Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Bring to My First Treatment?
A list of your current medications and relevant medical reports is helpful. Bring a list with you or list your medications and supplements on our intake form, which can be filled out in our office. To save a little time, you can download the intake forms by clicking here and printing four pages.
How Else Should I Prepare for My First Treatment?
1. Wear loose comfortable clothing. Patient gowns are available, but many treatments can be performed while you are in your street clothes. Shorts, short-sleeved shirts, and skirts are commonly worn but loose clothing can be adjusted in most cases.
2. Refrain from eating large meals just before or after your visit. But don't arrive too hungry either. Aim for being neither too full nor too hungry at your appointment time.
3. Brush your teeth but don't brush your tongue or eat or drink anything very colorful that may alter the color of your tongue before treatments. Your acupuncturist wants to see the natural color and coating on your tongue.
4. Please do not wear synthetic perfume or cologne to your appointments. Many people are allergic to these, including our acupuncturist.
5. Plan to spend about 90 minutes for your consultation and treatment on your first visit and about 60-90 minutes for follow-up visits. Relax and enjoy this period of quiet while the needles are doing their work.
Is Acupuncture Appropriate for My Condition?
[The following explanation includes only those conditions we have seen respond well in our clinic.]
Acupuncture reduces inflammation. Therefore it treats anything ending in "-itis" like arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, gastritis, nephritis, etc.
Acupuncture is very good at helping nerves recover. Therefore it is useful in neuropathy, Bell's Palsy, trigeminal neuralgia, pinched nerves, or recovery from stroke, among other conditions affecting the nervous system.
Acupuncture improves blood flow, making it relevant to the treatment of migraines, restless leg syndrome, atrial fibrillation, and many painful conditions characterized by degeneration or ischemia.
Acupuncture enhances the immune system. In our opinion, this is the most powerful effect of acupuncture treatment. This makes it useful in treating vague feelings of disease, many of which are caused by low-level infections lingering in the body. By energizing the immune system, it begins to behave more normally. In this way, acupuncture becomes useful in the alleviation of allergies and autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto's, fibromyalgia, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis, among others.
Acupuncture improves hormone balance. It is helpful in restoring fertility to men and women, preventing miscarriage, inducing labor, or treating the symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and night sweats.
In addition, acupuncture can be used for detoxification from chemo and radiation, recovery from addiction, nightmares or night terrors, or the expansion of consciousness through a style called Esoteric Acupuncture.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
This a complex question. We know from current research that acupuncture stimulates neurochemicals and hormones (for example dopamine, opiates). These hormones and associated neurotransmitters work to mediate pain, relax the body, and relieve stress. New studies are regularly performed uncovering new ways that acupuncture is actively working on a neurochemical level.
Where Do the Needles Go? Are They Safe?
Acupuncture points selection is unique to you and your condition. As such, point selection can only be determined after your acupuncturist sees you. Many patients are surprised when we place needles away from the site of a local injury, but as Dr. Richard Tan is noted for saying, "The (overhead light) switch isn't on the light." When receiving acupuncture, it may be helpful to think about the body as a single entity. Each part of the body may have unique functions, but it operates collectively. Acupuncture needles placed far from your area of complaint can still have a profound effect on your condition.
Acupuncture needles are sterile, individually packaged, and disposable. At Acupuncture Shreveport, needles are never reused, not even on the same person. The prick is comparable to a light scratch with a fingernail, if it is felt at all. In the hands of a professional, these needles are completely safe.
How Often Will I Need to Come?
This really depends on the individual patient, the condition, and the length of time the symptoms have been present. Generally speaking, acute conditions resolve more quickly (perhaps over the course of several treatments) and more chronic conditions take longer. A good rule of thumb for chronic conditions is one month of treatment for every year you've had the injury or illness. This is just a guideline to set expectations. Your treatment might progress more quickly.
What Should I Expect After Treatment?
Most patients report feeling extremely relaxed during and after treatment. Many patients report sleeping more soundly during and following treatment. Symptoms of your presenting problem may diminish or disappear.
What Conditions Are Treated with Acupuncture?
The World Health Organization (WHO) lists over 31 conditions for which acupuncture is considered an effective form of treatment based on positive clinical trial outcomes. In total, the report from the WHO details over 90 conditions for which acupuncture may be effective.
Some, but not all, of the conditions treated at Acupuncture Shreveport are listed on our Welcome page.
