Although the practice of Chinese Medicine is relatively new to the West, it has been used in Asia for more than 2000 years to treat a vast number of conditions. As such, it is one of the oldest, safest, and most time-tested treatment methods available. Both the World Health Organization and the National Institute of Health have evaluated scientific research and clinical trials of acupuncture and found it to be effective for a wide range of conditions.
Acupuncture and herbal medicine, when administered by a licensed acupuncturist, is an extremely safe way to treat a variety of ailments and diseases. In contrast to many drugs, acupuncture is non-toxic with little or no adverse reactions. At Blessing Acupuncture Clinic, we exclusively use pre-sterilized, disposable needles, which are promptly discarded after each use.
While herbal medicine in general is very safe, extra attention is always paid to any possible drug/herb interaction. At Blessing Acupuncture Clinic, your well being and safety is our number one concern, and we insist on using only the highest quality herbs which have passed rigorous tests and comply with GMP safety guidelines. In addition, we select products made from organic herbs whenever possible to benefit both our patients and the planet.
Acupuncture needles are hair thin, and when inserted, patients feel little or no pain. It is, however, not unusual to feel a dull ache, warm, or tingling sensation after insertion of the needle. Many patients experience a pleasant state of relaxation and serenity - some even take the opportunity to catch some restful Zzzz!
Western medicine recognizes the positive effects of acupuncture but uses a different biomedical terminology to describe how it works. Numerous scientific studies and controlled clinical trials have been, and continue to be done on acupuncture, with each one adding more information about this safe and effective treatment method.
The subtle vascular, hormonal, and neurological changes that happen in the body during an acupuncture treatment can now be measured and many of these effects can be explained from a western medical perspective as well. It is well known that acupuncture:
Licensed acupuncturists in the state of California have extensive training in both Chinese and Western Medicine. The minimum board requirements are completion of a four-year master's degree program including 3000 hours of classroom instruction and 900 hours of clinical residency. In addition to completing the educational and clinical requirements, a prospective acupuncturist must also pass the California Acupuncture Board examination which includes biomedicine, herbology, pharmacology, diagnosis, and acupuncture. Under California law, acupuncturists are considered primary care providers.
Your initial visit will take 60 - 90 minutes, which includes a detailed intake process, examination of tongue and pulse, as well as a 30 - 40 min acupuncture treatment. We encourage you to download our intake forms and fill them out prior to your first visit. Follow-up visits usually take about 45 min to 1 hour, depending on the condition treated.
Initial visits are $145 and follow-up visits are $95. If herbs are needed, the costs are typically around $30 to $40 per week. We do offer discounts for students and senior citizens. Many insurance companies cover acupuncture treatments. Upon request, we supply patients with a superbill with the appropriate diagnosis and billing codes which can be submitted to the insurance company for direct patient reimbursement.
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