What to expect at your first acupuncture visit

Your first visit lasts about 75 minutes. We begin with a conversation: sleep, digestion, stress, pain patterns, medications, and what brought you in. Nothing is too small to mention — patterns matter more than single symptoms.

Next comes a short physical assessment. We read the pulse at both wrists, look at the tongue, and gently palpate areas of tension. Together these give a picture of how energy and circulation are moving through the body.

Treatment follows on a heated table. Needles are single-use, sterile, and about the width of a human hair. Most people feel a brief dull heaviness at the point, then nothing at all. You rest for 20 to 30 minutes; many patients fall asleep.

Afterwards we discuss a plan. Acute issues often respond within two to four sessions; chronic conditions typically benefit from weekly care for six weeks before spacing out. You will leave with simple at-home guidance on movement, warmth, and food.