Acupuncture
The practitioner places ultra-fine needles at points they choose after a short conversation and a look at how you move. You rest while they stay in. Most people are surprised by how thin and gentle the needles feel.
- How long
- Typically 20–40 minutes on the table, plus the conversation before and after.
- What you wear
- You stay dressed for the most part. The practitioner asks you to uncover only the area they need — a shoulder, a lower leg, the lower back. A sheet is offered.
- Marks
- Small pinprick dots can remain briefly. Bleeding is uncommon; if a tiny drop appears it is wiped, and that is the end of it.
- What it feels like
- A brief prick as a needle goes in, then a dull ache, warmth, or often nothing much. If anything feels sharp and stays that way, say so — they will adjust or remove it.
What happens
You describe what has been bothering you, in the language you actually use. The companion puts it into Chinese, including the parts that do not sound medical.
The practitioner may look at your tongue, take your pulse at the wrist, and ask you to move or point to where it feels worst.
You lie on a treatment table. Needles go in one by one. You then have time to rest while they stay in.
When the time is up the needles come out. The practitioner says what they want you to know, and you hear the cost of anything they suggest next before you agree.
We will not tell you what this will do for you. The practitioner speaks for themselves. We translate it, including when the answer is that they would rather not go ahead.
How a companion helps here
- The first questions are often about sleep, appetite and where it hurts — easy to miss if they come quickly in Chinese.
- If a needle feels wrong, you say so in English and it is translated immediately, not after the visit.
- You hear what each extra item would cost before anyone starts it.
