What will I experience during my acupuncture treatment?
What does acupuncture feel like?
Most people find their acupuncture treatments relaxing.
Some sensations may arise with needle insertion, but are typically minimal and dissipate quickly. Adverse effects and complications are almost entirely absent.
Acupuncture professionals use sterile single use needles so there is no risk of infection or transmission of disease.
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Aching, heat and heaviness are often experienced during acupuncture treatment. This is the “de Qi effect.” For most patients these sensations are brief. For others (0.5%) the sensation may last from five minutes to several hours. Your practitioner will not consider this an undesirable outcome.
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The needles are pretty painless.
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Even if you’re typically afraid of needles, you need not be alarmed when it comes to acupuncture! Acupuncture needles are similar in diameter to a strand of hair. Most people find acupuncture very comfortable, and your practitioner will work within your comfort level and work with your breath during the treatment to make the needling as comfortable as possible.
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* Consuming caffeine and/or sugar before receiving acupuncture can increase your sensitivity to the needles. Therefore, we recommend that you avoid these in the hours before your appointment.
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Significant adverse effects:
As in any medical treatment, there is some risk: the most common risks of acupuncture include bruising, bleeding, and soreness at the site of insertion.
Before Visiting Noble Heart Wellness
Eat a light meal and hydrate before your appointment.
Please hydrate and eat a small, well-balanced meal about 1-2 hours before your appointment to prevent feelings of dizziness or lightheadedness and to help with your recovery.
Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothes.
Please wear comfortable, loose-clothes to your appointment, such as a pair of loose-fitting shorts or wide leg yoga pants and a tank top or sports bra.
Know Before You Go
Your acupuncturist will conduct a thorough intake/interview during the initial appointment
Similar to any other healthcare provider, your acupuncturist will ask about allergies, medications, alcohol consumption, family medical history, etc.
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Additionally, they will ask about your chief complaint and any additional health concerns that prompted you to seek acupuncture treatment.
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Many patients seek acupuncture to treat moderate to severe health issues. But acupuncture can also help prevent illness or maintain your overall wellbeing. If you are unsure about how acupuncture can help or what conditions acupuncture can treat, please call our front desk to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with our acupuncturist.
Your session might be covered by insurance
Bring your insurance card with you to your appointment! You must call your insurance company ahead of time and see if and what they cover. Nowadays, more and more insurance plans are starting to cover acupuncture; currently, you’re more likely to receive coverage if you are referred from your primary care physician or have certain ailments such as chronic back, neck, or knee pain. As of 2019, Medicare will also pay for acupuncture that is part of low back pain research. With hopes, coverage will continue to expand in the near future.
Acupuncture might treat more than your current ailment.
If something feels off in your body but begins to fade before your appointment, it’s best to still go anyways. Acupuncture focuses on the whole body with all of its complex interconnections, and you might be surprised to find that even if you’re feeling “okay,” acupuncture can make you feel great. Often, people will come in for neck, shoulder, or back pain, and then experience release in other areas of the body. So don’t be surprised if come looking for relief in one area, and then return for more to address other physiological and physiological needs!
Say “aah!”
The acupuncturist will look at your tongue and feel the pulse on both wrists as part of the intake and diagnosis process. The tongue and pulse provide a snapshot of health of organ systems, Qi, Blood, Fluids, and the balance of Yin and Yang in an individual. For more information diagnostic methods used in Chinese medicine, please see the acupuncture information page on our website.
For your next appointment, it may be more than needles.
While acupuncture is highly effective at treating many health conditions, every patient is unique. Your practitioner may utilize additional treatment modalities such as cupping, Gua Sha, TuiNa, Chinese herbal medicine, aromatherapy, moxibustion, or heat therapy to optimize results.