What Happens at Your First Acupuncture Visit

Trying acupuncture for the first time can feel like stepping into the unknown. Here's exactly what to expect at Seven Medicine.

Before you arrive

You'll book an Initial TCM Consultation online through Jane, our secure scheduling system, and complete your intake forms there. Wear loose clothing that rolls up above your elbows and knees, and have a light snack an hour or two beforehand.

The consultation

Your visit starts with what brought you in — then widens. Dr. Kristina will ask about sleep, digestion, energy, stress, menstrual cycle (if relevant), medications and medical history. This is how Traditional Chinese Medicine identifies a pattern: the larger picture that your main symptom sits within.

She'll also look at your tongue and feel your pulse at both wrists — two traditional diagnostic tools — and explain what she's noticing in plain language, including how it relates to the biomedical picture where that's appropriate.

Your AcuGraph baseline

Next comes a short AcuGraph scan: a small probe touches points on your wrists and ankles to record skin-conductance readings. It's painless and takes a few minutes. The result is a visual baseline we can compare with later. It is not a diagnostic test — just one more data point alongside your symptoms and clinical findings.

Your plan

Before you leave, you'll know:

• what Dr. Kristina recommends and why
• how often she suggests coming in to start
• which therapies, food changes and lifestyle adjustments are part of the plan
• exactly what it costs — pay-as-you-go or a treatment plan — so you can decide whether to continue

Your first treatment (optional)

If the schedule allows and you'd like to begin, you can stay for your first acupuncture treatment. Needles are hair-thin. Most people feel a brief pinch or a dull, heavy sensation, then settle into deep rest for 20–40 minutes.

Is it safe?

Large studies have found serious adverse events to be rare when acupuncture is performed by trained practitioners using sterile, single-use needles. Minor bruising or soreness can happen. Let us know if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder or a pacemaker, or are pregnant.

This article is educational and is not medical advice.