Recently, after struggling to ease repetitive pain in my left upper arm and neck area, I decided to give acupuncture a go. A quick Google search, and I found a practitioner in my area who had top-rated reviews, so I booked my first session.

The first session alleviated the pain and restriction I’d been feeling in my left arm area - and also left me feeling more grounded than I’d felt for a while - but during my second visit, something unexpected happened. When I went back for the second session, I felt more relaxed as I knew what to expect - if you’ve not experienced acupuncture before, I'll explain a little. First, there’s a detailed consultation, which gives the acupuncturist an accurate picture of your health.

The therapist will ask you questions about current symptoms, emotional state, medical history, and whether you had phlegm or a furry tongue were all covered, along with other health details.

I was booked in with Dr Tang at the Te Tao Chinese Medical Centre in Plymouth, he runs the business. Dr Tang has been described as “absolutely fantastic” and “extremely knowledgeable” in online reviews, so I felt at ease.

Once the consultation was finished, I was taken to a room and lay down on my back on the practitioner's couch. All I needed to do was to roll up my sleeves, to reveal my forearms and take off my shoes and socks so my ankle area was accessible.

These areas had been assessed as the spots where the needles would go, along with some areas on my head and face.

I asked Dr Tang how deep the needles go, he explained that they reach about a 1.5 cm depth.

For me, I found the whole process relaxing, the needles are really fine so it doesn’t hurt when they puncture the skin - it feels like they are reaching meridians in the body.

So, during the second session, needles were placed in the top of my head, my forearms and my ankles - and one was placed into my third-eye area (the spot between both eyebrows above the nose).

Anyway, the acupuncturist left the room and the lights were dimmed so the room was fairly dark.

Relaxing music from the East was playing and for about half an hour I was left in the room, lying down, to relax while the needles worked their magic.

My eyes were shut, then, about halfway through the session, as my mind stopped wandering and the time really slowed down, something astonishing happened - before my closed eyes I saw bubbles of colours - green and yellow pulsating light.

The yellow blotches of colour started off as small uneven circles then grew before my eyes like waves crashing in and out in my vision. The yellow became green and intensified, fading in and out then reappearing - this went on for the rest of the session.

Once the session was over, I looked into this occurrence during acupuncture, and one American-based clinic has detailed this very experience on their website.

River West Acupuncture (in Portland, Oregon) debated the topic, writing “no suitable answer seems to have been provided on the matter, yet time and time again, patients have reported experiencing the peculiar phenomenon”.

River West Acupuncture wrote on their website: “Some may see only a couple of points of colour that vary across the colour spectrum, from red to purple. Others may see colour that expands entirely across their field of vision or even hundreds of tiny explosions of colour. Colours may change in intensity or fade between colours, or fade out entirely before reappearing as a new vivid shade."

The Oregon-based clinic added that “some do and some don’t” see colours during an acupuncture session, they reported that it’s “uncertain why some people see colour during acupuncture treatments while others do not”.

Some speculate that “people who can see colours during needling are more creative or sensitive”, according to River West Acupuncture.

Whatever the reason, it was a pleasant experience, almost like having an eight-hour sleep - that’s how refreshed I felt afterwards.

I initially went for neck pain and feelings of restriction in my left arm, and this was eased extremely well, but the overall effect after acupuncture treatment was really amazing.

After the sessions, I felt more balanced generally each time - this therapy really seems to work on body and mind and left me feeling much better in myself. I now go regularly, and sometimes I see colours, sometimes I do not, but I always find it extremely beneficial.

Many other clients who’ve visited Te Tao Chinese Medical Centre in Plymouth agree, Google reviews all rate the place with five stars. Another of his patients said acupuncturist Dr Tang used his professional skills to help with anxiety. That client said in a review, "I feel like I am finally happy”, which I can completely relate to.