What & How's
How does it work?
at my practice in Amsterdam
How does it work?
online session
How does it work?
out of hours availability
Chinese medicine is a medical system that has been used for thousands of years to treat and prevent diseases, composed of different methods such as acupuncture, herbal treatment, Tuina, diet Tai-qi and more.
Over the years Chinese medicine practitioners have been documenting their experiments and experiences, and today Chinese medicine practitioners can rely both on ancient and modern evidence-based texts for their treatments.
At my practice, the treatment is individual and personally sewed for each patient, consisting of acupuncture, a herbal prescription, and lifestyle change recommendations (diet, physical and breathing exercises, external applications etc.)
My clinic is dedicated exclusively to women's health and I treat a broad spectrum of conditions and pathologies with a special focus on chronic vulvar and vaginal pain:
painful menstruation
pregnancy
postpartum
What is Chinese medicine?
What do I treat?
How does it work?
In the first session, I will first ask you many questions about the reason you are reaching out to me and other issues that may influence the quality of your life, in order to get a clear picture and to be able to diagnose your condition according to Chinese medicine.
This part takes about 60 minutes, right after I will ask you to lay on the treatment bed where I will check your “Chinese” pulse and observe your tongue, these are 2 effective diagnostic methods that can confirm my conclusions from the intake, with which I can sew an individual set of acupuncture points that 'will fit you at that moment.
In the next session, I will follow up with a few more questions (much less than in the first one) and may choose a completely different set of acupuncture points.
At my practice in Amsterdam:
Acupuncture:
Is the insertion of very thin disposable needles through your skin at the selected acupuncture points.
We still don't know exactly how it works but reviews of over 13,000 studies that have been conducted in the past 20 years prove that Chinese acupuncture is effective and not by the placebo effect (see here).
I am following distal acupuncture approaches, which means that I will usually choose points below your elbows and knees, on your skull, and around your belly button.
In some cases, I will choose points on the thighs, but this will only happen after I tried other less invasive options, and only after making sure that you are feeling completely comfortable with it.
I will NEVER suggest acupuncture in invasive intimacy areas (see in my blog: "The yellow emperor's new clothes")
Chronic conditions differ from acute and will usually require a longer treatment period with constant sessions. the number of required sessions vary and depends on many parameters mainly:
- how long the condition had been lasting
- the condition's severity
- the patient's collaboration between sessions (lifestyle changes, taking a herbal formula etc.)
In most chronic cases a weekly acupuncture treatment is required in the first 8-12 weeks, if the progress is constant and satisfying at the end of this period it is possible to reduce sessions gradually.
In chronic pain cases it is recommended to keep consistency of the treatments in the first few months even if the pain significantly decrease.
Arriving for 2 treatments a week will usually significantly quicken the process, in that case, the 2nd treatment each week takes only 30 minutes without any intake and costs half of an entire session.
If the condition's progress isn't satisfying within 3-4 sessions I usually recommend to add a herbal formula that I prescribe for each patient according to their individual diagnosis.
The prescription is included in the treatment fee. the herbs are paid separately directly to the pharmacy, its cost depends on the price of the single herbs and the dose that is taken, and can vary between 10-20 euros a week.
Follow-ups:
How does it work?
Online session:
Online follow-ups:
During lockdowns, I continued to successfully support my patients only with herbs, so when women from other countries reached out to me I felt confident enough to agree and the results were surprisingly very good (see my presentation of a case story here), since then I have been treating regularly women from many countries around the world!
The session is performed with a secure video app that opens with a link from any device: mobile, tablet or PC, without downloading the app.
The initial intake lasts 90 minutes, during which I ask many questions and if there's time left I recommend different methods that may suit the patient's condition (diet and other lifestyle changes, external treatment, etc.). when there isn't enough time during the session I email my recommendations.
In order to be as accurate as possible, it usually takes me a few days before I decide which herbs will compose the formula, I will ask for a tongue picture to confirm my diagnosis and I may need to email a few more questions (these conversations will be deleted once I type the information in your file).
The herbal formula's fee is not included and will be paid directly to the pharmacy, the cost depends on the price of the single herbs and the dose that is taken, and can vary between10-20 euros a week.
If the first update is short and does not require further correspondence, it can be emailed to me within 2 weeks, so I can order a new formula before the first one is finished and continuously doesn't break.
The next appointments will be scheduled every 3 weeks to follow up on your condition and progress so I can decide if the next herbal order will be the same, modified or if I need to prescribe a new herbal formula.
An appointment is mandatory for any analysis or diagnosis, It is not possible to do it by email.
Continuously is very important for successful results and it is the patient's responsibility to schedule follow-ups on time to receive the new herbal formula without having a long break in between.
My patient's sense of security during the process is of high importance to me after they leave my clinic as well, therefore, I dedicate one hour a day to respond to questions and concerns that may appear and cannot wait for our next appointment.
This assistance is free of charge and is possible by email from Monday to Friday. I will do my best to respond as soon as I can; time varies and depends on the number of emails I receive.
Urgent cases will get a priority, please mention urgency in the email subject.
For a professional analysis or diagnosis, it is mandatory to set an appointment, it is not possible to do it by email or by message.
First appointment (90 minutes)
initial intake & acupuncture
Follow-up (60 - 70 minutes)
short intake & acupuncture
Follow-up 2nd time a week (40 minutes)
acupuncture alone: 2nd session in the same week
Online consultation (90 minutes)
initial intake, consultation & a herbal prescription
Online consultation (up to 60 minutes)
follow up to renew a herbal prescription
€115
€85
€55
€115
€85
What is the cost?
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As a member of the LVNT association, acupuncture treatments are covered by most health insurance companies in accordance with your personal insurance agreement (herbal consultations are usually NOT covered).
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In case of a cancellation please make sure to notify 24 hours in advance, if not, a full rate of the treatment will be charged.
How does it work?
Out of hours availability: