If this is your first time trying acupuncture, you’re in good company! Many patients are new to acupuncture, as it’s not often considered until later in life (which is unfortunate). At Nu Wave, we specialize in working with first-time acupuncture patients, prioritizing comfort and relaxation while ensuring you have all the information you need to feel at ease. Each session is personalized to address your unique symptoms, conditions, and health history, and may also include lifestyle or supplement recommendations for optimal results.

Your acupuncture treatment will be provided by a Licensed Acupuncturist trained in Eastern Medicine, meaning we may incorporate various Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) techniques alongside acupuncture to enhance your results. These may include cupping, gua sha, moxibustion, auriculotherapy, or electroacupuncture—each offering significant benefits when used in combination with acupuncture to promote balance and healing in the body.

In this post, we’ll explore what to expect during your first session, dive into the different tools and techniques we use, and explain how we choose the right modalities to ensure you feel prepared and confident.

Diagnosis, Treatment Selection and the Treatment

Acupuncture sessions with a Licensed Acupuncturist trained in Traditional Eastern Medicine (distinct from dry needling) always begin with a thorough assessment of your vital signs. This includes evaluating your tongue, feeling your pulse on both arms, palpating key areas of the body, and discussing your symptoms in detail. Based on this comprehensive evaluation, a ‘TCM Pattern Differentiation Diagnosis’ is made, guiding the selection of the most effective acupuncture points and any other appropriate modalities. The goal is to restore balance by addressing the underlying imbalances and alleviating the discomfort caused by disharmony in the body.

During the acupuncture session, it’s helpful to focus on your breath, allowing each sensation to settle and fade. While some acupuncture points may feel mildly uncomfortable, most patients experience little to no sensation and quickly enter a deep state of relaxation once the needles are in place. Afterward, the acupuncturist will leave the room to give you space to fully rest and allow the acupuncture to take effect for 25-30 minutes. This is the typical time it takes for the Qi to circulate throughout the body. During this period, you may experience sensations of heaviness, twitching, deep relaxation, or even a sense of weightlessness. If you have any kind of breathing exercise or meditation/mantra you use, now is a good time to use it. Otherwise, just focus on taking dee inhales and exhales in and out of your abdomen.

Tools, Techniques, and What to Expect

The TCM modalities selected for each acupuncture session are carefully chosen based on your specific needs, symptoms, and health history. As your body’s condition and energy fluctuate over time, the treatments may evolve to best support your progress at each phase. Factors such as how you’re responding to previous treatments, your current state of balance, and any changes in your condition are all considered when determining which techniques, such as cupping, gua sha, moxibustion, or electroacupuncture, will be most effective. This personalized, adaptable approach ensures that your treatment remains aligned with your unique healing journey.

Cupping: A Deep Tissue Therapy for Pain Relief & Detoxification

Cupping therapy involves the application of specialized glass, silicone, or plastic cups on the skin to create a vacuum-like suction. This suction draws the skin and underlying tissues into the cup, increasing blood flow and stimulating the body’s natural healing processes. At Nu Wave, we use fire cupping with glass cups for optimal results.

Benefits of Cupping:

Pain Relief: One of the primary reasons people turn to cupping is for its ability to alleviate muscular pain and stiffness. The suction helps release muscle tension, break up stagnation, and improve circulation.
Detoxification: Cupping can help clear toxins from the body by promoting better lymphatic flow and removing waste products.
Improved Mobility: By increasing blood circulation and releasing tight fascia, cupping can improve joint mobility, especially when combined with other therapeutic modalities.
Stress Relief: The relaxing effect of cupping therapy can help reduce overall stress and anxiety levels by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.

What to Expect: Cupping can leave temporary marks on the skin, which are usually circular and can range from light pink to dark purple. These marks are not bruises, but rather an indication of stagnation being moved to the surface. The sensation during cupping is often described as "stretching" or "pulling," but it is typically not painful. Cupping may be stationary or sliding.

Gua Sha: Scraping for Tension and Fascial Healing

Gua sha is a therapeutic technique that involves scraping a smooth-edged tool (usually made from jade, stainless steel, ceramic, or metal) across the skin to release muscle tension, improve circulation, and promote healing. It is typically applied to areas of the body that feel tense or are experiencing pain (especially in the neck and upper back/shoulders).

Benefits of Gua Sha:

Pain Management: Gua sha is highly effective for relieving muscle and joint pain, particularly for conditions like neck pain, shoulder tightness, and lower back issues.
Increased Circulation: The scraping action helps to bring fresh blood to the surface, stimulating the body’s natural healing response and encouraging detoxification.
Reduction of Inflammation: Gua sha helps to reduce inflammation by promoting the flow of blood and lymph, which can be especially helpful in treating conditions like arthritis or chronic pain.
Facial Rejuvenation: Gua sha isn’t just for the body—it is increasingly popular as a facial treatment to reduce puffiness, boost circulation, and improve skin tone. This is sometimes referred to as "facial gua sha" and works more with the lymphatic system.

