When you think of needles, what comes to mind? Probably not the most pleasant thought. It may even make you cringe. That is understandable. Most of us have had an experience with hypodermic needles at least once in our lives. Some of us feel fearful or cringe at the very thought of a “needle.” The reason is that hypodermic needles are fairly thick and hollow because they are designed to inject fluids or draw blood. For this reason, they may cause a more painful sensation when piercing your skin.
Acupuncture needles are approximately the size of a cat’s whisker!
On the other hand, acupuncture needles are about 10 times smaller in size than the average hypodermic needle—approximately the size of a cat’s whisker—and they are very flexible. Acupuncture needles don’t hurt in the way that hypodermic needles do; however, you may feel a light sensation as they are inserted. At worst, you might feel a sensation like a pinch. The needles stay in for about 15 to 45 minutes depending on the type of treatment you are receiving. After the treatment people report feeling extremely relaxed and calmer.
Use the tube!
At the very initial insertion, a needle passes through the top layer of the skin. This thin layer is loaded with pain receptors just under the skin. Bypassing this layer, and quickly, is critical so you don’t feel the typical burning pinch that occurs with needling. That’s where the plastic disposable tube comes in. It bypasses the layer of skin that is so sensitive so you don’t feel the burn. It’s similar to wading into a cold ocean; you know, the water isn’t at its warmest, but until you get past your waist, it can feel very cold. But once under, the temperature feels fine. It’s all about the depth! Once you get the needle through the skin to the right depth, the tube is removed and the needle is guided to the correct depth of insertion, which for most points is only 0.5 to 0.8 cm.
Do you feel anything once the needles are inserted?
Yes. Many people who feel anything after the needle is inserted may interpret it as pain. However, this is not the case. You may feel other sensations that let us know that the needle is “activated” and working on your body. Feelings can include tingling, numbness, throbbing, generalized heavy sensation on the area of the needle or conversely a lightness to the area. The sensations are subjective and can vary between two people.
What’s inside a needle that helps the body?
Nothing! Many people believe that acupuncture adds something to the body in the form of medication or substance that alters the body’s functioning. Acupuncture needles are not hollow so there can be nothing injected into the body. The magic of the needles’ effects on the body comes from the signaling that they send to prod and push the body to heal something on its own. Done enough times, the symptoms can be resolved. The needles are tailored to the body’s needs.
How do you know where to put the needles?
There are four major problems that Chinese practitioners diagnose before treating. These problems are that the body can be too hyperactive or too inflamed, the body can be too weak, the body can be too blocked with lack of proper blood flow to a body part or to an organ system and finally the body can be too sluggish with regard to lymphatic flow. Once we acertain the cause of your problem we can then utilize the specific points in the body that will take care of that problem with the specific effect that we are looking to achieve. So if the body is too hyper, we use sedating acupuncture combinations; if the body is too weak we choose points that have a strengthening effect on the body. If the body is too blocked we need to move blood flow. If the body is too sluggish we increase lymphatic flow.
Unlike a shot in the back, acupuncture stimulates the body to auto-correct itself. It needs to be done regularly to kick-start the body’s own healing abilities, depending on what problem is being addressed. Long-term back pain with spinal surgery will take longer to treat than a sports injury. In either event, the needles show the “way” where the body should fix itself.
Needle phobic?
If you are needle phobic then treating with needling sites on the back of neck, mid-back and lower back may be the best option. Firstly, there are fewer nerve endings in the back than there are on the hands and feet, so the insertion is much more tolerable. Secondly, in my experience, patients who get to lay on their front side tend to relax more quickly in that position. Thirdly, treating on the back is a versatile option. You can treat back pain, anxiety, PMS and digestive disorders because you can choose so many points that can affect different organ levels.
If there is a fear of needles that reaches the point of not even considering it, then many patients will benefit from the other services an acupuncturist can provide such as cupping, gwa sha (muscle scraping) and Chinese herbal formulas.
Initially, a lot of people are scared to try acupuncture because they are afraid of needles. You are not alone. Your practitioner is likely to have had this conversation with many patients before you. It is important that you trust your acupuncturist because he or she will listen to your concerns and work with you to be as gentle and caring as possible. Opening up a discussion about your fears is likely to help minimize the anticipated pain that you think an acupuncture needle may inflict.
By Joshua Goldstein
Joshua Goldstein is a licensed acupuncturist who studied at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, earning his Master’s degree in Oriental Medicine. He has studied with master practitioners in California and New York, has been a past secretary of the New Jersey Acupuncture Society and has taught in the Swedish School of Acupuncture and Eastern Acupuncture School programs. He works in Ridgewood and can be reached at 201-444-7150 or contacted via email at [email protected].
