Acupuncture Specialist

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves your doctor inserting very thin needles through your skin at strategic points (meridians) on your body. It’s thought that this practice balances your life force or qi.

Acupuncture points help stimulate your nerves, muscles, and connective tissue. This stimulation encourages your body’s natural pain killers, easing discomfort, and improving your overall quality of life. 

What types of issues can acupuncture treat?

At the Portland Clinic of Holistic Health, the team uses acupuncture to relieve pain and discomfort associated with certain diseases and conditions, including: 

• Low back pain
• Neck pain
• Osteoarthritis
• Chemotherapy-induced nausea
• Headaches
• Jaw and facial pain
  
  

You might also benefit from acupuncture if you’re living with a respiratory disorder like asthma or allergic rhinitis. 

Is acupuncture safe?

Acupuncture is safe and well-tolerated. The team at the Portland Clinic of Holistic Health is competent, certified, and only utilizes single-use needles, so your risk of developing an infection is minimal. 

That said, not everyone is a good candidate for acupuncture. Make sure to tell your doctor if you have a bleeding disorder, pacemaker, or you’re pregnant. 

What happens during an acupuncture appointment?

Each doctor who performs acupuncture has a unique style that blends aspects of Western and Eastern medicine. 

To determine what type of acupuncture treatment you’ll most benefit from, your doctor asks you about your symptoms, behavior, and lifestyle. Next, they examine your face and tongue and listen to your pulse. 

Afterward, you change into a gown, and your doctor asks you to lie down on a padded table. Once you’re comfortable, your doctor carefully inserts a series of needles into strategic points at different depths throughout your body.

During a typical acupuncture session, your doctor places between 5-20 needles. After placing the needles, you lie still and relax for between 10 and 20 minutes. Following your treatment session, your doctor carefully removes the needles. 

What happens after my acupuncture appointment?

Following your acupuncture appointment, you’re sent home to recover. It’s perfectly normal to feel either relaxed or energized. 

However, not everyone responds to treatment. If your symptoms don’t start to improve in a few weeks, you may benefit from other types of holistic, integrative care. 

To learn more about the ancient treatment technique of acupuncture, make an appointment at the Portland Clinic of Holistic Health today by calling the office or clicking the online booking tool.