If you’ve been interested in getting an acupuncture treatment, but you’re not sure whether or not it is for you, I’ve shared some of the most common questions that I get asked and they might be a burning question of yours as well.

Does it hurt?
The short answer is no. Most people are generally quite surprised at how little of the needle they feel when they get acupuncture. The sensations that you may feel may be tingling, a sense of warmth or cool at the site of the needle, a sense of dullness and heaviness this is called “De Qi” (the arrival of Qi) in TCM and they are all good responses to look for. Sometimes you may not feel a thing and this happens as well and it is completely normal.

What can it help with?
Acupuncture in the West has been mainly used to help treat and manage pain. Did you know that it can help with a variety of internal imbalances? What exactly does that mean you may ask. A TCM practitioner will call it an internal imbalance when symptoms that are out of the ordinary start to show up- because something is actually happening internally, which signals the body to create a response that shows up externally. It is so difficult to narrow down exactly what it can help with as the list can go on forever. TCM and acupuncture excels in preventative health- creating a thriving environment in your body so that you stay healthy. However, it can help with treating dis-ease by treating the root cause based on the diagnosis made by your practitioner, and at the same time help with managing symptoms that may be aggravating. A list of chief complaints that I typically work with are:

• Insomnia
• Anxiety, depression, stress management
• Irregular Menstruation + PMS management
• IVF + fertility support
• Prenatal, pregnancy and postnatal
• Fatigue, low energy
• Digestive issues (IBS, Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis

And the list goes on.

Will I feel or notice a difference right away?
Everybody’s body responds differently to treatment. Depending on the individual, you may experience a change in your mood and energy almost immediately. Some don’t start noticing changes until 3-4 treatments in, and this is completely normal as well. A general rule when it comes to treatment is that the longer the disease or chief complaint has been going on for, the longer it may take to treat the disease. Most times, symptoms start to show up years before the patient comes in for their first visit. You can imagine when something takes years to fall apart, it will take time to rebuild. This is no different when it comes to our health.

How do I know if it is working?
You may notice a change in your energy levels and mood. However, what a TCM practitioner/acupuncturist looks for are changes in the little things that you may not take notice of on a daily basis. Things like a change in your appetite, deeper and more restful sleep, less bloating, changes in your stools or menstrual cycles. Most patients who come in stressed and anxious often indicate they feel calmer and feel like they can manage and respond to stressful situations rather than react to them. Those are also things that your acupuncturist will look for.

If you still have questions or feel like this is something your health needs, click the book with me button to schedule a 15 minute discovery call- I would love to connect.