Phangnga Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic
General Questions
1
Should make an appointment in advance?
Answer: To ensure that we can provide thorough and quality examination and treatment for each patient, we kindly request that you make an appointment in advance. Walk-in patients without an appointment may experience a long wait time. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us provide the best possible care for all of our patients.
2
What payment methods are available?
Answer: We accept payments in cash (Thai Baht only), credit card, bank transfer, or via QR PromptPay.
3
What languages can we communicate in?
Answer: We can communicate in Thai, Chinese and English. For languages like Russian, Arabic, or other languages, we may need assistance tools for communication.
4
Why do we want you to have a clinical assessment?
Answer: To assess the musculoskeletal condition, physical condition and various symptoms to determine the cause and mechanism of the symptom for the most accurate diagnosis and consultation.
It cannot be evaluated by calls or messages
(For photo shooting, there are still differences in display colors, shooting angles, lighting conditions, etc.)
5
How should I prepare myself before a treatment?
Answer:
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You should eat food 1-2 hours before acupuncture because acupuncture during the patient's exhaustion, hunger, or very distension will have a chance to be dizzy.
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You must relax and get enough sleep the night before your acupuncture session.
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You must wear comfortable clothes that are not too tight. (Don't worry, we have a patient gown for you.)
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Please inform the doctor about all your symptoms as the traditional Chinese medicine team considers the whole body as one. Please report the actual symptoms for accurate diagnosis.
6
What are the contraindications or precautions for the treatment?
Answer:
Caution (Acupuncture, cupping therapy, and Chinese medicine are covered but may be limited in some cases)
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Exhaustion, hunger or excessive distension.
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People with heart disease, anxiety, and trypanophobia or unable to control themselves should inform the doctor and have relatives to look after them while receiving treatment.
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Patients with pacemaker implantation should inform the doctor before every acupuncture procedure.
Restriction!! (Acupuncture and cupping therapy are strictly forbidden, but Chinese medicine can be taken in some cases.)
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There is an infected wound in the area to be treated.
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Vascular disease with abnormal blood clotting system.
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Patients taking these drugs within 14 days
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Anticoagulant
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rtPA
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LMVH (Fraxiparin & Clexan)
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Pradaxa (Dabigatran )
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Xarelto (Rivaroxaban)
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Eliquis (Apixaban)
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Lixiana (Edoxaban)
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Orfarin (Warfarin)
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Heparin
7
Can women receive treatment while they are menstruating?
Answer: Acupuncture and cupping treatments can be performed. Appropriate points will be selected, and areas that may stimulate increased blood flow or cause discomfort will be avoided. Since acupuncture and cupping can improve blood circulation, they can help reduce menstrual cramps and other related symptoms.
8
Can the treatment costs be claimed through insurance?
Answer: We recommend consulting your insurance representative directly, as insurance policies vary. Patients typically need to pay the clinic directly, and the clinic will provide a treatment certificate and receipt for you to use when filing your claim with the insurance company.
9
Do we offer transportation services?
Answer: Apologies, but we do not provide a transportation service. Patients need to travel to the clinic on their own.
Questions about Chinese Medicine
1
Is the Phangnga Clinic's Chinese medicine difficult to swallow and has a bitter taste?
Answer: Most of Phang Nga Clinic's Chinese medicines are in pre-formulated formulations, packed in capsules and powdered concoctions with easy to swallow and not bitter formulas. It is also gentle on the stomach without chemical additives.
2
What are the forms of Chinese medicine at Phangnga Clinic?
Answer: We provide 2 types of Chinese herbal medicine
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Chinese Medicine Capsules:
Advantages: - Easy to take, no smell or taste with a cheap price (starting at 480 baht), easy to adjust the dosage.
Disadvantages: - Because the drug is in natural form and not extracted, the number of pills per day is quite large (6 capsules/day/recipe).
FYI: People who are not good at taking pills may need to drink a lot of water and causing bloating. We recommend that you split the dose or take out the capsules and brew them in warm water.
