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What Can I Expect From My First Treatment?

To allow for the most comfortable and effective treatment, please make sure to eat at least 2 hours prior, but no sooner than 30 minutes prior, to your session. (Of course, if you are pregnant, eat whenever your body requests!) Also, please avoid coffee and alcohol close to the time of your appointment. Loose, comfortable clothing is preferable - for instance, pants that can be rolled up to above the knee and shirts with sleeves that can be pulled up above the elbows if needed.  Also make sure that you are adequately hydrated - 2 glasses of water within two hours of your session is ideal.

An adult's first session lasts 90 minutes; expect approximately 45-60 minutes for children. If you haven't already filled out our forms requesting information about your medical and family history, the first 10 minutes will involve this little formality. You can always request to have them emailed to you ahead of time to increase the amount of hands-on time in the clinic. 

The clinician will sit down with you and complete a thorough history and examination, including checking your radial pulse (called "taking your pulses") and looking at your tongue to ascertain your body's needs from a Chinese medical perspective. 

After the initial exam, you will be asked to lie down on our massage table, typically without needing to change out of your garments into a gown. The practitioner will utilize a combination of massage, gentle palpation, and the insertion of a few extremely fine, painless acupuncture needles into carefully selected points along the meridians of your body. The needles will typically be retained for 15-40 minutes. Children are generally treated without the use of needles.

If needed, a personalized herbal prescription will also be prepared for you during your session. We use high quality granulated herbs, tablets, and pediatric tinctures from GMP-certified companies in our pharmacy.

You are always in control of your treatments. You will be asked frequently for feedback on sensations elicited from massage and needling. You are never expected to simply "tolerate" treatment; every effort will be made to provide an enjoyable, relaxing experience.

What can Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Do For My Family? 

Whether you are trying to start a family, are pregnant, or already have children, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help. 

Acupuncture treats male and female fertility issues, and greatly increases the success rate of In Vitro Fertilization. 

Once you become pregnant, acupuncture provides a safe, gentle, and effective method of maintaining the health of mom and baby. It can ease the discomforts of pregnancy, along with assisting in labor, delivery, and the postpartum period. 

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine are safe, powerful and natural approaches to help regain and maintain the health of your children – from birth onward.

Prenatal Care

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine are safe, effective ways to treat many of the conditions which arise during pregnancy. Some of these include::

  • Back Pain
  • Breech Presentation
  • Carpal Tunnel
  • Fatigue
  • Headaches
  • Heartburn
  • Insomnia
  • Mood Swings
  • Morning Sickness
  • Sciatica
  • Sinus Congestion

Acupuncture relaxes the mother and increases the flow of blood to the uterus, both of which benefit the unborn child.

Treating Babies and Children

Shonishin - Acupuncture Without Needles

Babies and children up to the age of seven are typically treated with Shonishin, a gentle form of acupuncture that stimulates points and channels without the use of needles. Instead, rounded silver, gold or stainless steel tools are used to stroke, rub, and tap on the skin. Since children’s energy, or “qi”, is so sensitive and easy to access through gentle means, Shonishin is extremely effective. Parents are encouraged to be present with their children during treatments, which typically last 15-20 minutes.

For children over the age of 7, we use the finest needles and most delicate techniques. There are other treatment modalities available as well, such as moxabustion, tui na (Oriental bodywork therapy), cupping, and herbal medicine. Treatments last from 30-45 minutes.

Which Childhood Conditions Can Acupuncture Treat?

The earlier you treat a condition, the more simply and quickly it can be resolved. Common childhood problems that can be treated successfully include:

  • ADD / ADHD
  • Allergies
  • Asthma
  • Abdominal pain
  • Colds and Flu
  • Colic
  • Diarrhea
  • Ear Infections
  • Eczema
  • Headaches
  • Fevers
  • Musculoskeletal Pain
  • Nightmares
  • Sleep Problems
  • Teething

Treating Pain with Acupuncture 

Immediate and Lasting Results

Acupuncture is particularly effective at alleviating pain. One of our clinic specialties is treating pain anywhere in the body using the Balance Method, taught by Dr. Richard Tan. These simple treatments result in immediate and lasting benefits. Patients suffering from sports injuries, automobile accidents, repetitive stress injuries, headaches, arthritis pain, TMJ - and a myriad of acute and chronic pain syndromes - have found lasting relief through the Balance Method at Boulder Family Acupuncture.  

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