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Needles? Why You Shouldn’t Freak Out Over Acupuncture

Posted Sunday, March 13th, 2016 by

acupuncture, needle

Large portions of the population tend to get extremely worried about going in for any type of medical procedure. With acupuncture however there isn’t a need to be freaked out about your first appointment. Acupuncture is extremely low risk and even if you don’t know what to expect it has been clinically proven to provide positive benefits with minimal side effects.

People who get freaked out by needles may feel as though acupuncture is going to feel like getting hundreds of tiny injections throughout their body. This couldn’t be further from the truth and many qualified licensed acupuncture practitioners can actually make the process nearly painless. After you have gone in for your first acupuncture treatment you will know that there is absolutely nothing to fear from this procedure. Let’s explore some of the main concerns that people have with acupuncture so that we can help to put your mind at ease for your first visit.

What is involved in an acupuncture appointment?

For your first appointment your acupuncture practitioner will have to assess some of your symptoms, look at your tongue and pulse and then decide the proper course of treatment. A typical acupuncture appointment involves inserting acupuncture needles into acupuncture points to balance the body and its various systems. By balancing the body and its energy flow (or Qi) it possible for the body to repair itself as well as eliminate certain symptoms of pain, sickness and more. Although it may sound a little unnerving to have needles inserted throughout your body, the procedure is extremely safe when done by a qualified acupuncture practitioner. The procedure has in fact been done for over 3000 years now helping millions of people.

Does acupuncture hurt?

Acupuncture does not hurt and because of the size of the needles used in the treatment many people don’t even feel them at all. Most people say that they feel the needles as they go in but once the needles are inserted they don’t hurt at all. An acupuncture needle isn’t hollow like a traditional hypodermic needle and they are usually much thinner than the diameter of a human hair. Although positive sensations throughout the treatment have been reported by many patients, there really isn’t much in the way of actually feeling pain through the procedure at all. Most actually report that the feeling of an acupuncture needle going in is very similar to that of a mosquito bite. Once you have had the first needle inserted it can be fairly simple to go through the entire process.

Are the needles safe?

Just like any other medical procedure all of the needles used in acupuncture are pre-sterilized and pre-packaged as well as disposable. This means that as each needle is used it is disposed into a bio-hazard container that ensures not only the safe disposal but that the entire work space in an office is kept 100% clean.

Are there any side effects?

Acupuncture treatments can occasionally have side effects but most of them actually create a positive influence on your life. After a few sessions you can often start to experience better sleep, less stress, improve mental clarity, better digestion and improved energy levels. Some minor negative side effects that you might experience could include feeling lightheaded after a treatment as well as a bit more emotional on a day that you have experienced acupuncture. By in large acupuncture is relatively risk-free if you consider some of the side effects of drug/chemical treatments or major medical procedures.

Is acupuncture an unpopular form of treatment?

Surprisingly in a survey conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States over 30% of Americans were using alternative medicine in 2007. It is estimated that around 50% of Americans today have tried alternative medicine in some form and this includes procedures like acupuncture. If you are worried about acupuncture not being a popular treatment for wellness, or potentially not covered under your benefits package, it’s important to note that this treatment option is becoming more widespread and also widely accepted by many major benefits packages. The negative stigma associated with acupuncture is slowly going away and since there are actual scientific results that prove the validity of this treatment you should have nothing to worry about in feeling like it might be an unpopular treatment.

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