What to Expect at your first Acupuncture visit

At Nurture, we see quite a few women that have never been to a chiropractor or an acupuncturist.  We love that women come to see us for their first visit and do everything we can to make the initial visit relaxing and comfortable! Prior to coming in, we will send you intake forms to fill out which includes information like why you're coming in, any past medical history, previous procedures or treatments, nutrition, etc. During your visit, Dr. Merkel will go over these forms with you, perform a physical exam, come up with a treatment plan specifically for you, and discuss any questions or concerns you might have. 

Most first-time patients are a little nervous about the acupuncture needles. Don't worry!! This is absolutely normal. Dr. Merkel will walk you through exactly what points she will use and let you know ahead of time if a point is known to be more tender than others. Acupuncture needles are very fine, unlike what we typically think of as needles, and most of the time you feel the initial tap and then you may feel an ache or a slight pinch.  Depending on what you coming in for, Dr. Merkel will let you rest for 15-45 minutes. Generally for first time patients, the actual acupuncture treatment lasts about 20-25 minutes. She will then come in and remove the needles and let you know when you're free to move. 

Once your treatment is over, she will discuss your treatment plan specifically and go over any recommendations for you to do at home. She usually gives stretches and/or exercises, especially if you are pregnant or have a musculoskeletal complaint. We discuss treatment frequency as part of your treatment plan, but as a general recommendation, we recommend treatments of once per week during pregnancy and for women trying to get pregnant. For acute conditions, sometimes visits of up to twice a week are indicated to control inflammation and pain. Once symptoms are under control, we reduce visits back to once per week with a goal of monthly check-in wellness visits to maintain your progress. Acupuncture treatments build on the previous sessions; if you go too long between treatments, you can often times end up back at square one, wondering why you are not improving.  

You may not start noticing the relaxing effects of acupuncture until your 2nd or 3rd visit. After this point, most of our patients doze off into what they refer to as "acu slumber" and wake up feeling relaxed and refreshed. 

Common reasons women see us for acupuncture

• General wellness

• Hormone/cycle regulation

• Fertility Challenges

• Support throughout IVF and embryo transfer

• Pregnancy discomforts - nausea, headache, musculoskeletal pain, anxiety

• Labor preparation 

• Natural induction

• Postpartum healing and recovery

We are always happy to answer any questions and LOVE giving people their very first acupuncture treatment.