Lincoln Square Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine, Chicago

Acupuncture treatments consist of a short intake interview, pulse taking and tongue inspection. If necessary, we will do orthopedic testing, which may include range of motion, sensory and muscle testing. This information is used to make a diagnosis after which acupuncture is administered. Needles are typically retained for 30 minutes, making the total treatment time approximately one hour. Depending on the complexity of symptoms, your treatment may be slightly longer or shorter because it is tailored to your specific needs.

Here at lincoln square acupuncture we treat in a community setting. While most acupuncturists in the US treat patients in on tables in individual rooms, we utilize a community lounge style which is the more traditional method used in Asia. The benefits of this style of treatment include; it is easy for friends and family to schedule appointments to come in together, many patients find it more comforting, and while more than one patient is being treated at a time, a collective energy field is established which actually makes the individual treatments more powerful. A further benefit is this style of acupuncture helps keep the cost of treatment reasonable ($20-$40 per treatment) so that you can receive as many treatments, as frequently as you need for optimal healing.

The course of treatment depends on the severity of symptoms but in general, the more chronic the problem is, the longer it will take to treat. Four to eight weeks is typical for chronic conditions, with one or more visits per week.

For acute conditions, you may experience profound results within the first visit and need no additional treatment, while others may require several treatments in a short time span to have a similar reaction.

The Acupuncture Experience
Acupuncture needles are much thinner than those needles use for injections and so are less painful. Needles are always pre-packaged, pre-sterilized and are disposed of after each use. You may not even know when they have been inserted. When the needle contacts Qi, or energy, you may feel a variety of sensations, including heat, tingling, numbness, swelling, a sensation in another part of your body, etc. Many patients feel so relaxed during treatment that they fall asleep on the treatment table.

Your Individualized Treatment
Although the use of needles is the main mode of treatment, our clinic will customize your treatment program to care for your specific health needs. Based on the diagnosis and treatment principle, your treatment may combine: Chinese Herbal Medicine, Cupping, Scraping, Moxibustion, Electrical point stimulation, Microsystems or TuiNa (traditional Chinese massage done through clothing that incorporates kneading manipulations of western massage with acupressure).

About Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a branch of Chinese medicine that dates back over 2000 years. The basic theory of this medicine is that an invisible energy called Qi flows through the body via meridians. In a healthy individual, Qi flows freely through the meridian network. There are 12 major meridians and eight secondary meridians. The meridians are interconnected to each other, the internal organs, the sense organs and various tissues. The ancient Chinese mapped out the meridian pathways and discovered points at which Qi is accessible. These points are what we call "acupoints." When there is a blockage of Qi, disease will result. Acupuncture works to release the blockages to restore the energetic balance of the body.