Acupuncture in Las Vegas
Acupuncture at the teaching clinic of Wongu University of Oriental Medicine. You can see a licensed Oriental Medicine Doctor (OMD), or book a longer, lower-cost visit with a senior intern supervised by one.
What acupuncture at Wongu looks like
Acupuncture uses sterile, single-use needles about as thin as a hair, placed at specific points on the body. Most patients feel a brief pinch or a dull, spreading sensation. Then they rest for 20–30 minutes, and many fall asleep.
Every visit starts with a conversation. Your practitioner asks about your symptoms, health history, sleep, digestion, and stress, and checks your tongue and pulse as in traditional Chinese medicine. The points they choose follow from that assessment, so two people with "back pain" rarely get the same treatment.
Acupuncture here is offered as part of your overall care, not a replacement for it. We work alongside your physician, physical therapist, or other providers, and we will tell you when something should be checked by a medical doctor first.
What patients see us for
Most people come to us for pain that has lasted weeks or years, and research on acupuncture is strongest there. A large analysis of individual patient data from 39 randomized trials (about 20,000 patients) found acupuncture worked better than both sham acupuncture and usual care for chronic back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, and chronic headache. The benefit largely persisted a year later.1
We have written detailed guides for the conditions we see most often:
Patients also seek acupuncture for neck and shoulder tension, joint pain and arthritis, and stress and sleep. Other reasons include digestive concerns, women's health, and comfort during medical treatment. For these, we describe acupuncture as supportive care. The evidence is more mixed, and it should sit alongside your medical or mental-health care. See all conditions for details.
Two ways to receive acupuncture
Wongu Health Center is Nevada's only Oriental medicine university clinic, so you can choose who treats you:
- Licensed OMD. A visit with one of our licensed Oriental Medicine Doctors. First visits take about an hour, and every modality we offer is available.
- Supervised senior intern. A 3rd- or 4th-year graduate student at Wongu University treats you, and a licensed OMD supervises and reviews every treatment. First visits take 1.5–2 hours and cost less. Learn more about the student clinic.
| Visit | Supervised Intern | Licensed OMD |
|---|---|---|
| Initial visit (consultation + treatment) | $80 · 1.5–2 hours | $120 · about 1 hour |
| Follow-up visit | $50 · about 1 hour | $80 · 30–55 minutes |
| Cupping (up to 30 min) | $50 | $100 (includes OMD consultation) |
| Custom herbal formulas & teas | From $15/day | From $15/day |
Eligible seniors, military members and veterans, students, educators, and others receive $5 off follow-up visits. See full pricing.
What happens at your first visit
- Check-in. Arrive 10–15 minutes early. Parking at 8630 S Eastern Ave is free.
- Consultation. Your practitioner reviews your health history, medications, and goals, then does a tongue and pulse assessment.
- Treatment. Needles are placed, often on the arms, legs, back, or abdomen, and you rest for 20–30 minutes. Cupping or moxibustion (gentle heat from the herb mugwort) may be added if it suits you.
- Plan. You leave knowing what your practitioner suggests next: how often to come back, what to watch for, and whether herbs could help.
Our first-visit guide covers what to wear, what to eat beforehand, and how you may feel afterward.
How many sessions will I need?
It depends on what you are treating and for how long it has been going on. Recent, uncomplicated pain may change within a few visits. Long-standing conditions usually need a series, often weekly for several weeks, then spaced out as things improve. Your practitioner should give you a realistic plan and check your progress with you. If you are not seeing meaningful change after a fair trial, we will say so.
Is acupuncture safe?
In trained hands, with sterile single-use needles, acupuncture is generally considered safe. Side effects are usually minor: brief soreness, a small bruise, or feeling tired or lightheaded after treatment.2 Please tell your practitioner if you:
- are pregnant or may be pregnant,
- take blood-thinning medication or have a bleeding disorder,
- have a pacemaker or other implanted device, or
- have any condition you are being treated for.
Acupuncture is not emergency care
For chest pain, sudden weakness or numbness, the worst headache of your life, loss of bladder or bowel control, or any other emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Finding us
We are at 8630 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123, on the Wongu University campus near the I-215 interchange. It's an easy drive from Henderson, Summerlin, and anywhere in the valley. Parking is free, and the clinic has a ground-floor, ADA-accessible entrance. Hours are on our contact page.
Acupuncture questions
Book your first acupuncture visit
Self-pay patients can book online in a few minutes. VA Community Care and Culinary patients should contact Wongu Health Center before scheduling so we can verify eligibility, authorization, and provider availability.
Related care at Wongu
Sources
- Vickers AJ, et al. Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis. Journal of Pain. 2018;19(5):455–474.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Acupuncture: Effectiveness and Safety.