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questions acupuncture FAQ VancouverIn our world of now, now now, we have been trained to become impatient. Fast food, microwaves, instant messaging, pharmaceuticals have all made our wait times shorter. We feel rushed and often short on time. I know that for me, one of my most valuable assets is, indeed, my time.

For this reason, we sometimes forget that our bodies are not machines. We can replace some parts, but even what we do that, there is recovery time. We can take a pill to relieve a symptom, but that symptom often returns when we don’t address the cause.

So, when people come in for TCM treatment, there needs to be the understanding right from the start that I have no magic wand. While some patients do find instant and lasting relief from just one treatment, there is usually a series that needs to be completed to maintain that relief as the body sets down new, healthier patterns.

More acute, less severe issues generally take only a few treatments to resolve. The more entrenched a pattern of imbalance, the longer it usually takes to create lasting changes. I often expect that it will take 3-4 sessions before some symptoms will start to show obvious and significant changes and I tell my patients this at the start. Hormonal shifts usually take at least 3 months. Pain usually finds some relief after just a few sessions, if not the first. Sometimes one simple addition, like getting enough essential fatty acids or receiving a B12 shot, can cause amazing nearly instant improvements in energy. But, remember your body is learning and learning often takes time.

Be conscious and attentive, however, to the smaller improvements that can happen very early on. We often forget to even pay attention to how we feel following a treatment, just as we often shove food into our faces without even experiencing the taste of that food. Be mindful of the small, yet important, changes that happen and they will multiply.