A: If the practitioner has obtained the proper stimulus of the needle, the patient will sometimes feel heaviness or tingling around the area of insertion. The patient may experience a prick with the initial insertion, but is able to have a very relaxing experience for the time of the treatment.

A: Yes. All acupuncturists are required to follow the clean needle technique (CNT) regulations, which require that the needles used are sterilized, single-use, individually packaged, disposable needles. This eliminates the possibility of spreading infections via potentially contaminated needles.

A: It depends on the location of the points selected, the patient’s size, age, constitution, nature of the condition treated, as well as the style of needling that the acupuncturist chooses. Most of the time, the needles are inserted from 1/4 to 1 inch in depth.

A: It depends on the severity, duration, and the condition being treated. Some individuals may only need one treatment for an acute condition. Others may need a series of six to twelve treatments to resolve chronic problems. Degenerative conditions may require more treatments over a longer period of time.

A: Patients often experience an immediate, partial or total relief of their symptoms. In some cases, relief may be gradual with each treatment. The amount of time that this relief lasts varies based on the condition and the individual.