The procedure doesn't take much time. There's no prep required, and the doctor does it in their office. You get a topical numbing agent, and then there are three spots where the doctor takes a tissue sample. The pain is about the equivalent of getting a shot or having blood taken. Mine healed up quickly, and I got the results in 3 weeks. Thanks to the answers provided by the test results, my neurologist and I were able to figure out which specialist I should see. I finally feel as if I'm not just running in circles!