TEA" AS OFTEN AS PRESCRIBED BY YOUR HERBALIST.

Q: WHAT DOES CHINESE HERBAL TEA TASTE LIKE?
A: HERBS ARE MEDICINE, AND SOME FORMULAS TASTE BITTER OR "BAD" TO SOME PEOPLE. HOWEVER, WITHIN A SHORT TIME, MOST PEOPLE BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO THE TASTE, AND ARE SO DELIGHTED WITH THE POSITIVE CHANGES IN THEIR BODIES THAT FLAVOR IS NO LONGER A FACTOR.

Q: CAN I ADD SUGAR, HONEY, MILK, LEMON OR OTHER FLAVORINGS TO THE TEA?
A: THE ADDITION OF FLAVORINGS OR OTHER INGREDIENTS WILL ALTER THE MEDICINAL EFFECTS OF YOUR PRESCRIPTION. HOWEVER, YOU CAN USE A "CHASER" OF FRUIT OR A SMALL AMOUNT OF JUICE WITHOUT NEGATIVE EFFECTS.

Q: FOR HOW MANY DAYS OR WEEKS WILL I BE DRINKING THE TEA?
A: MANY ACUTE PROBLEMS, LIKE THE COMMON COLD, CAN BE SOLVED WITHIN A FEW DAYS. AS WITH ACUPUNCTURE, THE DURATION AND NATURE OF YOUR AILMENT IS AN INDICATOR OF HOW LONG THE HERBAL TREATMENT MAY TAKE. YOUR CONDITION WILL BE MONITORED BY THE HERBALIST AND THE DOSAGE WILL BE ADJUSTED ACCORDINGLY.

Q: IS IT OKAY TO SKIP A DOSAGE OR AN ENTIRE DAY OCCASIONALLY?
A: OCCASIONAL BREAKS IN ROUTINE ARE TO BE EXPECTED. HOWEVER, THE CONTINUAL PRESENCE OF THE HERB FORMULA IN YOUR BODY IS THE DRIVING FORCE FOR A CURE, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO TRY TO STICK TO YOUR HERBALIST'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

Q: WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I AM TRAVELING?
A: IF PRACTICAL, YOU CAN TAKE ALONG A BREWED QUANTITY OF CHINESE HERB TEA AND KEEP IT IN A COOLER OR REFRIGERATOR. IF THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, A GENERIC EXTRACT POWDER CAN BE PROVIDED PRIOR TO YOUR TRIP. ASK YOUR HERBALIST.

Q: HOW LONG DO THE DRIED HERBS AND BREWED TEA LAST?
A: DRIED HERBS WILL LAST FOR WEEKS WHEN KEPT DRY IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER AND STORED IN A COOL PLACE. THE WATER-BREWED FORMULA WILL KEEP FOR A WEEK OR SO IF REFRIGERATED. AN OLD FORMULA DOES NOT NECESSARILY FIT A CURRENT CONDITION, SO CONSULT YOUR HERBALIST BEFORE USING PREVIOUSLY-PRESCRIBED HERBS.

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Q: CAN THE HERBS BE TAKEN IN CAPSULE FORM?
A: IF YOU FIND THAT YOU CANNOT DRINK THE TEA DUE TO NAUSEA OR OTHER FACTORS, CONSULT YOUR HERBALIST FOR SUGGESTIONS. IT IS QUITE EXPENSIVE TO CUSTOM ORDER AN EXTRACT POWDER IN CAPSULES. THE EXTRACTS CANNOT EQUAL THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RAW HERBS, BUT THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE.

Q: CAN I COOK THE HERBS WITH FOODS OR EAT THEM RAW?
A: RAW OR GROUND HERBS HAVE NOT BEEN BROKEN DOWN BY THE COOKING PROCESS. SOME ARE QUITE TOXIC PRIOR TO COOKING. MANY ARE HARD ROOTS WITH EFFECTIVE INGREDIENTS THAT MUST BE EXTRACTED FROM THE CELLULOSE FIBERS BY COOKING. SOME HERBS, HOWEVER, CAN BE COOKED WITH FOODS; SPECIALIZED COOKBOOKS ARE AVAILABLE.

Q: CAN OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS ALSO DRINK MY CHINESE HERB TEA?
A: A TASTE TO SATISFY CURIOSITY WILL NOT HURT, BUT CHINESE HERBS ARE STRONG MEDICINE AND CAN BE HARMFUL TO THE WRONG PERSON. EACH FORMULA IS CUSTOM PRESCRIBED.

Q: ARE THERE ANY DANGERS OR SIDE EFFECTS FROM CHINESE HERBS?
A: WHEN PRESCRIBED BY A CERTIFIED CHINESE HERBALIST, AND PREPARED AS DIRECTED, DANGERS ARE VIRTUALLY NONEXISTENT. SIDE EFFECTS ARE RARE. THE MEDICINE IS FORMULATED TO FIT THE DISEASE AND THE PERSON. SOME HERBS ARE VERY POWERFUL AND SOME ARE QUITE TOXIC PRIOR TO COOKING.

Q: IF A WESTERN DOCTOR IS TREATING ME, SHOULD I ASK HIM/HER ABOUT TAKING CHINESE HERBS?
A: FIRST, INFORM YOUR CHINESE MEDICINE PRACTITIONER ABOUT ANY DRUGS YOU ARE TAKING. HE OR SHE IS TRAINED TO KNOW OF ANY POTENTIAL DRUG INTERACTIONS. YOUR MD SHOULD BE TOLD ABOUT THE HERBS AND SHOULD WORK WITH THE HERBALIST.

Q: WILL ACUPUNCTURE INTERFERE WITH PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION, CHEMOTHERAPY, OR OTHER MEDICAL TREATMENTS?
A: RARELY IS THERE ANY CONFLICT. USUALLY HERBAL MEDICINE WILL SUPPORT THE POSITIVE EFFECTS AND REDUCE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS.

Q: IF I AM SCHEDULED FOR SURGERY, CAN CHINESE HERBS HELP WITH PRE-OP AND POST-OP PROCEDURES, AND/OR THE HEALING PROCESS?
A: YES! ALL OF THE ABOVE, WITH PROPER INSTRUCTION.

Q: ARE CHINESE HERBS EXPENSIVE?
A: A WEEK'S SUPPLY IS APPROXIMATELY TWENTY-FIVE DOLLARS.

Q: IS IT SAFE FOR CHILDREN TO DRINK CHINESE HERB TEA?
A: THE CHINESE MEDICINE PRACTITIONER WILL MAKE THAT DECISION BASED ON MANY FACTORS. WE OFFER A FULL RANGE OF PEDIATRIC SERVICES AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSULT WITH US REGARDING YOUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH NEEDS.

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