Yes.  According to the Ancient Chinese texts, Chinese physicians discovered relationships between the stimulation of certain acupuncture points to various diseases.  For example, for shoulder pain, stimulation of a particular acupuncture point results in a certain type of relief.  At Acupuncture Therapy Clinic, this type of evidence speaks volumes.  Some records indicate that acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is up to 5,000 years old.  At the minimum, this medicine is 2,000 years old.

To us, the age and history of his medicine does matter because it means that these relationships (between acupuncture points and various diseases) have had hundreds of years to develop, mature, and evolve.  In our culture, however, research carries a great deal of weight.  Some researchers argue that the mechanism of action for acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is unknown and others suggest that the mechanism behind acupuncture is known.  Below are some current theories on why Chinese Medicine, specifically acupuncture works:

• Acupuncture releases endorphins which stimulate the body’s im mune system (this is the most accepted theory)
• Acupuncture releases opioids which reduce pain and moderate the autonomic nervous system
• Acupuncture inhibits painful stimuli by stimulating non-nociceptive receptors, which stop transmission of nociceptive signals in the dorsal horn
• Acupuncture enables healing by permitting electrical energy and material to transfer between normal and injured tissues
• Acupuncture enables homeostasis by moderating the peripheral blood components

Some people feel a slight pinch as the needles are inserted and others feel nothing at all.  The needles are thin, about the width of a human hair.  One the needles are inserted, most people feel warmth, coolness, dull ache, heaviness and/or slight pressure at the insertion site.  Acupuncture needles are safe.  Once needles have been used, we discard them and dispose of them as biohazard waste.

Below are a few tips to make your treatment as enjoyable and effective as possible:

• Be sure to wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes on the day of treatment
• Make sure to eat something light and hour or two before treatment
• Avoid caffeine a few hours before treatment
• Drink plenty of water before and after treatment
• Be sure not to work out before treatment
• Treatment can last up to an hour and a half, so plan accordingly
• If you are pregnant, be sure to obtain a letter from your doctor stating that you can participate in acupuncture

Expectations after treatment:

• Most people feel either energized or relaxed after a treatment
• Often people fall asleep during the treatment
• Although rate of response varies from person to person, most people find relief from their symptoms right away
• We ask that you carefully monitor how long your relief lasts, so that we can better customize your treatments.  In some cases, your symptoms may initially worsen before they get better.  In such cases, the symptoms usually only worsen for a few hours before they get better.  However, if your symptoms are worse for more than 24 hours, feel free to contact us at 970-739-4749.

In a first visit, usually a practitioner will take a detailed health history to fully investigate your chief complaint or concern.  This may take up to an hour and a half but it is necessary to create an individualized treatment plan which takes into account your present physical, emotional, and nutritional condition, while focusing on your main health concern.  Using the information collected during this intake an assessment will be made and an individualized treatment plan, specific to only you, will be made.  Acupuncture is the insertion of very fine needles into specific anatomical points.  These points are chosen based on your individual assessment.  Once the needles are placed additional therapies may be used such as acupressure massage to complete the treatment.  The needles are usually retained for 25-30 minutes.

Acupuncture is the branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine that most people are familiar with in the U.S.  Both The World Health Organization (WHO) and The National Institute of Health (NIH) have determined that acupuncture is effective in treating over 40 different disease categories.  Conditions treated by acupuncture include:

• Abdominal Pain
• Acid Reflux
• Acute & Chronic Pain
• Allergies & Sinusitis
• Anxiety
• Arthritis & Joint Pain
• Asthma
• Back Pain & Sciatica 
• Bronchitis
• Bursitis
• Carpal Tunnel
• Common Cold & Fever
• Constipation
• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Elbow Pain
• Fatigue & Low Energy
• Fibromyalgia & Muscle Pain
• Foot Pain
• Hand Pain
• Headaches & Migraines
• Heel Pain
• Hemorrhoids
• Hip Pain
• Hypertension
• Incontinence
• Infertility
• Insomnia
• Irregular Menstruation
• Knee Pain
• Leg Pain
• Menopausal Symptoms
• Menstrual Cramps
• Nausea
• Neck Pain
• Neuropathy
• Painful Menstruation
• PMS
• Repetitive Injury
• Sexual Dysfunction
• Shoulder Pain
• Sport Injuries
• Stress & Tension
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Tendonitis
• Ulcers
• Urinary Tract Problems
• Vomiting
• Weight Loss
• Whiplash
• Wrist Pain
• Side-effects from Chemotherapy & Radiation

If you are wondering if acupuncture can help you with a different or specific condition call the clinic at 970-739-4749 to speak with Katie Thomas, LAc. directly.

The number of visits you will need depends on several factors.  One is how long you have had your current condition.  Acute conditions, like a cold or flu will generally only require one or two treatments.  Conditions that are more recent, like sudden pain from an injury or seasonal allergies may require 3 or 4 treatments  before symptoms are reduced.  Chronic conditions like PMS, asthma, back pain or other problems that you have had for many years may take anywhere from 5 to 10 treatments until you notice significant changes.  Acupuncture is a therapy in which we are training the body to adjust itself.  Just like physical therapy, and/or chemotherapy, multiple treatments are needed for the body to heal itself.  The specific number of treatments depends on the nature and severity of your condition.  Once we are able to determine your body’s rate of response, we will custom design a treatment plan for your specific condition.

Yes.  Katie Thomas, LAc. is a participating provider on numerous insurance panels. Feel free to contact Katie Thomas, LAc. to inquire.  Also, if your insurance does cover acupuncture benefits and you would like Katie Thomas, LAc. to become a participating provider on your network please call at 970-739-4749.

Car accidents can be quite traumatizing and stressful.  At Acupuncture Therapy Clinic, we work hard to help you manage and resolve your pain by processing your automobile accident claim.  To begin treatments, all we need is the following information:  the date of the accident, your claim number, and your automobile insurance company phone number.

At Acupuncture Therapy Clinic we truly care about and value the well-being of our patients. We will work our hardest to provide you with the highest quality healthcare available.