Congratulations! Your first visit to Big Apple Acupuncture is right around the corner. I am positive of two things. One, you really want to feel better. Two, you don’t like needles! Don’t worry nobody does. I will explain the difference between hospital hyperdermic needles and acupuncture needles during your first visit. Here are a few other tips to ensure you have a great first visit experience with Big Apple Acupuncture!
Preparation for a great first visit!
1. What to wear – Loose clothing is preferable as I will be rolling up sleeves and pant legs. If it is winter time and you are wearing a lot of clothing anyway then we can put you into a gown no problem. Unless there is a specific musculoskeletal injury in the upper thighs or the hips then we don’t need access to these areas during you first visit.
2. What to eat – Please eat beforehand. If you are traveling into the city try to leave a little earlier than your scheduled appointment. This gives you some extra time to eat. You can even leisurely chomp down on a protein bar while walking over from Union Square subway.
One of the best things about receiving an alternative medical treatment to help you overcome your problems are it’s lack of many negative side effects. However you may feel drained afterwards if you are hungry at the start of treatment especially after your first visit. This is because acupuncture uses you body’s own innate energy and this process is new to you. So what you walk in the door with is what we will be using during you first visit. Also bring water or other beverages in case you feel thirsty.
3. Needle Sensation – Acupuncture is relaxing. Endorphins are our body’s “happy” hormones. They are released into the bloodstream as part of the physiological response of the body to acupuncture needle insertion. As a result we begin to feel very relaxed during treatment. Usually after a few minutes you will begin to feel drowsy and sleepy. This is good as you want to relax. There may also be a feeling of heaviness and dullness pervades in and around the acupuncture needles. This happens because more blood is directed toward the general location of the needles.
A similar sensation of distention or trickling traveling feeling like a drop of water running down or up your limbs may be felt during treatment. This is you
r body’s energy or Qi traveling along the acupuncture meridians. The acupuncture meridians or channels are the pathways that open to and connect the individual acupuncture points. These avenues of communication help improve and balance our organ functions and promote greater quality of health for ourselves. I have written more about this topic if you are interested on one of my other websites. http://www.yinyangusa.com/what-is-qi.html
The combinations of these sensations felt during an acupuncture treatment are the signals that the body has begun the healing process. For the good majority of patients these sensations are very comfortable and they drift off into a light to moderate sleep. Sometimes I will come back in the room and completely remove all the needles while they are still snoozing. 🙂
4. Forms – Please fill out and bring. You will find the online patient health inventory on the landing page of this website in the Our Office section at the bottom of the page. First visits always require some paperwork. Filling the patient health inventory out beforehand saves us some time.
5. Insurance – Bring your insurance cards. I understand many of my patients are on a budget. My staff will try to get you any benefits you are due from your insurance carrier for acupuncture coverage. I will call you between the first and second treatment to inform you what your benefits are.
So there you have it. I look forward to helping you!