What people ask before they book

Most people feel a brief pinch, a dull ache or a warm, heavy spread at some needles, and some feel almost nothing. The needles are hair-thin. Tell your acupuncturist right away if anything is too much, and they will adjust it or take the needle out.

We use thin, sterile, single-use needles. Each one is opened in front of you and goes into a sharps container after the visit. Your acupuncturist explains the risks before the first needle: soreness, light bruising, feeling light-headed and, rarely, bleeding or infection.

The VA decides, case by case. Ask your VA care team whether acupuncture is part of your plan and whether a community provider can see you. If it can, the VA authorizes the visits before they begin, and we start once that is in place. The page on VA and military plans lays out the steps.

Some plan types cover acupuncture for certain reasons and some do not, and many ask for a referral first. We call your plan before your first visit, ask what it covers and tell you what we hear. If it does not cover your visits, you can pay yourself with a written estimate in advance.

Many health savings and flexible spending cards work for acupuncture. Your plan administrator has the final say, so ask before you book. We give you an itemized receipt after every visit.

Your acupuncturist suggests a plan after the first visit and looks at it again as you go. It depends on your goals and how you respond, and it is a suggestion, never a promise. You can change the plan or stop at any time.

Wear loose clothes that roll up past the knee and the elbow, or bring shorts and a T-shirt. Eat something light a couple of hours before. It is better not to come hungry or very full.

Tell us when you book if you are pregnant or might be. Some points are avoided, and your acupuncturist explains the risks and what they would do differently. Check with your obstetric provider as well.

No. Keep taking everything your prescriber gave you, and tell us all that you take, medicines and supplements included. Acupuncture works alongside your doctor's care, never in place of it.

See your doctor or an urgent care clinic first for chest pain, trouble breathing, sudden weakness or numbness, a sudden severe headache, a fever with a stiff neck or a new problem with your bladder or bowels. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline), any time. Veterans and service members can press 1 after dialing 988. In an emergency, call 911.