Zeen Connect

Acupuncture: how it works and who you can choose

Acupuncture is a health activity. Read how the treatment works, why the practitioner's education is crucial and what to check before the first visit.

Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine and involves inserting very thin needles into specific places on the body. Among the practices on this page, it is special in one important point: since it is a procedure with needles that pierce the skin, in many countries — Slovenia included — it is considered a medical activity and not a wellness service. This is not a fine print detail, but the first thing to check before you book anywhere. Acupuncture means the insertion of fine needles into specific places on the body and is considered a medical activity. On Zeen Connect, check the training of the contractor before the visit. Healthcare — practitioner education is key. The needles are disposable and sterile. Before visiting, check the qualifications and registration of the contractor. Who can practice acupuncture. Because the needles pierce the skin, acupuncture is not a cosmetic or relaxation service, but an invasive procedure. In Slovenia, it is classified as a medical activity, which means that it should be performed by doctors with additional training in this field, or by persons with appropriate medical education. This is the most important piece of information on the entire page. Before your first visit, ask directly: what is your medical education and where did you receive your acupuncture training. A serious contractor will answer this immediately and without embarrassment. If the answer is absent, slips away, or refers only to a short course, find someone else. The same applies to the rules of hygiene: the needles must be sterile, single-use and open in front of your eyes, and the place is arranged like a clinic, not a salon. As the regulations differ and change, if in doubt, also ask the competent medical institution. How the treatment works. The first visit begins with a longer conversation about your well-being, sleep, digestion, energy level and medical history. In traditional Chinese medicine, part of the examination also includes observing the tongue and feeling the pulse on both wrists. You then lie on a treatment table and the practitioner inserts needles — usually five to twenty, into the arms, legs, abdomen, back or ears, depending on the approach. The needles are extremely thin, much thinner than those for drawing blood. When inserted, most people hardly feel anything, but some people experience a short tingling sensation or a feeling of heaviness and warmth around the needle. Then you lie still for about twenty to thirty minutes, during which time the practitioner periodically checks how you are doing. The entire meeting lasts from 45 to 60 minutes. After the treatment, some people feel relaxed and sleepy, others invigorated; occasionally a small bruise appears at the site of the injection, which is innocent. Where caution is called for. Acupuncture performed by a qualified practitioner is considered a relatively safe procedure, but it is not without risks and is not for everyone. Special caution applies when taking blood thinners and blood clotting disorders, with a pacemaker, when using electroacupuncture, with a weakened immune system, and with skin infections at the injection site. Certain places are not recommended during pregnancy, so please notify the operator. All these questions must be asked by the performer himself before he even touches the first needle. The most important rule is this: never use acupuncture instead of medical treatment and never abandon the prescribed therapy without consulting a doctor. If someone advises you against medication, promises to cure an illness, or advises against visiting a doctor, this is a reason to leave immediately, not for a second opinion. What we know about the effects and what we don't. Acupuncture is among the more researched practices in this field, but the picture is not simple. For some conditions, such as some types of chronic pain and nausea, research reports effects, although experts disagree on how much of this is due to the technique itself and how much to the treatment as a whole. In many other conditions, the evidence is insufficient to draw a clear conclusion. So it's fair to say that while acupuncture can help some people and some problems, it's not a miracle worker or a substitute for proper medical treatment. A contractor who knows this difference and tells it himself is worth more than one who promises a result in everything. If you are interested in traditional Chinese medicine more broadly, there are also non-invasive forms, such as acupressure, which works with pressure instead of needles.

Informational content from the Zeen Connect editorial team; not a substitute for medical advice.

Last updated: 5 August 2026