Phoenix Acupuncture FAQ's
At our Southwest Integrative Medicine clinic, we are the providers of acupuncture Arizona residents, in the Phoenix and Scottsdale region, turn to when they need the healing benefits of acupuncture. Even though it is growing in use throughout the U.S., acupuncture is still poorly understood. In our practice, we receive lots of interesting questions about this millenia-old, time-proven method to relieve almost any health problem—the common cold, flu, acupuncture for chronic fatigue, acupuncture for chronic pain, asthma, arthritis, poor digestion, insomnia, depression, chemotherapy-related nausea, to name a few. To help spread awareness of acupuncture’s role in health, we are sharing our answers to the questions about acupuncture Arizona patients most often ask us.
Q: What exactly is acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture is a complete medical treatment that works by the stimulation of specific points on the body— through the insertion of thin, painless needles. This process removes any blockages in the flow of qi, (the vital life force that travels in the body through pathways called meridians), builds the energy in specific meridians, or sedates the energy in other meridians. Acupuncture creates balance in these meridians.
The above, in conjunction with moxabustion and cupping, provides relief for a variety of health conditions.
Q: Is acupuncture safe?
A: Absolutely, acupuncture is very safe. And we’re not just saying that because we are acupuncture providers. According to no-less-an-authority than the FDA, acupuncture is safe when performed with sterile needles by experienced practitioners.
Q: What is holistic healing?
A: In Western medicine, there is an unfortunate tendency to separate treatments of the mind, body, and spirit. With traditional Chinese medicine, mind, body, and spirit are one and interdependent on one another. When you are sick the disease process manifests itself in the Qi of the body in specific patterns. These patterns can be the result of mental, emotional, or spiritual dysfunction. Reading these patterns in the Qi, allows the acupuncturists to determine the best treatment for you.
In addition to acupuncture holistic healing involves diet changes, herbal remedies, mind/body, and mind/spirit therapies.
Q: How do I know who’s qualified as an acupuncturist?
A:In most state,s including Arizona, acupuncture practitioners must meet licensing requirements that include completion of accredited education, a clean needle technique course, and certification by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.
These licensing requirements may be different based on any degree the practitioner already has. For instance, NMDs, MDs, Dos, and DCs, have to receive less training requirements than a lay person starting acupuncture training. Arizona acupuncture license requirements are less stringent than some other states. If your Arizona acupuncturist has a License of Acupuncture or acupuncture degree, they have received a higher level of acupuncture training.
Q: Will acupuncture treatment replace my regular doctor?
A: In most cases acupuncture will not replace your regular doctor. Pharmaceutical treatment is often overused, but it has many viable uses for conditions that acupuncture cannot treat. Also, many conditions call for surgery or other specific medical procedures. Integrative medicine works in conjunction with your other medical care and not in place of it. It seeks to find the most effective and least invasive treatment options for any health condition.
If you are seeing your acupuncturist, and the treatment resolves the issue, you may no longer need to see your traditional physician for that particular issue. However, you may still need them at some point down the road for things like lab work and other conventional treatments.
Q: How long does acupuncture take to start working?
A: The required length of treatment can vary between conditions, but many of our clients begin experiencing improvements immediately following their first acupuncture treatment. We often tell patients that they should begin to feel some benefits after their third treatment. It can take much longer than that however, depending on the complexity of the underlying condition(s). Dr Christy Cline studied acupuncture in China and says, "[Chinese acupuncturists] do a minimum of 10 treatments for each condition treated."
During the initial phase of treatment, your acupuncture sessions will be more frequent. Then they will be spread out to quarterly or even monthly. Once your energetic system is balance, follow-up treatments can be a few times a year or as frequent as bi-weekly, depending on the individual situation. Many patients enjoy the overall relaxing and restorative benefits of acupuncture and use it regularly as a proactive health measure, rather than solely as a treatment for a specific condition.
If you have any more questions about Acupuncture treatments in Arizona, we can help you. Click on the contact us section for a free consultation at our acupuncture phoenix clinic.
Southwest Integrative Medicine
4045 E Bell Road Ste 107
Phoenix AZ 85032
480 451 5407
4045 E Bell Road Ste 107
Phoenix AZ 85032
480 451 5407