What happens during an initial visit?
You’ll need to fill out forms which can take a few minutes to finish, so please come 20 to 30 minutes early to complete them. Or, you can download these forms from the top of this web page and bring the completed forms with you. This helps support us, since it reduces the amount of paper shuffling on our end. The forms are in PDF format, and require a .zip file manager.There is a $10 one-time paperwork/administrative fee due at your first appointment.After paperwork is done, you’ll then meet with your acupuncturist to discuss your health concern(s) after which time a treatment plan will be recommended for you. Your acupuncture treatment comes next.Please wear comfortable clothing. You’ll just have to roll your sleeves and pant legs up, in order to get ready for your treatment, as we use styles of acupuncture which allows us to select points primarily on the arms and legs.
During the initial session, we will do a detailed health history interview focusing on your main complaint, also addressing general health history such as, sleep, digestion, energy level, family medical history, etc. It is important to assess your overall health in addition to focusing on your main complaint. Melissa will take your pulses on each wrist in three different places to determine how well certain organ systems are functioning. She also examines your tongue. The tongues color and coating can reveal a lot about a persons overall health. She will also perform any other relevant physical assessment or observation. We will discuss together her thoughts on treatment plan and recommendations for treatment. After that time typically we will make a decision together as far as how you would like to proceed and what feels like a good fit for your healing plan in that moment. We may also do a treatment that day.
