Open for Acupuncture Again!

Hello! I hope you are doing well during this unprecedented time.

Though the office was closed for 7 weeks to in-person treatments, during the Coronavirus lockdown, I am now starting my 3rd week back to seeing patients.

In this post, I’d like to share some changes that I’ve made to the office, as safety precautions against the spread of Covid-19. I want you to know what to expect when you come for treatment, and how I am committed to keeping you as safe as possible.

Also, I am continuing to provide Telehealth options and “front-step” pick-up of supplements, for those who need or wish to continue to isolate.

Face Coverings are Required

The first thing to know is that face coverings are currently mandatory in the office. Your face covering doesn’t have to be anything special…it can be a disposable mask, a re-usable fabric mask, a dust mask, a bandana, a gaiter or any other mouth/nose covering.

This is to keep the air in the office as clean as possible, for the safety of everyone. If you do not have a face covering, I can provide you one.

Front Door Sign

When You Arrive

For now, your waiting area will be your car. Once you park, please call or text 727-475-4710 to let me know you have arrived. When I’m ready, I will either call or text you back, or more likely I will just come outside to wave you up to the door.

I will take your temperature using a touch-less thermometer and ask if you have any Covid-19 symptoms before we go inside. (100.4 is the temperature cut off.)

I ask you to please not bring anyone to your appointment with you unless they are required for your proper care. Also, please do not bring food or drink, or any extra belongings besides the essentials.

Once inside, I will ask you to sanitize your hands, put on your mask (if not already on), and sign the Covid-19 Patient Agreement Forms (if not already signed), before we proceed to the treatment room.

You will find tissues and trash cans easy to access in every room, to aid in proper sneeze/cough hygiene.

To prepare for the eventual use of the waiting room, I’ve made changes there as well: The fabric couch has been replaced with vinyl chairs, for social distancing and easy disinfecting.

I have also removed all frequently touched items and those that are difficult to disinfect, including the coffee table, drink coasters, books, magazines and toys.

The drinking water cups are now in a dispenser that protects them from the ambient air.

Samples of all educational articles, brochures and cards are encased in plastic. If you see one you’d like, simply ask, and I will give you a clean one from behind the desk.

Goodbye Fabric Couch

Educational Materials are Displayed in Plastic

The Treatment Rooms

Each treatment room looks a bit different now. There are fewer chairs, for social distancing, and the fabric chairs have been replaced with vinyl, or covered in thick plastic, for disinfection.

The treatment tables and all pillows have been sealed in heavy vinyl or PVC coverings, under the linens, to be disinfected following each treatment.

Most decor items have been removed, for ease of disinfecting touchable surfaces between patients. Each room has a high quality HEPA air filter that runs continuously.

And each room has a Disinfection Supply Station containing cleaning spray or wipes, hospital-grade disinfectant, microfiber cloths and cleaning gloves.

HEPA Air Filter in each Treatment Room

Disinfection Supply Stations in Multiple Rooms

The Restroom

Most decor items have been removed or replaced with a Disinfection Supply Station. The air freshener spray has been replaced with a touch-less option.

A sign reminds us to properly wash our hands. And the paper towel roll has been replaced with a dispenser for individually folded paper towels.

Hand Hygiene Reminder

New Paper Towel Dispenser

The Checkout Area

All of the “Dr. Dawn’s” homemade products, including Body Butter, Lip Balm and the NEW Aromatherapy Mask Spray (for fabric masks) are in stock, but you will need to request them, as they no longer sit on the counter.

Dr. Dawn’s Body Butter

NEW Aromatherapy Mask Spray!!

The pen container is gone, so if you need a pen, I will give you a clean one from behind the counter. If you prefer a touch-less payment option, I can now send you an invoice via email or text, to pay with your credit card.

Please feel free to use the hand sanitizer provided, anytime during checkout.

Hand Sanitizer & New Pens at Checkout

Telehealth Option

I now offer Zoom video Telehealth for New Patients (living in FL only), and telephone meetings for Follow-up’s. These appointments include nutrition, herbs, supplements, and self-care suggestions.

This is a wonderful option for those who need to continue to isolate due to underlying health conditions, recent travel, or because they have Covid-19.

