FIRST VISIT

 

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What to bring

-Please bring a photo ID when you come for treatment.

-Please eat a meal before your appointment, but avoid overeating. (Being hungry or eating too much can interfere with treatment). In cases of severe fatigue, acupuncture treatment may not be available at the discretion of the doctor.

-Wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothing to allow the acupuncturist access to your neck, shoulders, back, arms, legs, and feet. (You may be asked to change your clothes depending on the treatment area. Our clinic will have a clean disposable medical gown or shorts available if this is the case.)

-Please wear a mask. Patients will not be accepted if this request is refused.  Upon arrival at the clinic, the front desk will take your body temperature and ask you to sanitize your hands with a hand sanitizer. Afterwards, the front desk will help you through the registration process.

 

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Diagnostic process

After completing the registration process, the practitioner will spend time asking questions to get a detailed health record and to get an overall summary of your concern. They may perform a physical exam and will ask detailed questions about your medical history, eating habits, sleeping habits, and emotional state. Please let the practitioner know of any medications, past or upcoming surgeries, and other medical concerns you have to aid with treatment. The practitioner will also examine your face color, breathing, tongue condition and pulse as needed.

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Treatment course

Based on all the provided information by the patient, the practitioner will determine the cause of the patient's main symptoms or the location of the disease to then select acupuncture points that aid with balancing the body. If necessary, separate techniques such as cupping o moxibustion therapy may be utilized to aid with treatment. The needles used are sterile disposable needles of different lengths and gauges depending on the insertion site. The patient may be lying in different positions according to their personalized treatment plan (ie. supine, prone, lateral recumbent, etc). The needles will be retained for 15-30 minutes, during which the staff will check in on the patient in between. It is advised that although acupuncture is a relaxing treatment, some may experience discomfort with a few needling sites. Please let the practitioner be aware so that adjustments can be made. Sometimes after receiving an acupuncture treatment you may feel a little lightheaded or woozy. If that is the case, please sit for a while in our waiting area. In a few minutes, you’ll be relaxed and clear-headed.

 

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After treatment

Please refrain from overworking and consuming drugs or alcohol for some time after each treatment. The practitioner may prescribe herbal medicine for patients who will benefit from it. Herbal medicine is applied only for the patient prescribed and not for others. Even if symptoms may appear the same for others, the cause may be different, therefore herbal prescriptions will be different. Please do not share herbal medicine with others so that unwanted complications and/or injuries are avoided. In order to achieve the maximum therapeutic effect in a short period of time, it is important to understand and follow the practitioner’s instructions, such as how to take herbal formulas, exercise, and diet.

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About the treatment procedure

True healing takes time and dedication. Depending on the patient's health, symptoms may improve immediately, or treatment may be required for weeks, months, year or longer to achieve the desired results. With a little patience, a positive mind, and a grateful heart, you will get closer and closer to your recovery path. 

 

The aim of acupuncture is to treat the cause of the disease or disorder. Many of the symptoms, all of which are intricately interconnected, may go away together once the cause is cured. Even if there may be no noticeable improvement in the symptoms exteriorly, a lot of healing may already be taking place inside the body. The practitioner and staff at Healing Soul Acupuncture & Herbal Clinic wish every patient a happy life, and hope the treatments via the clinic help relieve any physical and mental pain and return each patient to their daily lives quickly. We strive to do our best to help each individual.

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Treatment hours

The initial visit is usually 75-90 minutes. Follow-up visits are around 45-60 minutes. Please come in for your appointment on time. New patients must fill out a new patient registration form, which can be filled out electronically, and sent back to us via email prior to the initial treatment date. If unable to submit the form via email 24 hours in advance to the appointment date, please come in 10-15 minutes early to your appointment to fill out the forms. In addition, all patients must read and sign 6-7 legal forms when they first come into the clinic before acupuncture treatments begin.

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