
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does acupuncture hurt?
A: Acupuncture needles are extremely thin and flexible needles, unlike hypodermic needles that most people are familiar with. At Iris Wellness Clinic, we use the highest quality acupuncture needles which are made in Japan that minimize discomfort. Most patients experience very little or no pain during treatment. If pain is a concern, you can raise that with your practitioner to avoid areas of the body that can be more sensitive than others.
Q: Can I get treatment without needles?
A: Yes. If you have a severe aversion or fear of needles, please let your practitioner know at the time of the appointment. At Iris Wellness Clinic, we offer a variety of treatment modalities, including cupping, moxibustion, LED light therapy, and herbal medicine. We frequently combine these techniques with acupuncture, and treatment is also possible without the use of any needles if desired by the patient.
​
Q: Does acupuncture and herbal medicine really work?
A: Numerous randomized controlled trials published in scientific and medical journals have demonstrated that acupuncture and herbal medicine are helpful in treating a wide variety of health concerns. Please see our blog for more information.
Q: Are acupuncture and herbal medicine safe?
A: Acupuncture and herbal medicine are considered very safe when administered by a licensed practitioner. Numerous studies have found that acupuncture and herbal medicine have minimal side effects (no side effects in many cases). Please see our blog for more information (coming soon).
​
Q: Is herbal medicine more effective than acupuncture?
A: Many conditions may be treated with acupuncture alone. Adding herbal medicine allows the treatment to continue while at home and can speed up the healing process. A combination of both can work best for some conditions. It is especially helpful to add herbal medicine in chronic or severe conditions. At Iris Wellness Clinic, your practitioner is trained and licensed to administer both and will make the appropriate recommendations.
​
Q: Can I get treated with herbal medicine without acupuncture?
A: Yes. Herbal medicine treatment alone is a great option for patients who are not able to come into the clinic for acupuncture treatments (or prefer not to get acupuncture) but would still like the benefit of a holistic and natural medicinal modality. At Iris Wellness Clinic, we offer both in-person and virtual consultations for herbal medicine.
​
Q: Do I need to make a separate appointment for an herbal medicine consultation?
A: Herbal medicine consultations (when recommended) are included with your acupuncture treatments. There is no extra charge for the consultation. Prescribed herbal formulas may be purchased from our practice. Some special formulas may need to be ordered and take a few days to be shipped to your home or office. If you would like a virtual herbal medicine consultation without an acupuncture treatment, please make an appointment by selecting "Initial Herbal Consultation- Telehealth".
​
Q: Do you charge extra for electro-stimulation, cupping, moxibustion, and/or guasha?
A: At Iris Wellness Clinic, there is no extra charge for the additional treatments above. Your provider will carefully assess the health needs of each patient and the treatment will be catered to the needs of each patient. For example, for orthopedic issues, electro-stimulation may be added (at no additional cost) to the acupuncture treatment to increase its effectiveness.
​​
The only exception is LED light therapy, which has an additional fee of $20.
​
Q: What is LED light therapy?
A: Light Emitting Diode (LED) therapy, also known as phototherapy or low-level light therapy, is the application of light energy to improve cellular performance. LED therapy is known for its healing and anti-inflammatory properties and research has shown that it has a variety of benefits, including anti-aging, acne treatment, wound healing, and pain management. At Iris Wellness Clinic, we use Celluma LED light therapy, which is FDA-cleared to treat various conditions, including facial wrinkles, acne, muscle spasm, arthritic pain, muscle and joint pain and stiffness, and diminished local blood circulation. When combined with your acupuncture or cosmetic acupuncture treatment, it enhances the treatment and speeds up the healing process.
​​​
Q: What is the difference between microneedling and cosmetic acupuncture?
A: Microneedling and cosmetic acupuncture are both effective anti-aging and cosmetic-enhancing treatments that stimulate collagen and elastin production, contributing to a more youthful, firmer, and brighter appearance.
While there is overlap in the symptoms that can be treated with cosmetic acupuncture and microneedling, there are some distinct differences.
Microneedling generally targets skin-level concerns such as fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, scars, hair loss, and stretch marks. Microneedling is also able to treat very sensitive areas like inside the orbital rim and on and around the lips. For best results, microneedling requires 4-6 monthly treatments, followed by maintenance treatments once every 6-12 months. In some patients, results can be seen after only one treatment.
