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	> What is Acupuncture
	> Where Did it Originate
	> Medical Recognition
	> How Does it Work
	> Special Equipment Used
	> What Can I Expect
	> How Will I Feel Afterwards
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Acupuncture

What Can I Expect During a Treatment?

During the first office visit, the acupuncturist will ask for detailed information about health condition, lifestyle, and behavior. This includes any emotional turbulence, anger, frustrations, and general stress you may be undergoing. The acupuncturist will want to build a complete picture of behaviors that may contribute to any conditions being experienced, and also be aware of any other treatments and/or medications you may be using.

The treatment will take place in a private room, which will often have a very relaxing and comforting ambience, such as soft colors and soothing music.

The acupuncturist will swab each acupoint being treated with alcohol before inserting a very fine needle into the skin. The number of needles used during treatment and their location can vary, as can the depths at which they are unserted. The needles are inserted into the skin in carefully chosen acupoints on the body.

Often the acupuncturist may use a ruler to measure the distance between various parts of the body to calculate the location of the acupoints (e.g. the distance from pelvic bone to knee, which will vary from person to person, therefore the location of the acupoint may need to be calculated).

People experience Acupuncture differently, but most feel either no pain or an extremely minimal "prick" as the needles are inserted (much less than the prick experienced during a medical injection, due to the fineness of the Acupuncture needle). Depending on the treatment and which acupoints are being stimulated, some people feel energized by treatment, while others feel relaxed. Most report the sensation of the needle insertion as "barely noticeable." Occasionally, a mild tingling or achiness may be experienced, or a sensation similar to a mild electrical impulse in areas far from the insertion point. The needles used for Acupuncture are much smaller than the standard hypodermic needle, do not draw blood, and are solid, not hollow.

When performed by a qualified acupuncturist, the needles are disposable and used under sterile conditions. It is highly unusual to have complications from needle usage. Improper needle placement or a defect in the needle can cause soreness and pain during treatment. This is why it is very important to seek treatment from a qualified acupuncturist.

During the treatment, the Acupuncture needles may be twirled, energized electrically, or warmed with moxaDried mugwort leaves burned on or above the skin to stimulate an acupuncture point (the herb "mugwort") to intensify the effect of the treatment. When electricity is applied, a tingling sensation is common which can be modulated by the acupuncturist if discomfort is experienced.

After a series of needles have been inserted, they are left in place for a time period ranging from several minutes to an hour. The client is often left alone with the lights dimmed. Some clients fall asleep during this time.

In a treatment series, the client may notice the acupuncturist inserting needles into different acupoints for each treatment. Acupoints used too often loses their sensitivity. If a patient requires continuous treatment, the acupoints used are often rotated to allow the points that have been used to regain their sensitivity.

Clients may also notice different needling techniques and treatment devices used, which are varied from treatment to treatment. As each client requires an individual form of treatment, these combinations help stimulate new sources of healing within the body, as the person's response to treatments are observed.

Usually, clients leave in less discomfort than when they walked in. Sometimes the effects are too subtle to immediately perceive, especially in the beginning of treatment. As the treatments progress, the improvements become more and more apparent.

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