How Big Are The Needles?

Who likes needles? Not most of us!

Surprisingly only 20% of people have a true fear or phobia of needles. Source

The rest of us just don't like being poked very much. I still don't like to have my blood drawn with that big needle, and I avoid shots in general but if I ever do have to get one it's not the most fun experience. But I am here to tell you that acupuncture needles are so much smaller and not even near as painful. If you have never had acupuncture then you are probably wondering "Does it hurt?" and I am here to tell you it does not!

The needles the acupuncturist uses are actually in the filament, or filiform, category instead of needle. They are not hollow like a needle to draw your blood. The thin needles are made of stainless steel so they are flexible but will not break. After each use the needles are disposed of them so they are never reused. Usually before the needle is placed the area is wiped with alcohol to sterilize the skin.

Here is a great comparison of the acupuncture needle to a sewing needle, syringe, and match stick:

Size of the acupuncture needle can vary from 13 to 130mm in length. At Jade Star Acupuncture, Jennifer usually uses a mm needle for most uses. When doing facial acupuncture, also known as Mei Zen Cosmetic Acupuncture, she uses mm needles. The diameter of the needles ranges from .16mm to .46mm, and the face needles are mm wide.

Here is a variety of different needles used for different areas of the body and for different reasons:

What is most important to note I think is the fact that needles do not go deep into the skin usually. Most people seem to have a fear that the needle is going to go too deep or cause pain inside but generally the needle is only 1/4 inch into the skin. In areas where you have thin skin like your face or wrist the needles are even more shallow, they are just barely set into the skin and will sometimes even fall out. Areas with thicker tissue such as the buttocks will take a much longer needle and go in 3-4 inches to treat sciatica.

In my experience with acupuncture, what makes the biggest difference is the practitioner and how they insert the needles. From what I have learned there are different methods to how the needle can be placed and an acupuncturist that is very skilled will cause the least amount of pain with insertion. The areas that still hurt are usually areas that need treatment. Such as if you are having intestinal issues and a needle is placed at a point that is meant for digestion problems, then it may be painful, but the pain subsides quickly.

My hope is that this information will help ease your worry about the size and potential pain from the acupuncture needle. If you have any questions, comments, or are ready to schedule an appointment, please give us a call at 520-881-0827.