First Visit
If you’ve just scheduled your first treatment with Dr. Laurie Terzo – Welcome!
Below is a brief overview of what to expect during your first visit. Please do not hesitate to call the office with any additional questions.
Before Your Treatment
Please make sure to eat some food 1-2 hours before your acupuncture visit. Also, do not brush your tongue (teeth are ok to brush) for 24 hours prior to your initial visit (after the initial visit, it is ok to brush your tongue the day of treatments). Observing the coating on the tongue is a diagnostic tool in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
If you have any relevant medical records or lab results, please have them faxed to our office beforehand if possible. Please download our comprehensive health history forms to fill out before your treatment. You can either fax the completed forms to our office beforehand at (415) 373-9240 or bring them in with you.
Your First Visit
Generally, your first visit will last about 90 minutes, with subsequent visits lasting between 45-60 minutes. We’ll be begin by reviewing your current health complaints followed by an in-depth look into your health history. At that time, general questions regarding your constitution (such as sleep habits, appetite, digestion, etc.) will also be asked and any relevant orthopedic exams and tests will be performed. Some questions asked may not seem relevant to the condition you are seeking treatment for. But, from a traditional Chinese medicine viewpoint of treating the whole body, answers to these questions may help us in diagnosing and treating your condition. Examining your tongue and feeling the pulse on your wrist also gives TCM practitioners a snapshot as to how your body is functioning internally. All information gathered is used to assess your whole health picture. A TCM diagnosis and treatment plan is tailored specific to each person with this information.
Following this assessment, insertion of the needles at specific points throughout the body will occur. Needles are retained for 15-30 minutes. During this time, it is important to remain relatively still and to focus on breathing deeply and relaxing. A hand buzzer will be given to you so that you may ring it if any discomfort arises during the treatment. The needles used are hair-thin and solid, and insertion is usually quite painless. All needles used are sterile and are disposable. Most people find acupuncture very relaxing; in fact, many fall asleep on the table.
In addition to acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, electroacupuncture and/or myofascial release may also be used during your visit. Follow-up visits begin with a check-in regarding change in chief complaints and/or any new changes in your health followed by an acupuncture treatment. To be most effective, acupuncture requires a series of treatments. In general, acute complaints respond within the first six treatments. For chronic or longstanding health problems, however, treatments may be needed for up to several months or longer.
After Your Treatment
After your acupuncture treatment, please make sure to get up slowly. Some people feel a sense of euphoria after receiving acupuncture as well as a little spacey. Before leaving the office, please make sure to drink some water or tea and sit for a few minutes until you feel back to normal. When appropriate, an herbal formula and/or supplements will be suggested. The use of herbal formulas in your treatment is very important and when used in addition to acupuncture will help speed healing time. If appropriate, you will also receive an initial set of recommendations which may include dietary changes, exercises/stretches, meditation, etc. you can begin to incorporate into your daily routine if applicable.
We have a full granular and pill herbal pharmacy in office. We use only herbal companies with the strictest quality controls and the most rigorous inspection processes – each batch of granule herbs we offer pass multiple tests for heavy metals, pesticide, sulfur dioxide, aflatoxins and aristolochic acid. The patent herbs we offer are all internationally GMP (good manufacturing practice) certified for the manufacturing of medicinal grade products, which is a much higher standard of oversight, manufacturing, and quality control. There are many supplement and herbal companies who have strict quality controls that we recommend but do not carry within our office. We have put together a list of those companies whose products we recommend with an online distributor you may purchase from. Click here to purchase products.
