Your first treatment lasts for approximately 1½ - 2 hours, and will involve talking in detail about your case. This includes talking about the nature of your main complaint, any other complaints, and your general health.
Following this, there is a brief examination. This involves feeling your pulse, looking at your tongue, and taking your blood pressure if necessary.
Pulse taking is an integral part of Chinese medicine and we tend to take your pulses often throughout your treatments. The pulses give acupuncturists information about your health as well as how the treatment is progressing.
Next comes the treatment itself. Acupuncture needles will be placed into acu-points, often around your hands or feet. Depending on the type of treatment given, the needles will either sit in place for 20 minutes or so whilst you relax, or will be immediately removed.