Practitioner, Bastyr Center for Natural Health, Seattle, WA

Adjunct Faculty/Lecturer, Northwestern Health Sciences University,

Arizona School of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine,

Eastern School of Acupuncture and Traditional Medicine,

Clinic Supervisor, Bastyr University

Graduate student, Asian Languages and Literature, Univ of WA

The Office of Dr. John Aguilar, Jr.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How big are the needles?

Pretty small. Please see the chart at right.

2. Does it hurt?

Though acupuncture needles are tiny, they are placed at very specific

points on the body that are directly associated with illness. There may,

therefore, be sensation felt with an acupuncture treatment. This, in fact,

is one indicator that treatment is both needed and is having good effect.

You may feel the insertion of the needle. Though this is not always the

case. You may then also feel when the practitioner skillfully manipulates

the needle to have the desired effect on the tissue. This sensation is

often described as a dull ache or even as subtle movement through the

body.

Whatever sensation you may feel, it is always temporary, lasting only

seconds. For the duration of the treatment patients are generally calm,

relaxed, and often find themselves falling asleep.

3. How many treatments does it take?

The answer to this question varies significantly from patient to patient.

Certain conditions can be completely resolved with only a few

treatments.

Chronic conditions or those which have already been the target of

multiple other therapies, for example, surgery or drug therapy, will

usually take longer to effect substantial change.

Importantly, symptom relief should begin within the first one or two

treatments.

Keep in mind that, with acupuncture, symptoms are not simply being

removed or turned off. The body is actually returning to health. The

resolution of physical symptoms is merely a side benefit of this

underlying improvement in health.