Frequently Asked Questions

TCM practitioners use acupuncture to treat a wide range of conditions. Some of the conditions for which acupuncture is commonly used include:

• Pain

• Injury

• Trauma

• Repetitive strain conditions like tennis elbows and carpal tunnel syndrome

• Pain management

• Migraines/headaches

• Stress management

• Headache

• Back pain and sciatica

• Asthma

• Post operative and chemotherapy nausea

• Stroke rehabilitation

• Patients undergoing recovery from addiction and substance abuse

Side effects are rare. Patients may occasionally experience slight bruising at the point of needle insertion.
"Needle Shock": a feeling of faintness, chilliness and perhaps slight nausea. Needle shock happens rarely, but when it does, it is most likely to happen in situations in which the patient is very nervous about the needles, is extremely exhausted or fatigued, or is experiencing low blood sugar from not having eaten for a long period of time before the acupuncture treatment.
Needle shock can be disquieting to the patient but is not considered harmful. Most states that regulate acupuncture require practitioners to provide informed consent forms outlining these possible side-effects.

This can vary. The reason you are having treatments, including whether your problem is acute or chronic, and whether you have more than one condition, will help determine how many treatments might help. Generally acute problems get better after only a couple of treatments, but chronic conditions may require 1-3 visits per month (or more) for many months. Your acupuncturist will work with you to decide how many treatments would be best for you.