Does Acupuncture hurt?
Most people do feel something, not necessarily a sharp sensation like when you get an injection. The acupuncture needles themselves are very fine, unlike the needles used for injections and blood tests. Acupuncture needles are about twice the size of a human hair and are fillform (solid, not hollow) since we don’t have to take something out or put something into your body. They are 25 – 50 times thinner than a hypodermic needle. There is little sensitivity to the insertion of acupuncture needles. While some people feel nothing at all, others experience a brief moment of discomfort as the needle penetrates the skin. That can be followed by a mild sensation of tingling, numbness, dull ache, or heaviness.The needles are left in place for about twenty minutes. Most people find the experience extremely relaxing and some people even fall asleep for the duration of the treatment.
Acupuncture, when administered by a competent and well- trained individual, is rarely painful. The needles are extremely slender and are very different from the syringe needles used in western medicine. A sensation such as a heaviness or distended feeling indicates that the acupuncture is working. Acupuncture is very relaxing and rarely there is discomfort.
Acupuncture needles are thin as 2-3 hairs in diameter (0.2 to 0.3 mm) and are inserted very quickly to minimize the sensation of pain. Acupuncture needles can fit inside a needle used for western style injections. The sensations associated with the actions of acupuncture needles can be adjusted based on patient tolerance. Talk about what you are feeling during the treatment. It is also possible that people may not feel strong sensations during acupuncture treatments. Common sensations reported by patients include a feeling of heaviness, mild feelings of numbness or tingling and these often disappear within a few minutes as the body readjusts the energy imbalance around the acupuncture point.
Acupuncture needles, unlike hypodermics, are ultra-fine and flexible, thereby permitting a nearly painless insertion. Acupuncturists attain a high level of skill in gently placing these tiny needles, and often the insertion is barely perceptible. You may feel a vague numbness, heaviness or slight tingling. After treatment some people are energized, while others feel very relaxed. Some points are more sensitive than others. Some patients are more sensitive than others. Fear of acupuncture is mostly psychological. Through our many years of personal experience, we’ve discovered that 99% of our patients feel just fine with acupuncture needles. For those patients who are really afraid of needles, we usually just try one needle to see how the patient feels. Most of these patients are usually very surprised to find out that they are actually OK with needles. If you find that you are a patient who is truly afraid of needles, don’t worry. We have many other procedures, or modalities, to use in
Acupuncture needles are thin as 2-3 hairs in diameter (0.2 to 0.3 mm) and are inserted very quickly to minimize the sensation of pain. These needles can fit inside the needles often used for western style injections. The sensations associated with the actions of acupuncture can be adjusted based on patient tolerance. It is also possible that people may not feel strong sensations during acupuncture treatments.
