The first visit begins with a consultation and acupuncture treatment. The initial consultation is about 20 to 30 minutes long and it includes a tongue and pulse diagnosis (a TCM way of diagnosing the status of your organs and overall health) as well as a discussion of your health history. An extremely valuable part of the consultation is the in-depth Q & A with Dr. Lin. Often the healing begins during the consultation. Patients sometimes find themselves beginning to cry or they feel a weight lifted from their shoulders. These types of reactions are common and they usually represent a release of toxins from the body and the beginning of the healing process. Dr. Lin will also explain how many sessions you will need to achieve your goal. She prescribes an individualized treatment plan for you. For some unusual or difficult cases, a trial of five sessions is recommended. If you and Dr. Lin do not observe an objective improvement in that time, it may indicate that you are not responding well to her treatments and you may wish to discontinue any further treatment.

A follow-up treatment session is 30 to 45 minutes long and will usually include acupuncture, and may include other modalities of TCM. Children under the age of nine or patients that have a fear of needles can use acupressure or TuiNa.

•	Electro-Acupuncture Small electric pulses sent through the needle
•	Cupping Glass jars used to release toxins from the muscle and enhance circulation. Click here to learn more.
•	Moxibustion Where “moxa” herb is placed on the end of a needle and burned to release the essential oil for certain therapeutic purposes.
•	TuiNa Therapeutic manipulation.
•	Customized Chinese herbal formulas

Most patients feel little or no discomfort when the needles are inserted. The treatment is calm and relaxing. A great number of Dr. Lin’s patients actually sleep soundly during their treatment! Modern acupuncture needles are sterile and very fine, almost like a strand of hair. The needles are discarded immediately after treatment in accordance with the Department of Health’s regulations.

For a session with Dr. Lin, patients should wear loose comfortable clothes, and should be neither hungry nor too full. The more relaxed you are, the more effective the treatment will be.

The majority of patients feel calm, uplifted, and energetic after each session. However, those who are tense and have suffered from insomnia for long periods of time might instead feel sleepy and tired as the body detoxifies through the first several treatments.