Frequently Asked Questions

Your first treatment will be approximately one hour and involve an initial consultation as Dr. Zhang diagnoses and determines which Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments are right for you. After the initial consultation, she generally moves right into a first treatment during the same visit. Follow-up visits consist of a much shorter intake/diagnosis period before treatment, generally lasting between 40-60 minutes.

The number of treatments needed depends on the patient’s age, gender, and the duration, severity, and nature of the complaint. Usually, after three or six sessions, people will feel health improvements; after ten or more sessions, people may experience significant improvements in their health condition. After proper results are achieved, a maintenance schedule is required for some time.

Dr. Zhang will ask a variety of questions regarding your specific complaint and general health. She will use TCM diagnostic methods including radial pulse reading and tongue diagnosis. The initial consultation includes a standard health history not unlike a medical doctor’s office. You will need to fill out a few forms provided on this website. Whatever first treatment is appropriate will be done immediately following the initial consultation.

Most people are surprised and relieved to learn that acupuncture needles are extremely thin, about the size of a thick human hair—unlike hypodermic needles which are thick and hollow—and can produce feelings such as tingling, warmth, or pressure when inserted. Some patients have even fallen asleep during sessions, as acupuncture induces extraordinary relaxation in many people. Some report the sensation as energetic, but very few refer to it as painful. Dr. Zhang only uses disposable needles.

Dr. Zhang will choose methods according to her diagnosis for what you need. During acupuncture, full attention will be given to help you relax and receive the most value from the treatment. After each needle is inserted, you may feel nothing, or sometimes a vague numbness, heaviness, or slight tingling. However, the treatment is effective whether these feelings are sensed or not.

The needles will be left in for 35 to 45 minutes while you relax with soothing music in a warm room. After the treatment, you may experience a relaxing euphoric feeling.

Patients should not eat within 30 minutes of a session. Patients should not drink alcohol before coming to an acupuncture treatment. Patients should wear comfortable, loose clothes. You should be prepared to refrain from rigorous exercise and should not drink alcohol for at least half an hour before and after treatment.

Cupping is the use of suction cups to remove impure energy from the body. It involves lighting a match in a small, rounded “cup” made of glass, bamboo or pottery, and then removing it quickly and applying the cup to the skin. The flame creates a vacuum and the cup sticks tightly to the skin.

Cupping is used in the treatment of respiratory diseases such as the common cold, pneumonia, and bronchitis. Cupping is also used to treat back, neck, shoulder, and other musculoskeletal pain. It is common for cupping to produce bruise-like marks or blisters on the body. These marks are signs that toxins are being released from the body and will usually go away within a few days or a week. You will need to wait 24 hours to shower after cupping treatment.

Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that involves the burning of mugwort, a small, spongy herb, to facilitate healing. Moxibustion has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years; in fact, the actual Chinese character for acupuncture translated literally means “acupuncture-moxibustion.” The purpose of moxibustion, as with most forms of traditional Chinese medicine, is to strengthen the blood, stimulate the flow of qi, and maintain general health.

Guasa is a well-known traditional Chinese therapy that operates in principle with acupressure and finger massage by employing the power of touch with a Guasa board, which works on skin, blood, and nervous and lymphatic system to boost circulation and strengthen the body qi.

Acupuncture can effectively treat a wide array of acute and chronic diseases and health conditions and provide preventative care. Here are commonly treated conditions: