INSTRUCTION FOR PATIENTS
Making Appointments
To make an appointment for a consultation or treatment, please call 212-686-8689 to schedule your first visit at either the Manhattan or Queens’s office. Please arrive 10 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment to fill out the necessary paperwork. Please bring any medical records pertaining to your existing condition when you come in for your first visit.
Please do not arrive on an empty stomach before your treatment, as this may lead to feelings of faintness and dizziness during the treatment. Please wear loose clothing for your treatment. For disabled patients or those requiring special care, please inform the front desk of your needs prior to treatment.
We require a minimum of 24-hours’ notice for cancellation of an appointment in order to avoid a cancellation fee.
Within a week of your initial treatment, you are likely to receive a phone call from a staff practitioner at Ming Qi Natural Healthcare Center to answer any questions or concerns you may have about your treatment. For people who have problems such as pain, muscle spasm and tightness, stress, anxiety, and tension, symptoms should improve after several treatments. However, due to an individual's lifestyle and work conditions, these problems may persist and become chronic if proper maintenance care is not undertaken. Traditional Chinese Medicine advocates maintenance care to prevent symptoms from becoming chronic medical problems. It is recommended to continue treatment once a week, once every two weeks, or once every month according to your specific health condition. Please consult our practitioner to determine how frequently you need treatment and to devise a personalized treatment plan.
A Chinese medical proverb states, "The best doctor treats the problem before the onset of disease." This explains the importance of preventive care in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Your practitioner will help you determine which of the following most closely applies to your current health condition and discuss with you a preventive care plan that best fits your specific needs.
The following list is a few examples of the many preventative healthcare services we provide:
- People who suffer from hay fever or allergies, (preventive care should start one month before allergy season.)
- People who suffer from PMS, irregular menstruation, and cramps during their period, (treatment should start five days before the period.)
- People who have family history of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), myopia, obesity, allergy or hepatitis,（preventive care treatment once a month.）
- Personal health problems such as substance abuse, past medication overdose, or smoking, alcoholism, miscarriage, as well as job-related illnesses, （an individual preventive care plan should be undertaken.）
- Age specifc preventative care for such issues as hormonal changes, teenage emotional instability, premature sexual activities, side effects from birth control pills, problem pregnancies and difficulties in breast feeding, decreased libido, impotence, menopause and other degenerative conditions.
- Preventive care plan is also used for weight control, facial beautification, natural skin care, boosting energy, and stress relief.
- Anti-aging and cancer prevention (especially important to receive treatment once every two months.)
If your primary medical provider or medical specialist requests information on the services you received through our office, please inform the front desk so that we can prepare your records in advance of your arrival for your next treatment.
This Notice describes how medical information about you may be used and disclosed and how you can get access to this information. Please review it carefully.
Acupuncture is performed by the insertion of pre-sterilized, disposable acupuncture needles through the skin, and/or the application of heat or electrical stimulation to certain points on the body. Your acupuncture treatment may be combined with tui-na/acupressure, Chinese herbs, moxibustion, cupping, electric or magnetic stimulation, derma-friction (Gua-sha), infra-red heat lamp, seven-star needling, therapeutic exercises, and dietary recommendations based on the fundamentals of Chinese Medicine. Your practitioner will explain the nature of each type of treatment as needed.
Acupuncture is generally very safe. Although rare, certain side effects may result from acupuncture and each procedure or treatment has specific risks and benefits. These potential risks may include, but are not limited to:
- Discomfort or minor pain at the site of needle insertion during treatment.
- Localized, minor bleeding, bruising, or swelling.
- Minor burns with the use of maxi.
- Possible, temporary aggravation of symptoms that existed prior to treatment, then rapid recovery (known as a "healing crisis").
- Infection and the risks from needling in the vicinity of an infection. To reduce the possibility of infection from acupuncture, all needles are pre-sterilized, single-use, disposable needles made of surgical stainless steel. After each treatment they are disposed of as medical waste; needles are never reused.
- "Needle sickness" (Dizziness, fainting, or nausea).
- Broken needles (Rare with the use of disposable needles).
- Possible allergic reaction to Chinese herbal medicine. All herbs dispensed at the clinic are FDA approved as food supplements and are guaranteed for quality control according to GMP standards.
- Cupping therapy and derma-friction (Gua-sha) may produce petechia (red/purplish marks) as part of the healing process, which will disappear in a few days.
- Seven star needling is used to detoxify the body and causes stimulation of the skin.
- Please notify your practitioner if you have any adverse effect from treatment.
Some herbs and Acupuncture points are contraindicated for certain conditions. Please inform your practitioner if you have any of the following conditions:
- If you are pregnant.
- If you are breast feeding.
- If you have ever experienced fits, faints, or panic attacks.
- If you have a pacemaker or any other electrical implants.
- If you have HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, or a sexually transmitted disease (STD).
Your practitioner is unable to anticipate or explain all risks and complications that may occur during or after treatment. However, he or she will exercise judgment based upon the determination of your best interests.
New York State Acupuncture Board requires both acupuncturist and patient sign the following form.
Please fill out the patient questionnaire and submit your comments and suggestions on the service you received to help improve your experience at Ming Qi Natural Healthcare Center.
