Studies of about 3,000 cases of acupuncture treatment at the University of California at Los Angeles found that the only adverse effect was occasional bruising at the site of the needle insertion. If the needles are surgically sterilized like any other medical instrument, the danger of getting AIDS or any other blood-borne infection is nil; in fact, to date there is no known case of AIDS acquired via an acupuncture needle. Disposable needles are available--ask the receptionist if you would like to buy your own--but we don't routinely use them at this clinic because we find them less effective than the silver needles. The most serious side effect seen in this Clinic after more than 5,000 treatments is a pneumothorax (air in the chest cavity) that spontaneously resolved after a few days.
Although in China an individual may receive a dozen or so treatments merely as an introduction to intensive treatment, the expense of such an approach is often prohibitive in this country. We recommend that patients have two or three sessions to see if the acupuncture is effective before trying other options. Some people get relief immediately after a treatment; some notice improvement after a few hours, some after a few days. Usually by the end of the fifth day after a treatment people know if they've been helped. Some conditions require several treatments; some do not respond at all. The number of treatments, then, varies with each person and condition. It is important to know that sometimes the symptoms become worse after a treatment and may remain so for a few days before there is any relief. This is a good sign because it indicates that the symptom is treatable and that the acupuncturist has found the vulnerable or affected area. Moreover, people sometimes have fleeting pain in other parts of their body after a treatment and may even experience a temporary return of symptoms that they haven't had for years. Again, this indicates that the energy is moving and trying to re-balance itself. Or, another way of understanding this phenomenon is that the nervous system is remembering in order to forget.
BEFORE TREATMENT: Be well rested and eat only a light meal. Take no alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers or pain killers for four hours before a treatment unless directed otherwise by a physician. Continue with other routine medications prescribed by your physician. AFTER TREATMENT: Rest for two hours after you get home and avoid alcohol, pain killers etc. during this time. If the treatment is for a painful condition, avoid strenuous activity for two days after treatment, even if you now are free of pain. Keep a written diary of the effects of each treatment--any new symptoms or changes in symptoms--so that further treatment will be more effective.