What Actually Happens in an Acupuncture Session

Written and clinically reviewed by Dr. Jun (Jun Chung): Doctor of Chiropractic (New Zealand College of Chiropractic), NZCC- and ACC-registered, 13+ years' clinical practice. Auckland Wellness Centre, Rosedale and Milford. Last updated: August 2026 · next scheduled review: August 2027.

Quick answer: A 60-minute acupuncture session is not 60 minutes of needling. It opens with a consultation and a Traditional Chinese Medicine assessment including tongue and pulse, then acupuncture to the points that assessment indicates, then cupping or tuina where the muscle work calls for it, and a short home-care brief. On a first visit the assessment is most of the appointment.

Most clinics publish the price and the duration and stop there. That leaves the actual question unanswered, which is what the hour contains and why one person's session looks different from the next person's.

Before any needle goes in

Every session opens with an assessment. On a first visit this is the bulk of the appointment, and it is not a formality.

It covers the history in the ordinary clinical sense, what hurts, since when, what makes it worse, what has been tried, plus the Traditional Chinese Medicine assessment: tongue and pulse. Those two are unfamiliar to most New Zealand patients and worth explaining rather than performing silently. The tongue is looked at for colour, coating and shape. The pulse is taken at three positions on each wrist at different depths. Together they inform which pattern the practitioner is treating, which in turn decides point selection.

This is why two people who both say "lower back pain" can leave with entirely different treatments. The complaint is the same. The pattern underneath it is not.

The needling

Needles are sterile, single-use and disposable, and they are considerably finer than the needles used for injections. Most people are surprised by how little the insertion registers.

What you may feel once a needle is placed is a dull heaviness, warmth or a spreading sensation around the point. That is expected rather than a problem. Sharp or increasing pain is not, and it should be said out loud at the time so the needle can be adjusted or removed.

How many needles and where depends on the assessment, not on a fixed protocol for your condition. They typically stay in for around twenty minutes while you rest, and most people find that part of the session the easiest.

Cupping, and the marks it leaves

Cupping applies suction to the skin with glass or silicone cups, either held in place or moved along the muscle. It is used where tissue is tight and congested and where needles alone will not reach the volume of muscle involved.

It can leave circular marks that look far more dramatic than the experience. Those marks are not bruises in the impact sense and they typically fade over several days. It is worth knowing before rather than after, particularly if you have a wedding or a beach weekend coming up.

At AWC cupping is included within the session where it is indicated. It is not billed as an add-on.

Tuina

Tuina is the manual therapy side of Chinese medicine: pressing, kneading and stretching applied along channels and to specific points. It is used where the problem is muscular and where hands do a job that needles cannot.

You stay clothed for tuina, and it is firmer than a relaxation massage. Like cupping, it is part of the session rather than a separate booking, used where the assessment calls for it.

The home-care brief

The last few minutes are what to do between now and the next session: heat or movement, positions or loads to avoid, and what to watch for. Deliberately short and specific rather than a printed sheet, because it is tied to what was found on the table that day.

First visit versus follow-up

The first visit is weighted toward assessment. Follow-ups are weighted toward treatment, since the pattern is already established and the practitioner is checking what has changed rather than starting from nothing.

Follow-ups run 60 minutes as standard. A 30-minute option exists, and it suits a course that is more frequent and shorter rather than being a lesser version of the same thing. Which one fits is a clinical decision rather than a budget one, and it is worth asking about directly.

Who you see, and where they trained

Six acupuncturists work at Auckland Wellness Centre, all registered with the Chinese Medicine Council of New Zealand. Where they trained matters if you want to know what tradition is behind the treatment:

• Dr. Robin Won, PhD from Sangji University in Korea, KOMS-certified, 26 years, and New Zealand's only acupuncturist registered under the CMCNZ Specialist Scope
• Dr. Boram Kim, PhD and Master of Medicine in Acupuncture from Changchun University of Chinese Medicine
• Zhiyi Qian, Master of Medicine in Chinese Medicine from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, completing a PhD at the University of Auckland, registered across acupuncture, tuina and Chinese herbal medicine
• Ada Zhong, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, also a registered remedial massage therapist
• Elaine Yang, Jinan University
• Mike Lee, New Zealand School of Acupuncture and TCM, 20 years, with a background in Korean Saam acupuncture

Consultations run in English, Korean and Chinese. Which practitioner suits you depends on the condition and the language you would rather be treated in, and reception will match you rather than leaving you to guess.

What it costs, and what ACC covers

Privately, a 60-minute initial consultation is $80, follow-ups are $70 for 60 minutes or $40 for 30.

Where an injury is behind the problem, ACC applies. Chiropractors are ACC-registered primary providers with direct access, so our chiropractor lodges the ACC45 at the first visit and no GP referral is needed. Your acupuncture then runs as concurrent treatment under that same claim. On an accepted claim the acupuncture surcharge is $0 with Mike Lee, Elaine Yang or Ada Zhong, $10 with Zhiyi Qian, and $20 with Dr. Robin Won or Dr. Boram Kim.

Frequently asked questions

How long is an acupuncture session? Sixty minutes as standard, with a 30-minute follow-up option. On a first visit a substantial part of that hour is assessment rather than needling.

Does acupuncture hurt? Insertion is usually barely noticeable. A dull, heavy or spreading sensation around the point once the needle is in is expected. Sharp or increasing pain is not, and should be mentioned at the time.

Is cupping included or charged separately? Included in the session where it is indicated. The same applies to tuina.

Will cupping leave marks? It can leave circular marks that typically fade over several days. Worth planning around if you have an event coming up.

Do I need a GP referral for ACC acupuncture? Not at AWC. Our chiropractor lodges the ACC45 at your first visit and your acupuncture is delivered under that claim.

Can I ask for a specific practitioner? Yes. Language, condition and ACC surcharge all differ between practitioners, so it is a reasonable thing to specify when booking.

This article is general information, not a diagnosis. Auckland Wellness Centre sees patients at Unit E2, 27 William Pickering Drive, Rosedale (09 600 1939) and 177B Shakespeare Road, Milford (09 281 3687). Our acupuncture services are set out on our acupuncture page.