Treatments
No two people are alike. This is just a general example of your visit.
The initial Visit
Your initial visit will be a meeting in the office with Dr Yi to discuss your medical issues. He will need your medical history and any allergies and current conditions and medicines. Your information is safe. Dr Yi is a trained Medical doctor and follows all the HIPPA requirements. He also needs to understand your past history. He will discuss with you the current reason for the visit. He may take your pulse - there are 18 in the Chinese system so be calm and let him have each wrist. He may ask you to stick out your tongue. Yes, it is a diagnosis for many medical conditions. He will then explain what his recommended course of treatment will be.
Your Treatments
Dr Yi has two treatment rooms. Each is quiet and comfortable and clean absolutely sterile. Each has a treatment table which has sterile paper covering it. There are infra red heat lamps and a TENS machine. Heat Lamps keep you warm will in treatment and are also used to stimulate the body while in treatment. You will be asked to remove some clothing and provided privacy will doing so. Lay down on the treatment table and Dr Yi will return. Treat will consist on the insertion of a number of needles in specific spots on the body - all dependent upon the condition being treated. Needles do not hurt. Mostly, it is the idea of a needle sticking into the body. The locations where the needles go usually have no feeling during insertion. Occasionally, one may pinch but afterwards there is no indication that it is inserted. Depending upon the condition a TENS lead may be attached to the needle. Dr Yi will begin with a low voltage stimulation and ask what you feel as he increases the power.
TENS is a common practice among many types of terapy. It uses a electrical pulse to stimulate the connection to the body. Muscle therapy uses pads and directly treats the muscles. In Acupuncture the needle is energized and a slight electrical pulse is felt. This is to stimulate that point and is used as an effective addition to the needling. You may want to let the first visit be a light pulsing but after a few minutes it seems to dissipate. Next visit let Dr Yi increase to the point of slight discomfort since it is a valuable treatment and in a minute or two the discomfort will subside. Not all patients will get TENS.
The lights will be turn off while under treatment and you may nap or listen to the soft music. A treatment lasts 30 minutes or so. Dr Yi will have left you a button to use in case of discomfort and will come back into the room. He will remove all needles and dispose of them in a Sharps container. Needles are never reused. You will be allowed to dress in private and return to the main office when ready.
After Treatment
After treatment you may feel refreshed and active or you may feel tired. You will not be in discomfort from the needles - you will not be able to remember all the locations or see signs of entry. Now is the time to go home and relax. You want the treatment to take effect. Energy is going to be moving in your body and it needs relaxation to heal. At home rest, sleep, or read in a warm quiet place. A couple hours rest helps.
How Long is a treatment
A minimum number of times you will need treatment depends upon your condition. Dr Yi will discuss with you how soon you should return and how many treatments you should expect to have. Each person is different and each treatment regiment will vary but usually 6 treatments are needed for any effects to show.What to expect afterwards
You may feel great the next day. That is great for us too. You may feel bad the next day - do not worry. It is your body adjusting. If you need reassurance you can call Dr Yi and tell him how you feel. He is there for your health!
Hopefully, you will experience the benefits soon. As webmaster of this site, and writing this from first hand experience, I am alive thanks to Dr Yi. I do not think you can get a better recommendation!