Frequently Asked Questions

Acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system. This, in turn, releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes may stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.

Acupuncture is used mainly to relieve discomfort associated with a variety of diseases and conditions, including: Chemotherapy-induced and postoperative nausea and vomiting. Dental pain. Headaches, including tension headaches and migraines.Mar 3, 2020

Traditional Chinese acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely fine needles into the skin at specific “acupoints.” This may relieve pain by releasing endorphins, the body’s natural pain-killing chemicals, and by affecting the part of the brain that governs serotonin, a brain chemical involved with mood.Jun 15, 2016

The most common side effects of acupuncture include bleeding, soreness, or bruising at the site of needle insertion. Other risks of acupuncture include dizziness, fainting, local internal bleeding, convulsions, hepatitis B, dermatitis, nerve damage, increased pain, and very rarely injury to an internal organ.

There is no universal response to acupuncture. Some people feel relaxed and may be a little tired, others feel energized and ready for anything, Kempisty explains. Some people experience an improvement right away and for others it can take several treatments before noticing a positive change. Nov 30, 2017

After your treatment, take it easy. It’s best to avoid the substances listed above (alcohol, caffeine, etc,) heavy exercise, stressful intellectual work and sex for the rest of the day after you’ve had acupuncture.May 18, 2016

Acupuncture treatments are expensive. While fees vary, in many instances initial acupuncture visits ranges from $75 to $95 for a session and medical consultation. Once an initial consult is complete, weekly routine visits may cost between $50 and $70.Apr 25, 2018

Sometimes your first acupuncture treatment will be more painful than your following treatments. This could be because certain energy points on your body are being activated for the first time. Your symptoms may worsen slightly before they get better. “Pain isn’t a negative thing, but you don’t want it to last.

“Acupuncture stimulates the body’s natural feel-good hormones and reduces the level of stress hormones like cortisol,” says Mathew Kulas, MA, RAc, an acupuncturist at Henry Ford Health System. Studies show that acupuncture is an effective treatment for anxiety, with fewer side effects than medications.Nov 3, 2020

“After decades of research and hundreds of acupuncture pain trials, including thousands of patients, we still have no clear mechanism of action, insufficient evidence for clinically worthwhile benefit, and possible harms. Therefore, doctors should not recommend acupuncture for pain,” they conclude.Mar 7, 2018

The needles will stay in place for between 5 and 30 minutes. The number of treatments needed depend on the individual. A person with a chronic condition may need one to two treatments a week over several months. An acute problem normally improves after 8 to 12 sessions.

One well-researched effect of acupuncture is reducing inflammation throughout the body. Acupuncture stimulates chemicals that reduce swelling and quiet unwanted immune responses and allergic reactions.Oct 20, 2017

Most acupuncture points are located close to the skin’s surface. The needles are may be inserted from 1/16 to a few inches deep. The depth of the needle depends on the individual, their condition, the patient’s size, age, and the location of the points selected.

Acupuncture works as a natural diuretic and helps the body to eliminate toxins in urine cleansing organs such as the kidneys, colon, skin and liver. The process is believed to balance of Qi (pronounced as chi) which is an important life energy force that creates nourishment and alignment of body functions.

Sometimes following acupuncture, some feel worse before they start feeling better. People can feel tired after acupuncture. A more common result is increased energy. The fatigue after acupuncture is your body telling you that it’s depleted.Jan 30, 2019

Acupuncture is beneficial for depression because of its ability to regulate energy flow throughout the body, and its ability to stimulate the production of endorphins, which are essential for mental health and wellbeing. Endorphins are feel good chemicals released in the brain.Jan 31, 2020

Although acupressure may provide some pain relief for people in labor, other strategies, such as ice massage, provide more significant pain reduction, according to a 2017 study. There is evidence to suggest that applying pressure to certain acupressure points can induce labor.Jul 6, 2020

Acupuncture may help you lose weight, but the research is limited and the evidence is mixed. It could help you, personally, lose weight, but it’s not clear if positive effects come from a specific acupuncture treatment or from your positive attitude, which is helping you make healthier lifestyle choices.

The bottom line is, you’re better off drinking more water no matter what day it is. However, after a session of massage or acupuncture you should take a day to ensure that you’re best utilizing all of that increased circulation to improve your body’s chances of healing. So drink up!

Moving your body while acupuncture needles are in place is not going to kill you. The pain is nothing excruciating, usually just a passing twinge that immediately subsides. And with some points, you could wave your arms and kick your legs in the air without feeling a thing.May 29, 2012

Acupuncture in the treatment of frozen shoulder with the results achieved in the general case acupuncture may improve shoulder motion in patients. VAS index at three months after treatment compared with the control group had a greater improvement.

Call your health insurance provider to find out if your plan covers acupuncture for your condition. Aetna, for instance, may cover it for nausea and pain when administered by a physician. Aetna also offers discounts for additional conditions not covered by insurance.

Some may actually experience benefit after the first treatment. Each session may last 30 minutes to an hour, with the needles being retained for 15 minutes or so. Depending on the condition being treated, duration of sessions may be from two to six sessions.Dec 23, 2008

Does Acupuncture Hurt? Acupuncture needles are very thin, and most people feel no pain or very little pain when they are inserted. They often say they feel energized or relaxed after the treatment. However, the needles can cause temporary soreness.

In an article examining rare, but serious, complications of acupuncture, there were only 2 published case reports of peripheral-nerve damage: 1 involving a broken needle in the carpal tunnel that caused neuropathy of the median nerve; and 1 involving a needle inserted in the region of the fibular head, which led to …Jun 17, 2019

It is very possible to cry during or after acupuncture. Along with the physical parts of you becoming unstuck, emotions become free-flowing as well. The emotional release that can happen in acupuncture is often unexpected, but it is generally a very positive experience.

Acupuncture needles are solid, stainless steel needles that are usually not much larger than a strand of hair. Acupuncture needles go between tissues, making them less painful.Feb 24, 2020

Pressure point Extra-1, also called Yin Tang, is located at the midpoint between your eyebrows. Doing acupressure on this point can help relieve stress and anxiety. Sit back in a comfortable position. Place your right thumb or forefinger between your eyebrows (see Figure 1).Oct 24, 2019

You’re more aware When acupuncture starts working, it can feel as if all of your senses just got a tune up. You hear birds chirping a little louder. The sky looks bluer. You notice the texture of your shirt against your skin.May 2, 2013

This is when you come in every eight weeks to three months to keep up your health and keep your symptoms at bay. If you have questions about acupuncture for anxiety, Sep. 18, 2019

Bleeding disorder such as hemophilia or use of blood thinners. Infections skin disorder or disease. If pregnant, needling in the abdominal area or lumbosacral region should be avoided. It is also advisable to avoid any acupuncture that might stimulate the early delivery of the fetus or even lead to abortion.

How to Prepare for an Acupuncture AppointmentSet Aside Time Before and After Your Appointment. … Bring a List of All Your Current Medications and Supplements. … Eat an Appropriate Amount Before Your Appointment. … Opt for Loose-Fitting, Comfortable Clothing. … Avoid Caffeine Before Your Appointment.

Jian Jing is in the muscles of your shoulder, about halfway between your neck and where your arms begin. This point has been used in successful acupuncture studies of headache and muscle tension . Jian Jing may also successfully treat the pain of a sore or stiff neck.