FAQ

So many things! At PCA we treat a really wide range of symptoms and conditions. Our goal is to help people shift patterns, often deep seated ones, and those shifts can lead to profound, long term relief. Please see Conditions We Treat for specific conditions. Acupuncture is also especially good at helping people stay well and at treating combinations of symptoms that might not add up to a specific diagnosis but still make you feel out of balance and unwell to miserable.

Community-style acupuncture takes place in a tranquil shared treatment room, where patients relax in recliners while the acupuncturist moves from patient to patient. Private treatments take in a more traditional one-on-one setting on a massage table in an individual room.

Some people like the affordability of community-style acupuncture and the chance to relax with their peers in a shared healing space (rare in our society!), while others prefer the extra time, focused practitioner attention and quiet solitude of private treatments. Both are effective, and you can choose based on your needs and preferences.

In community acupuncture, we focus on acupuncture points on your head, ears and below your elbows and knees (yes, we use those to treat back pain!) while in private sessions we have the option to access the back of your body and your abdomen for local treatments.

Yes. Once you’re established as a patient, you are welcome to move between community-style and private treatments depending on your needs. Some patients primarily receive community acupuncture but schedule an occasional private visit for local treatment of areas we can’t access in the community room or to spend more time discussing their care. Others come regularly for private treatments and sometimes take advantage of the community-style option as well.

We find treatment once a week to be the most effective way to shift patterns and feel better.
In the early stages of treatment (the first couple of weeks) we sometimes recommend more frequent treatment to help you shift faster. One of the ideas behind community-style treatments is to make more frequent treatment affordable so that you’re able to come regularly, which can help you respond more quickly and create more lasting change.

You’ll remain fully clothed during community acupuncture (Though we’ll ask you to remove your shoes and socks). Please wear loose, comfortable clothing that you can comfortably push up past your elbows and above your knees.

At your first visit, your acupuncturist will go over your paperwork with you, ask you questions and talk about treatment priorities before they insert needles in your head, ears arms and or legs, depending on what they’re treating. Once your needles are in place we recommend lying back, closing your eyes and taking that rare time to focus on your breathing. Most people find acupuncture deeply relaxing and you may fall asleep or into a deep relaxed state.

Private treatments are one hour, some of that time spent talking with your acupuncturist and some relaxing with needles. Community-style treatments vary from 40-90 minutes as some people do better with shorter time in the chair and others with more time. We strongly recommend that you leave time on each end of a scheduled treatment so that you’re not rushing to get there and don’t need to rush when you leave.

Cupping is a traditional therapy that uses suction cups placed on the skin to lift and move tissue. It releases tight muscles and fascia in a unique and effective way. Cupping can leave temporary marks on your skin that might look like bruises but don’t behave like bruises and fade in a matter of days. We often recommend it for muscle tension in the neck, shoulders, back and hips.

Please remember that we have a 24 hour cancellation policy and we don't book, reschedule, or cancel appointments via email. If you miss your appointment or cancel/change it within 24 hours of the scheduled time you'll be charged for the appointment. You are responsible for reading our full policy prior to your appointment.