At your first appointment, we will go over your full health history and talk about your current symptoms and goals. You will then receive an acupuncture treatment and have time to rest comfortably for about 30 minutes while the needles are in place.

Initial appointments last 45 minutes to 1 hour and follow up treatments last 30-45 minutes.

The number of treatments varies depending on the condition, its severity, and how long it has been present. Most patients begin with a series of 5–10 treatments, coming in 1–3 times per week.

Acute or new conditions may improve in just a few sessions, while more chronic or complex cases may require a series of 10–20 treatments over weeks or months. Severe or long-standing conditions may need 30+ sessions over many months or on a regular basis for chronic condition management.

The longer you’ve had a condition, the longer it usually takes to see lasting results. After your initial series, we will re-evaluate and adjust your treatment plan as needed. If you can only come once a week or less, you may still benefit, but progress may be slower. For long-term wellness and preventative care, monthly treatments are ideal.

For best results, it’s recommended to come more frequently at the beginning to stabilize your symptoms (1-3x/week). Acupuncture treatments build on each other, so spacing them too far apart can slow your progress. If you wait too long between visits, symptoms may return and we end up starting over each time. Once your condition is improving and staying stable, visits can be spaced out to once a week or every other week and eventually to once a month for maintenance.

Every person heals differently. Some people feel relief after just one visit, while others need a series of treatments over weeks or months. Healing is not always linear. It’s normal to experience improvements, plateaus, or occasional flare-ups along the way.

The more consistent your visits, and the more you support your body with diet, lifestyle, and herbal recommendations, the faster and longer-lasting your results tend to be.

Before treatments:

Eat a light meal or snack with protein to avoid dizziness.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that allows easy access to areas where needles may be placed. If your clothing is restrictive, sheets and gowns will be provided for your comfort. You may also bring loose athletic shorts to change into. Depending on the points used, you may not need to remove any clothing at all.

After treatments:

Drink plenty of water.

Avoid strenuous activity for a few hours.

Between treatments: Tack any changes in your symptoms

Changes in pain levels, pain frequency and quality of pain.

Changes in sleep, energy, mood, and digestion.

* If your condition is chronic, it’s normal not to notice major changes after your first few treatments.

When performed by a licensed and trained practitioner, acupuncture is very safe. Sterile, single-use needles are always used to prevent infection. Side effects are rare and typically mild, such as minor bruising, temporary soreness or a tiny drop of blood at the needle site after removal. It is uncommon but possible to feel lightheaded during treatment, especially if you haven’t eaten beforehand. Rarely, more serious side effects such as nerve injury or organ puncture can occur, but these are extremely uncommon with a properly trained practitioner.

Some patients may feel tired or notice a temporary increase in symptoms after their first treatment. This is a normal response and usually passes within 24 hours. If you have any concerns, your acupuncturist is happy to discuss them with you.

Acupuncture is generally safe for most people. However, those with bleeding disorders, pacemakers, or who are pregnant should inform the practitioner before treatment so appropriate modifications can be made.

Most people experience little to no pain and find acupuncture to be very relaxing, with many falling asleep during their treatment. The needles are extremely thin—much finer than those used for injections. Some people feel a quick little prick, mild tingling, warmth, or dull ache at the insertion site, which usually subsides quickly. Sometimes the sensation can travel up or down from the location of the needle or you may feel tiny muscle twitches throughout your body.

Everyone experiences acupuncture differently and your experience can change from treatment to treatment and some points may be more sensitive than others. Let your acupuncturist know if anything feels uncomfortable and that can be fixed with a quick adjustment of the needle.

Acupuncture points are chosen based on how your symptoms fit together as a whole, not just where you feel discomfort. While some points may be placed near an area of pain, many are selected because they influence related systems in the body such as digestion, circulation, hormone balance, and the nervous system. Points are commonly found on the hands, feet, and ears because they contain a high concentration of nerves that have strong connections to the brain.

Acupuncture points are located near nerves, muscles, and connective tissue that send signals to the brain when stimulated. When these signals reach the brain, they help regulate how the body responds to stress, pain, inflammation, digestion, and mood.

Your acupuncturist may recommend herbs which work as a complement to acupuncture and will make the treatments more effective and provide quicker and longer lasting results. While they are not essential, they may be the thing that accelerates your healing, especially if we have hit a plateau with acupuncture alone.

Yes. We accept Aetna, Asuris, Blue Cross of Idaho, Bridge Span, Cigna, First Choice Health, III-A, Pacific Source, Premara, Regence, VA/Triwest