Immediate total or partial relief from pain or other symptoms may be experienced following an acupuncture treatment. This relief may last or some of the pain may return. In some cases, pain may seem worse. By the next day or so, pain can be expected to gradually improve. In a few cases, there may be no immediate relief only to see the pain diminish over the next few days.
Some patients report slight soreness, light-headedness or even euphoria after treatments.
Most people, however, report a sense of pleasant relaxation. It is advisable to rest after a treatment in order to allow stabilization of the system. It is best not to eat a heavy meal, engage in strenuous physical activity, engage in sexual activity or become emotionally upset after acupuncture treatments. The anatomy of selected points, patient size age and constitution all play a role in determining depth of needle insertion. Acupuncture needles are very different from hypodermic needles sued for injections.