Acupuncture needles are sterile. Most practitioners in the United States use disposable needles. These are very thin needles. After the insertion, a patient might feel a twinge of discomfort, which quickly subsides. Usually qi can be felt radiating from the point of insertion and further spreading throughout the body.
Most patients feel very relaxed and some people fall asleep during treatment.
Acupuncture stimulates the qi throughout the meridians that are interconnected internally. When there is disharmony or pain, qi has become blocked and stagnated. Acupuncture can relieve pain and clear such blockages throughout the network of meridians and collaterals of the body. Acupuncture promotes the free flow of qi throughout the body. When the qi is able to move unrestricted, healing balance and harmony are restored.