Acupuncture is a drug-free and extremely safe therapy. A full health history is taken and an examination performed at initial visit. Afterwards, a plan made and carried out after the diagnosis is made.  An acupuncture session typically lasts 30-60 minutes and is carried out in a tranquil room with a heated table, using single-use/disposable needles that are far smaller than those used in Western medicine. These needles generally cause no pain, or at worst a sense of local aching (but more often numbness and heaviness.)