Take a virtual tour
During your first visit we will take a full medical history and perform a physical examination. We will then create your customized treatment plan and perform your initial treatment.
Costs
Payment
Time
Plan to stay for 1-1.5 hours on the first visit. Subsequent visits last 45-50 minutes. Be on time for your appointment so that you may benefit fully. When you make an appointment, please understand that time has been reserved for you. If you need to miss or change an appointment please provide 24 hours advance notice otherwise there will be a missed appointment charge.
Forms
To allow for as much time together as possible, please download, print and complete the Consent Form and New Patient Form and bring them to your first visit.
Preparation
Before arriving for treatment:
Costs
- Initial visit (includes assessment, exam, treatment plan and first treatment) $100.
- Additional treatments $100.
- Herbal consultations (herbs vary in cost and are billed separately) $50.
Payment
- Payment is due at the time of your appointment.
- I accept cash, credit cards and checks.
Time
Plan to stay for 1-1.5 hours on the first visit. Subsequent visits last 45-50 minutes. Be on time for your appointment so that you may benefit fully. When you make an appointment, please understand that time has been reserved for you. If you need to miss or change an appointment please provide 24 hours advance notice otherwise there will be a missed appointment charge.
Forms
To allow for as much time together as possible, please download, print and complete the Consent Form and New Patient Form and bring them to your first visit.
Preparation
Before arriving for treatment:
- Make sure to eat something light an hour or two before arriving
- Try to avoid the intake of caffeine or pain medications
- Wear loose fitting clothes
- Bring a list of medications you are taking
In depth information
Preparing for Your Visit
We believe strongly in educating our clients and equipping them with the tools to sustain their health independently whenever possible. The more you become involved with your health and responsible for your body, the better you will feel.
Before your first visit
Spend some time thinking about what you would like to achieve from your acupuncture treatment. What are your expectations? What questions or concerns do you have about acupuncture? Jot down a few notes to bring with you to your first visit. The more openly we can communicate, the better I can help you. Be realistic. If you have several conditions or symptoms you would like to address, please rank them. On your first visit, I will ask you primarily about your chief complaint. Secondary issues will also be noted and addressed as treatment progresses. Start noticing how you feel each day and make a few notes. With respect to your chief complaint, try to answer these questions:
Be as descriptive and specific as possible. For example, "pain" and "discomfort" are very general words. Chinese medicine recognizes subtle distinctions in different types of pain. Burning pain is not the same as pain that has a stabbing sensation. See if any of these words help you describe your pain: sharp, dull and achy, constant, burning, contracting/tight, heavy, radiating (from where?), numb, pins & needles, no feeling, wandering, pounding, intermittent, stabbing, distending. If you are having difficulty describing your pain in words, try visualizing it or drawing a picture, and then describe what you see.
We believe strongly in educating our clients and equipping them with the tools to sustain their health independently whenever possible. The more you become involved with your health and responsible for your body, the better you will feel.
Before your first visit
Spend some time thinking about what you would like to achieve from your acupuncture treatment. What are your expectations? What questions or concerns do you have about acupuncture? Jot down a few notes to bring with you to your first visit. The more openly we can communicate, the better I can help you. Be realistic. If you have several conditions or symptoms you would like to address, please rank them. On your first visit, I will ask you primarily about your chief complaint. Secondary issues will also be noted and addressed as treatment progresses. Start noticing how you feel each day and make a few notes. With respect to your chief complaint, try to answer these questions:
- When did this condition first appear? Is this a new condition or a recurring illness?
- What brought it on? What triggers it?
- Is your condition getting worse?
- To what degree does it interfere with your daily routine, work or sleep?
- What aggravates it? What provides relief?
- What time of day does it bother you the most? the least?
Be as descriptive and specific as possible. For example, "pain" and "discomfort" are very general words. Chinese medicine recognizes subtle distinctions in different types of pain. Burning pain is not the same as pain that has a stabbing sensation. See if any of these words help you describe your pain: sharp, dull and achy, constant, burning, contracting/tight, heavy, radiating (from where?), numb, pins & needles, no feeling, wandering, pounding, intermittent, stabbing, distending. If you are having difficulty describing your pain in words, try visualizing it or drawing a picture, and then describe what you see.
Preparation
The following suggestions are provided to help you have a safe and relaxing experience with acupuncture. In order to reduce the risk of side effects, we require our clients to adhere to certain precautions. Please read this section carefully. If you have any questions, please contact me prior to your first visit.
- Bring a list of current medications you are taking, including any prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbal supplements, and/or vitamins.
- Bring any relevant lab or medical reports.
- Eat a light meal a few hours before your visit. Acupuncture is not performed on individuals who are fasting. Being over-hungry increases the risk of nausea or dizziness. At the same time, please do not overeat or eat any foods that cause your stomach to be upset (for example, rich, greasy, fried, or extremely spicy foods).
- Avoid alcohol on the day of your treatment. Acupuncture is not performed on intoxicated individuals due to the increased risk of shock. It is also not advisable to become intoxicated shortly after treatment.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Acupuncture points are located all over the body. Many of the acupuncture points that are commonly used are located between the wrists and elbows and the ankles and knees. You will be more comfortable if your clothing can be easily rolled up to your elbows and knees.
