Midwest Acupuncture and Pain Treatment Center

Chinese Medicine FAQ

Clear answers before your first treatment.

These condensed answers explain what acupuncture and Chinese Medicine are, how treatment feels, and what kinds of conditions may be supported.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a modality of Oriental Medicine in which fine needles are inserted at specific points shown to be effective for specific health conditions. It stimulates the body's natural healing processes.

Does acupuncture hurt?

The needles are no thicker than a strand of hair and insertion is practically painless. You may not feel some needles; other points can feel like a slight tingling, itching, heaviness, warmth, or numbness.

How many treatments will I need?

It depends on the severity of the condition. An acute issue may need one to three treatments; a chronic issue may need 10–12. A general rule of thumb is about four treatments for every year you have had the condition.

Is Chinese Medicine safe?

When acupuncture is practiced by a licensed practitioner and herbs are prescribed by a certified herbalist, it is very safe. Needles are single-use, sterile, stainless steel, and disposable. Herbal formulas generally contain about six to twelve herbs rather than using herbs singly.

What should I do before treatment?

Eat something light, not a full meal. Avoid treatment when excessively fatigued, hungry, upset, or shortly after drinking alcohol.

What can I expect after treatment?

Acupuncture may require a series of treatments. Some people notice a change after one treatment; many report better sleep and an improved ability to handle stress, feeling more relaxed.

What is Traditional Oriental Medicine?

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a holistic approach that dates back about 2,500 years and incorporates acupuncture and Chinese herbs. It focuses on the interaction of body systems to restore the health and well-being of the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.

What is Chinese Medicine good for?

Chinese Medicine is a non-invasive, natural, holistic approach for many disorders and illnesses. It can treat physical, mental, and emotional concerns, support the body's immune function, and work alongside Western treatment. It is especially recommended for chronic conditions that have not responded to Western medicine.

WHO-recognized condition groups

Examples, organized by category.

The World Health Organization recognizes acupuncture as an effective treatment modality for many conditions, including the examples below.

Musculoskeletal

Low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ, frozen shoulder, sciatica, tennis elbow, arthritis

Ear, nose and throat

Toothache, earache, sinusitis, rhinitis, laryngitis

Respiratory

Colds and flu, bronchitis, asthma, allergies, emphysema

Circulatory

Hypertension, high cholesterol, arteriosclerosis, angina pectoris

Gastrointestinal

Food allergies, nausea, indigestion, diarrhea, constipation, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome

Urogenital

Cystitis, stress incontinence, neurogenic bladder, prostatic hypertrophy

Gynecological

Menstrual irregularity, endometriosis, PMS, infertility, menopausal syndrome, fibroids

Psycho-emotional and neurological

Depression, anxiety, insomnia, headache, migraine, trigeminal neuralgia, intercostal neuralgia, post-stroke paralysis, dizziness, tinnitus

Still have questions?

Book a conversation or call the Wausau office.