Our clinic is located in a wooded setting overlooking Los Gatos Creek, with mature trees providing shelter to squirrels and migratory birds.  It's natural to feel yourself relaxing as you enter the clinic. There you will meet Sandy, our warm and welcoming office manager. Now you find yourself surrounded by calming music and the scents of herbs and herbal liniments. You begin to disconnect from the demands of your busy life.  The next hour or so is yours, to focus on your healing, to take deep cleansing breaths as you unwind from the tensions of the day and experience the gentle and therapeutic re-balancing of your body's energy.  We'll sit together and I'll begin with a detailed questioning of your health history, family health history, current symptoms and lifestyle. The information that you share with me is interpreted in the context of the observations that I make in the following areas: Pulse diagnosis: Characteristics of the pulse, including strength, speed, and regularity are observed.  Observation of the tongue, face and body: These observations provide good insight into the balance and flow of Qi, Blood and Fluids in the body. For example, the tongue provides an internal weather report. Is there more Heat present (a red tongue) or Cold (a pale tongue, which can also be a sign of a deficiency of Blood, so we look further is making an accurate diagnosis). Is the body too Moist (a tongue with a thick greasy, often white coat) or dry (a red tongue possibly with fine cracks, no moisture on its surface)? For example, in observing a tongue that is quite red, dry, with more significant cracks, it may indicate a person who has pushed hard through life, who has exhausted their Yin energies, who may (in our more updated language) have 'burnt' themselves out.  A further example is provided in the treatment of headaches, as the treatment varies widely depending upon where and when they occur, the quality of pain, and the precipitating factors. For example, there are: - headaches of excess energy - headaches of deficient energy, low blood sugar - headaches caused by outside forces, such as allergens in the air causing sinus headaches - headaches caused by internal imbalances, such as those linked to the fluctuating hormones of a woman's menstrual cycle  Having employed the techniques of diagnosis as described above, I am able to understand how effectively Qi is flowing throughout the various channels within your body and, thereby, formulate a treatment plan based on that diagnosis. The goal of the treatment plan is to balance the flow of Yin and Yang energies: wet and dry, cold and hot, internal imbalances and external influences, deficient and excessive energies.   You will rest comfortably on the treatment table while the needles are inserted. You can either wear loose, comfortable clothing or use the treatment gown provided. The sensation you experience often feels like a slight pinch, followed by a sensation of tingling, aching, pressure, warmth or energy often moving out from the area of insertion. The needles stay in place for approximately 30 minutes during which time most patients experience a deep sense of relaxation. I recommend that no strenuous or stressful activities be planned after your acupuncture session. It's a good general rule of thumb for everyone following acupuncture to limit physical activity: no trips to the gym or any further therapies on that day. Your body's energy has been brought back more fully into alignment. It's optimum to allow the subtle re-alignment of the body's energy to just be.   As we start working together, it is usually necessary to come in for an acupuncture treatment weekly. The treatment becomes less frequent as your condition improves. We always base treatment plans on your individual progress. For health maintenance, a return visit every few months, as with the change of seasons, is recommended.  As I've described above, the lens through which the body is viewed in Chinese Medicine allows me to recognize these patterns and to support the body in returning to that place of balance and harmony. For it is in the free flow of the body's innate energy, or Qi, that we feel a vitality of body and spirit.