- Avoid heavy exertion (including sexual activity) immediately before and after treatment (i.e. within 2 hours). Set aside enough time so that you are not rushing to and from your visit. Physical strain immediately before or after acupuncture can weaken your body. Please schedule your activities on the day of your visit accordingly (for example, do not schedule your appointment for an hour before your 2 hour kickboxing class).
Assessment
We'll start off with an in-depth assessment and an initial treatment. This will take up to two hours, depending on your condition. Follow-up treatments typically take 45-50 minutes. During the assessment, you may be asked about things that you might not think are connected to your chief complaint, such as your emotions, sleeping patterns, and eating habits. Chinese medicine considers the whole person, not just one isolated symptom. When put together, the myriad of symptoms and signs you are experiencing reveal patterns of disharmony. Although treatment will focus on your chief complaint, your whole being must be considered in order to develop the most appropriate course of treatment. Chinese medicine is unique in that it appreciates that illnesses may be identical, but the persons suffering from them are individuals.
Treatment
Needles are typically retained for about 30 minutes. Soothing music will be played to help you relax during this time - many people even fall asleep during treatment! In addition to acupuncture, treatments may also include heat therapy, herbal prescriptions, nutritional supplements, and diet and lifestyle advice.
Afterwards
Your relief may be immediate, delayed for a few hours, or even develop after one to three days. The relief my last for a few hours on the first visit and then last longer with each successive treatment, or relief may last from the first treatment until your next visit. Individual response to treatment varies.
Side Effects
Side effects are rare, but may include the following: feeling lightheaded, dizziness, sleepiness, euphoria, nausea, slight bruising, residual muscle aches. Any of these side effects should only last a short time. Staying hydrated after your treatment will help to minimize these side effects, as will resting after your treatment. Any side effects should be reported at your next visit. On rare occasions, one's original symptoms may briefly get worse, or "flare-up," after a treatment. A flare-up typically occurs later on the day of your treatment and should only last for a few hours. After a flare-up, your symptoms should begin to improve. In the long run, acupuncture does not make symptoms worse. In some conditions, the body must fully expel a pathogen in order for healing to occur. For example, if you have a cold, acupuncture will not get rid of the cold, but it can help accelerate the cold cycle so your body recovers faster. If you are fatigued and beginning to get a cold, acupuncture can help your body fight it off. In cases of chronic pain, your original pain may improve and then unmask less obvious pain in the surrounding areas.
Course of Treatment
As part of your first visit, you will receive a customized treatment plan detailing an appropriate course of treatment for your specific condition. In general, acute conditions of recent onset may only require two or three treatments. Chronic conditions usually require more treatments to achieve sustained results. Treatment for Hepatitis C and fertility follow specific protocols, which will be discussed with you at your first visit.
The ideal approach to illness is to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat. For longstanding illnesses, weekly treatments may be required for several months in order to have a curative effect. For patients planning on undergoing Western treatment for Hepatitis C or fertility, it is recommended that acupuncture and/or herbal treatments be started approximately three months in advance of Western treatment. However, many patients don't learn of the benefits of Chinese medicine until they are already undergoing Western treatment. In that case, it is best to start acupuncture and/or herbs as soon as possible.
Once you initiate a healing process, it is important to follow through on treatments. The more consistent you are, the better the likelihood of results. The effects of acupuncture tend to be cumulative. After you are feeling better, a few additional treatments may be recommended. In Chinese medicine, this is referred to as "solidifying the constitution." The goal is to further strengthen your body to prevent recurrence of the illness. Your body is most vulnerable following recovery from illness because it has expended much of its energy and internal resources in order to get better. It is therefore important to have a few treatments in order to prevent repeated or new illness. In general, when an illness recurs it is often more difficult to treat.
The ideal approach to illness is to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat. For longstanding illnesses, weekly treatments may be required for several months in order to have a curative effect. For patients planning on undergoing Western treatment for Hepatitis C or fertility, it is recommended that acupuncture and/or herbal treatments be started approximately three months in advance of Western treatment. However, many patients don't learn of the benefits of Chinese medicine until they are already undergoing Western treatment. In that case, it is best to start acupuncture and/or herbs as soon as possible.
Once you initiate a healing process, it is important to follow through on treatments. The more consistent you are, the better the likelihood of results. The effects of acupuncture tend to be cumulative. After you are feeling better, a few additional treatments may be recommended. In Chinese medicine, this is referred to as "solidifying the constitution." The goal is to further strengthen your body to prevent recurrence of the illness. Your body is most vulnerable following recovery from illness because it has expended much of its energy and internal resources in order to get better. It is therefore important to have a few treatments in order to prevent repeated or new illness. In general, when an illness recurs it is often more difficult to treat.
"Dr. Lori's acupuncture treatments cured my panic disorder. I was amazed that such a pleasurable treatment could be so effective. My adrenaline levels are back to normal. Instead of prescription drugs, I used only acupuncture, diet, mild exercise, and a custom herbal formula." ~ Paul Harrison, San Diego