Care
Acupuncture
Very thin, sterile, single-use needles placed at points on the body, usually along the back, shoulders, arms, legs and hands, and left in place for 20 to 30 minutes while you rest.
Your acupuncturist starts with questions and a pattern assessment: where it hurts, what makes it worse, how you sleep, and what your job or your service asks of your body. The treatment is planned from that.
Some people notice a change after one visit, some after several, and some don't. Results vary.
The same at every visit
A short check-in on how the last visit went
Needles opened in front of you
Needles out before you stand up
What to know
Acupuncture, in plain words
Who usually comes
Veterans, drivers, warehouse and construction workers, nurses, desk workers and people hurt in a fall or while lifting. Many also see a doctor or a physical therapist, and we work alongside them.
What a visit is like
A first visit takes about 75 minutes and later visits about 45.
Check-in and a few questions
Needles placed while you rest
A plan for the next visit
What you may feel afterward
Most people feel relaxed or sleepy. Some feel sore where a needle was, or see a small bruise, and it fades within days. If you feel dizzy, sit and tell us. Rarely, there can be bleeding or infection, and your acupuncturist explains the risks first.
Tell us first
Tell your acupuncturist before the first needle if:
You are or might be pregnant
You take blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder
You have a pacemaker or another implanted device
You have had lymph nodes removed
You are afraid of needles, and we will go slowly
How many visits people plan for
That depends on you, not on a number we promise. Your acupuncturist suggests a plan at the first visit, and you both look at it after a few. An authorization or a claim may set its own limit, and we tell you what yours says.
What it does not do, and when to see a doctor
Acupuncture does not replace your doctor's care and is not an emergency service. See a doctor first, or call 911, for chest pain, sudden weakness or numbness, loss of bladder or bowel control, or pain after a serious fall or accident.
Ready to book acupuncture?
Book a first visit, and tell us if it comes through the VA or a work injury claim.