What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture has been around for about 2,500 years and has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine. It is used to help heal illness as well as well-being. The process of acupuncture begins with placing needles into specific points on the skin to help activate energy in the body, called qi (pronounced chee). In traditional Chinese medicine, it is said that qi is the lifeforce energy in the body and helps regulate and move things in the body to keep us well. Therefore, whenever stress, environmental factors, lifestyle behaviors, and genetics sometimes block qi in the body, acupuncturists use needles to unblock or move qi to other areas in the body to help you heal.
Acupuncture may be more sensitive in certain areas, but it should not hurt. The needles are not usually painful on areas that have thicker skin and muscles. For example, your belly and back are less sensitive. On the other hand, certain points like your hands and feet might be more sensitive. If you ever feel pain, tell your acupuncturist. They will adjust the needles or choose other points. Their goal is to make sure you feel comfortable and relaxed.
How to Prepare
for an Acupuncture Appointment
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Bring a list of all your current medications and supplements
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Eat an appropriate meal before your appointment
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Avoid caffeine before your appointment
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Set aside time to be relaxed and avoid stressful activity after your appointment
At the start of a session, the acupuncturist will ask about your medical history and symptoms. They will also do a thorough examination to find any imbalances in your body. Based on the examination, they will select the appropriate points to insert needles.
When most people think of needles, they may think of the hollow ones used for vaccines or drawing blood. Those needles can be painful, but they aren’t the same needles that are used for acupuncture. Acupuncture needles are solid, stainless steel that are not usually much larger than a strand of hair. Since acupuncture needles go between tissues, it makes them less painful than other needles.
Treatment will consist of the use of needles or pressure (with hand or other implement) to access the Qi of the channels, usually at specific points along the body. It may also involve the use of moxibustion (the burning of a medicinal herb either directly on the body or indirectly from an inch or so away), cupping (glass cups placed on the skin with a negative pressure, producing suction) or other techniques specific to the acupuncturist’s training. You may feel some discomfort during the insertion of the needles—this is normal. Typically, a session will go for an hour.
Treatment
and what to expect during the session
Post-Treatment
after acupuncunture
After your treatment, your practitioner will probably discuss your future treatment options with you as well as providing you with any recommended supplements or herbal formulas. It is very important that you understand what your acupuncturist is explaining to you—if you have ANY questions at all, do not hesitate to ask. This is particularly the case if you are being asked to use bulk/crude herbs, boiled at home and drank over a period of time.
There are many important things you should pay attention to, such as:
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How to boil the herb
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With how much water?
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In what kind of container?
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How to drink the herbs
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How often?
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What temperature?
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With food or without?
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How to store the herbs
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At room temperature or in the refrigerator?
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