Frequently Asked Questions about Acupuncture with Dr. Megan Marco
Q. I have a lot of questions - can I ask them?
A. YES! Your active
participation is directly related to your success.
Q. How often should I come to see you?
A. It depends on what we are
treating. If you consider that most health problems don't happen
overnight, it makes sense that treatment may take some time. In
general, ten treatments are necessary to see significant
long-lasting changes.
We encourage you to schedule appointments in advance so that you get the times and days that work for you. Our appointment book goes out three months to enable you to get your favorite appointment times.
Q. Do I ever need to see you more than once a week?
A. With each
treatment, you will see improvement. Acupuncture works cumulatively.
Therefore, if you group the treatments close together, you will see
changes more quickly. In some situations I would recommend treatments
over consecutive days to help relieve pain or to strengthen your
immune system. You will achieve greater effectiveness from your
treatments if you group them close together. We are lubricating the
pathways so that your body can chose these pathways on its own. For more information, check out: http://www.beyondwellbeing.com/prognosis
Q. Are results permanent?
A. A large part of that depends on you.
Acupuncture sends signals to your body of what it needs to do to
heal. Other criteria that we will look at are: Are you following
your prescribed treatment protocol? What is your lifestyle like? Are you resting? Are
you reinjuring yourself? Have you modified your
activities and your work environment to be ergonomically correct?
Between treatments, are you stretching to continue the positive
effects of the treatment? Are you drinking enough water after your
treatment? Are you following the Chinese energetic nutritional advice given to you? Would Chinese herbs help you on your path to
optimal health? These are all areas that we will discuss throughout
your treatments. We are aiming for permanent relief and optimal
health with natural, holistic Oriental Medicine. Once you're feeling
better, it is very helpful to come in for tune-ups. Many people like doing monthly tune-ups.
Q. Does acupuncture hurt?
A. If you ask my son, he will tell you, "No, Acupuncture does not hurt." Most of the time you won't feel anything
at all. Occasionally you may feel a quick pinch. Once the needle is
in, you may experience warmth, tingling, or a zing, which indicates that the point is active. This is good as
it indicates that the point is working, we are increasing blood flow and circulation, and we are in the right
spots. For the most part, you will barely be aware that the point
has been placed.
Q. What are points?
A. Acupuncturists often use the word point instead
of needle because they are so thin--as thin as a hair. We avoid the word needle because of its association with the
needle or syringe used for getting shots. It is unfortunate that Acupuncture needles were ever named needles as they are so much thinner than syringes or even sewing
needles. Did you know that Acupuncture needles are so tiny that
eight Acupuncture needles can fit into the hole of a syringe? Here at SNHC all of our points/needles are sterile and disposable.
The word point is also used in reference to the spots along the energy
channels on the body--these are the points that influence positive
change and healthy re-patterning of your body.
Q. Will I experience sensations once the points are in?
A. Sometimes you won't feel anything at all. Often you will feel a calming energy as the endorphin production increases from the Acupuncture. Sometimes you may feel a "zing," warmth, tingling, or even numbness indicate that
we found the right spot. When you feel any of these, just say
"got it!" and then we'll know that we "got the qi." These areas are where
there is a blockage in your system. By freeing up the blockages, the
energy can move through your body. When you think of your body as
having a series of rivers and the blockages as dams, then when we
insert a needle into a blockage it is like opening these dams to get
the river flowing again. Or if you think of these pathways as being
pipes with clogs in them, the Acupuncture needles act like energetic
drain-o. During treatments, I may ask you to take a deep breath.
Breathing helps to ease any discomfort or nervousness plus and to
bring lots of oxygen into your body to help with healing.
Q. If it is uncomfortable after you put the points in do I tell you?
A. Yes! If it ever feels uncomfortable it means that the Acupuncture point needs to be slightly adjusted, and then it will be
comfortable again. Also, let me know if you would like anything else
adjusted for your comfort -- the temperature of the room, the volume
of the music, if you would like a sip of water, the position of a
pillow, anything affecting your ability to relax.
Q. Do I have to get undressed?
A. Usually socks, shoes and jewelry are the only
things that needs to be removed. It is most helpful for you to
wear loose clothing so that we can get to your knees, elbows, and
shoulders. To get to hard to reach areas and during the tui na
therapeutic massage, you may need to remove certain articles of
clothing, however, we always use proper draping techniques to ensure
each person's privacy and comfort.
Q. What are the pros and cons of Acupuncture treatments?
A. Acupuncture
and Oriental Medicine can help you to feel good and be healthy.
AOM can help you to live a longer, healthier, and happier life. Acupuncture can also help the body to get rid of toxins. A con is that you may find that you feel a little
worse for the wear before you feel better or you may experience a temporary bruise or some local soreness. For toxins, which have been sitting in your muscles and fat, to leave your body, it is especially important for you to drink water to
flush out these toxins.
Q. Does drinking water really help? A. Yes, water helps your body
cleanse itself of the toxins that were released during your
treatment and is essential for your body's healing. It is good to
drink water the day of your treatment and the day afterwards. If you notice a dull headache or feeling achy, it just means that you need to drink more water. For
the most comfort, please make sure to use the bathroom before your
treatment.
Q. What if I have to miss or change an appointment?
A. Please call Stonington Natural Health Center at
860-536-3880 if you need to change or cancel an appointment or if you are going to be late for your appointment. If no one is there to answer, please leave a message. Your cooperation on this is vitally important to our mutual success. If you cancel with less than 24 hours, you are responsible for the full payment of your appointment. Many patients will substitute a friend or family member to have them take their appointment time. If it is their first appointment, please let them know about the $50 first appointment intake fee. We appreciate your help with this. If you're appointment is on the weekend or Monday, please call by 12:00 Friday.
Q. I am having trouble finding times that work for me. A. Please ask to have your name put on the waiting list. When an appointment opens or if we figure out a way to shift the schedule, then we will contact you as soon as possible to get you in for your appointment.
Q. I am coming in for treatments. Do you offer any discounts?
A. We have been offering Acupuncture Memberships now for ten years. Patients love the great savings.
- Membership of Seven -- buy six, get one free
- Membershp of Twelve -- buy ten, get two free
- Membership of Twenty-two -- buy 18, get four free!
Memberships can be shared with one friend or family member, and are wonderful to help the whole family stay healthy. In order for us to offer memberships, memberships are NOT refundable. We recommend memberships once you know that you are going to be coming in regularly. Note: if you already have a Membership and are sharing with a new patient, please let them know about their $50 first appointment intake fee.
Q. What forms of payment do you take and do you take insurance?
A. Payment is required at the time of service in the forms of either cash, check with credit card to guaranty, or credit card. If a check is returned, a fee of $35 will be applied to your account. We do not bill insurance companies. We will be happy to provide you with the documentation that you may need to submit for reimbursement.
Q. I am not sure what I should call Dr. Marco. What should I call her?
A. Our primary concerns are (1) that you get better and (2) that you are very comfortable coming here. With that in mind, Dr.
Marco says to call her what comes most naturally to you. Whether you call her Dr. Marco, Dr. Megan, Meg or Megan, all she asks is that you don't call her late for dinner! (We had to throw that old joke in there...) She often addresses patients by their first names, and please let her know if there is a different name, a nickname, or a formal name that you would prefer to be called.
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