Skillful Acupuncture in Downtown Silver Spring

Welcome to Powers Acupuncture in Downtown Silver Spring

What is an acupuncture treatment like?

• It varies by tradition and practitioner style. In my office, the first appointment is 1 1/2 - 2 hours long, and subsequent treatments are 1 hour.
• In the first appointment we talk in depth about what you’re looking for in treatment, what hurts, when it hurts, what helps, about your medical history, diet, etc.
• Then I step out of the room and you undress to your undergarments, lay upon the treatment table under a sheet and blanket, and I do a noninvasive physical exam, palpating your abdomen and up to your shoulders and knees to see if there are temperature or texture irregularities. This completes the initial intake and is not repeated in such detail again.
• Then I feel the pulses on your wrists and look at your tongue for diagnostic clues. Based on what we’ve talked about, your pulses and your tongue, I choose points to help support your health in general and ease your particular symptoms. I treat the points using moxibustion and acupuncture needles. Sometimes the needles stay in for 10-30 minutes, and sometimes they are quickly in and out within 3 seconds - it just depends on what will serve you best. I feel your pulses throughout treatment, and ask into your experience.
• As appropriate, I include Acupressure and Zero Balancing techniques. At the conclusion of treatment, we’ll talk about any questions you might have, what you can expect over time, and anything you can do to further your healing outside of the treatment room. I’ll step out while you get dressed and we’ll schedule the next appointment and take payment on your way out.
• Regular 1hr follow-up treatments have a brief check-in at the beginning, followed by pulse and tongue diagnosis and treatment as described above.
• Other practitioners do it differently - some have shorter treatments, less intake discussion, leave you alone longer, play soothing music, include aromatherapy - it really varies from practitioner to practitioner.