What to expect during your initial visit.
Evaluation & Assessment
Your acupuncturist conducts a thorough evaluation, which includes reviewing the medical history, lifestyle, and primary concerns. They ask detailed questions about symptoms, sleep, digestion, stress levels, and overall health to identify patterns of imbalance. A physical assessment, such as tongue and pulse diagnosis, may be performed to gain further insight into the patient’s condition. This comprehensive evaluation helps the practitioner develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to the patient’s specific needs and goals.
Comprehensive Care Plan
The acupuncturist uses the information gathered during the evaluation to identify patterns of imbalance and the underlying root causes of the patient’s symptoms. By integrating traditional diagnostic techniques with the patient’s medical history and lifestyle factors, they develop a detailed, personalized care plan. This plan outlines complementary home care therapies (e.g., herbs, dietary changes, therapeutic supplements, corrective exercises), and treatment frequency to address both the symptoms and the root cause.
Initial Treatment
During the initial acupuncture treatment, the patient is positioned comfortably on a treatment table, and the acupuncturist gently inserts thin, sterile, single-use needles into specific acupuncture points tailored to the patient’s needs. The needles are left in place for 20–30 minutes, during which the patient may feel sensations like tingling, warmth, or a sense of deep relaxation. This first session helps initiate the body’s healing response while allowing the patient to experience the calming and restorative effects of acupuncture.