Over the past month or so I’ve met quite a few people who are new to Chinese Medicine (TCM). Their first reaction to my profession has been a slight slinking back in their posture, a wary look in their eyes, and a worried look on their face. Their first response has invariably been that they hate needles.
My response is that they have absolutely nothing to worry about:
- Acupuncture needles are a fraction of the size of hypodermic needles. The most common size of needles used in TCM are between 0.18mm-0.25mm. That’s right,often times less than a quarter of a millimeter!!
- Acupuncture needles are filiform needles, meaning they are solid and have no hole to allow the passage of fluids.
- Acupuncture generally isn’t painful. What acupuncture does is help Qi, Blood, and the body move, releasing symptom causing agents. So will you feel something? Yup, you might, but it usually isn’t pain.
Here are links to a few other posts that introduce Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (TCM).
- All about needles
- All about Traditional Chinese Medicine
- How to choose a practitioner
- How acupuncture helps pain
Caroline Prodoehl, R.Ac, R.TCMP