Cosmetic acupuncture generally targets concerns beneath the skin’s surface, such as loss of elasticity (sagging jawline, eyelids, and neck) and puffiness. For best results, cosmetic acupuncture requires 10-12 weekly treatments, followed by maintenance treatments once every 1-2 months. Patients generally start to see results after 3-6 treatments.
At Iris Wellness Clinic, both treatments will include body points to address any underlying or other health concerns. If you are unsure which treatment aligns best with your needs, please consult Iris Wellness Clinic for personalized advice.
​
Q: Do you treat more than one person at a time?
A: At many acupuncture clinics, each practitioner will treat 2-4 patients per hour. This means that after your consultation and treatment, the practitioner will move on to another patient while you rest with the needles in place. At Iris Wellness Clinic, your practitioner only treats one patient during your allotted appointment time (60 or 90 minutes), ensuring more time for treatment and complete attention from your practitioner. Our one patient at a time approach also enables the practitioner to incorporate multiple modalities of treatment, such as acupuncture with electric stimulation, moxibustion, LED light therapy, and/or cupping.
​​
Q: What happens during an initial treatment?
A: During an initial appointment, your practitioner will carefully go over your main health concerns, your health history, do a physical exam (if needed), and answer any questions you may have. Then, you will be asked to lie down either face up or down, depending on the areas being treated, and the treatment will begin. Treatments may include acupuncture, moxibustion (burning of dried mugwort plant near the skin), electro-stimulation (gentle electrical current that is introduced into the muscles by attaching electrodes to inserted needles), cupping, TDP lamp (infrared light therapy), LED light therapy, and/or guasha (scraping of the skin with a smooth tool). Once the needles are in place, the practitioner will leave the room and you will have a chance to relax for about 20 minutes. After the needles are removed, the treatment is complete. Depending on the health concern, herbal medicine may be prescribed.
​
Q: Will I be in a private room for treatment?
A: At Iris Wellness Clinic, you will be in a private room for both the intake consultation as well as the treatment. You will not be sharing a room with anyone else.​​
​
Q: How many acupuncture treatments will I need?
A: The number of treatments will depend on severity of symptoms, how long you have been experiencing the symptoms, and how many issues we are treating. Ideally, it is recommended to start with two treatments per week for the first 1-3 weeks. Then, one treatment per week for the next 3-6 weeks. Then, one treatment every other week for about 6-8 weeks. At this point, patients typically move on to the maintenance phase, which is once every 3-6 weeks.
An acupuncture treatment is a lot like going to the gym and as long as the treatments are not too far apart, each treatment builds upon the previous treatments. Therefore, after the first treatment, you may not feel much difference at all or you may only feel the benefits for a few hours or a day. However, as you continue with the treatments, the effects will typically begin to last longer and longer until you reach the maintenance phase, where only one treatment every 3-6 weeks is necessary.
For acute or minor cases, such as an acute knee strain, only 3-6 treatments total may be necessary.
For cosmetic acupuncture, it is generally recommended to receive one treatment per week for 8-12 weeks, depending on the severity and number of concerns being addressed. After that, most people will move on to the maintenance phase.
Your practitioner will closely monitor your symptoms and progress throughout and adjust your treatments accordingly.
For patients who can only come in for a short period of time or cannot come in as frequently as recommended, we will develop a customized plan for you to be able to gain as much benefit as possible.
Adding herbal medicine and/or LED light therapy, when applicable, can make each treatment more effective and can reduce the number of acupuncture treatments that will be necessary to reach your health goals.
​
Q: What should I wear to my appointment?
A: Loose comfortable shirts, pants, and/or skirts, which can be rolled up to the elbows and knees are best. If this is not feasible, paper gowns are provided for all patients.
​
Q: Do you accept HSA/FSA cards for payment?
A: Yes. HSA (Health Savings Account) and FSA (Flexible Spending Account) cards are accepted for all treatments and herbal medicine.
​
Q: Do you accept insurance?
A: We are an out-of-network provider. If your insurance company covers acupuncture treatments, we will provide a Superbill which you can then submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.