A list of your current medications and relevant medical reports is helpful. Bring a list with you or list your medications and supplements on our intake form, which can be filled out in our office. To save a little time, you can download the intake forms by clicking here and printing four pages.
How Else Should I Prepare for My First Treatment?
1. Wear loose comfortable clothing. Patient gowns are available, but many treatments can be performed while you are in your street clothes. Shorts, short-sleeved shirts, and skirts are commonly worn but loose clothing can be adjusted in most cases.
2. Refrain from eating large meals just before or after your visit. But don't arrive too hungry either. Aim for being neither too full nor too hungry at your appointment time.
3. Brush your teeth but don't brush your tongue or eat or drink anything very colorful that may alter the color of your tongue before treatments. Your acupuncturist wants to see the natural color and coating on your tongue.
4. Please do not wear synthetic perfume or cologne to your appointments. Many people are allergic to these, including our acupuncturist.
5. Plan to spend about 90 minutes for your consultation and treatment on your first visit and about 60-90 minutes for follow-up visits. Relax and enjoy this period of quiet while the needles are doing their work.
Is Acupuncture Appropriate for My Condition?
[The following explanation includes only those conditions we have seen respond well in our clinic.]
Acupuncture reduces inflammation. Therefore it treats anything ending in "-itis" like arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, gastritis, nephritis, etc.
Acupuncture is very good at helping nerves recover. Therefore it is useful in neuropathy, Bell's Palsy, trigeminal neuralgia, pinched nerves, or recovery from stroke, among other conditions affecting the nervous system.
Acupuncture improves blood flow, making it relevant to the treatment of migraines, restless leg syndrome, atrial fibrillation, and many painful conditions characterized by degeneration or ischemia.
Acupuncture enhances the immune system. In our opinion, this is the most powerful effect of acupuncture treatment. This makes it useful in treating vague feelings of disease, many of which are caused by low-level infections lingering in the body. By energizing the immune system, it begins to behave more normally. In this way, acupuncture becomes useful in the alleviation of allergies and autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto's, fibromyalgia, psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's, multiple sclerosis, or rheumatoid arthritis, among others.
Acupuncture improves hormone balance. It is helpful in restoring fertility to men and women, preventing miscarriage, inducing labor, or treating the symptoms of menopause, including hot flashes and night sweats.
In addition, acupuncture can be used for detoxification from chemo and radiation, recovery from addiction, nightmares or night terrors, or the expansion of consciousness through a style called Esoteric Acupuncture.
How Does Acupuncture Work?
This a complex question. We know from current research that acupuncture stimulates neurochemicals and hormones (for example dopamine, opiates). These hormones and associated neurotransmitters work to mediate pain, relax the body, and relieve stress. New studies are regularly performed uncovering new ways that acupuncture is actively working on a neurochemical level.
Where Do the Needles Go? Are They Safe?
Acupuncture points selection is unique to you and your condition. As such, point selection can only be determined after your acupuncturist sees you. Many patients are surprised when we place needles away from the site of a local injury, but as Dr. Richard Tan is noted for saying, "The (overhead light) switch isn't on the light." When receiving acupuncture, it may be helpful to think about the body as a single entity. Each part of the body may have unique functions, but it operates collectively. Acupuncture needles placed far from your area of complaint can still have a profound effect on your condition.
Acupuncture needles are sterile, individually packaged, and disposable. At Acupuncture Shreveport, needles are never reused, not even on the same person. The prick is comparable to a light scratch with a fingernail, if it is felt at all. In the hands of a professional, these needles are completely safe.
How Often Will I Need to Come?
This really depends on the individual patient, the condition, and the length of time the symptoms have been present. Generally speaking, acute conditions resolve more quickly (perhaps over the course of several treatments) and more chronic conditions take longer. A good rule of thumb for chronic conditions is one month of treatment for every year you've had the injury or illness. This is just a guideline to set expectations. Your treatment might progress more quickly.
What Should I Expect After Treatment?
Most patients report feeling extremely relaxed during and after treatment. Many patients report sleeping more soundly during and following treatment. Symptoms of your presenting problem may diminish or disappear.
What Conditions Are Treated with Acupuncture?
The World Health Organization (WHO) lists over 31 conditions for which acupuncture is considered an effective form of treatment based on positive clinical trial outcomes. In total, the report from the WHO details over 90 conditions for which acupuncture may be effective.
Some, but not all, of the conditions treated at Acupuncture Shreveport are listed on our Welcome page.