Initial consultation is free. During the consultion, we will take your medical history, look at your clinical exams, and answer your questions. We will decide if your condition is a good indication for acupuncture. If so, we will work out the best treatment plans that suit your needs
A typical arrangement consists of 4-12 treatments. Treatments may be done twice or once a week. Each treatment lasts 30-60 minutes. At the end of each treatment, I will provide health advice.
We use hair-thin needles to deliver gentle yet effective treatments. The needles are sterile and are disposed after use.
We often enhance the results of acupuncture by applying short pulses of electricity to the needles. The pulses are in micro-scale and their frequencies are precisely controlled. The application of micro-current stimulation increases level of analgesia and significantly extends the period of treatment effectiveness.
There has been extensive research on the effectiveness and mechanism of eletro-acupuncture. Two notable pioneers in the field are Dr. Bruce Pomeranz and Professor Ji-Sheng Han. Tieyan Shang was honored to have Professor Han as her mentor in graduate school.
Afraid of needles? Unlike the sharp tip of the needle on a typical syringe, the tip of an acupuncture needle is round. It is not designed to pierce the tissues. Instead, once inserted, it pushes the tissues aside. Thus acupuncture does not feel like the same as that during vaccination or blood test. If any pain during the insertion of the needle, it is barely noticeable and very short-lived, somewhat like a mosquito bite. During the treatment, some people feel energized while others feel relaxed (some even fall asleep).
We also use infrared heat and cupping on occasion in combination with acupuncture for fast pain relief.