​What can I expect during my course of treatment?  ​

• Compassionate and careful listening.  You will have the opportunity to thoroughly discuss what you feel are issues you'd like to address.  We will stay on track but you will not be rushed at all.

• Personalized, Results-Oriented Care. We will set treatment goals and check in on them during your course of treatment to make sure we are addressing your greatest concerns.  Some examples of goals could be: "Feel more calm for most of the day," "Feel less nausea," "Have more regular bowel movements," "Feel less grief," and such.

• Small Examination. Texas law for acupuncturists requires that blood pressure and temperature are taken if patient has not had blood pressure monitored within the year or if there is an occurrence of fever. As for your Chinese Medicine examination, we will then feel your pulse on both wrists.  You may be asked to stick out your tongue for examination if you are able. If possible, please refrain from brushing your tongue for a few days before your visit.  

• Care for Your Comfort and Relaxation. If you have a recliner, that's a great place for a treatment.  Treatments will also be performed on a bed or sofa.  Please let us know if none of these are possible so we can bring a treatment table. 

  • Most points will be from the elbows and knees down, as well as on the head.  The chosen points will be swabbed with alcohol.  The whisker-thin, flexible needles will then be placed in those spots. 

  • You may ask for an eye pillow over your eyes to help you relax and we are happy to play some soothing music.  You will be given a bell to summon me if you need anything, but I am also happy to stay next to you the whole time. 

  • You can then relax for anywhere from 15-25 minutes, depending on your energy level.  Short treatments can be very effective without running the risk of making the patient feel drained. 

• Follow Up.  You will receive an email or call the next day to see how you are.  Let me know how you're feeling so that I can make adjustments to your treatment plan before I visit again. This makes your treatment time most effective.

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How should I prepare for my treatment?

• Make sure you have eaten at least a little something within 2 hours of treatment.  

• Please do not drink hot or cold drinks right before your appointment, as it affects the appearance of your tongue. Room temperature is best. You can alternatively take a couple pictures of your tongue near a window for good light first thing in the morning and send or save them to show me.

• Please wear loose-fitting clothing (not skinny jeans).

• If possible, have a couple pillows available in case we need to adjust your positioning. We will be doing treatment where you are most comfortable, whether that is a bed, recliner, or sofa.

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Will you treat anyone else while you're here?

Yes, I'd love to! Caregivers often need a type of reset of their sympathetic nervous system or support to deal with grief or fatigue.  Up to 2 caregivers can be treated at each appointment with a simple protocol.  Brief consent and history forms will be provided and treatments are $15 each.

 

How many treatments will I need?

         This will depend on what conditions you are being treated for (pain, anxiety, nausea, etc.), but we will get an idea of that after we see how you/the patient responds to the first treatment.  We always do the least amount of treatment to achieve your desired goal.

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How often do I get treatment?

• Depending on your goals and what we're treating, 1-2 times per week for the first couple weeks if possible.

• Once you've achieved about 80% relief, 1x/week or less. This all depends on what relief you personally are looking for.  This varies from person to person.

• When you have attained your desired level of comfort, 1x/month is recommended for prevention of recurrence and for wellness, but this is optional and as always according to your desired goal. 

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Why do some conditions need multiple treatments per week?

• We are working with momentum in the beginning and we don't want to lose it.  It's almost impossible to have acupuncture treatments too close together but it's easy to have it too far apart. We don't want to go two steps forward, one step back and lose what we've gained. It is far better and more economical to get the appropriate treatment from the get-go.                                                                         

Do I have to believe in acupuncture for it to work?

This answer is a qualified "No."  Acupuncture works beautifully on animals, and as far as we know they don't "believe" in acupuncture.  The reason the answer is qualified is because while you don't have to believe in acupuncture, you should be open to the idea that your body can heal itself.  We no longer work with patients who are being forced or coerced into treatment by a spouse or loved one or have any hostility towards the treatments.  If you are having mixed feelings, schedule a phone consultation instead and let's talk about it so we can see if we're a good fit for each other.

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Do you prescribe herbal medicine? Why should I try it?

     Yes, but there are special considerations in palliative and hospice care. Chinese herbal medicine is its own powerful medicine. It is highly effective when prescribed correctly and can reduce number of treatments you need and thus cost.  Due to the special nature of palliative care, there are often several medications on board and avoiding unfavorable herb-drug interactions is top priority.  Generally, patients on any type of blood thinner or medications such as digitalis are not candidates for herbal medicine.    

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Are there cases/conditions that you don't treat?

    

     I no longer take cases where the patient is in litigation/pending litigation.  In my experience, through no one's fault the lawsuit clouds the picture and many patients do not improve until their case is settled or closed, wasting the time and money of the patient and practitioner.   If you feel you or your loved one may be a special exception, please email me and we will discuss.

 

     I also do not treat anyone being "forced" or coerced to get acupuncture. You don't have to believe in

acupuncture for it to help you (as evidenced by how well it works on animals), but repeated studies show having a negative mindset about treatments will stop you from healing regardless if it's Western medicine or Eastern Medicine.  

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What forms of payment do you take?

All major credit cards and FSA/HSA cards if you are allowed to use them for acupuncture. Due to this being a house call based practice, payment must be received before the appointment.

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Do you take insurance? 

     No, but if your insurance does cover acupuncture, I am happy to give you a "super bill", including receipt of payment, CPT codes, and ICD-10 codes for you to submit to your insurance company to get them to directly reimburse you.  Please note: Medicare will eventually pay for acupuncture but as I understand it, it will only be for back pain for now.  At this time neither Medicare nor Texas Medicaid pay for acupuncture.

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Please realize that your insurance policy is a contract between you and your insurance company.  I am not a provider for any insurance company and while I will go to reasonable lengths to assist you, I make no guarantees that I can get them to reimburse you.  

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How do I know if my insurance will pay for acupuncture? Please call the number on the back of your card and ask 1) If you have acupuncture benefits, 2) What are they? (# of visits), and 3) Are they only for specific conditions or are there any restrictions on what you can be treated for?  

     Any extra reports required by your insurance company beyond the standard super bill will incur a fee.  You will also be given a fee bill for this, if you'd like, to attempt to get reimbursement for them.

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What is your cancellation policy?

Since these are house calls involving travel, your treatment time is reserved for only you.  We require 24 hours' notice if you do not want to keep your appointment.  Failure to do so will result in being charged 100% of service fee. True emergencies may be excused once at our discretion.  By scheduling with us, you agree to accept these terms.  Thank you so much. 

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How does acupuncture work? Do you want to hear it the Chinese Medicine way? Are you more of an evidence-based science person? This chart is for you, no matter what type of explanation you prefer. Click HERE 

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