Do the needles Hurt
That was the most frequently
asked question. Generally acupuncture is not painful procedure because
the needles are so thin. But when fingers or toes are treated, momentary pain
will be felt. If a patient
says it hurts, acupuncturist just pulls needles out and place in different
area or some other way to treat
patient withoout needling. Some acupuncturists may use mint cream to numb
the area. Usually it is used
for children.
Will I feel the needle if they
are left in?
The answere is usually
no. The needles are very thin and may be left in place for up to 15 minutes
or
longer, or in and out immediately depending on your condition.
How many treatments will I need?
It depends on your condition;
how long you have had the problem, how serious it is, and what other
problems you have. Generally speaking you may need three to six treatment
sessions or more to clear
up most conditions.
Is there a chance of getting
hepatitis or HIV/AID from acupuncture needles?
There is hardly any chance of you catching any blood-borne infections from
having acupuncture treatments
because almost all acupuncturists use FDA aproved one-time-use-only disosable
sterile needles. There
is no documented case of patient getting infection from needles or from acupuncturists
reported to FDA.
Is there any bleeding?
Bleeding seldom occurs unless you are on anticoagulant therapy, have low
platelette counts, or
acupuncturist accidently pierced small veins. You are to put pressure on the
site for a few minutes and
bleeding will stop. You may see bruises or discolorations of skins after the
treatments. Those bruises
will disapear in a few days. You may apply hot towel to the area a few times
a day to hasten the recovery
if you like.
Do acupuncturists give any other treatments besides needling?
They are trained to give Moxibustion which is a method of applying heat
to acupuncture points but not
neccessarily give it. It is more popular in Asian countries than in America.
Nearly all acupuncturists use
electrical stimulation, some use magnets, laser, ultrasound, or body massage.
One of the newer technique
is the use of Pulsor to stimulate acupressure sites. In addition many acupuncturists
are skilled herbalists
and prescribe herbal medicines to complement acupuncture treatments.
Do I have to believe in acupuncture
to work?
No. Acupuncture is used successfully to children, dogs, cats, horses,
birsds, dolphins, and other animals.
Small children and these animal patients do not understand or believe in the
process that help to get them
better. A positive attitude toward wellness may reinforce the effects of treatment
one received, just as
negative attitude may hinder the effects of acupuncture or any other treatment
received. A neutral attitude
will not block the treatment results. Acupuncture is one of the fastest growing
alternative treatment used in
people and Veterinary medicines in America today.