Acupuncture & Apothecary

• If you schedule an initial appointment, after the consultation, you will receive a treatment & relax or nap in a cozy, private space, with the needles retained for 20-30 minutes. If you have scheduled a consultation only, we can discuss your next course of action.

• Follow-up visits generally require less time talking and more time relaxing.

• Allow up to 90 minutes for your initial appointment, and 60 minutes for follow-up visits. 

• Have more questions? Please e-mail hi@alchemealcove.com or call 509-795-2024

• Read more about how to choose the right acupuncturist for you here. ​

​
What Do I Need To Know Before My Visit?: 

• Arrive for treatment hydrated (water), & not on an overly full or empty stomach. Please, no alcohol or stimulants prior to or immediately following treatment. This includes caffeine, smoking, and recreational drugs.

• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that can be lifted to the knees & elbows. If you are coming directly from work, you may wish to bring a change of clothing with you, as you will be lying down.

• Please be on-time & call if you are running late. If you are more than 10 minutes late to your scheduled appointment time, you may be asked to reschedule, though we do our very best to accommodate unforeseen events. 24-hour notice is required to cancel or reschedule appointments. Any cancelations or no-shows with less than 24-hour notice may be assessed a $50 fee. We reserve the right to charge the credit card on your file for any missed appointments. This helps keep cost of treatment reasonable & keeps all appointments on time (no one likes waiting in the doctor's office, right?). In kind, you are guaranteed our timeliness, respect & full attention during your scheduled appointment slot.

How Many Treatments Will I Need? How Often Do I Need To Come In?: 

• Chinese medicine is very personalized, so it will VARY upon the type of issue, how long the issue has been going on, how chronic the issue is, how well you take care of yourself outside of the treatment room, & what your goals are.

• Typically, the idea is to raise you to an optimal level of health & wellness where you are in less pain & able to function better, then taper treatments down so you are coming in less often, for maintenance, "flare-ups", or in the case of a cold or virus. If you are actively trying to get pregnant or prepare for IVF/IUI, this will often mean coming for treatment once a week for several weeks.  If you are in excruciating pain or illness, treatment may require twice a week until you stabilize, at which time you will be tapered off. Generally speaking, 6 treatments at a minimum will show both you & I whether this medicine is helping you or not. This does not guarantee the end of symptoms within this time frame. Rather, it's more of a trial period.

• The idea is similar to working out at the gym; you must be consistent with your treatment in order to see results. Of course, results may vary! Many people continue on a "maintenance" protocol after their initial issue has subsided, as Chinese medicine promotes general well-being, stabilizes mood, relieves stress, & can help keep you HEALTHY!

Is Acupuncture Safe?: 

Acupuncture is extremely safe & minimally invasive. Needles are hair-thin and STERILIZED directly from the factory. Needles are disposed into a sharps container after use. Needles are NEVER re-used and are NOT sterilized in the office. This practice is essentially extinct today.

Are Treatments Relaxing?: 

Yes! Very much so! Many people fall asleep once the acupuncture needles are in! Most people are surprised at how relaxing & rejuvenating treatment really is. Many patients schedule regular appointments to just relax & "re-set" their mind & body.

What Other Modalities Might Be Used Besides Acupuncture?: 

As an East Asian Medicine Practitioner, we may use other techniques besides just acupuncture:

​

• Chinese herbal medicine

• Gua Sha 

• Cupping

• Moxibustion (or Moxa. A type of heat therapy)

• Tui Na (a type of massage / physical therapy / manipulation)

• Nutrition & dietary advice

• Stress-reduction & management

• Lifestyle & exercise advice

• Electrical Stimulation

• Breathing  & visualization instruction

Other modalities as needed may be used. Please note that herbal and dietary supplements recommendations are a separate cost. 

What is Your Payment/Insurance Policy?: 

• Payment is due at the time of service. Cash, check, credit cards, & flex-spending/health-savings cards are all acceptable methods of payment (HSA or FSA cards). Some patients choose to put more on their HSA/FSA cards for the annual year if they know they will be seeking a course of regular treatment.

• Herbal medicine, if prescribed, is an additional / separate cost. You may be able to use HSA/FSA cards to pay for herbal medicine or supplements.

• Some insurance plans DO offer coverage for acupuncture. Medicare currently ONLY covers acupuncture for low back pain when performed by an M.D.. If your insurance DOES cover acupuncture, you will still need to pay at the time of service, but we can provide you with a "superbill", which can be submitted to your insurance company for your reimbursement.

• Not billing insurance directly, allows us to treat patients as we see fit & not be directed by the input of insurance companies. It also helps keep prices competitive, as more insurance paperwork would require more employees & higher pricing.

• If you wish to know whether or not you have coverage for acupuncture, call the customer service phone number on your insurance card (generally labeled, "member services" or "customer service"). If you DO have coverage for acupuncture, ask the following: 1.) Is there a deductible? If so, how much? How much have you met this year? 2.) Is your plan by calendar year? 3.) How many visits per year are covered? Are they combined with any other visits? (sometimes chiropractic, massage therapy, physical therapy, etc. will be combined with acupuncture.) 4.) Is coverage only for specific issues? Also, understand that your insurance policy may cover varied amounts for different procedure codes and in/out of network.

• Getting you out of suffering is our number one priority so please ask if you have further questions.