A treatment involves puncturing the skin with needles at certain anatomical points in the body. Needles are sterile, disposable, and used only once. They are surgical stainless steel and regulated by the FDA. Unlike standard needles used for intramuscular injections or for drawing blood, acupuncture needles are solid, not hollow, and have a finely tapered point, as opposed to a beveled cutting-edge point. Acupuncture needles are so thin that they can fit within the hollow of a standard blood-drawing needle.

Patients report different feelings associated with acupuncture, but most feel minimal discomfort as the needle is inserted. Any sensation subsides quickly. Once they are all in place, the needles are not noticeable. They remain in place, and most patients enter a state of deep relaxation or sleep for 20-40 minutes.

A standard course of care for many conditions is 10 treatments at a frequency of 1-3 treatments per week. A series of treatments may be needed for a cumulative effect. Some conditions can be successfully treated in only one or two sessions.

In addition to needles, other forms of stimulation are sometimes used, including:

radiant heat therapymassage
electrostimulationmoxibustion

The number of treatments needed will vary according to:

the nature of the conditionhow long the condition has existed
overall health and constitutionlifestyle: excercise, diet, stress
frequency of treatment


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