The purpose of acupuncture is to improve the patient's overall health and well-being. 

Acupuncture is intended to improve the patient's health and well-being, and during the procedure, thin, metallic needles are inserted into designated body points to obtain the desired result. Each acupuncturist has a unique method of treatment, which may be a combination of ancient Eastern and more modern Western approaches to practicing medicine. Here is what you can expect from your acupuncture procedure.

What Acupuncture Does

Acupuncture is often used to relieve pain and reduce the nausea and vomiting that may follow after chemotherapy treatment or surgery. Some research indicates that it accomplishes this by stimulating the pain-killing chemicals in the body and may also affect the way in which an individual releases the chemicals that control blood pressure and circulation. Many modern practitioners feel that certain body points are natural sites for stimulating muscles, nerves, and connective tissue, which will cause the body's natural pain killers to become more active and promote circulation.

Finding the Right Treatment

The acupuncturist you consult will probably want to discuss the symptoms related to your problem, your daily activities, and your lifestyle. He or she may also want to examine the parts of the body where you are experiencing pain, your complexion, your tongue, and your pulse as part of an overall diagnosis, which may last as long as an hour. Ordinarily, you will arrive at a treatment plan related to one problem that includes 6 to 12 sessions spaced over a few months, and having some ongoing maintenance treatments each year may also prove to be beneficial.

What You Should Know

Since acupuncture points are located all over the body, and it is possible for the related points to be distance from the area that feels painful, your acupuncturist will determine what area should be treated after the necessary preparation is made. Anywhere from 5 to 20 needles will be inserted as you recline on a padded table, and that should not cause much discomfort. Once the needle reaches the required depth, however, you may have an aching sensation.

Once they are in place, your acupuncturist will gently turn or move the needles, or a mild electric pulse or heat may be applied to them while you relax for 15 to 30 minutes. You should feel no discomfort as they are removed, and they will be discarded in order to avoid spreading infection from one patient to another. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) no longer considers acupuncture needles to be "experimental devices." It now regulates them for medical use, along with hypodermic syringes, surgical scalpers, and other related devices. The single-use standard for sterility applies, along with sound manufacturing policies.