During your first visit, you will complete a detailed intake form that will guide an in depth conversation of your history and goals. Your TCM practitioner will make observations, including tongue and pulse to make a TCM diagnosis and a personalized treatment plan. Your acupuncture treatment will follow this and you will leave with a set plan to help achieve enduring treatment results. An acupuncture patient may feel mild tingling, a mediative and relaxed state during treatment and a calm, energized or slightly tired state post treatment as the body continues to rebalance itself.

Acupuncture needles should not hurt. The typical acupuncture needle is thinner than the average human hair. You may feel a mild tingling sensation of “da qi” but if there is any discomfort whatsoever, needles will be immediately adjusted or removed to address your concern. A patient may also feel deep relaxation and even achieve a meditative state. Acupuncture points also work using other modalities such as tuning forks, magnets, electric stimulation, acupressure, cupping, guasha or tuina so if you are concerned about needles, there are always alternatives. At Zhen Point Acupuncture, we are clinically trained to insert and remove needles with both skill and care.

Think of meridians like highways running throughout your body and Qi is akin to cars traveling on these highways. Qi needs to flow in order for your organs, muscles and cells to work optimally. Meridians connect your entire body, linking everything both physically and emotionally. Acupuncture works by restoring the free flow of Qi to achieve optimal health.

Qi (pronounced Chi) is one of the three treasures along with Shen and Jing. Qi may best be described as a vital life or dynamic energy force that every living being has flowing throughout their being. This vital life force keeps everything flowing and functioning and although it is invisible, the effects of Qi are seen in all movement, circulation, vitality, warmth and mental clarity. Qi circulates through the body via the meridians in order to connect the mind, body and spirit. Acupuncture works directly with Qi by regulating the flow of Qi through the meridians.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), spirit goes beyond the Western concept of spiritual being. Spirit, instead, represents the overall awareness, consciousness and vitality of a person’s being. There are five interconnected spirits in TCM and each is associated with a particular organ system.
The Shen is the spirit that is housed in the heart and governs consciousness, mind, memory, sleep and emotions.
The Hun, or the ethereal soul is associated with the liver system and is linked to vision, creation, planning and dreams.
The Po or corporeal soul is housed in the lung system and is all about instinct, survival and physical sensations.
The Yi is the intellect associated with the Spleen organ system and drives thoughts, intentions and focus.
The Zhi is housed in the kidneys and rules willpower, drive, perseverance and determination.

By accessing Qi at specific points along the meridians that flow throughout your body, acupuncture can help move stagnated blocks and help strengthen Qi deficiencies. Illness can arise when Qi is either deficient, blocked or in excess. Acupuncture works to restore the yin-yang balance of your body’s Qi. A more Western front, acupuncture stimulates your nervous system, helps release endorphins and neurotransmitters, increases circulation of blood and lymph to promote healing, reduce inflammation and assist tissue repair. In other words, acupuncture positively addresses afflictions of the nervous, immune and circulatory systems. Acupuncture is an extremely effective means of treating mental, emotional and physical concerns, as there is no separation of mind and body in TCM. In TCM, mind and body are one and afflictions of either are successfully treated using acupuncture. While you may feel immediate relief of symptoms upon first treatment, long lasting results of acupuncture are often cumulative and require multiple treatments to hold extensively.