Online Pharmacy Option

I now also have an online pharmacy. It will allow you to purchase, through a reputable source, many of the products that I carry in my clinic. Since they can be purchased online and shipped directly to your home, you won’t have to come to the office to pick up refills. This will be particularly great for snowbirds and those who are using Telehealth! (More on this in a future post…if you are interested now, just email me.)

Behind the Scenes

While you will see many changes when you come for acupuncture, you likely won’t see the amount of cleaning, disinfecting and CDC compliance procedures that are going on throughout the day.

I have disinfection checklists that I follow after each patient visit, daily and weekly. This ensures that I don’t miss anything, and provides meticulous records of when each surface was cleaned, with what product.

If you would like to read my Covid-19 Infection Control Policies & Procedures document, click here.

Cleaning Checklists

CDC Compliance Manual for Covid-19

I also participate in weekly webinars by the Council of Colleges for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, the American Society of Acupuncturists, the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine, the American Acupuncture Council, and/or the Florida State Oriental Medical Association.

The topics involve how acupuncturists can adopt the current “best practices” in order to be compliant with CDC and Florida Department of Health guidelines for healthcare clinics as the virus moves through our communities.

Also, I actively seek out the newest information on this Coronavirus, for 2 reasons. First, so that I may better understand the optimal ways to prevent its transmission in my clinic. And second, to learn about what natural treatments and herbs are being found to provide the most benefit to those who are infected.

Different but Still Great!

So, while Covid-19 has definitely changed most aspects of how I run the clinic, I am very happy to see patients again, and provide the amazing medicine that is acupuncture. Patients have been glad to receive treatment again, and they report that their treatment experience has been just as great as before.

I feel very blessed to be able to do what I love, and to have amazing patients who value what I do. I am so grateful for you all!

As always, I’m wishing you Peace and Wellness.

Dr. Dawn Potter

#acupuncture #ClinicUpdates #Covid19SafetyMeasures

What to Expect After your First Acupuncture Visit

Most people find their first acupuncture treatment to be far more relaxing and calming than they ever expected. In fact, many patients fall asleep on the table with their needles in, or report having amazing sleep the night after their treatment.

It is important to be aware of how you are feeling after your first visit; including any changes in symptoms or conditions between treatments. Sometimes even small changes can be helpful in understanding how your body is responding to treatment, and how you will progress.

Sometimes you may experience sensitivity or even a small bruise at the needle insertion point. This is temporary and will resolve on its own. You may apply a cold compress if you wish.

On rare occasion, an existing condition may temporarily worsen before it gets better. This happens because the acupuncture needles work to move energy (Qi) in the energy channels (meridians). Sometimes that energy comes upon a blockage, and, like river water encountering a dam (your area of blockage/pain/discomfort), the water must build up before it can break through the dam. The pressure from the extra “water” (Qi) against the dam (blockage) can temporarily exacerbate an issue, but it is a positive indicator that the energy is moving. Soon, the pressure of the “water” breaks through the dam, and the river (energy) can move freely again, which causes a reduction or elimination of the pain/disease. If you experience this phenomenon, it should only last a few hours to a couple of days at most.

If you received herbs, please take them as directed. This will ensure the best possible results. If you have questions about how you are responding to the herbs, please call the office. The fibrous nature of some of the pills or tablets, can temporarily cause gas, bloating or changes in elimination in some sensitive individuals. You can reduce this effect by taking your herbs with food. If these symptoms last more than a couple of days, please call the office to discuss a change in dosage until your system is more used to them.

If you have any questions regarding your treatment, your herbs, or anything else related to your treatment, please call so that we may address your individual questions.

Dawn Balusik: 727-475-4710

#acupuncture #effectsofacupuncture

Perceptions of Acupuncture: How to get the most from Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

As I see more patients I notice an interesting set of perceptions & attitudes around acupuncture. Even after reading basic information on acupuncture, for most people there still isn’t a clear understanding of what acupuncture is, what it isn’t and how it works. So, many come to acupuncture with some erroneous ideas.

Unfortunately, these ideas often hinder their ability to take full advantage of what acupuncture and Oriental medicine has to offer. My intention in this article is to help people adopt an attitude toward this medicine that serves them best.

