Welcome to the second in this article series about the benefits of treatments offered at Chill
Acupuncture and Wellness Clinic. In this article we will begin our journey into Chill’s variety of
treatments. This article focuses on a variety of acupuncture style treatments, and how you will likely feel while and after receiving these treatments.
Before we delve into the mechanics of acupuncture as practiced at Chill Acupuncture, lets
look at what makes the treatments at Chill so comforting. Unlike what you may have
experienced with your Primary Care physician, prior to each treatment, your practitioner will
take you through an intensive interview into how your whole body and mind are currently
functioning.
Here are a few examples of the questions your practitioner will ask you before the actual
treatment begins. They will, of course, ask about your pain levels in any area that might have
brought you to Chill Acupuncture in the first place, examples being pain in your lower back,
cervical spine, joints from ankles to shoulder, elbows and wrists, as well as sciatica or muscle
tightness. Further, they will view your tongue for unnatural coatings, inquire about your urine
and stools. Prior to these questions, Chill will check your blood pressure, body temperature
and blood oxygen saturation level. The final check will be to check your pulse at the wrist,
using a Chinese method different from what you are used to at your doctors office, measuring your energy as it affects your organs, rather than your heart rate.
You can always rest assured that the treatment table, or chair in the community treatment
room, has been sanitized since the previous client. As you assume the treatment position,
prone or supine on the treatment table, or merely relaxed in the community chairs, you will
see or at least hear your practitioner sanitizing their hands before beginning treatment. The
acupuncture needles are obviously pristine as well. Immediately prior to the application of
needles, your practitioner will also swipe the areas where needles will be inserted with a
sanitizer as well. Chill Acupuncture takes your health and safety extremely seriously.
Once the treatment begins, you will be able to settle into relaxing sounds.
As they are working on you, your practitioner will also be talking you through what they are doing, so you can concentrate on feeling better, rather than agonizing over this new experience.
In the acupuncture treatment, very fine stainless steel needles are inserted in a pattern that follows the qi (chi) streams on your body, and then in supportive positions. If you are lying face down, needles will follow the pattern of your spine, along each side. Then, additional needles will be placed in certain points along your knees, down your legs, and into your feet. Some treatments will also include a needle or two in your upper arm or the web of your hand between the thumb and forefinger. A similar pattern will be applied if you're lying face up, though this format will often include a needle in the middle of your forehead.
I can also personally attest to the fact that use of prescribed blood thinners will hardly ever
result in any bleeding at all. Since we live in the Southern Arizona desert, you can be
assured that the facility at Chill Acupuncture is air conditioned. Chill ensures your comfort with a heated table and the application of heat lamps when you feel like you need them.
Another treatment Chill utilizes to treat their clients is electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture (EA) is a modern acupuncture technique that uses small electrical currents to stimulate specific points on the body using acupuncture needles. The needles are inserted by hand and then attached to a device that generates the electrical current. The device can be a TENS machine or a commercially available EA unit. Practitioners can adjust the frequency, intensity, and pulse duration of the current. Your practitioner will ensure that the level of electricity entering your body is completely painless. The mechanism by which this treatment alleviates pain is not understood fully but may involve the release of endogenous opioids, a naturally produced agent.
Yet another acupuncture related treatment available at Chill is Acupoint Injection therapy.
This treatment is a type of acupuncture that injects natural substances, such as vitamins,
minerals, homeopathic medicines and herbal extracts, into specific points on the body. These substances enhance the effects of acupuncture and stimulate the body’s own healing mechanisms. This is a completely painless treatment.
The technique mostly used in the Community Treatment area (the reclining chairs) is the
NADA technique. The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) protocol is a
unique form of acupuncture. It specifically targets behavioral health, including addictions and co-occurring disorders. The protocol involves the bilateral insertion of 1Y5 needles into
predetermined points on each ear. This is known as auricular acupuncture. Research in the
1970s demonstrated that this NADA protocol also assists with various forms of stress being
experienced by patients. NADA involves the gentle placement of up to five small, disposable needles into specific sites on each ear. As with the NADA protocol, the recipients sit quietly in a group setting for 30-45 minutes allowing the treatment to take effect.
At the conclusion of your treatment, your Chill Acupuncture and Wellness practitioner will ask
you how you are feeling now, compared to your pre-treatment feeling.
TriWest and Blue Cross Blue Shield are currently accepted at Chill Acupuncture. Please be
aware that insurance verification generally takes between 1 and 3 business days. Chill Acupuncture is open Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 7 PM, with last appointments scheduled at 6 PM.
Chill Acupuncture and Wellness is located at 6502 East Carondelet Drive, Tucson, AZ 85710.
They are in the San Rafael Medical Center due south of the Saint Joseph[s Hospital main
building. You can contact Chill Acupuncture by phone at (520) 505-1990, or via email at