What to Expect at Your First Visit
Nervous about trying acupuncture? Most of our patients were too. Here's exactly what happens, from booking to the drive home.
1. Choose who you'd like to see
At Wongu Health Center you can book with a licensed Oriental Medicine Doctor (OMD), or with a senior intern in our student clinic. A licensed OMD supervises every intern treatment.
| 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 |
Intern first visits take longer because the intern and supervising OMD review your case together, so you get an unhurried evaluation at a lower price.
2. Book your appointment
Self-pay patients can book online or call (702) 852-1280. All services are by appointment only.
VA Community Care and Culinary patients should contact Wongu Health Center before scheduling so we can verify eligibility, authorization, and provider availability.
3. Before your appointment
- Eat a light meal or snack about an hour before. Coming in very hungry can make you feel lightheaded during treatment. Skip heavy, greasy meals right beforehand.
- Drink water. This matters even more in the Las Vegas heat.
- Wear loose, comfortable clothing. Your practitioner may need to reach your arms to the elbows, your legs to the knees, and possibly your back or abdomen. Shorts or loose pants and a T-shirt work well.
- Bring a list of your medications and supplements, and any recent imaging or lab reports related to what you're coming in for.
4. When you arrive
We are at 8630 S Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89123, on the Wongu University campus near the I-215. Parking is free, and there is a ground-floor, ADA-accessible entrance. Plan to arrive 10–15 minutes early for your first visit. Our front desk will check you in and help you finish any intake forms you haven't completed yet.
5. The consultation
Your practitioner will spend time understanding your whole health picture: your main concern, medical history, medications, sleep, digestion, stress, and goals. You will also have two assessments used in Chinese medicine:
- Tongue assessment. Your practitioner looks at the color, coating, and shape of your tongue. It takes a few seconds.
- Pulse assessment. Your practitioner feels the pulse at several positions on both wrists, noting its quality as well as its rate.
Please tell your practitioner if you are pregnant, take blood-thinning medication, have a bleeding disorder, have a pacemaker, or have any other medical condition.
6. The treatment
Acupuncture needles are nothing like the needles used for shots. They are sterile, single-use, and about as thin as a hair. Most people feel a brief pinch or nothing at all, sometimes followed by a dull ache, warmth, or tingling at the point. Common areas include the hands, feet, arms, legs, back, and abdomen.
Once the needles are in, you rest for about 20–30 minutes in a quiet room. Many people fall asleep. If anything feels uncomfortable, say so and your practitioner will adjust it. Depending on your needs, your practitioner may also use cupping or moxibustion, or recommend a herbal formula.
7. After your treatment
Most people feel relaxed, and sometimes a little sleepy. Some notice changes right away, while for others it takes a few days or a few visits. For the rest of the day:
- drink water,
- skip strenuous exercise, and
- notice how you feel over the next few days so you can tell your practitioner at your next visit.
Mild soreness or a small bruise at a needle site is normal and usually fades within a day or two.
8. Your treatment plan
Before you leave, your practitioner will suggest how often to come back, what to expect over the coming weeks, and anything you can do at home. Long-standing concerns usually need a series of visits. We'll check your progress with you and be honest about whether treatment is helping.
If you need to cancel or reschedule
Because we are a teaching clinic, patient and intern schedules are planned in advance. Appointments canceled or rescheduled at least 24 hours in advance have no fee. Late Cancellation / Rescheduling (<24 Hours): rescheduling with less than 24 hours' notice is treated the same as a late cancellation — $30 for intern appointments and $50 for licensed OMD appointments. Missed appointments without notice (no-shows) are $50 for intern appointments and $80 for licensed OMD appointments.