What's in an acupuncture intake: Health History

So you're thinking about getting acupuncture. Are you curious about what's involved? Or how your acupuncturist decides which points to use? Let's prepare you for what to expect at your first acupuncture appointment!

Today, let's talk about talking. I start off initial appointments by letting patients explain and discuss their main complaints. I often have many questions- the details help give me a better idea of what exactly is going on and how I can best treat the complaint. Once I have a good understanding of a patient's main complaints, I guide them through a thorough health history. We start at the top with the head, and work our way through all of your body systems.

This is a shock to many people at their first appointment. Someone with back pain expects to talk about their back, their musculoskeletal system, past injuries, etc., but often don't understand why I'm asking about things like stress, sleep, and digestion. The truth is, it's all related. My job is to help your body heal your back. And your body can't heal your back if there's a constant stream of cortisol coursing through your body, you're not getting enough sleep (i.e. time to heal yourself), and you're not absorbing the nutrients (i.e. building blocks) to put yourself back together again. If I treat your back alone, and don't address the rest of your systems, we risk losing the progress we make on your back pain while your body deals with all these other stressors. Our goal is for your to get relief, but also to make significant lasting change.

Curious what will come up in your health history? Schedule your complimentary consultation here to get a better idea what acupuncture can do for you.