Is Acupuncture safe?

Yes, when administered by a licensed acupuncturist, the WHO(World Health Organization) and NIH(National Institute of Health) accept acupuncture as a safe and effective medical treatment procedure.

Is it painful?

People normally do not consider acupuncture to be a painful experience. It is common that patients feel nothing at all. We use the highest quality needles on the market to ensure a painless experience, but some sensations are to be expected, depending on the location of the needle insertion. Hands and feet tend to be more sensitive to patients, for example. It is common to occasionally feel a prick or sharp sting as the needle enters the skin, as well as a dull, achy sensation called “De Qi” as the needles are retained. However, people are often completely unaware that the needle has been inserted at all. Some patients are more sensitive to the needle stimulation than others so I always ask for feedback and can adjust my treatment accordingly should it be too uncomfortable.

How many treatments should I expect?

This answer will be different for each individual, as it depends on the severity and length of time that the condition has been experienced. Typically, a series of 6-12 treatments is necessary to treat most conditions. However, if coming in for an acute condition or flare up, often times only 1-5 treatments are required.