Acupuncture & Traditional Herbal Medicine with Afshin Mokhtari, M.S., L.Ac.
For Patients
What Conditions Can Acupuncture Treat?
This medicine has been used for all ailments that befall man, livestock, and pets for thousands of years. But lets get practical…
There are many situations which should take you first to your Medical Doctor.
Please call 911 in an emergency if your area supports that service, get regular checkups, see your Western medical doctor regarding health concerns. There is no conflict between what they are trying to accomplish, Traditional Medicine, and what I do in my practice. When done correctly, they complement each other with great benefit to the patient.
The first treatment always takes the longest because we go over your health history, lifestyle, and the reason(s) you’ve come to see me. I then take your pulse, take a look at your tongue, maybe palpate your abdomen – all to get a complete picture of the whole you, and where & what your imbalances are. Treatments then usually last from 20-45 minutes.
There are several different types of treatment that can be done in a Chinese medicine healing session:
Cupping
In my practice, I use mostly Japanese thin, painless needles
Heat therapy with moxa, special heat lamp, etc..
Acupuncture
Medical Massage
Acupuncture needles are hair-thin, not hollow, and do not inject anything into you. They are sterile & used only once. Most beginners imagine that dozens of needles are used in a treatment, but in reality a typical session consists of around 8 needles.
By inserting needles into key acupuncture points, the body is directed to pay attention and address issues regulated by those areas, activating your inner healing processes. The results are usually a sense of well being and often, patients take a nap during their treatment & wake up refreshed, relaxed, and feeling good.
To prepare for your appointment…
dont come very hungry
dont come stuffed full of food either
avoid getting caffeinated before treatment
dress comfortably, wear loose pants
you’ll probably be lying down on your back for at least 20 minutes
wear less jewelry so you wont have to take it off and forget it
less make-up helps me see the real you
avoid brushing your tongue
avoid applying strong scents to yourself before treatment
Does Insurance cover my treatments?
Many health insurance plans cover acupuncture to different extents these days. The exact details will depend on your insurance company, and which coverage you have. Often they have a co-pay, or pay different amounts depending on the modalities of treatment (acupuncture, herbs, cupping, moxa, …).
How many treatments will I need?
That completely depends on what is wrong with you and how long you’ve had the problem. Some acute problems (for example, just pulled your back yesterday trying to move the fridge) can see immediate results without need to come back. Most problems will definitely show improvement within 5 treatments, and many pain issues will respond in even less!
On the other hand, if you’ve had diabetes or some other serious internal health issue for years, the good news is that this medicine can definitely help you – but it will take more than just 2 or 3 sessions to see real results.
For Patients
What Conditions Can Acupuncture Treat?
This medicine has been used for all ailments that befall man, livestock, and pets for thousands of years. But lets get practical…
Please call 911 in an emergency if your area supports that service, get regular checkups, see your Western medical doctor regarding health concerns. There is no conflict between what they are trying to accomplish, Traditional Medicine, and what I do in my practice. When done correctly, they complement each other with great benefit to the patient.
With that understood, this is a list of health conditions commonly treated by licensed acupuncturists, from the Department of Consumer Affairs, Consumer’s Guide to Acupuncture and Asian Medicine . I’ve italicized the conditions I regularly see in clinic. Finally, go here to see my specialties.
What can I expect during a visit?
The first treatment always takes the longest because we go over your health history, lifestyle, and the reason(s) you’ve come to see me. I then take your pulse, take a look at your tongue, maybe palpate your abdomen – all to get a complete picture of the whole you, and where & what your imbalances are. Treatments then usually last from 20-45 minutes.
There are several different types of treatment that can be done in a Chinese medicine healing session:
Acupuncture needles are hair-thin, not hollow, and do not inject anything into you. They are sterile & used only once. Most beginners imagine that dozens of needles are used in a treatment, but in reality a typical session consists of around 8 needles.
By inserting needles into key acupuncture points, the body is directed to pay attention and address issues regulated by those areas, activating your inner healing processes. The results are usually a sense of well being and often, patients take a nap during their treatment & wake up refreshed, relaxed, and feeling good.
To prepare for your appointment…
Does Insurance cover my treatments?
Many health insurance plans cover acupuncture to different extents these days. The exact details will depend on your insurance company, and which coverage you have. Often they have a co-pay, or pay different amounts depending on the modalities of treatment (acupuncture, herbs, cupping, moxa, …).
How many treatments will I need?
That completely depends on what is wrong with you and how long you’ve had the problem. Some acute problems (for example, just pulled your back yesterday trying to move the fridge) can see immediate results without need to come back. Most problems will definitely show improvement within 5 treatments, and many pain issues will respond in even less!
On the other hand, if you’ve had diabetes or some other serious internal health issue for years, the good news is that this medicine can definitely help you – but it will take more than just 2 or 3 sessions to see real results.