Commie-Unity Acupuncture

Almost any beer really!

thekalika:

Acupuncture followed by fancy beer = happiness.

Here are some of the non-FAQ questions I’ve fielded in my few years of acupunking. None of these questioners came in for an appointment as far as I can tell.

1. My friend received acupuncture 1 time and it cured her {insert body part} pain. Can you do that? Answer: It’s a possibility, but count on working for results more than a miracle. This is not what many people want to hear by the way.
2. My daughter won’t let me receive acupuncture because I have to pray to a Chinese god and you burn something. Is that how it works? Answer: Not at all. I as an acupunk won’t request that you believe in a deity. And that burning stuff isn’t an offering, it’s moxa or incense to light the moxa. That’s just another option for providing treatments.
3. Do you offer spa treatments? Answer: No; this is a community acupuncture office. Spa services and the prices required to provide them are not in line with community acupuncture’s goals of creating access through affordability.
4. Do I have to take my clothes off in front of everyone to treat my back/hips/chest? Answer: Since community acupunks treat on the extremities for the most part, you won’t have to undress at all. The most people take off are shoes and socks, maybe jackets.
5. Why are you so cheap? Answer: You mean affordable. Can you access acupuncture at $50 and up per treatment? No? That’s why we’re here: to make acupuncture affordable and accessible. That way cost is much less a factor in getting frequent treatments.

There are more but I think this is a good start. And if you have any questions please ask away. There’s a huge amount of education that needs to take place for people to feel comfortable accessing acupuncture.

I receive a fair number of calls asking about acupuncture and weight loss. I tell them all immediately: acupuncture is only a part of your overall plan. You still have to exercise and get your diet right. For the last 2 calls I’ve received there is an immediate and subtle effect to the tone of their voice as they follow up with other Qs: the caller has just realized that it will take work. The needles won’t do it for them. It is not the magic bullet that they have heard about.

And it’s frustrating to me because it can work but they need to put in the effort. From my experience (limited as it is), the first effects tend to be a drop in water retention and in emotional eating. I have had many people say that the acupuncture and ear seeds help them control their appetites…followed by “but only for a few days.” Well, that’s actually pretty good for a non-pharmaceutical intervention. What I tell them is “That’s actually a good response as we retrain your body to function differently and we need to continue.” What I’d like to say is “You realize that those changes happened with a minimal intervention carrying an extremely low risk of side effects that not only controlled your appetite but also likely improved the functioning of your other systems as well as helped you handle your stress levels.” One person stopped coming after 3 treatments because “they only lasted 3 days,” as discussed on a follow up call. Hmm.

So what is the purpose of this post other than to vent a bit? Here it is: acupuncture for weight loss takes time. Please don’t expect miracles even though there is always that possibility. And be prepared to work for your results as well. I as the acupunk get to go home and not worry about your weight. I don’t think you as a patient could.

I recently tried to explain to a patient that she could pay anything she wanted between $15 and $35 dollars. My explanation obviously didn’t compute from the exaggerated look on her face. She asked, “But how much do I pay?” I’m not the only acupunk who has had to explain that as a community acupuncturist, I want to integrate my services into their lives. Part of that integration is affordability. Acupuncture should not be a luxury; it should be something you can do for yourself consistently. I have heard many times from first-time patients that they need to do something about […] so that they can get back to work. You can’t pay me often if you can’t work. So if you want to get better and you’re willing to commit the time to the treatments then I’m committed to providing them to you affordably. It’s a very simple “if A, then B” kind of process for an acupunk.

And don’t worry if you can “only” pay $15; it all evens out. That’s the whole of idea of pay-what-you-can. If that’s what you can do, then do it. I had another patient recently pay me beyond the fee schedule because I “did more” at his last treatment. The only “more” I did was figure out what herbs would help her. To me the whole session is worth between $15 and $35 dollars. To her it was worth more. So when this patient pays me more, and the other patient pays me less, I make out fine. Community acupuncture folks: it’s in the name.