Q: Does it hurt?
A: If your practitioner has obtained the correct stimulus of the needle, the patient should feel some cramping, heaviness, distension, tingling, or an electric sensation around the needle or traveling up or down the infected meridian, or energy pathway. In Chinese, acupuncture is bu tong, painless. Some Western cultures may categorize these sensations as types of pain. In any case, if you experience any discomfort it is usually mild.
Q: Are the needles clean?
A: The best practice among acupuncturists in America today is to use sterilized, individually wrapped, disposable needles. Needles should not be saved and reused for later treatments. This eliminates the possibility of transmitting a communicable disease by a contaminated needle.
Q: How does acupuncture work?
A: Modern Western medicine cannot explain how acupuncture works. Traditional acupuncture is based on ancient Chinese theories of the flow of Qi (Energy) and Xue (Blood) through distinct meridians or pathways that cover the body somewhat like the nerves and blood vessels do. According to ancient theory, acupuncture allows Qi to flow to areas where it is deficient and away from areas where it is excess. In this way, acupuncture regulates and restores the harmonious energetic balance of the body. In Chinese there is a saying, “There is no pain if there is free flow; if there is pain, there is no free flow.”
Q: Are there different styles of acupuncture?
A: Yes, there are. Acupuncture originate in China but has spread to Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Europe, the British Isles, and America. Indifferent countries, different styles have developed based on different opinions as to theory and technique. Patients should talk to their practitioners about their particular style and learn as much as possible about the treatment being proposed.
Q: What criteria should one use in choosing an acupuncturist?
A: Patients should ask about where the practitioner trained, how long the training was, how long he or she has been in practice, and what experience the practitioner has had in treating the patient’s specific ailment.
Acupuncture is a licensed and regulated healthcare profession in about half the states in the U.S. Ask your practitioner if your state requires a license to practice. In states that do not require licensing, patients should ask their practitioner if they are certified by the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists. Acupuncturists who have passed this exam are entitled to add Dipl.Ac. (Diplomate of Acupuncture) After their name