What is Integrative Medicine?
Integrative medicine is a system of medical care that treats the whole person. It is care that is centered on the patient’s needs that makes use of the mind, body and spirit connection to promote wellness. It values healing as much as curing and affirms the importance of relationship, collaboration and choice in medicine. Integrative medicine blends the best of Western conventional approaches and complementary or alternative medicine to develop a diagnostic and therapeutic program.
What to Expect During Your Treatment
During your first visit, we will work together to determine the nature of the symptoms which brought you in to see me. I will complete a thorough, detailed evaluation of your symptoms, past medical and family history, general body systems and lifestyle habits. I will also examine your tongue and vital signs including pulse and blood pressure. A diagnosis will be made and we will discuss your individualized plan of care (including frequency and duration) and you will receive your first treatment.
A combination of techniques and strategies will be utilized during your course of treatment. Your treatment plan will be highly individualized to your specific needs. It will include education in self care and may include a combination of the following:
- Acupuncture
- Non-needle techniques such as acupressure, tapping and gentle low-level electrical stimulation of an acupoint for infants, children and those who are averse to needle insertion
- Chinese medical massage (tui-na)
- Conventional rehabilitation massage
- Application of modalities such as heat, ice, electrical stimulation, ultrasound, low-level laser therapy
- Application of moxabustion, gua-sha and cupping
- Prescription of therapeutic exercise and stretching
- Tai qi or qi gong exercises
- Instruction in breathing techniques and meditation for deep relaxation
- Dietary counseling including the therapeutic use of food and supplements
- Sleep hygiene education
- Stress management and lifestyle counseling
- Prescription of Chinese herbal medicine
- Prescription of homeopathic medicine
During your treatment, I will insert fine needles into carefully chosen acupuncture points. The needles used are sterile and disposable, very thin and have a rounded tip that is designed to gently part the skin, unlike the sharp cutting end of conventional medical hypodermic needles. Acupuncture needles differ from hypodermic needles in that they are solid and are ultra thin, similar in diameter to microfilaments or fiber optics. Acupuncture needles are far less likely to cause tissue damage, pain or bruising upon insertion.
As a general guideline, we will know if acupuncture is going to help you within 1-3 treatments. Many of my patients experience positive results after their first treatment. A common misconception is that you must “believe” in acupuncture in order for it to work. As with Western medicine, acupuncture will work equally on those who believe and those who do not. The length and course of your treatment will vary depending on your diagnosis and how long you have had the problem. Your first visit will last approximately one hour; follow up visits tend to last approximately 30 minutes.