Do Acupuncture Needles Hurt?

Many patients ask if acupuncture needles hurt when inserted into the body. This inquiry is relevant and common to almost everybody interested in getting an acupuncture treatment. We felt it was important to take some time to provide information about acupuncture needles and how they feel when used by a licensed acupuncturist.

What are acupuncture needles made out of?

Modern acupuncture needles are made out of stainless steel and come in various lengths and gauges of width. Acupuncture needles have a stainless steel shaft, with a handle made out of copper, steel or plastic.

How thick are acupuncture needles?

Needle thickness is a something many patients are curious about; there is a belief that the thicker the needle the more potential for pain. The thickness of the needle used for treatment depends on a variety of conditions ranging from the acupuncturist’s preference to the specific ailment being treated.

Acupuncture needles are solid with a fine point, unlike hypodermic needles that are hollow and primarily used for intramuscular injections or for drawing blood. Hypodermic needles have a sharp cutting-edge point, something that acupuncture needles do not have. A helpful comparison is that most acupuncture needles are so thin that you can fit about 10 of them inside the shaft of a hypodermic needle.

Who is allowed to use acupuncture needles?

While it is true that acupuncture needles can be purchased by people other than acupuncturists, it is strongly advised that you only allow a licensed acupuncturist to needle you. Please note that chiropractors, naturopaths and physical therapists are not licensed acupuncturists. They may perform acupuncture (or “dry needling”) but in reality acupuncture is part of Traditional Chinese Medicine that is performed by licensed acupuncturists who have extensive and thorough training.

A licensed acupuncturist has attended acupuncture school, has a master’s degree, a professional license and is required to have thousands of hours of training. In a previous blog post titled “The Importance Of Receiving Acupuncture From A Licensed Acupuncturist” we provide information about why you should only get acupuncture from a licensed acupuncturist. If you are considering getting acupuncture we strongly urge you to read through this post.

Do acupuncture needles hurt?

When patients receive an acupuncture treatment for the first time they often report having a variety of sensations. Some people describe feeling a dull ache, a tingling or pulsating sensation or experience nothing at all. There are other people who state that they feel a small pinch when the needle is inserted but the sensation dissipates quickly.

Very rarely will a patient report feeling any pain after a needle is inserted; if so, it will quickly be removed. Pain isn’t something that should be felt or elicited, in fact a common reason acupuncture needles are used in the body is to alleviate pain. What is more common is that patients will state that they will feel some discomfort after being needled but after they settle in and relax the sensation soon passes.

If you’ve been thinking about getting acupuncture but have been worried about whether or not it hurts, we hope that this article helped to alleviate some of those fears.

This article originally appeared on Above & Beyond Acupuncture, and was written by Paul Kerzner.

5 Things You Probably Don't Know About Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been around for at least 4,000 years in the East—but only widely known in the West for less than 50. Below are five facts about acupuncture you probably didn’t know.

1. A NYT Reporter Let the West Know About It. During a trip to China in 1971, a New York Times reporter underwent an emergency appendectomy. Afterward, doctors used acupuncture to relieve discomfort in his abdomen.  He wrote about the experience upon his return to the United States.  This sparked interest in the practice in the United States, and subsequently, the Western world.

2. It’s Backed by the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization endorses the use of acupuncture for over 100 symptoms and diseases, including low back pain, headaches, nausea and vomiting, allergies, depression, to relieve the side effects of radiation and chemotherapy, and for inducing labor.

 In 1997, the United States National Institutes of Health  approved acupuncture as an adjunct treatment for nausea and vomiting after surgery, pain in the mouth after dental surgery, and pregnancy related nausea.

3. Licensed Acupuncturists Have Masters Degrees. To become a licensed acupuncturist (L.Ac) one must attend a rigorous graduate-level training program for three to four years. After they are licensed, acupuncturists must maintain their licensure with continuing education.

Education to become an acupuncturist includes training in ethics, patient safety during treatments, how to gather their medical history, and how to recognize when a patient needs to be seen by other health care professionals.

Medical doctors can also practice acupuncture, but are required to do far less training. Those who do dry needling also often have much less training than licensed acupuncturists.

4. It’s Covered by Insurance More Than You’d Expect. There is a common misconception that insurance does not cover acupuncture, but this is not true for many plans. According to a report in Acupuncture Today, “As of 2004, nearly 50 percent of Americans who were enrolled in employer health insurance plans were covered for acupuncture treatment.” 

With some insurance, patients may be responsible for a copay, while other companies may cover a certain percentage of treatment. 

In New York state, most people involved in car accidents and workers injured on the job are by law eligible to have acupuncture treatments covered by insurance.

The Affordable Care Act also made seeking complementary treatments from licensed practitioners, which includes acupuncturists, more accessible.

5. If You’re Needle-Phobic, You Can Still Get Acupuncture. Acupuncture needles are actually less formidable than syringes. They have different widths and lengths, with some only as thick as a hair. They penetrate different depths from only the surface of the skin to about a half an inch below. The amount and type of pain experienced is different for each individual, so if you’re concerned, let your practitioner know and he or she can advise you on the right course of treatment and make sure you are as comfortable as possible during sessions.


This article originally appeared in the Epoch Times and was written by Paul Kerzner.