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Chinese Medicine Powder:
Advantages - slight smell and taste, small daily dosage, easy dosage adjustment.
Disadvantages - High price (starting at 900 baht).
3
Are Chinese herbal medicines dangerous and contain steroids?
Answer: The clinic is supervised and dispensed by licensed traditional Chinese medicine practitioners with high safety.
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All of the clinic's drugs do not contain synthetic steroids. We have a clear hospital and nursing facility license.
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However, it also contains natural steroids which are already found in humans, plants and other living things. (Chemical structural formula bonding is not the same as synthetic steroids)
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Some people may have side effects such as a rash, especially with animal-derived formulations. If you have any adverse reactions, please tell your doctor (Usually, we will inform the patient of any potential symptoms when dispensing).
4
Can Chinese medicine be used in conjunction with Modern medicines or Thai traditional medicine?
Answer: You should regularly inform us of the medications you are taking to avoid drug interactions.
Modern medicines - Yes: You have to take medicines 1 hour apart, which is based on the time of taking modern medicines.
Thai Medicine - Yes: As there are many similar herbs, you must let us know to adjust the Chinese medicine to be the most suitable.
Questions about Acupuncture
1
Does acupuncture really help? How does it work??
Answer: You can read about the mechanism of acupuncture and examples of conditions recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the article at this link 👉 Understanding Acupuncture and its Healing Properties
2
How are acupuncture needles? Will it hurt? How will I feel?
Answer:
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It is a disposable sterile blunt needle. The size and length depend on the suitability of different points of the body.
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Used needles are destroyed and not reused.
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Acupuncture doesn't hurt like an injection because it's a blunt needle and is small.
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In general, you will feel a slight pain as the needle passes through the skin. After that, you will feel a slight numbness at the acupuncture points.
3
Is acupuncture safe and what are the dangers?
Answer: Acupuncture is a safe treatment with no serious side effects. If acupuncture or traditional Chinese medicine is properly treated by acupuncture, symptoms or side effects may occur. However, symptoms will improve within 72 hours.
If you can't stand it, we suggest you do the following:
Fever/soreness: You can take painkillers to reduce fever as usual.
Swelling/bruises: first 24 hours put a cold compress, then a hot compress.
However, there may be pneumothorax, bent needles, broken needles, and miscarriages that can occur if care providers are not careful or knowledgeable.
4
How long and how often do I need treatment?
Answer:
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If you have general aches and pains, we recommend 3-5 consecutive treatments to see the change and duration of the treatment effect.
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The frequency of initial acupuncture is 1-2 times a week or depending on the symptoms and physical condition of the patient.
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After that, will gradually abstain according to the symptoms of each person.
5
What do I need to take care of after treatment and do I need to recuperate?
Answer: You can use your daily life as usual. Most of the time, you don't need to recuperate.
But some people may have soreness or fever for 2-3 days, especially after Dry Needling.
Recommendations after treatment:
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Get plenty of rest for another day and don't go back to overworking or exercising to the point of exhaustion.
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Refrain from taking a shower for 2 hours after acupuncture or cupping therapy.
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If you have these symptoms after treatment, generally the symptoms will improve on their own within 72 hours. If you can't stand it, we suggest you do the following:
Fever/soreness: You can take painkillers to reduce fever as usual.
Swelling/bruises: first 24 hours put a cold compress, then a hot compress.
Questions about Cupping Therapy
1
How does cupping therapy feel? Does it hurt?
Answer: In general, you won't feel pain but will linger on the area where the cupping is applied. If there is a lot of fascia in the treated area, it may hurt in the first time.
2
How many days will the cupping therapy disappear?
Answer: The cupping marks will gradually fade and disappear for about 5-7 days.
3
Can I go sunbathing after cupping?
Answer: It is not recommended to expose the cupping area to direct sunlight immediately after the treatment. It is best to avoid sunbathing for at least 24 hours to allow the skin to heal properly.