Is acupuncture painful?
I have had two sessions of acupuncture. I felt all the needles being inserted. In some cases, the pain was quite sharp. But the most unpleasant part of the whole experience was my body’s reaction this morning when the acupuncturist inserted a needle in my left calf. Immediately my left foot felt like a bucket of hot acid had been dumped all over it. This excriciatingly painful sensation lasted for about ten seconds. The acupuncturist was not in the least surprised by my reaction and said there was no scientific explanation for the phenomenon.
Skopje
Macedonia
While most people express fear or anxiety of needles before their first treatment, they are surprised by the pleasantness of the acupuncture treatment. Unlike hypodermic needles used for injections, acupuncture needles are very fine – about the thickness of a human hair. There should be very little or no discomfort with needle insertion. For your safety, only sterile and disposable needles are used. There are sensations, not considered painful, that are associated with the therapeutic effects of acupuncture which may include euphoria, warmth, tingling, heaviness, distention, or numbness.
Acupuncture treatment is very relaxing which brings on feeling of tranquility. Acupuncture needles are very fine and flexible. They are about the diameter of human air. In most cases, insertion by the skilled practitioner is performed with no discomfort. It is nothing like a hypodermic needle, which is hollow and has larger diameter.
It is common to hear people say, “I’m afraid of needles.” This fear is usually due to experiences with larger, hollow needles that are used to draw blood, or inject some substance into the body. An acupuncture needle is very thin, and is usually inserted painlessly. The sensation the acupuncturist is looking for is a fullness, tingling, or electric sensation that is characteristic of the arrival of Qi to the needling site.
No. Unlike the thicker and hollow injection needles, acupuncture needles are fine, metallic and solid (0.12-0.30 mm). While they are skillfully inserted into selective points on your body, patients feel minimal prick pain and tiny needling sensation. Some of them feel relaxed, while others are energized by treatment.
