Welcome! We look forward to seeing you. Here’s what you can expect on your first visit when scheduled for: Physical Therapy Acupuncture
Physical Therapy
Initial Evaluation:
Please arrive 10-15 minutes before your scheduled first appointment to ensure your registration details have been completed before your time with the physical therapist.
At our centers we offer a functional and integrative approach to treating pain and dysfunction. This often requires addressing the cause of your pain as opposed to merely treating your painful structures. This paradigm shift requires an understanding of how the whole body functions and how certain problems can impact other regions of the body. It also requires an understanding of how the things you feel, and believe, about your current experience can impact your function.
In your 45-60 minute initial evaluation, your therapist will speak to you about your problem and then do a comprehensive physical assessment to develop a treatment plan. You will be assigned a primary and secondary therapist, and wellness services may be recommended to complement your program. We work as a team, frequently consulting with one another to bring you the best care possible.
What to Wear:
Our facilities will provide work-out attire T-shirts and shorts (for males) and leggings (for females) which are stored in individual bags in the office for your following visits. If you do not wish to utilize the clothing provided by us, you are more than welcome to bring your own attire which you can store in the facility as well. Please wear or bring suitable exercise clothing – shorts are preferred in most cases and tank tops with straps are preferred for females instead of racer-back sports bras.
Paperwork:
You will need to bring your insurance card, driver’s license or other form of ID, your physician’s prescription if applicable, and any radiographic test results (MRI radiologist report page(s), xray report of findings, etc). We encourage you to complete paperwork, which we will provide, beforehand and bring with you to your initial evaluation.
Scheduling:
You will have 45-50 min one-on-one with your physical therapist for each session. To ensure your treatment plan is followed, and that you get your desired appointment time, we recommend you schedule on your first day or before your initial consult (based on your MD prescription) with our front desk.
What will happen at my first physical therapy appointment?
During the evaluation phase of your appointment, your therapist will review your medical history with you. She will screen the area that she is evaluating. For example, if you are having a neck problem the therapist will observe the range of motion of your neck and upper extremities and the strength of your neck and upper extremities. She also may perform some special testing to rule in/rule out certain pathologies to specifically assess the problem.
If you are a post-surgical patient you will still be evaluated, because although the surgeon has determined the condition, the appropriate therapy treatment needs to be determined by the therapist based on the evaluation and type of surgery.
After the condition has been assessed, the therapist will educate the patient about what the appropriate treatment should be and what the goals of treatment should be.The treatments will include exercises, pilates, hands on therapy treatment, kinisio taping, and/or modalities such as heat, ice, ultrasound, or electrical stimulation.
After your appointment, you may experience soreness from using muscles you haven’t used in awhile. Some people feel much better from the treatment received, while others initially feel no different at all. It will take time and commitment on your part for the therapy to work. After your first appointment your therapist will provide you with some verbal instructions and a written and illustrated home exercise program as appropriate.
Are you new to acupuncture? Let’s elucidate what will occur during the first experience.
Acupuncture is a safe and effective healing art backed by more than two thousand years of practice and research. It is used worldwide both as a primary and adjunctive treatment for a wide range of conditions. Generally, people find an acupuncture treatment to be a relaxing experience. This is especially so after they get over any initial hesitation regarding needling. The information below is intended to provide you with basic information regarding what you might experience with your first visit to a practitioner of oriental medicine.
First, plan to come a few minutes early to fill out paperwork and check in. The acupuncturist will go over with you what you would like to have treated and what is your chief complaint and medical history. The acupuncturist will use varying needles of different depths in order to stimulate the proper effects.
What are the needles like?
The needles used within acupuncture are both sterile and extremely thin. Most people are surprised to see how thin the needles actually are. They range in width from approximately .14 mm to .30 mm and in length from 15 mm (.5 inch) to 75 mm (3 inches). The most commonly used needle is a 25 mm (1 inch) .25 mm width needle. Generally, they are inserted about 1-3 mm into the body – deeper on fleshy areas such as the buttocks.
What will I feel?
The sensation you will feel when being needled is generally fairly minimal. In some styles you will feel almost nothing, while in others the needle will be rotated slightly until you feel a heavy or distended feeling indicating the arrival of qi.
How long will the treatment last?
After the needles are inserted you are usually left to rest for a period of 10 – 45 minutes. Within some styles the needles are inserted quickly and removed immediately and in others they are left in for a longer period of time. Most people feel fairly relaxed during this period and many simply fall asleep.
In many cases your treatment may consist of points on the front and back of your body so the practitioner may insert needles on the front, let you rest for awhile and then remove them, have you turn over and continue the treatment on your back.
What other techniques may be part of my treatment?
Acupuncture is simply one facet of oriental medicine. Within an acupuncture treatment an acupuncturist may choose to utilize various adjunctive techniques depending on your condition and their training. These may include the following:
- Electro-acupuncture – the acupuncture needles are stimulated with an electric charge delivered from a machine. This is used often and effectively in patients dealing with pain.
- Moxibustion – this involves the burning of an herb – Artemesia Vulgaris – either on the top of a needle or on the skin directly. This is used often in patients who are dealing with cold or stagnant conditions such as certain types of abdominal cramps.
- Cupping – this involves the use of glass or plastic cups which are placed on the body with suction to help remove toxins and muscle tension. They are used often in patients with immune issues such as a cold as well as for pain.
- Tuina – this is essentially massage that is targeted towards the meridians and acupuncture points. It is used for a wide variety of conditions.
- As part of your overall treatment plan, your practitioner may also prescribe lifestyle and dietary changes to help you re-balance your body and mind.