Intro to Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs

Here’s everything you need to know to feel at ease with these gentle and powerful traditional practices.

New to Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs… now what?
Never tried acupuncture or Chinese herbs before? You’re not alone—I’ve treated hundreds of people who have never had either before, and many people are both curious and a little nervous. I’m Demetra Markis, and I’ve been guiding people through these gentle, time-tested practices for over 15 years. Let me walk you through what they’re all about and why they might be just what you need.

All About Acupuncture

What Is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an ancient practice from China that uses tiny, hair-thin needles to help your body find balance. I often describe them as “eyelashes with a handle.” Acupuncture has been in continuous practice for thousands of years, trusted by millions to ease pain and stress, recover from illness, and restore health. We use sterile, single-use needles made of surgical-grade stainless steel.

How Does Acupuncture Work?
Acupuncture is based on the idea of meridians- pathways by which energy moves through our bodies. These pathways roughly correspond with blood vessels, fascia, and nerve pathways. Meridians start or end on the hands and feet and travel through every part of the body, which means I can treat a point on the side of your foot to address pain in your lumbar spine. Think of the needles like tiny tuning forks, sending a vibration through your body, which then responds in its own unique way. Most people find that acupuncture sessions help improve blood circulation and relax their nervous systems, which in turn signals a host of other body processes to return to more normal function.

What to Expect from Your First Acupuncture Session
On your first visit, we’ll have time to check in about what’s going on, then you’ll settle into a cushioned recliner where you’ll kick off shoes and socks and roll up your sleeves and cuffs. I’ll feel your pulse at both wrists, and take a look at your tongue (ahhh!). Then I’ll place needles at specific points—usually on your arms and legs, head and ears, and occasionally on your chest or abdomen (but always with your okay first). I choose points meant to address the specific symptoms you’re experiencing, and to correct what I perceive to be the underlying disharmony that’s leading to your symptoms. This usually just takes a few minutes, and then you rest with the needles in until you feel ready to get up, often about 45 minutes or so, though longer or shorter is just fine.

Most people find that after a little while, they drift into a peaceful, relaxed state of being, or even fall into sleep. This indicates that your nervous system has moved from "the “go and do” gear (or fight or flight in the most intense stage) to “rest and digest”, or “rest and repair.” However, even if you don’t fall asleep, the acupuncture needles are still instigating a healing response that’s being registered by your body, and often will unfold over the next 12-36 hours after treatment.

How much acupuncture will I need?

It depends: check out the chart above for a quick reference! If you have a acute problem— like you woke up with a muscle spasm in your neck and couldn’t turn your head to one side— then I can probably resolve that with 1-3 treatments. On the other hand, if you’ve had migraine headaches your whole life, which are worse when you sit at a desk for work (which you do 5 days/week), then getting regular sessions every week or so is probably a great habit for you.

We’ll go over an initial treatment plan at your first visit, but just know that acupuncture is a tool available for you to use whenever you feel like it might help! Lots of folks come in with a problem that we resolve with a series of treatments, and then just drop in on an as-needed basis as things come up. I’ll help you learn what your body needs over time, and I’m always available to provide guidance and suggestions.

All About Chinese Herbs

What Are Chinese Herbs?
Chinese herbs come from a continuous 2,000-year-old tradition that pairs them with acupuncture for deeper healing. I might suggest them after a one-on-one consult, especially if you’ve got a more complex or deeply-rooted problem, but also as a quick treatment for a cold or lingering cough. They’re not generic teas off a shelf or mass-produced tinctures—they’re precise, personalized mixes to support your individual needs. As one of my teachers says, the right formula is like a key fitting in a lock- opening your body up to the restoration of harmony.

How Do Chinese Herbs Work?
Think of herbs as a daily tune-up from the inside out. They work slowly but steadily, balancing things like digestion, sleep, or hormonal issues. In order to create your formula, I’ll ask about your symptoms, sleep, energy— all the details. The herbs I use are water-extracted tea powders that you mix with a small amount of hot water and drink. You’ll take them once or twice a day, and over weeks, they team up with acupuncture to nudge your body toward harmony. It’s not a quick fix; it’s a quiet, powerful restoration of harmony that builds over time.

Are They Safe?
Absolutely—when done right. I source high-quality herbs from trusted suppliers, and every formula is tailored after our consult and my careful evaluation of your health. I’ll just need you to share your symptoms and list any other medications and supplements you’re using, so that I can be as precise as possible in designing your formula.

Ready to Give It a Try?
Now you know the basics—acupuncture and herbs are gentle partners in healing, and I’m here to make it simple for you. I’d love to help you feel better. Book a session now, but if you have more questions, see below or contact us!

Quick FAQs:

  • Does acupuncture hurt?

    It shouldn’t! I’ve spent years perfecting gentle, pain-free techniques, and I’m proud to successfully treat even the most staunch needle-phobes. The most common response first-timers say after I put the first needle in is, “Oh! That’s nothing!” I tell people to think of the needles (which are tiny, barely larger than eyelashes) more like tuning forks than like any syringes or shots you’ve experienced in a medical setting.

  • Do I need insurance or a referral to schedule and appointment?

    Not at all. The sliding scale is available to everyone. If you do have insurance and want to see if you’re covered, simply add the required information to your first appointment. If you run out of visits at some point or your insurance changes, you can simply just start paying the sliding-scale fee of your choice.

  • Can I be treated for more than one issue at a time?

    Absolutely. Most of us have one main issue that brings us in, but you’ll notice that I always check in about your sleep, digestive health, stress levels, and other markers. Acupuncture is a holistic system that is meant to restore harmony and natural function to all of you, even if what brought you in is a sore hip or a tight neck. And should you have bigger challenges, a series of treatments will often start to simplify matters so that we can focus more in future sessions.

  • What should I wear to my treatment?

    It’s nice to be able to roll up your sleeves to your elbows, and your pants to your knees, though if you are coming straight from work in clothes that aren’t as flexible, I can work with that. If you have knee or shoulder pain, it can be helpful to put needles directly on those locations, so bringing a pair of shorts or a tank top to change into is useful.

  • How can you treat back pain in a recliner chair?

    If you have pain in the low back, I don't have to place any needles in your back. Instead, I’ll place needles in your feet and hands, where the meridians that run through your back begin and end. These are considered the most powerful points in the body, and also the safest for treatment.

  • How many treatments will I need?

    It depends on what’s going on and how your health is overall. While many people will feel relief or a measurable lessening of symptoms within 24 hours of the first treatment, others will need more time. Acupuncture works by slowly changing the way your body is balanced, and this isn’t something that typically happens in one treatment. Your body needs time to learn how to balance itself, so it won’t revert to its old ways.

  • Do I need to follow a treatment plan in order to come in?

    Not at all. If you have an intense, long-term, or complex problem that you want to work on, I’ll suggest a treatment plan that usually covers several weeks or months. But if you just want to come in on an as-needed basis to recover from acute issues like overdoing it at the gym, or high-stress weeks, that is also fine. Community acupuncture is a flexible tool meant to work for you!

  • I'm not sure how the sliding scale works.

    The lower end of the sliding scale is meant to make it easy for more people to afford treatments. The higher end allows you to support the longevity of the community room. You decide each visit what makes sense for you- your treatment is the same no matter what!

  • Will Demetra show me pictures of her sheep?

    Yes! And you don’t even have to ask; she’ll probably just do it anyway.

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