This is a common question for someone who never got acupuncture previously. You might be a little doubtful about its effectivity, or afraid of needles (please see below the question: Do acupuncture needles hurt?), or you still don't feel ready for any reason whatsoever.
The ancient idea of acupuncture was to able to cure any type of condition no matter the cause. It's known that the disease is the consequence of the chronic unbalance of the human body. Once the body is rebalanced, signs and symptoms dispel.
The best advice, if you are at all unsure about the best way to proceed, is to see if a Licensed Acupuncturist local to you is happy to give up a little time without charge to offer a face to face assessment of what acupuncture treatment may be able to do. Each patient is unique and different, and there may be evidence which on a brief examination may point you more clearly towards, or away from, treatment.People have a variety of reactions to acupuncture treatment. The type of reactions would depend on their condition: most people find acupuncture relaxing and often feel very calm after a treatment. Other may feel a little tired or sleepy and should take this into account if you are planning to drive or use heavy machinery straight after your treatment. If you're under too much stress or otherwise difficult time in your life, you might feel like crying, laughing or expressing yourself in another way. As long as you stay as still as possible, please feel free to let your emotions flow out of you. All of these reactions are just fine and you shouldn’t stop them unless they cause you an unreasonable amount of discomfort. In any case, feel free to reach us out if you feel other reactions so we would be able to give an explanation to you.
You should refrain from vigorous exercise after treatment and, ideally, give yourself a little time to rest. It is also advisable not to drink alcohol for several hours after treatment.
If the thought of needles turns you off, keep in mind that acupuncture needles are about the width of two to three strands of hair and are actually quite flexible. Acupuncture needles are much thinner than hypodermic needles.
Treatments work on momentum which means they build on one another. As more frequent the treatments are, faster the healing is.
The number of subsequent treatments would depend on the condition treated. One treatment is often not enough to cure what ails you. Although some patients respond favorably after only one or two treatments, others may need further sessions. In any scenario, we review the markers of your progress on each session (e.g which symptoms are relieved, which ones are still occurring, etc) so we might establish an estimation of how many sessions you would need to treat your "headline" condition.
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us