Typically it does not hurt. There may be a point or two that you feel, but most people describe it like a mosquito bite. If there is pain it goes away quickly. A lot of people feel so relaxed that they fall asleep during their treatment. This is a testament to how little pain there is.

Come in your most comfy and relaxing clothes if you can. For acupuncture it is best that you wear pants that you can roll up to your knees and sleeves that you can roll up to your elbows.

Acupuncture at Loon Holistic Health is very safe becuase you are using a licensed and competent practitioner who uses sterilized needles. Common side effects are bruising and bleeding at the insertion site.

For acupuncture the first appointment can be up to 90 minutes because we will spend time going over your entire health history. The follow up visits are 60 minutes. Reiki appointments are 60 minutes long.

For all treatment modalities treatments depend on the situation. For acute pain or conditions sometimes one to two treatments is all that is needed. For chronic conditions it may take up to three months of treatment before we can decide a maintenance treatment plan. It is important to note that sometimes pain can get worse with treatment before it gets better.

Both acupuncture and dry needling use thin needles, but the philosophy, training, and treatment goals are very different.

Acupuncture is a complete medical system that has been practiced for over 2,000 years. It treats thewhole body, addressing pain, stress, sleep, digestion, hormones, and overall health by balancing the body's energy and nervous system.

Dry needling is a modern technique primarily used by physical therapists to treat muscle trigger points and tight muscles.

While dry needling focuses mainly on muscle tension, acupuncture addresses the root causes of pain and other health concerns throughout the body.

Licensed acupuncturists complete thousands of hours of training focused entirely on acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Dry needling training programs for other healthcare providers are typically much shorter, sometimes just a few weekend courses.

Because acupuncture training is so extensive, it has a long record of safety when performed by a licensed practitioner.

Many patients report that acupuncture is gentler and more relaxing than dry needling.

Dry needling intentionally stimulates painful trigger points to cause muscle twitch responses.

Acupuncture treatments are usually designed to calm the nervous system and restore balance, so most patients feel relaxed or even fall asleep during treatment.

See our blog for more information: https://www.loonholistichealth.com/blog/licensed-acupuncture-vs-dry-needling-or-chiropractic-needling

This depends on your health goals. For chronic pain or injury recovery, weekly or biweekly sessions may help. For maintenance and stress relief, many people benefit from a massage every 3–4 weeks.

While many patients first discover acupuncture as a solution for physical pain, its impact often ripples through every system in the body. At Loon Holistic Health, we view acupuncture as a "nervous system reset." By treating the individual as a whole rather than a collection of isolated symptoms, our patients frequently experience "positive side effects" like deeper sleep, clearer thinking, and a more resilient mood.

Key Areas of Clinical Impact:

• Deep Nervous System Regulation: Acupuncture directly influences the autonomic nervous system, shifting the body from a "fight or flight" stress response into a "rest and digest" state. This naturally lowers cortisol levels and eases the grip of chronic anxiety.

• Reproductive and Hormonal Optimization: For those navigating fertility journeys, PCOS, or cycle irregularities, acupuncture supports the endocrine system. It promotes healthy blood flow to the reproductive organs and helps synchronize the delicate hormonal communication required for conception.

• Strategic Pain Management: Beyond just "numbing" pain, acupuncture addresses the root of inflammation. It is a highly effective, drug-free intervention for chronic migraines, lower back tension, and joint discomfort by triggering the body’s internal opioid system.

• Metabolic and Digestive Harmony: By regulating the gut-brain axis, acupuncture can alleviate the discomfort of bloating and IBS while supporting more efficient metabolic function and nutrient absorption.

• Immune System Resilience: Regular treatments act as a tune-up for your natural defenses, modulating the immune response to help the body ward off seasonal illness and recover faster from stressors.

• Restorative Sleep Cycles: Many patients find that acupuncture resolves the "tired but wired" feeling. By balancing melatonin production and calming the mind, it helps you fall asleep more effortlessly and stay in the restorative stages of sleep longer.

In short: Absolutely. While its roots reach back over two millennia, acupuncture has earned its place in modern medicine. It is currently recognized by global authorities like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a scientifically valid intervention for a wide array of health concerns.

From a clinical perspective, we view acupuncture as a precise method of "neuro-modulation." When we insert sterile, hair-thin needles into specific anatomical sites, we are essentially communicating with your central nervous system. This process initiates several key physiological shifts:

• The Release of "Feel-Good" Chemistry: It triggers the production of endorphins and enkephalins—your body’s built-in pain-relieving and mood-lifting chemicals.

• Vascular Optimization: It facilitates micro-circulation, ensuring that oxygen and nutrient-rich blood reach the areas that need healing most (a critical factor in reproductive health).

• Systemic Reset: By dampening the "fight or flight" (sympathetic) drive, acupuncture coaxes the body back into a state of homeostasis.

Whether we describe this as balancing "Qi" or optimizing neurological pathways, the result is the same: we are removing the obstacles that prevent your body from doing what it was designed to do—heal itself.