Frequently Asked Questions

• Do you take insurance?
• How old is traditional East Asian Medicine?
• Do I have to believe in acupuncture for it to work?
• Do you use herbs?
• What are the needles like? What does acupuncture feel like?
• What if I am afraid of needles?
• How quickly can I expect to feel better?
• How often will I need to be treated?
• Does East Asian Medicine always help?

Do you take insurance?

Columbia City Acupuncture is now accepting insurance from the following companies: Premera Blue Cross, Lifewise, Aetna, CIGNA, and Uniform. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) claims from auto accidents are also accepted.

If you have health insurance with a company not listed here, such as Regence and Group Health, but have "out of network" coverage in your plan, I can provide you with a superbill to submit to your company for partial reimbursement. Some plans will reimburse most of the cost, otherwise about half. You should check with your insurance company for specific eligibility and reimbursement information."

How old is traditional East Asian Medicine?

Modern East Asian medicine is comprised of various traditions spanning at least three thousand years. The true roots of this medicine may be much older, however, as the authors of our ancient texts refer to people and times considered ancient during their time.

Do I have to believe in acupuncture for it to work?

The answer is definitely no. Belief has little to do with treatment outcomes. Acupuncture is effective on infants and animals, and in China is frequently employed for comatose patients. Acupuncture is even effective on skeptics. Most American patients are skeptical at first, and rightly so. However, belief does not greatly impact the outcome.

Do you use herbs?

We have a full Chinese herb pharmacy, and herbs are utilized when appropriate. In combination with acupuncture, movement therapy, tui na massage, and diet / lifestyle, herbal medicine can be the critical factor in successful treatment. In some cases, as in dermatology, herbs may be the primary treatment. Herb consults, sans acupuncture, are available at a reduced fee. For more on herbs, please see the herbs webpage on this site.

What are the needles like? What does acupuncture feel like?

Acupuncture needles are nothing like syringes. They are tiny, as thin as a strand of hair, and solid. They are sterilized and of course never re-used. Their design is for accessing Qi, not collecting fluids or tissue samples. Hence, the sensation of being acupunctured is unique and while sometimes intense, is not generally painful. Rather, the sensation may at first be like a mosquito bite, which then transforms into a dull, distending ache as the Qi rises to the needle. Usually after a few minutes the sensation leaves the area altogether. In other cases, sensations may be felt for a while after treatment ends. Patients usually describe deep relaxation, and often fall into a restful sleep during treatment.

What if I am afraid of needles?

If you are particularly sensitive, or have a very strong fear of needles, then Japanese acupuncture may work well for you. In this style, the needles are barely or not inserted. As well, other techniques may be used that do not involve needles, or a simple herb consult may be appropriate. Please ask questions. I want you to be as comfortable with your treatments as possible.

How quickly can I expect to feel better?

In general, you should feel the effects of treatment within the first week. If after two treatments you are not noticing anything different, the diagnosis and treatment plan may need to be modified. This is especially true with the use of herbs. The reason is that when a diagnosis is made, specific signs and symptoms related to the diagnosis are expected to change with treatment. If no change is seen, the diagnosis is most likely incorrect and needs adjustment. There are some cases where noticeable effects may take several weeks, but these are specific cases and would be explained at the time of treatment.

How often will I need to be treated?

The effects of acupuncture are cumulative, so usually patients are seen on a weekly basis. In acute or more severe cases it may be appropriate to have two or three visits in the first week of treatment. Lengths of treatment courses vary greatly from patient to patient, and practitioner to practitioner. In acute cases, one to five treatments may be enough to fully resolve the issue. In chronic cases, one month to a year of treatment may be necessary as it can take time to unwrap the disease process to prevent recurrence.

In any case, during the time of treatment there should be steady improvement, or consistent relief of suffering with each visit. By the end of treatment, the patient does not usually need weekly visits and is gradually tapered off altogether.

Does East Asian Medicine always help?

This tradition can treat many diseases, but no medicine in the world can treat all diseases. There are times when the disease is better treated by another modality. In these cases I will refer you to the appropriate expert. It is possible that the severe aspects of some conditions may be best treated by conventional medicine, which is swift in action, while the follow-up care can be best treated with East Asian Medicine, which is more gentle. This is taken on a case-by-case basis, and can be discussed during treatment.