Acupuncture needles are solid, very thin, flexible, and smaller than even the smallest hypodermic or sewing needles. Their insertion is often not felt. Once a needle reaches the appropriate depth, you may feel a dull, mild ache or tingling sensation. It is a sign that the acupuncture point is being activated and is a good sign. Some patients also describe feeling a warm or electrical sensation, but you should never feel pain. If you do, please let the doctor know.

Please arrive 30 minutes before your first appointment so that you have sufficient time to complete your paperwork, which includes a comprehensive patient questionnaire that is key to creating a personalized treatment plan.

You are a unique individual, and though you may share common symptoms or disorders with others, your make-up must be considered to optimize your treatment. It is something that Chinese doctors understood thousands of years ago, and many western doctors continue to ignore it while practicing “cookie-cutter” medicine.

During your consultation visit, Dr. Lopez will review your completed questionnaire, ask additional questions as needed, and perform both a western and eastern medical exam. She will discuss her findings and answer any questions you may have. If you are new to acupuncture and not suffering from an acute injury (e.g., ankle sprain), she will offer you an acupuncture treatment intended to relax you, like your introduction to acupuncture.

If you are suffering pain from an acute injury, Dr. Lopez will perform a treatment to help the pain and inflammation and determine if you need further studies to rule out fractures or internal injuries, and ask you to complete the questionnaire at home before your next visit.

Come in or bring a change of clothes that are comfortable and spacious. The clothes should be loose enough to allow access to your upper arms and legs, thighs, and back.

Please do not brush your tongue when brushing your teeth on the day of your first visit and your re-exam day (which will usually be 7-10 weeks later, depending on the complexity of your condition).

Avoid drinking alcohol or eating beef on the days you are scheduled for acupuncture. Both alcohol and beef add to the liver’s workload. Your liver needs to focus on detoxifying the chemicals trapped in the areas of stagnant energy and circulation.    

Avoid heavy exercise on acupuncture days.

If your acupuncture treatment works properly, you should feel better or a bit worse for the first 24 hours. What we don’t want is “no change.” Feeling like nothing has changed means that the acupuncture treatment has not produced much-improved movement of blood and Qi. 

If you suffer from chronic pain and experience a mild increase in pain, consider that when your hands get extremely cold to the point of hurting and you warm them, they often hurt worse before they feel good. An area of chronic injury holds stagnant energy that, when broken up and allowed to clear, may hurt before the tissues feel better. 

If you suffer from an acute injury, you may need consecutive treatments for 2-3 days.

If you suffer from chronic medical conditions or injuries, treatments are usually scheduled once per week and reassessed at the 5-6 week point, unless your progress necessitates reassessment at a later point.

Most appointments will last 45-60 mins. Dr. Lopez will ask about what you experienced following your last treatment and how long your improvement lasts during each follow-up visit. As you progress, you should notice that your energy and symptom-free periods last longer. It is a good idea to keep a daily journal of how you feel, especially at the beginning of your treatments, so that you can notice and report your trends.

Our practice does not bill insurance or Medicare, but we will provide you with a super-bill after each treatment to submit to your insurance provider.

Your first visit will be a medical consultation, where an interview and an eastern and western physical exam will be performed to ascertain your individual care needs. The typical cost of this consultation and possibly brief treatment (if you have never had acupuncture) will range from $120-235, depending on the complexity of your medical problems.

(Note: Insurance usually reimburses for this visit because it is a consultation with an M.D.)

Subsequent treatment visits typically range from $70-150, depending on how much and what type of acupuncture and augmentation techniques you require during each session.

(Note: Insurance will reimburse for these if your policy includes acupuncture treatments).

Our office does not finance care, not covered by your insurance. Still, we will provide you with contact information for reputable medical care credit organizations that may help you. 

We ask that you give us 24 hours notice if you must cancel or reschedule an appointment so that we have time to contact someone on our waiting list.

If you fail to contact us and miss your appointment, you will be charged $40, $60, and full charge for first, second and third missed appointments, respectively.

To avoid inconveniencing those scheduled after you, late arrivals will shorten your treatment time. Because treatments take at least 30 minutes and often up to an hour, you may be asked to reschedule if you arrive more than 30 minutes late.