The “Fix Me” Perception:

The first common attitude is the “fix me” attitude, where a patient presents with an ailment they would like fixed. As though they were a 1982 Honda Accord, and I was their mechanic.  This attitude assumes that once the problem is “fixed,” acupuncture is no longer beneficial. This attitude is to be expected; after all, in this culture, this is how we were taught that bodies and medicine work.

In some instances, such as acute injury, this approach is appropriate. You sprained your ankle and want me to help alleviate the pain and speed the healing time…sure, no problem.

You are not a machine:

The problem with the “fix me” attitude is in regard to long-term illness or pain. First of all, the paradigm under which Oriental medicine operates fundamentally says that you are not a 1982 Honda Accord; you are not a machine at all. You are a living complex of dynamic interrelated systems, energies, nutrients, functions, thoughts, ideas, attitudes, feelings, fears, experiences, desires and behaviors that ALL have an impact on EVERY part of you. Your body, mind and spirit are inseparable; you cannot affect one without affecting the others.

So, what you do in your life, how you feed and care for yourself, who you surround yourself with, and the beliefs that you hold about yourself, your body, your illness and the world around you all have as much of an impact on your long-term health as I can have with my acupuncture needles, massage and herbs.

No, I cannot “fix” you; but you can heal, if given the right circumstances.  This is where I come in…I can facilitate a shift into a state that is more balanced and conducive to health and healing. The body wants to heal, but it is blocked from doing so, for any number of myriad reasons. Acupuncture and Oriental medicine helps remove those blockages to your own natural ability to heal.

You are responsible for your health, too!

The second problem with the “fix me” attitude is that it takes away your responsibility to take good care of yourself. For example, I cannot help heal your irritable bowel syndrome or Crohn’s disease if you continue to eat foods that are inappropriate for your condition. The quality of your nutrition is just as much a part of your healing as my acupuncture and herbs. I can guide you to the healthiest foods and practices for your specific condition, but the responsibility for your daily nutrition rests solely on your shoulders.

The last problem with the “fix me” approach is that the ailments that people come to me with are usually symptoms of a larger pattern of disharmony. Often, symptoms will clear up quicker than their underlying cause will. Just because your chronic headaches are gone doesn’t mean that the reason you had the headaches to begin with is completely healed. In the words of Dr. Richard Tan, “It can be easy to chop down the tree, but digging up the roots and clearing the debris requires much more time and work.”

If you stop acupuncture care before the underlying causes of the issues are addressed, the headaches could return, or some other symptom take its place. This is why I always recommend tapering down your treatment frequency until you get to a maintenance level. Maintenance level, for most people, is once every 4 to 6 weeks.

The “Magic Needle” (aka “magic bullet”) Perception:

The second perception I observe is the “magic needle” attitude. Again, because there isn’t a clear understanding of acupuncture, all that is known is some story heard about a distant acquaintance who was cured from years of debilitating back pain after one acupuncture treatment.

People also hear the media, several popular celebrities and high profile MD’s touting the benefits of acupuncture. When you add in its foreign nature and seemingly mystical ideas about body energies, people have a tendency to place a subconscious aire of “magic” around acupuncture. And, in the human mind, once acupuncture is associated with “magic” it becomes associated with “miracles” and having to “believe in” acupuncture, and from there, for some people, it is only a short leap to “acupuncture is a religious practice.”

There are people who refuse to even consider getting acupuncture because of these “magical” associations that were never meant to be there.  And, many of those who do come for treatment have minds full of these notions. They are skeptical, but desperate. They are willing to try it, but have extremely unrealistic expectations, flip-flopping back and forth between “this will never work” and “I’m so excited for my miracle.”

But what about those who do get instant results?

On occasion, acupuncture does seem like magic: sometimes one acupuncture treatment will relieve 5 years of back pain permanently. On occasion a single visit to my office will result in a complete reversal of a year of knee pain. But, this is not the norm, and almost always these types of results are only achieved with patients who are extremely healthy otherwise, and have a very healthy lifestyle, where they have already eliminated any causative or aggravating factors, and just need one or two acupuncture treatments to “seal the deal.” Or on occasion, I will pinpoint a specific behavior, food, supplement or medication that is directly causing the symptom; the patient eliminates that cause, and “poof” like magic, the symptom disappears.