What to Expect: The sensation of gua sha is typically a bit more intense than cupping, as the tool is scraped across the skin (oil is applied to the skin to help reduce discomfort). It can leave marks or bruising, which is perfectly normal and generally fades within a few days. Many patients report feeling deeply relaxed and light after a session, with pain relief. Each gua sha session over time will show less ‘sha’ or bruising.

Moxibustion: Heat Therapy for Strength and Vitality

Moxibustion is a technique in which a small amount of dried mugwort (known as "moxa") is burned near specific acupuncture points on the body. The heat from the moxa is thought to invigorate the body’s energy, move Qi, stimulate blood flow, and promote healing. Hovered over specific points, it can further enhance the functions of the points used.

Benefits of Moxibustion:

Warmth and Vitality: Moxibustion is especially beneficial for individuals who feel cold, fatigued, or have chronic conditions linked to weakness in the body, such as digestive issues or menstrual problems. It also nourishes the warm, yang energy necessary for fertility and healthy pregnancy.
Boosts Immunity: The heat generated by moxibustion is thought to enhance the body’s immune response, making it an excellent treatment during cold and flu season.
Pain Relief: Like acupuncture, moxibustion can help relieve pain, particularly for conditions like arthritis, menstrual cramps, and lower back pain.
Improved Digestion: Moxibustion is often used in conjunction with acupuncture to support digestive health, particularly for issues like bloating, constipation, and indigestion.

What to Expect: During moxibustion, you may feel a warm, pleasant sensation as the heat penetrates your body. The type of moxa used is typically indirect moxibustion, hovered over the skin or on top of acupuncture needles. The smell of burning moxa is distinctive, but most people find it comforting and grounding.

Auriculotherapy with Press Magnets and Acupuncture Needles

Auriculotherapy stimulates points on the ear to support pain relief, stress reduction, hormonal balance, improved focus, digestion, sleep, and addiction/craving management, and so much more. The ear alone has over 100 points as it is considered a map of the whole body. It works by activating the nervous system and promoting natural healing through targeted stimulation at specific points aimed at relieving specific conditions, organs, and ailments.

How It Works:

Press Magnets: Adhesive magnets provide continuous stimulation to ear points, ideal for ongoing support post-session for stress, anxiety and sleep.
Acupuncture Needles: Thin needles are used on these areas during an acupuncture session. Most commonly the point ‘Shen Men’, ‘Point Zero’, or the NADA protocol. Both methods communicate with the brain to regulate the corresponding body systems, releasing endorphins and balancing the nervous system.

What to Expect:

Treatment Process: After an assessment, magnets or needles are applied to specific ear points. Magnets can stay for several days; needles are retained for 15–30 minutes.
Experience: The ears tend to be more sensitive that other areas of the body because they are cartilage. Minimal discomfort, followed by relaxation and noticeable symptom relief will occur.
Schedule: Weekly or bi-weekly sessions, with magnets provide extended benefits between visits.

Auriculotherapy is a gentle, effective therapy that complements other treatments to address a wide range of physical and emotional concerns.

Electroacupuncture: Nerve Rehabilitation & Pain Relief

Electroacupuncture combines the principles of traditional acupuncture with low-frequency electrical stimulation. Small electrical currents are passed through acupuncture needles, adding an additional layer of stimulation to the acupuncture points.

Benefits of Electroacupuncture:

Enhanced Pain Relief: The electrical stimulation can help alleviate more intense or chronic pain by stimulating the release of endorphins and improving blood circulation.
Faster Healing: Electroacupuncture has been shown to speed up tissue repair and recovery, making it an excellent therapy for sports injuries, muscle strains, and post-surgical rehabilitation.
Regulation of Muscle Tone: Electroacupuncture can help regulate muscle tone, making it helpful for conditions like spasticity or muscle weakness.
Improved Nerve Function: The electrical stimulation can help promote nerve regeneration, particularly for conditions like peripheral neuropathy or other nerve-related issues.

What to Expect: Electroacupuncture feels similar to traditional acupuncture but with a mild buzzing or tingling sensation where the electrical current is applied. Some patients may feel a slight pulsing sensation along the acupuncture points or muscles. The current is usually low-frequency, so it should never feel painful. Most people find it to be a relaxing experience.

The modalities, like the medicine, are holistic and effective

Each of these modalities brings a unique healing energy to the body, addressing a variety of conditions ranging from pain and inflammation to digestive issues and stress. Together, we create a personalized treatment plan that may include acupuncture, cupping, gua sha, moxibustion, or electroacupuncture, depending on your needs. Whether you’re seeking relief from chronic pain, trying to boost your immune system, are in your fertility journey, or simply looking for a way to relax, these TCM modalities are time-tested tools that can support your health and vitality.

Preparing for Your Acupuncture Session: Tools, Techniques, and What to Expect