What to Expect during acupuncture treatment?

Assessment: Your acupuncturist will ask some questions regarding your complaints, life style, diet, sleep pattern, stress, emotional state, energy level and etc.
She or he will also check your pulse, tongue and palpate different parts of your body and meridians(energy pathways) to diagnose you and come up with treatment plan.

Treatment: Very thin acupuncture needles will be inserted in the acupuncture points on the different parts of the body depending on your condition and diagnosis. Depth of the insertion varies depending on the points and person's body type but in general it is from 0.039 inches to 0.4 inches.

De Qi: Once a needle is inserted, depending on the point, your acupuncturist may further stimulate the point by gentle twirling or vibrating the needle to obtain De Qi (obtaining energy)sensation. De Qi can be felt as a dull aching sensation, distending warmth, or in some cases, a cool sensation. Having De Qi means that the point is activated and energy is being transferred.

Resting: Once all the needles are placed, you should relax for 10 to 20 minutes. Sometimes longer.  There is usually no sensation of discomfort when the needles are removed.

After acupuncture: Some people feel relaxed while others feel energized after an acupuncture treatment. It is recommended that you try a few sessions of consecutive weekly treatment since the effect of acupuncture is cumulative. If your symptoms don't begin to improve within a few sessions (I usually recommend 5 sessions), acupuncture may not be the right treatment for you at this time.