FAQs

For thousands of years Oriental Medicine has acknowledged that there is a vital life force that flows through all things which is called “Qi” (pronouced ‘chee’). Energy (Qi) flows along pathways in the human body, which are related to the organs, the muscular system, and nervous system. When the balance of this energy is disturbed due to trauma, poor diet, medications, stress, hereditary conditions, environmental factors, or excessive emotional issues, then pain or illness results. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine focuses on correcting these imbalances, which stimulates the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
Most of acupuncture’s effects are mediated by the nervous system, and most acupuncture points lay close to nerves and/or neurovascular bundles. Studies have shown that acupuncture is able to increase circulation, release various neurotransmitters, modulate different areas in the brain, balance the autonomic nervous system, reduce inflammation, relax tense muscle tissue, increase or decrease GI motility, etc.
Acupuncture needles are not much thicker than a human hair, and their insertion is practically painless. It is nothing like receiving an injection. In some cases, you will not know the needles are in place. A normal experience would include some tingling, warmth, or heaviness and perhaps a sensation of movement along the meridian. Most people find acupuncture very relaxing and may even fall asleep during the treatment.

Acupuncture can be used for any medical condition that is treated with Western medicine. Examples of treatable illnesses are: muscular injuries, chronic pain, insomnia, mental-emotional problems, depression/anxiety, menstrual disorders, infertility, gastro-intestinal disorders and much more. Read more about conditions we treat.

The report from a Consensus Development Conference on Acupuncture held at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1997 stated that acupuncture is being widely practiced – by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners – for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions. Scientific evidence has also shown that acupuncture releases key hormones and neurochemicals that promote healing, pain relief, and happiness. If acupuncture wasn’t effective – entire dynasties would not have practiced it so extensively!
Each year, millions of people are treated with acupuncture safely and without complications. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners, requiring that needles be manufactured and labeled according to certain standards. For example, the FDA requires that needles be sterile, nontoxic, and labeled for single use by qualified practitioners only.
 

No, absolutely not. Lumina AcuClinic only uses FDA-approved, single-use needles that have been sterilized by the manufacturer prior to packaging. After your treatment, the needles are disposed of in a “Sharps” medical waste disposal container. Furthermore, Enhong Yu is nationally certified in Clean Needle Technique by the CCAOM (Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine). This is the only national organization that certifies practitioners in Clean Needle Technique for acupuncture. You can always expect to receive the highest level of cleanliness and care each time you visit Lumina AcuClinic.

The number of treatments depends on how chronic, severe, and complicated your condition is. Some conditions need only a single treatment. Others may require treatments over a longer period of time. Dr. Yu may suggest exercises, diet modifications, or herbal medicines to help speed your recovery time. Most conditions do not appear suddenly, and most will not disappear suddenly. Patients are encouraged to stick with it – acupuncture works
Children of all ages are treated and respond well to acupuncture and Chinese herbal treatment. In addition, herbal formulas can also be prescribed to enhance the acupuncture treatments and to provide further care between treatments as well.
 
Patients often experience dramatic results from the first treatment. Some patients notice immediate relief, while others feel a gradual improvement over several hours. In some cases, there may be no immediate relief during the next couple of days. Occasionally, a chronic long term problem will take several treatments before you notice a change or improvement in your condition.
Chinese herbal medicine, also known as Chinese herbology, is one of the primary modalities within Oriental medicine. Chinese herbology includes treatment with substances such as plants, roots, minerals and more. Like acupuncture, Chinese herbology has evolved as an integral part of Chinese medicine and is used to re-harmonize imbalances in the body.
Relax! Acupuncture is extremely safe with virtually no side effects. Wear loose, comfortable clothing, preferably not one piece garments. Feel free to ask Dr. Yu any questions you may have so that you can get the most benefits possible from your treatment.

In North Carolina, acupuncturists are licensed after passing a rigorous national board exam. Acupuncture schools are federally accredited by the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine). A Master of Science in Oriental Medicine (MSOM) is earned after four years of study.

The difference is usually in the amount acupuncture training that the practitioner has completed. To become a NC Licensed Acupuncturist, the North Carolina Licensing Board requires the completion of at least a 3 year post graduate program in acupuncture that is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). Additionally, Licensed Acupuncturists must pass the national acupuncture exams administered by the National Certification Commission in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). The acupuncture training of most chiropractors or doctors is often very basic and it typically consists of less than 300 hours of instruction.

Increasingly, acupuncture is covered by insurance. However, patients are advised to check with their insurer before starting treatment to see whether their plan covers acupuncture, and if so, to what extent. Lumina AcuClinic does not process insurance claims currently. An itemized receipt with the appropriate coding will be provided at time of service enabling the patient with insurance to file for reimbursement.

Dry needling and acupuncture both involve puncturing the skin with thin needles for therapeutic purposes. While there is a shared aim to provide relief from pain, the practices themselves are very different.

Practitioners of dry needling attempt to release tension from knots and pressure points in muscles. Acupuncturists insert needles to release endorphins and affect the nervous system. Traditionally, acupuncture was used to align a person’s energy, or chi.

Researchers have studied acupuncture as a complementary treatment for many conditions and it has been practiced for thousands of years. Dry needling is a newer practice and the evidence is less comprehensive. Strict guidelines are also in place for acupuncturists, while dry needling is currently not regulated.

Due to a lack of regulation and guidelines, sports & other physical therapists can perform dry needling with minimal training and no license. Acupuncture is practiced widely by tens of thousands of licensed acupuncturists who had to train for three to four years. The training includes both rigorous instruction in the use of needles and the diagnosis of conditions. In addition, acupuncturists undergo testing from a national board of examiners and continue to take instructional courses each year to maintain their license.

CONDITIONS WE TREAT >