Common Questions About Acupuncture
Does acupuncture hurt?
No. The needles are very thin — about the width of a human hair, far smaller than a medical injection needle. Most patients feel only a light tap or a warm, heavy sensation as the needle is placed. Many people find treatments so calming that they fall asleep on the table.
How many acupuncture sessions will I need to feel results?
Some patients may notice improvement within two to four sessions. Chronic conditions — long-standing back pain, migraines, hormonal imbalance — usually respond best with a course of six to ten visits. Radislav Kats reviews progress at every appointment and adjusts the plan as you improve, so you are never on a fixed package.
What should I expect at my first acupuncture appointment?
Your first visit is about sixty to seventy-five minutes. Radislav Kats reviews your health history, current symptoms and goals, then identifies the underlying imbalance using traditional diagnosis and modern functional assessment. Your first treatment follows the same visit. You leave with a clear plan and a sense of how the work fits your body.
Can acupuncture relieve chronic back, neck and joint pain?
Yes. Chronic musculoskeletal pain — lower back pain, neck pain, sciatica, shoulder and joint pain — is one of the most studied and most successful applications of acupuncture. Some people may find they rely less on pain medication over time and notice improvements in mobility. Treatment is often combined with Applied Kinesiology to address the postural patterns driving the pain.
Does acupuncture help with stress, anxiety and insomnia?
Yes. Acupuncture may help calm the nervous system, support cortisol regulation and encourage deeper, more restorative sleep. Some patients report a profound sense of relaxation immediately after treatment, with effects that may build over the following days. It may be considered as one non-pharmacological option for stress and sleep regulation.
Is acupuncture safe?
When performed by a licensed practitioner, acupuncture has one of the strongest safety records in medicine. Licensed acupuncture practitioners use sterile, single-use, disposable needles for every patient. Side effects are rare and typically minor — brief soreness or a small bruise at the needle site.
What is a Voice Scan assessment?
It is a short, non-invasive assessment: you speak into a microphone for a few moments, and the recording is analysed for patterns linked to nervous-system function, stress load, energy and recovery. Nothing is injected, ingested or worn, and there is no radiation. People most often come to it with long-running fatigue, burnout, poor sleep, brain fog or stalled recovery. It informs a treatment plan rather than producing a diagnosis, and it does not replace testing your physician has ordered.
What is Applied Kinesiology and what is it used for?
It is a hands-on assessment. You stay clothed while light pressure is applied to an arm or leg in different positions, and the practitioner compares how the muscle responds from one position to the next. There is no equipment and nothing to prepare for. The purpose is to narrow down where to treat first when pain is long-standing or recovery has stalled — pain is often loudest somewhere other than where it started. It is not a diagnostic test and does not replace imaging or bloodwork.
Do you prescribe Chinese herbal medicine, and how is a formula chosen?
Yes. A formula is a combination of herbs — often eight to fifteen — balanced so the parts support and moderate one another, and matched to you rather than to the name of a symptom. The consultation looks at sleep, digestion, energy, temperature and stress alongside the complaint itself, and the formula is adjusted as things change. Bring a list of your medications and supplements so interactions can be considered first, and tell us if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
What is moxibustion, and can I book it on its own?
Moxibustion applies gentle, penetrating warmth from smouldering herbal moxa at acupuncture points — held just above the skin or on a barrier such as ginger, never touching it. The feeling is a spreading warmth, and the heat is moved away as soon as you say it is enough. It suits patterns where cold or poor circulation plays a part: stiffness, aching joints, sluggish digestion, low energy. Yes, it can be booked on its own, and it is also used within an acupuncture session.