BEFORE TREATMENT
CHECK
LIST
1. Arrive neither stuffed nor starved. I recommend a light meal 1-3 hours before the appointment.
2. Wear comfortable, loose clothing so that arms and legs below elbows and knees can be easily accessed. You can also bring a blanket or big towel with you.
WHAT TO EXPECT
CHECK-IN
THE THERAPY CENTRE
Upon arrival, ring the THERAPY bell. Maria will welcome you at the entrance. She will then walk with you to the treatment room.
As there is no receptionist, please arrive no more than 5 minutes before your appointment to avoid waiting outside.
THE COLLEGE OF INTEGRATED CHINESE MEDICINE
1. Upon arrival, ring the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine. You can access the building via either the front or back door.
2. Check in at reception and scan the QR code if using the car park at the back of the building.
3. Follow the receptionist's instructions. Please note that treatment rooms may be on the ground, 1st, or 2nd floor. If you require a room on the ground floor for accessibility reasons, please contact Maria Rossi in advance to make arrangements.
CONSULTATION
You will have a consultation to discuss your main complaints and review your health history.
The initial consultation includes questions, taking pulses, observing your tongue, and if relevant to the diagnosis the palpation of specific channels and points. Also, I will discuss a course of treatment, what to expect, and I will answer to any questions you might have.
Follow-up treaments: a review of how the previous treatment went, follows up on any topic not covered, and answers to any questions that may have come up.
TREATMENT
Once one the treatment couch, needles are generally placed on your arms and legs below the elbows and knees but they can also be placed elsewhere, such as head, ears, abdomen or back. All needles are sterile,non-toxic and single-use. The needle insertion is often painless. After the insertion you should feel a pinchy, dull ache, tingling sensation that is what in Chinese Medicine is called Qi. This is part of the treatment. I will try to make the treatment as comfortable as possible but some points and some patients can be more sensitive than others. If you are uncomfortable please let me know. After the needles are inserted, most patients enter a state of deep relaxation or they fall asleep.
POST-TREATMENT
After the needles are removed, take a moment getting up and putting on your clothes and shoes.
In some cases, especially with musculoskeletal treatments, soreness may occur in the area where the needles were placed. Benefits are not immediate; most people report a difference 24-48 hours after treatment, by which time any soreness should also fade. Many people also report feeling relaxed after treatment and can continue with their usual activities. However, it's recommended to avoid strenuous exercise, exhausting activities, excessive caffeine, and alcohol for the next 24 hours.