Sometimes, they hurt just a little. Most people expect an injection, but because the needles are solid and much smaller, it does not feel like that. Many people who come in say they only feel a few needles going in. I tend to be very gentle, and work around the sensitivity of each patient. I also have many patients who only get a few needles. I also have patients that love to get 40+ needles per treatment. I do many different types of treatments throughout the day depending on what the patient is coming in for and how sensitive they are.
To make acupuncture a good and not painful experience, here are some tips:
- It’s normal to be scared your first time at acupuncture. We find people are shaky, or defensive quite often. We encourage you to make it a situation you feel safe in. If you want to bring a friend, spouse or loved one with you into the room the first time, that’s fine. If you want to listen to the sports game, bring your chakra music, or listen to an audiobook, that’s fine. We do have soft music playing but if this gets you into your comfort zone, we encourage it.
- You are also allowed to change your mind. You can come in, get 1-2 needles and change your mind at no charge. Almost everyone finds it doesn’t hurt much, or at all, or it is so minor it’s tolerable, so I’ve never had anyone leave, but I think it helps to know you can.
- Consider not having coffee 3 hours before the treatment: Any stimulant or caffeine is a bad idea before acupuncture. First, you are going to be more sensitive to acupuncture because your nervous system is heightened. Second, we have mindfully created a time and place for your nervous system to relax as part of the healing experience, and this may counter the process.
- Watch a demo before coming in: If you are a patient and want to have your spouse or child come in for acupuncture, please invite them to sit with you during a treatment one day. It helps if we have a heads up (because then we can plan for you to have a big room vs a smaller room). Let them watch the process and ask questions. If your spouse is super talkative we’d suggest just having them be in the room while we needle you, and then going to the waiting room to sit down so you can rest for the treatment. If you are bringing your child, please set them up with an ipad or phone with a movie or game, or some form of entertainment so that they can play with it when it is time for you to quietly rest. They will need to stay with you (and not in the waiting room) if they are 12 and under. If after watching the demo your loved one does not want to get acupuncture, we ask that you please don’t push them to do so. I believe being pushed against your will to do things (even when it comes from the very best of intentions) creates trauma, not healing. But if they are just a little bit still scared but also interested, this is a good time to talk about healthy bounderies. More next bullet point…
- Create healthy boundaries for yourself: What could your treatment be like so you feel safe and comfortable, and the first time is less scary? Would it help to have your spouse with you? If it’s your child, talk to them – maybe they ask for their favorite stuffed animal or to be able to listen to their music. A teen may want to have a photo of them with the needles in bc it’s so cool and they want to show all their friends. I once had a guy say, “you are not making me listen to that spa music!” so they brought in headphones with their phone and play country music the whole time…or maybe they listen to a baseball or football game during the treatment because they love sports. One person I treated had to always have a bottle of water next to her. Another hated any rain sounds. Another needed 4 pillows when treated. All of those things are ok. We just ask that you consider what will create the best situation for you. We admittedly love to make this a wonderful experience for patients, but that doesn’t work if you don’t communicate your own boundaries and what will make this ideal for you. We know that’s unique for each and every person.
Acupuncture Nirvana 