FAQs
Click specific questions below for more information:
General Questions:
Q: What is acupuncture?
Q: What conditions can acupuncture treat?
Q: Does acupuncture treat anything beyond this list?
Q: Is acupuncture a general cure for everything?
Q: How deep do the needles go?
Q: Does it hurt?
Q: Are the needles clean?
Q: How does acupuncture work?
Q: How many treatments will I need?
How to Prepare for My Acupuncture Appointment:
Q: Is there anything I need to do before receiving an acupuncture treatment?
Q: Is there anything I need to do while receiving acupuncture?
Q: What can I expect after treatment?
General Infomation
Q: What is acupuncture?
A: Acupuncture is the insertion of fine needles into the body at specific points which have been empirically proven effective in the treatment of specific disorders. Recently their location has been confirmed by electromagnetic research.
Q: What conditions can acupuncture treat?
A: According to the World Health Organization, acupuncture is suitable for treating:
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Ear, Nose & Throat Disorders:
Toothaches, pain after tooth extraction, gingivitis, ear infections, sinusitis, rhinitis, nasal congestion, tonsillitis.
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Respiratory Disorders:
Bronchial asthma (in children or adults when uncomplicated).
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Digestive Disorders:
Hiccups, gastritis, ulcers, colitis, constipation, diarrhea, esophageal spasm, sour stomach, dysentery, paralytic ileus.
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Eye Disorders:
Conjunctivitis, central retinitis, childhood near-sightedness, uncomplicated cataracts.
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Neurological & Muscular Disorders:
Headaches, migraines, trigeminal neuralgia, facial paralysis (early stage), stroke recovery, nerve pain, neurological bladder issues, bed wetting, intercostal neuralgia, frozen shoulder, tennis elbow, sciatica, low back pain, osteoarthritis, cervical syndrome.
Q: Does acupuncture treat anything beyond this list?
A: Yes. For centuries in China, acupuncture has also been used to treat:
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Knee pain
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Sprains and strains
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Most gynecological complaints
Many patients also notice improved general health and well-being, as acupuncture helps correct minor imbalances before they develop into larger health issues.
Q: Is acupuncture a general cure for everything?
A: While acupuncture treats a wide range of conditions, it is not a single drug or a “magic pill.” Instead, it is a complete system of medicine designed to support your body’s natural healing by restoring balance and addressing root causes.
Q: How deep do the needles go?
A: That depends upon the nature of the problem, the underlying anatomy of the points selected, the patient’s size, age, and constitution, and upon the acupuncturist’s style or school. In general, needles are inserted from ¼” to 1” in depth.
Q: Does it hurt?
A: In Chinese, acupuncture is bu tong, painless. However, if the correct stimulus of the needles has been obtained, the patient should feel some cramping, heaviness, distention, tingling, or electric sensation either around the needle or traveling up or down the affected energy pathway or meridian. In English, these sensations may be categorized by some people as types of pain, which they are not in Chinese. In any case, if there is any discomfort, it is usually mild.
Q: Are the needles clean?
A: Yes. Most acupuncturists in America today use pre-sterilized, individually packaged, disposable needles thus absolutely assuring that there is no transmission of communicable disease from patient to patient due to contaminated needles. The National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists does include a Clean Needle Test as part of every national board exam for acupuncturists in America.
Q: How does acupuncture work?
A: That’s a big question. Traditionally, acupuncture is based on ancient Chinese theories of the flow of Qi (energy) and Xue (Blood) through discrete channels or meridians which traverse the body similar but not identical to the nervous and blood circulatory systems. According to this theory, acupuncture regulates this flow of Qi shunting it to those areas where it is Deficient and draining it from where it is Excess. Thus acupuncture regulates and restores the harmonious energetic balance of the body. In Chinese there is a famous dictum, “There is no pain if there is a free flow; if there is pain, there is no free flow.” Essentially acupuncture promotes the free and balanced flow of Qiand Blood.
Q: How many treatments will I need?
A: That depends upon the duration, severity, and nature of each individual’s complaint. Generally from five to fifteen treatments are adequate for the majority of chronic ailments. Many acute conditions may only require a single treatment and some degenerative conditions may require scores of treatments. However, the patient has the right to expect that their major complaint will be addressed and treated in a direct and timely manner.
How to Prepare for My Appointment
Q: Is there anything I need to do before receiving an acupuncture treatment?
A: Yes, the following suggestions will help you get the maximum benefits from your treatment:
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Maintain good personal hygiene to reduce the possibility of bacterial infection.
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Wear loose clothing. Women should not wear one-piece dresses.
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Avoid treatment when excessively fatigued, hungry, full, emotionally upset, or shortly after sex.
Q: Is there anything I need to do while receiving acupuncture?
A: Yes, there are a few things you can do:
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There is no need to be frightened. RELAX. Relaxation is something that cannot be overemphasized.
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Inform your practitioner immediately if you experience dizziness, nausea, cold sweat, shortness of breath, or faintness during treatment – this is known as needle shock. Your practitioner will withdraw the needles. Needle shock is primarily due to anxiety in first-time patients. It rarely happens if the patient is treated lying down.
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Feel free to let your practitioner know of any pain or burning sensations experienced during acupuncture or moxibustion. If you find acupuncture or electro-acupuncture unbearable at any point during treatment, be sure to speak up so that the proper adjustments can be made.
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Do not change position or move suddenly.
Q: What can I expect after treatment?
A: One may experience an immediate total or partial relief of their pain or other symptoms. This relief may last or some of the pain may return. In a few cases, the pain may seem even worse. This is called the rebound effect. By the next day, the pain can be expected to gradually improve. Often the most dramatic results are experienced in the first treatment. However, one should see further incremental improvement after each subsequent treatment. In a few cases, there may be no immediate relief only to experience the pain diminish over the next couple of days.