Six Questions You Should Ask Us:

1. Does Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine work?
2. What does it feel like? It is safe and does it hurt?
3. How should I prepare for and what should I expect from a treatment?
4. Do you accept insurance?
5. What if I'm in a car accident?
6. Why should I choose Metis Clinics?

1. Does Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine work?

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 Metis Acupuncture Clinics, this type of evidence speaks volumes. Some records indicate that acupuncture & 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 this 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 & 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 immune 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 & material to transfer between normal and injured tissues

• Acupuncture enables homeostasis by moderating the peripheral blood components.

2. What does it feel like? Does it hurt? Is it safe?

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. Once the needles are inserted, most people feel warmth, coolness, dull ache, heaviness and/or slight pressure at the insertion site. Acupuncture needles are safe. We use sterile, single-use needles. Once the needles have been used, we discard them.

3. How should I prepare for a treatment? What should I expect after a treatment?

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

• Be sure to wear comfortable, loose fitting clothes on the day of treatment. We will need access from elbows to hands and from knees to toes

• Make sure to eat something light an hour or two before treatment

• Avoid caffeine a few hours before treatment

• Drink plenty of water before and after the treatment

• Be sure not to work out before treatment

• Have your check ready for Metis Clinics ahead of time so that you do not have to worry about payment

• Treatment can last up to an hour and 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, you should contact us.

4. Do you accept insurance?

We offer a Superbill. We provide you with a receipt for you to receive reimbursement from your insurance company. In other words, you pay Metis Acupuncture Clinics directly and then submit a receipt to your insurance company to receive reimbursement. Some patients report that they receive reimbursement from their insurance company within five to fifteen days. We have found that by not billing your insurance company directly, we are not only able to spend more time with you but we are also able to keep our prices below market.

5. What if I'm in a car accident?

Car accidents can be quite traumatizing and stressful.  At Metis Acupuncture Clinics, we work very 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 accident,  your claim number, and your automobile insurance company phone number.

6. Why should I choose Metis Clinics?

We care. We want to work with you to help you to reach your optimal health. We understand that it will be a journey. We will be honest, sincere, and enthusiastic in helping you. We have designed three programs to work with you to reach your health care goals.