Acupuncture is not Magic:

But, let’s put this to rest right now: Acupuncture & Oriental medicine are not magic, miracles or religious practices. Energy is scientific. Quantum physics tell us that everything is actually pure energy, even solid matter. Everything has an energy field; and all energy fields are influenced by other energies.

Studies show that plants grow better when their owners talk to them. And micro-photography shows that patterns of water molecules rearrange themselves, depending on the energy that is around them: the energy of a baby laughing creates a different pattern than that of heavy metal music. Of course it does…you can feel that difference in your own body, can’t you? You are energy. (By the way, you are also 70% water.)

In the same way, acupuncture points are actually shown, with scientific equipment, to have more electromagnetic conductivity (energy) than other points on the skin. It isn’t magic. It is science. It is just not a science that we are familiar with and taught as a culture.

The fact that the ancient Chinese understood all of this illustrates how extraordinarily perceptive they really were.

Acupuncture takes time to work:

But, in general, people don’t know any of this, so they think acupuncture should work like magic. Many people get disappointed when they find out that acupuncture takes time to help correct the body’s energy imbalances and enhance the body’s own healing abilities. They get frustrated when the herbal medicine doesn’t mask and suppress their symptoms like pharmaceuticals do. And they don’t want to hear that they are likely going to have to change some things about their lifestyle. So, at that point, a number of people assume that since it doesn’t work like magic, acupuncture doesn’t work at all, and they stop treatment before they realize any benefits. They’ve missed out on what acupuncture and Oriental medicine can offer them.

The “Lifestyle” Perception:

The approach that allows people the most benefit from this medicine is what I call the “lifestyle” attitude.

Lifestyle is the whole kit-and-kaboodle. What people feed themselves, what they drink, what they breathe, how they care for themselves, when they rest, how they handle stress, how they think about themselves and their bodies, how they move their bodies, what kind of people they surround themselves with; all of these factors play a role in the state of health and wellbeing.

The ancient Chinese knew this: Oriental medicine actually has 8 branches, of which acupuncture and herbal medicine are only two. The other 6 are:

1. nutrition (your diet is the foundation of good health!) 2. massage & bodywork (traditionally this also included adjustments similar to chiropractic.) 3. exercise (something that you enjoy; healthy bodies crave movement.) 4. feng shui (this is how you arrange your environment; is your home and workplace a joyful and comfortable place for you? Is it uncluttered, non-toxic and contain things that make you smile?) 5. spirituality (finding your place in the universe; do you have a positive spirituality and/or purpose in your life that brings you peace?) 6. location (does the geographic location that you live in suit you well? Are you hot all the time, but live in Florida anyway? Does wind give you headaches, but you live in Chicago?)

Most Doctors of Oriental Medicine don’t provide services dealing with the last 3 branches listed, but, you can see how comprehensive Oriental medicine actually is, and how vast the concept of health can be.

Oriental medicine is a Lifestyle medicine:

Oriental medicine is meant to help guide you toward healthier choices for your life, and to help you back into balance and health when things go awry. And, once that condition is resolved, acupuncture is a great preventive therapy to stave off recurrence or other types of illnesses. In this way, Oriental medicine is meant to become part of your new, healthy lifestyle. If you aren’t actively experiencing symptoms, maintenance treatments of once every 4 to 6 weeks are invaluable to help you stay well. (And, they are a great way to relieve stress.)

The people that get the most from this medicine are those that use it for everything, for their whole lives. They get maintenance treatments to stay well, and if they do start to catch a cold or flu, they call for some herbs and a treatment. Are you getting a bladder infection? Some arthritis pain in your ankle? Stressed for a big exam? Insomnia after a divorce? Does your child have a fever or cough? Call for a treatment and some herbs. We treat it all, and acupuncture can work amazingly fast and well when it catches the early stages of an illness or symptoms.

Oriental medicine is an incredible gift that you have available to you that is very safe, very effective, views you wholistically and provides multitudes of benefits. I encourage you to take full advantage of it.

Dawn Balusik, AP, DOM

#mentalshift #acupuncture #bodymindconnection #understandingacupunture #orientalmedicine