Acupuncture bears no resemblance to the feeling of receiving an injection. The main source of pain from an injection is the large diameter, hollow needle and the medication being forced into the tissue, causing a burning sensation. Most patients find the treatments very relaxing and many patients fall asleep during the treatment which lasts from 30 to 40 minutes. Licensed acupuncturists are required to be certified in Clean Needle Techniques and use sterilized, individually packaged, disposable needles. However, it is good practice to verify your acupuncturist's clean needle technique prior to accepting any treatments.
Some patients feel progressively better after each treatment.
Some illnesses, however, so dull the senses that the full severity of the symptoms is no longer clearly felt. As the healing progresses, sensitivity also returns so that a patient may feel temporarily worse. This passes within a short time and the patient typically feels much better. Patients often experience the most dramatic results in the first treatment. Some patients experience an immediate total or partial relief of their pain or other symptoms.