Acupuncture is very relaxing and many people say it’s the best nap they have ever had! Each patient will enjoy a separate treatment room. During your appointment you will first have time to discuss your complaint and ask any questions. Before deciding what acupuncture treatment to use, your acupuncturist will take your pulse and look at your tongue to determine what is going on inside of your body to create your problem. You will then lie down on the treatment table in a comfortable position and you acupuncturist will insert very thin needles into specific points. Once complete, you will rest for 30 minutes. Most people fall asleep or are very relaxed.

We have spent extra effort creating a very comfortable treatment room. Each treatment table has a tempurpedic mattress topper so that you will feel like you are floating. We have a variety of pillows, but most people prefer a tempurpedic pillow on our treatment tables. Each table has 2-3 in-fared heat lamps that provide mild heat. In-fared heat lamps increase your circulation and therefore help inflammation. We love them because they keep you just warm enough like you are in bed without disturbing your needles. You will have a call bell just in case you need us during your acupuncture treatment while you are resting. Each treatment room has a molekule air filter for fresh, sanitized air. We adjust the room temperature to your preference. To learn more about our extensive disinfecting protocol, please see our COVID page.

If done by a well trained practitioner, acupuncture is very safe. There are no side effects from acupuncture except a very occasional small bruise that is cosmetic in nature only. Unlike many western medicine treatment options such as medications or procedures that might have considerable side effects, we often say the most significant side effect of acupuncture is that it might not work. Therefore acupunture is very safe to try before deciding on a more risky option.

No, we NEVER reuse acupuncture needles. All of our needles are disposable and single use, just like a hypodermic needle used by your doctor. We use the highest quality stainless needles manufactured in Japan, South Korea and Germany. This year, we have explored new brands of acupuncture needles and are now using eco- needles where all of the packaging is recyclable. The needles themselves are put in a sharps container once used and disposed of with a medical waste company safely.

Our clinicians have been treating patients for fifteen years. They both are licensed by California the state board as well as the National Acupuncture Board (NCCAOM). They both hold a fellowship with the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine which requires advanced training in reproductive medicine as well as annual training requirements. The licensing boards also require continuing education training. Suzanne Lindelli holds a masters in acupuncture and herbal medicine and is a doctoral candidate. Dr. Yu-Hsuan Chen holds both a masters and doctorate in acupuncture and herbal medicine. Both clinician love diving deeper in their field, so they are both constantly doing in-depth study beyond their annual continuing education requirements. Check out our blog to see what they are working on lately.

Most acupuncture needles are tiny, as thin as a hair. We use the highest quality needles available that are made specifically to be extremely smooth and painless. We mainly use half inch needles or one inch needles in our clinic. Our clinicians are very very experienced with fearful patients and skilled in virtually painless insertion, so if you are worried about trying acupuncture, our clinic is an excellent place to try.

Acupuncture is a treatment modality of Traditional Chinese medicine, which hair thin needles are inserted in certain points of the body. Acupuncture works by increasing circulation and reducing inflammation. It has been shown to release the body’s natural endorphins and natural painkillers making is effective in the treatment of many conditions and has become very well known lately for the treatment of pain when other things don’t work.

There are hundreds of different styles of acupuncture, so your experience may be different with different acupuncturist. Our clinicians are very gentle and consistent in their style so that it is easy for patient to see either clinician based on their schedule in San Francisco. Most of the needles you will not feel. When an acupuncture point is very active, you might feel it to tingle slightly like goosebumps, feel heavy or slightly achey. Some times it feels warm or cool. These normal sensations usually last for a few seconds to a minute or so then fade away. Usually it is a point or a couple of points that might be especially active that day and the majority of points you will not feel. Sometimes if the skin is sensitive in a certain area, you might feel a split second prick, like a mild pinch that dissipates right away.

This depends on your condition. you should plan to generally come once a week until you feel better. For acute conditions that you would like to resolve very quickly such as pain, you might consider coming 2-3 times a week for a very short time(1-3 weeks) and less often as you improve(1 time a week or every other week if much better). Treatments that are closer together (around 2-5 days apart) will give relief more quickly. For more chronic conditions, plan to come once a week. We will explain all of your options at your first visit and might suggest something different based on your response to treatment.

Typically a session lasts 45 minutes. We suggest allowing an hour in your schedule in case you need extra time to settle in or leave.