One of the first responses I often hear when people find out I am an Acupuncturist is, “Oh no, not for me, I’m afraid of needles.”  The truth is, most of us, me included, are afraid of needles.  I believe this stems from our childhood visits to the doctor which meant a painful shot followed by tears, and the cheap reward of a colorful lollipop wrapped in thin clear plastic.  The Doctors needles are big and long and scary, and they inject things.  They mean business! 

Acupuncture needles come in a variety of sizes and are very thin compared with a needle used in a doctor’s office.  At the Doctor’s office, the gauge, or size of the needle, ranges between 16 and 24 gauge. They need to be this big to have a hole to either inject or withdraw substances.  Acupuncture needles are solid, they do not have a hole, and do not inject or withdraw substances.   The gauge, or size, of most Acupuncture needles ranges between 32 and 40 gauge, very thin and refined compared with the big doctor needles we all painfully remember.  Understanding this difference in needle size is the first obstacle.

Acupuncturists are also trained in a variety of techniques to make needle insertions painless.  Some of the techniques I use include working with a patient’s breath and gently inserting the needle on the exhale. I may press around a point or palpate the meridian line with my hands to create a distraction for your body, so you don’t notice the insertion.  Sometimes twisting the needle clockwise as I insert helps as well. 

If I still haven’t convinced you, please consider these options; Acupuncturists are trained in Tui Na, or Chinese Massage, which includes acupressure, and the points and meridian lines may be activated with hands alone.  Additionally, I am trained in Japanese Shiatsu, or Japanese Acupressure, and can offer you a beautiful healing session of Shiatsu massage. Finally, there are also non-insertive Acupuncture needle techniques!  Tei Shin is a style of Japanese Acupuncture in which the needles, typically gold or silver, are held above a point to create the desired healing effect.  I also have a set of Tei Shin tools made of copper that can be used to directly stimulate a point or a channel without any insertion.  I will further my training in these techniques March 2025 in Kyoto, Japan and I can’t wait to share all I will have learned with you this Spring!

The truth is most Acupuncture needle insertions are painless.   I invite you to embrace a new way of thinking, Acupuncture needles as your healing allies.   The treatment is yours, and at any time you may ask to switch to Acupressure or more refined Tei Shin techniques.  Or simply book a session without Acupuncture which is listed as “Energy Healing Sans Acupuncture” on my scheduling page at www.AcupunctureOCMD.com.   This is a valuable medicine, and I encourage you to take a deep breath and embrace courage and strength.  Feel free to discuss your concerns with me at any time, and I am happy to work with you to restore your body to harmony and balance.