In general, visits occur once or twice a week over several months until therapeutic results are achieved. While the needles can feel uncomfortable at times, they rarely hurt. The needles may be left in for 15 to 40 minutes, depending on the ailment. Different people experience different sensations from acupuncture. Most find the sessions relaxing, and many fall asleep during or immediately after treatment.
Some patients notice rapid improvement after just a few sessions.
In those whose conditions have taken years to develop, treatment may take longer. Today more innovative applications for acupuncture are being explored by both conventional and alternative practitioners, including its use as an analgesic to reduce pain during surgery. The NIH panel also called acupuncture a useful adjunct and acceptable treatment for a variety of conditions, including fibromyalgia, stroke rehabilitation, headache, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Most states allow physicians to perform this procedure, even with only limited training of 100 to 200 hours. While 35 states and the District of Columbia require nonphysician acupuncturists to be licensed, standards vary widely and in some states even people without much training can bill themselves as acupuncturists.