. Fees . Initial Assessment . Treatment . After Treatment .
. Side Effects . Flare-up . Course of Treatment . Before Treatment .
Janet Culp
Licensed Acupuncturist / Herbalist
Certified Massage Therapist/ Cranial Sacral Therapist
Capitola, Santa Cruz County
Fee Schedule
Initial Visit: $95 - $125
Please be prepared to stay for 1½ to 2 hours for your Initial Visit, which includes a full assessment of your Health History, Consultation and Treatment.
Acupuncture: $65 - $85
Acupuncture/Manual Therapy* (1¼ hours) - $95 - $115
Craniosacral Therapy - $100 (1 hour); $75 (30 minutes)
You can expect one-on-one, individualized care during your entire session.
*Manual Therapy includes any combination of Massage Therapy, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Visceral Manipulation and Acupressure).
Payment Method
Cash/Check
A Superbill will be provided that can then be submitted to your insurance provider.
Initial Assessment
Your first visit begins with an in-depth assessment of your current health condition and includes an initial treatment. The intake and treatment may take up to 2 hours, depending on the requirements of your condition. Typical follow-up treatments last approximately 1¼ hours, or 75 minutes.
During the assessment, you will be questioned about specific details that may seem to you to be completely unrelated to your chief complaint; such as questions about your emotions, sleeping patterns, or eating habits. Traditional medicine considers you as a whole person, not just a set of isolated symptoms. When put together, this myriad of symptoms and signs you are experiencing reveal to the practitioner a unique pattern of disharmony. Although treatment will focus on your chief complaint, your whole being must be considered first in order to proceed with the most appropriate course of treatment. Traditional medicine is unique in that it recognizes that illnesses may look identical from one person to the next, but the persons suffering from them are individuals.
Treatment
In a typical acupuncture treatment, extremely thin, sterile, disposable needles of the highest quality are inserted painlessly into the body. The needles are left in place anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. Unlike more familiar experiences with injections, acupuncture is usually a pleasant one. Most clients feel a variety of sensations at the time of insertion, which usually passes without undue pain or discomfort. Usually, clients find acupuncture to be extremely relaxing, both physically and emotionally and many people even fall asleep during treatment!
In addition to Acupuncture, treatments may also include Cranial Sacral and Visceral therapies, Far Infrared Heat therapy, Cupping therapy, Moxibustion, Acupressure, massage, Trigger Point Therapy, herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, and diet and lifestyle recommendations.
What to Expect After Treatment
You may experience relief immediately, or it could be delayed until later that day, or it could even take up to one to three days to decrease significantly, or subside altogether. Other scenarios include relief that may last for a few hours on the first visit and then last longer with each successive treatment, or relief may last from the first treatment until your next visit. Individual response to treatment varies considerably from person to person.
Side Effects
Side effects are rare, but may include the following: feeling lightheaded, slight dizziness, sleepiness, euphoria, nausea, slight bruising, residual muscle aches.
Any of these side effects should only last a short time. Staying hydrated after your treatment, by drinking more than your usual intake of water, will help to minimize these side effects. Resting after your treatment is highly advisable. Any side effects should be reported to your practitioner at your next visit.
Flare-up
On rare occasions, one's original symptom(s) may briefly get worse, or "flare-up," after a treatment. A flare-up typically occurs later on the day of your treatment and usually only lasts for a few hours. After a flare-up, your symptoms should begin to improve. In the long run, acupuncture does not make symptoms worse.
In some conditions, the body must fully expel a pathogen in order for healing to occur. For example, if you have a cold, acupuncture will not get rid of the cold, but it can help accelerate the cold in running its course, so that your body recovers faster. If you are fatigued and beginning to get a cold, acupuncture can help your body fight it off.
In cases of chronic pain, the original pain that you felt may improve and then unmask less obvious symptomatic pain in the surrounding areas.
Course of Treatment
As part of your first visit, you will receive a customized treatment plan detailing an appropriate course of treatment for your specific condition.
In general, acute conditions of recent onset may only require 2 or 3 treatments. Chronic conditions usually require more treatments to achieve sustained results.
The ideal approach to illness is to begin treatment as soon as possible. The sooner you seek help, the easier it is to treat. For longstanding illnesses, weekly, bi-weekly, or tri-weekly treatments may be required for several weeks or months, in order to have a curative effect.
For patients planning on undergoing medical procedures, such as back or knee surgery, it is highly recommended that herbal remedies and acupuncture treatment be implemented approximately three months in advance of Western treatment. However, many patients don't learn of the benefits of Traditional medicine until they are already undergoing Western treatment. In that case, it is best to start acupuncture and/or herbs as soon as possible.
Once you initiate a healing process, it is important to follow through with treatment. The more consistent you are, the better the likelihood of results. The effects of acupuncture tend to be cumulative.
After you are feeling better, a few additional treatments may be recommended. In Chinese medicine, this is referred to as "solidifying the constitution." The goal is to further strengthen your body to prevent recurrence of the illness. Your body is most vulnerable following recovery from illness, because it has expended much of its energy and internal resources in order to get better. It is therefore important to have a few follow-up treatments in order to prevent a recurrence, or new illness. In general, when an illness recurs, it is often more difficult to treat.
Things to consider before arriving for treatment
Please read this section carefully. The following suggestions are provided to help you have a safe and relaxing experience with your acupuncture and/or manual therapy session. If you have any questions, please ask me prior to your first visit.
* Please bring a list of Current Medications that you are taking, including any prescriptions, over-the-counter medications, herbal supplements and vitamins.
* Please bring any Laboratory or Medical Reports relevant to your condition.
* Eat a light meal a few hours prior to your visit. Acupuncture is not performed on individuals who are fasting. Being over-hungry increases the risk of nausea or dizziness. At the same time, please do not overeat, or eat any foods that cause your stomach to be upset (such as, rich, greasy, fried, or extremely spicy foods).
*On the day of your treatment, postpone taking pain killers that could mask your pain. Pain conditions require that you be able to point to, exactly, the place where you feel pain or discomfort. This will enable the practitioner to choose the most effective treatment for fast pain relief.
* Avoid alcohol on the day of your treatment. Acupuncture is not performed on intoxicated individuals due to the increased risk of shock. It is also not advisable to become intoxicated shortly after treatment.
* Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Acupuncture points are located all over the body. Many of the acupuncture points that are commonly used are located between the wrists and elbows and the ankles and knees. You will be more comfortable if your clothing can be easily rolled up to just above your elbows and knees.
Santa Cruz Acupuncturist / Herbalist / Massage Therapist /Cranial Sacral Therapist / Alternative Medicine in Capitola, Santa Cruz County
. Fees . Initial Assessment . Treatment . After Treatment .
. Side Effects . Flare-up . Course of Treatment . Before Treatment .
