Acupuncture is extremely safe, being a natural and drug-free therapy. The purpose is to induce an environment of relaxation and support. Side effects are rare, but can include a minor bruise, soreness, and minor bleeding where the needles have been inserted or removed. With a trained professional, this is a very safe form of treatment.

The US FDA approves acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners and requires all acupuncturists to follow strict safety guidelines. This is upheld by ational licensure as well as state requirements as well.

TL,DR: Yes!

During your first acupuncture treatment session, we get to knock out your typical doctor’s appointment tasks! This includes your medical history, forms and paperwork, looking over any lab work if applicable. Doctor’s of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture are licensed by the NC Board of Acupuncture (NCSAAM), which means we follow the rules just like any other doctor’s office. We will go over your privacy rights, acupuncture needling consent, and then move on to the treatment!

Even though the initial intake may take its time, we will have follow up conversations at every appointment! One of the reasons people love to see an acupuncturist and receive treatments is the fact that as a practitioner, we want to get to know you and their health history! Your health changes every week, and that is important information for us. Our first conversation could take up to 30 to 40 minutes as we dive into your health goals, lifestyle habits, and current symptoms to create a tailored treatment for you. 

After that conversation, we will move onto some Chinese Diagnostics, looking at the tongue and listening to the pulse. When we listen to the pulse, we are not counting the pulse rate only. We are looking for qualities of your pulse, and with a lot of variables this can let a practitioner know how your Qi and Blood are moving in reflection of the health of your internal organs. When we examine the tongue, we examine the shape, color, coat, and texture that tell one how your digestion is going, how your emotional states are, and even your stools! (Please, if you scrape your tongue coat, do not scrape your tongue on the days of appointments! You are removing diagnostic information!)

When your practitioner creates their acupuncture plan, you are ready for needles! The treatment consists of ultra-thin, sterile, disposable needles inserted with care by a well-trained professional. The point placements are carefully curated to support your concerns for supporting your health. Needles are smaller than a cat whisker, and may have a slight feeling on the insertion, but normally are very comfortable and lead to relaxing the surrounding area of the body. 

Once you’re all set, you can lie and relax. Some positions may induce muscle discomfort on movement, so you can ask your practitioner if it is ok. Your comfort is key to the healing process.

After resting (meditating, napping, or counting the dots on the ceiling,) for 25 to 30 minutes, your practitioner will return to have your needles removed. Most clients notice how their body has relaxed during the treatment. Once you have returned to a normal state (acu-zone is real!) we will discuss your treatment plan and strategy to move forward. 

Everyone’s body reacts differently to treatments throughout the day. The needles and treatment work on your body’s Qi for 24 to 48 hours after the treatment. Some people may feel zoned out in space, while others experience a boost of energy. How you react and feel in your body will be good information to let your practitioner know at the end of the appointment or at the next one! 

For the rest of the day, it is advised to avoid rigorous exercise. Even if you felt like you took a nap, your body was very active and working hard on moving Qi and Blood in a direction for healing. If you do feel inspired to move, doing something gentle like a walk, Qi Gong, or gentle yin yoga would be supportive. Drink plenty of water!

The frequency of your appointments and time of healing is dependent on your unique situation and health concerns. When something is an acute issue, there is a shorter expected amount of time for healing. When something is chronic, I normally suggest once a week treatment for the number of months you’ve been experiencing a concern for years. 

An example being, if you had a long term distress for four years, I would expect regular weekly treatments once a week for about four months to see your body shift into a new pattern to sustain a healthier base of processing through the day. Acupuncture can be seen as pattern adjustments to your bio-electric switchboard. With constant reminders, your switchboard can repattern into a healthier state of being. Our ultimate goal is for you to see resolution of your concern. 

And again, everyone heals on different time frames. Most clients notice relief and results fairly quickly; maintaining health is what takes time for lasting results.

At most medical schools, training for an acupuncturist ranges from 4 to 6 years of training after undergraduate studies. This includes extensive graduate training in biomedical science in addition to Chinese medical methodology. To practice, all acupuncturists must pass National Board exams (NCCAOM) to meet state guidelines for licensure. 

Short answer: yes.

Acupuncture is recognized as a full medical system unto itself (as it has been practiced for over 4,000 years.) Acupuncturists have experienced clinical success with a variety of conditions! What most people think of for care is for muscular pain or general pain control. Acupuncture also has a proven efficacy of treating a variety of endocrine, circulatory, and systemic conditions!

We treat allergies, digestive distresses, emotional health and wellness, respiratory, women’s/uterian health, pain (acute or chronic), post-stroke, cancer treatment support and care, and all the above I did not name.