What to Expect After Treatment
You may experience relief immediately, or it could be delayed until later that day, or it could even take up to one to three days to decrease significantly, or subside altogether. Other scenarios include relief that may last for a few hours on the first visit and then last longer with each successive treatment, or relief may last from the first treatment until your next visit. Individual response to treatment varies considerably from person to person.
Side Effects
Side effects are rare, but may include the following: feeling lightheaded, slight dizziness, sleepiness, euphoria, nausea, slight bruising, residual muscle aches.
Any of these side effects should only last a short time. Staying hydrated after your treatment, by drinking more than your usual intake of water, will help to minimize these side effects. Resting after your treatment is highly advisable. Any side effects should be reported to your practitioner at your next visit.
Flare-up
On rare occasions, one’s original symptom(s) may briefly get worse, or “flare-up,” after a treatment. A flare-up typically occurs later on the day of your treatment and usually only lasts for a few hours. After a flare-up, your symptoms should begin to improve. In the long run, acupuncture does not make symptoms worse.
In some conditions, the body must fully expel a pathogen in order for healing to occur. For example, if you have a cold, acupuncture will not get rid of the cold, but it can help accelerate the cold in running its course, so that your body recovers faster. If you are fatigued and beginning to get a cold, acupuncture can help your body fight it off.
In cases of chronic pain, the original pain that you felt may improve and then unmask less obvious symptomatic pain in the surrounding areas.
