What Does Acupuncture Feel Like?
Does It Hurt, Will You Bleed and What About the Safety?
Mar 13, 2009
In acupuncture needles are inserted into acupuncture points, usually several at a time. Some points (e.g. in the ears) are very superficial, but musculoskeletal pain and some other ailments are usually treated by inserting needles several inches into the muscle or other tissue.
Acupuncture does not usually feel anything like vaccination or a blood test. The actual insertion of the needle does not feel like much of anything, but when a needle hits its intended spot deep in the tissue, it usually causes some pain, even a sensation resembling a cramp or an electric shock. Bony areas such as the knees and the spine area tend to be more painful than soft ones.
Any pain, however, is very short-lived and this is why people usually handle it without problems. After the insertion the needle does not usually hurt or cause any sensations, but if there's muscular tension sometimes breathing may cause some discomfort if there are needles in the torso. Moving the area may also lead to pain, so it is best to stay still. The removal of the needles is usually painless.
Acupuncture does not normally cause any bleeding, but sometimes there may be a little bleeding under the skin, causing a bruise that usually disappears in a day or two. Sometimes the needles leave small marks resembling mosquito bites.
Curiously sometimes after acupuncture there may be a feeling of bleeding from the needled spots even though there is no actual bleeding, caused by increased circulation. This is not a cause of concern.
Safety of Acupuncture
Acupuncture is done with sterile disposable needles, so there is virtually no risk of HIV, hepatitis or other such infections. Any acupuncture practitioner who does not use disposable needles should be avoided!
Technically there is always a small risk of bacterial infection when the skin is punctured, as many kinds of bacteria live on the skin. It is extremely rare to get any infections from acupuncture.
One possible fear people may have of acupuncture is that they get an internal hemorrhage or have a vital organ punctured. This is extremely unlikely to happen as long as you are visiting a licensed practitioner.
There is no clear consensus whether acupuncture is safe during pregnancy. Most practitioners think it is safe and can be very helpful to reduce symptoms like nausea, others believe that only ear acupuncture should be done during pregnancy.
Moxibustion
Moxibustion is a form of acupuncture where the acupuncture points are warmed by burning moxa (dried mugwort, also known as wormwood, Artemisia vulgaris). It may be done using a cigar-like burning stick, by burning moxa on a needle placed in an acupuncture point or by burning the moxa directly on the skin.
Direct moxa is painful and can - and is sometimes even intended - to cause burns, but with the first two methods the risk is very small. Needle moxa does not feel any different from normal acupuncture.
