Acupuncture Needles vs. Hypodermic Needles

When I tell people I practice in the ancient art of Chinese Medicine ^.^ , a familiar remark would be “so you stick a bunch of needles in a patient’s body?!” Suddenly it dawned on me that people associated acupuncture primarily with Chinese Medicine... some people, even my family would feel intimidated to try.

Trypanophobia or fear of needles exists and affects between 20%-23% of the adult population alone (not counting for children). The vast majority of patients who suffer from needle phobia are much too passive in their dealings with the medical profession; and many actually avoid the medical profession completely, even when they have a serious or potentially fatal condition.

I’m not asking for those patients with fear of needles to come and try acupuncture but there’re many other ways when you come to our clinic that we can help you. A few of my patients who came a little scared because of the overwhelming pictures they Google on “acupuncture”. Most patients has some degree of fear associated with needles and injections and the most popular reason is because some traumatic experiences in childhood form the foundation of these fears – like seeing an older sibling cry when getting their shots. The fear is both a learned and an inherited condition. A small percentage inherit the fear, but most people acquire Trypanophobia at a young age.

Hypodermic needles are thick and hallow which are designed to move blood out or inject a medicine or fluid into your body. In contrast, acupuncture needles are very different. They are fine, thin, and quite flexible, often no thicker than a human hair. No need to worry about snapping the acupuncture needle if you moved around to adjust for your comfort. More than 10 acupuncture needles can fit inside of the hypodermic needle! Amazing isn’t it?!

During treatment acupuncture needle is inserted, often with little or no sensation of the prick. Different techniques of insertion is done based on patient's conditions. Standard medical procedure to prevent infection is applied at insertion sites, needles are for single use and sterile. Patients find acupuncture fairly relaxing and the discomfort is not pain, it's more like muscle soreness. Keep in mind that everyone's body chemistry is different, not all insertion site will be sore and the feeling of soreness travels from one site to another depending on the condition. When treatment is over, the needle is removed and disposed safely. Insertion sites are usually not visible and not a bloody mess.