Print form, fill out at your convenience and bring to your New Patient appointment.
As a new patient, you will spend 90 minutes with Natalie Koulouvaris, LAP. She will personally review your entire health history, as well as your current health concerns. In addition to a lengthy health questionnaire (which you can download above) you will also be asked questions verbally. Though some questions may not seem relevant to your main health concern, each answer helps to paint a picture of your overall pattern of imbalance, which is essential to determining your Oriental medical diagnosis and treatment strategy.
Please bring a list of, or the actual bottles of, all pharmaceutical medication and supplements you are taking, so Natalie can be sure to avoid interactions.
Another part of the diagnosis process involves feeling the pulses on both of your wrists, as well as looking at your tongue, which serves as a map of your internal body. Natalie may also palpate your abdomen and any major areas of discomfort you might have. Drawing from all of this information, Natalie will determine your Oriental medical diagnosis and create a treatment strategy for you.
Also during your initial visit, you will receive an acupuncture treatment and most patients receive nutritional recommendations as well as Chinese herbs and/or nutritional supplementation. Natalie may also give you specific stretches, breathing techniques or exercises to do for your condition.
This depends on the severity of your condition, how long you’ve had it, and how healthy you are otherwise. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you will receive treatments from 2 times per week to 2 times per month, with treatments less frequent as your condition improves. For most patients, weekly visits are sufficient until the symptoms subside. Generally, 6 to 12 weekly treatments are sufficient to make a significant difference in most conditions. Then visit frequency may be reduced.
Though everyone responds differently to treatment, the general rule of thumb is that for as many years as you’ve had a problem, it will take that many months of treatment to resolve it. Some people and some conditions heal faster, some take longer.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Please be sure that long sleeves and pant legs can be comfortably pulled up over your elbows and knees, and that your abdomen is easily accessible.
It is best to have eaten a light meal or snack shortly before coming in for treatment. You don’t want to be uncomfortably full, but it is also not good to be hungry during your treatment; like exercise or massage therapy, acupuncture can lower your blood sugar level.
*Please do not drink alcohol before or immediately after your treatment.
Avoid hot showers, vigorous workouts and sexual activity for 8 to 12 hours after your acupuncture treatment, since these activities can disrupt the effects of the treatment, as can drinking alcohol or partaking of any type of mood altering substance, apart from prescribed pharmaceuticals.
Also, after your first treatment, be aware of how you are feeling. It is important for you to be aware of any changes in symptoms or conditions between treatments. Sometimes even the smallest details are important in understanding your progress.
Sensitivity may last for a short time where the needles were inserted. Occasionally, bruising may develop at the insertion point. If so, apply an ice compress or linament to the bruised area. It is temporary and will clear up on its own.
Take your herbs as directed. This will ensure the best possible results. If you have any questions about how you are responding to the herbs, please call the office. Due to the fibrous nature of some of the herbal tablets, dosages may need to be adjusted until your digestive system is used to them. On rare occasion, bloating, gas or changes in elimination may be experienced; if any of these symptoms last more than a day or two, please call to discuss an adjustment in dosage or formula.
