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By Mayo Clinic staffEach person who performs acupuncture has a unique style, often blending aspects of Eastern and Western approaches to medicine. To determine the type of acupuncture treatment that will help you the most, your practitioner may ask you many questions about your symptoms, behaviors and lifestyle. He or she may also closely examine:
- The parts of your body that are painful
- The shape, coating and color of your tongue
- The color of your face
- The strength, rhythm and quality of the pulse in your wrist
This initial evaluation may take up to 60 minutes. Subsequent appointments usually take about a half-hour. A common treatment plan for a single complaint would typically involve six to 12 treatments, scheduled over a few months.
During acupuncture
Acupuncture points are located in all areas of the body. Sometimes the appropriate points are far removed from the area of your pain. Your acupuncture practitioner will tell you the general location of the planned treatment and if articles of clothing need to be removed. If appropriate, a gown, towel or sheet will be provided to preserve your modesty. After you lie down on a padded table, the treatment begins.
- Needle insertion. Acupuncture needles are very thin, so insertion usually causes very little discomfort. Between five and 20 needles are used in a typical treatment. You may feel a deep, aching sensation when a needle reaches the correct depth.
- Needle manipulation. Your practitioner may gently move or twirl the needles after they've been placed. Another option is to apply heat or mild electrical pulses to the needles.
- Needle removal. In most cases, the needles will remain in place for 10 to 20 minutes while you lie still and relax. There is usually no sensation of discomfort when the needles are removed. Your acupuncture practitioner should discard the needles after removal — reusable needles can spread infection.
After acupuncture
Some people feel relaxed while others feel energized after an acupuncture treatment. But not everyone responds to acupuncture. If your symptoms don't begin to improve within a few weeks, acupuncture may not be the right treatment for you.
- Acupuncture for pain. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture/acupuncture-for-pain.htm. Accessed Nov. 21, 2011.
- Acupuncture. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
- Ahn AC. Acupuncture. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 21, 2011.
- Bauer BA. Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2007:106.
- Mao JJ, et al. Acupuncture in primary Care. Primary Care Clinics in Office Practice. 2010;37:105.
- Barrows K. Acupuncture. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 2010. 50th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=1. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
- Acupuncture. North American Spine Society. http://www.knowyourback.org/Pages/Treatments/AlternativeMedicine/Acupuncture.aspx. Accessed Nov. 22, 2011.
- AskMayoExpert. What happens during an acupuncture session? Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2011.
- Martin DP (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 5, 2011.
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