Acupuncture Treatment Your first visit will last about an hour and a half. During that time, you will be asked questions about your medical history, lifestyle, and all the systems in your body. Your pulse will be taken at both wrists and your tongue visually examined. From this information and diagnosis, an individual treatment plan will be formulated. Acupuncture points specific to your condition are selected. Special acupuncture needles are inserted into these points to access your body's energy and allows it to flow more freely. Acupuncture needles are the size of a human hair, or smaller. They are sterile and are used only once, then discarded. Most of the time, you won't feel the needles go in, however, in other cases, you may feel a tingling or aching sensation. Generally, the needles are in for thirty minutes, the time varies with the particular condition and overall constitution of the patient. Once the needles are in, many people describe a sense of calm or well-being. You may even find yourself drifting off to sleep. A course of treatments will vary, depending on your needs. Most people choose to come in for several weekly visits and assess their progress with their practicioner. Follow up visits are 45 minutes to an hour.