Frequently Asked Questions

Most people find acupuncture much more comfortable than they expected. Sensations may include mild pressure, heaviness, warmth, tingling, a dull ache, or a brief prick at insertion.

Treatment intensity is adjusted to your comfort level. A strong sensation is not always necessary for a treatment to be useful.

Many patients feel relaxed, heavy, warm, or sleepy. Others notice subtle changes in breathing, pain sensitivity, or body awareness. Depending on your goals, we may also look for changes in movement, sensation, coordination, or symptom intensity before and after needling.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture is traditionally understood through concepts such as qi, blood, and organ-system patterns. Modern research investigates local tissue signaling, as well as peripheral and central nervous system processing. Evidence for particular mechanisms and clinical benefits varies by condition.

Our clinic uses both frameworks: the traditional pattern helps guide the whole-person picture, while anatomy and neuroscience help refine treatment strategy.

No. A positive mindset can help any treatment experience, but acupuncture is not presented here as a belief-based therapy. We focus on careful assessment, appropriate treatment selection, measurable patient goals, and reassessment over time.

Your first visit may include health history, discussion of goals, review of existing medical information, traditional acupuncture assessment. This includes abdominal/channel palpation as well as focused observation of movement or symptoms when appropriate. These do not replace a medical examination or diagnosis.

Treatment may include acupuncture, manual techniques, electroacupuncture, scalp acupuncture, moxibustion, or education depending on your presentation and comfort level.

That depends on the condition, how long it has been present, your overall health, and how your body responds. Acute issues may need fewer visits. Chronic pain, neurologic symptoms, digestive patterns, hormonal concerns, and autoimmune/inflammatory presentations often require a more structured plan.

The goal is to reassess regularly rather than keep treating indefinitely without a clear purpose.

Many treatment plans begin with weekly visits, especially for chronic or complex conditions. Some acute or highly active symptoms may benefit from closer spacing early on. As symptoms stabilize, visits are often spaced farther apart.

Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that allows access to the arms, legs, abdomen, back, neck, or scalp depending on the treatment. Shorts or loose pants are often helpful. Draping is used when needed for comfort and privacy.

Most patients do best with hydration, a normal meal, light movement, and avoiding unusually intense exercise immediately after treatment. Some temporary soreness, fatigue, or symptom fluctuation can occur, especially after deeper musculoskeletal or neurologic work.

The clinic combines Traditional Chinese Medicine with functional anatomy and research on nerve pathways, sensory processing, and pain. This framework helps organize individualized acupuncture care; its benefits depend on the specific symptom and available clinical evidence.

Neurofunctional acupuncture is an anatomy-informed approach considering the relationship of acupuncture stimulation to muscles, nerves, spinal segments, and sensory pathways. It supplements traditional pattern assessment and does not replace medical diagnosis.

Yes. Traditional chinese and japanese acupuncture philosophies remain central. Tongue, pulse, channel palpation, symptom patterns, temperature, digestion, sleep, stress, menstrual history, pain quality, and constitutional tendencies can all shape the treatment plan. The difference is that these findings are also interpreted within the contextual frameworks of emerging theories within biomechanics and functional neuroanatomy.

Scalp acupuncture uses selected regions of the scalp. It may be considered as complementary care for certain headache or motor-sensory related symptoms.

Electroacupuncture applies gentle electrical stimulation through acupuncture needles. It allows stimulation parameters such as frequency and intensity to be adjusted more precisely than manual needle stimulation. It may be used for pain, muscle guarding, nerve irritation, and certain functional patterns when appropriate.

Moxibustion is a traditional therapy using heat from processed mugwort near selected points or regions. It provides localized warming and sensory stimulation. Smoke, respiratory sensitivity, pregnancy status, and burn risk are considered before use.

Treatment is selected based on patient presentation at each visit and may include one or more modalities.

Our practice has elected to not work directly with insurance companies as it greatly limits our ability to deliver tailored treatment plans that speak to the unique needs of our patients. If your insurance covers out of network acupuncture services, they may cover all or a portion of services from Anjou Acupuncture. Our administrative staff can provide you with specialized bills called “Superbills” that include diagnostic codes and associated practitioner information required for insurance reimbursement.

Appointments can last anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes depending on the scope and treatment goals of the day.

Bring a medication and supplement list, relevant diagnoses, the names of key providers involved in your care, and a short list of your top treatment goals.

You can schedule through the online booking link, call the clinic, or use the contact form.