What is acupuncture good for?
The following ailments and conditions generally respond well to acupuncture treatment: acute strains and sprains of muscles and joints; chronic neck and back pain; headache; menstrual irregularities; constipation; diarrhea; indigestion; impotence; post-stroke paralysis and addictions such as overeating, smoking and drug dependence.This is by no means a definitive list. Many practitioners develop a special interest in and achieve good results treating for example certain skin conditions like acne or respiratory disorders such as asthma.
What's involved in having an acupuncture treatment?
Depending on the location and nature of your complaint you will be asked to lie on the treatment table either face down or on your back and sometimes on one side. Usually from 4 to 12 acupuncture points are selected for needling by the practitioner. Commonly needled points are located on the arms below the elbows, the legs below the knees and along both sides of the spine from the neck to the buttocks. Once located, each point is swabbed with alcohol before insertion. After insertion, the practitioner may gently rotate each needle backwards and forwards and ask you to report any sensations of tingling or warmth around or away from the needle site. These are desired sensations and indicate that the acupuncture point has been correctly located. Generally, needles are left in place for about 20 minutes. More acute and painful conditions usually mean longer treatment time. All you have to do now is lie there and relax although the treatment will often have this effect on you anyway. Many patients drift away during a treatment and some even fall asleep.
Does acupuncture hurt?
For people that haven't experienced acupuncture before this is an obvious question to ask. In 8 years though as a TCM practitioner it was rarely asked of me. Most people were more concerned about whether the treatment would be beneficial to their complaint and whether the needles were clean(yes, single-use disposables only). Sure you'll feel something but the needles are extremely fine and the resulting sensations are often likened to that of a mosquito bite. What you feel mainly depends on the location of the points to be needled, the thickness of the needle and the skill of the practitioner. Many people tend to be quite sensitive on their hands and feet although I have never had a patient ask me to stop because it hurt too much!
