I will wager that the most wondered question about acupuncture – whether given voice to or not – is probably: Does acupuncture hurt?
And from the vantage point of my acupuncture practice in Old Town Alexandria, I can answer: not really.
I can safely say that most people are surprised by how little discomfort there is. Even the most needle-phobic person – and in my nearly 13 years of practice, I have worked with quite a few – loses his or her apprehension and fear once they experience acupuncture and see how good it makes them feel.
But never say never: sometimes the insertion of the needle at a point can give a zing. But by far the majority of my clients don’t feel the needles, and when they do, the discomfort is minor and almost instantly recedes.
I am often asked if there is something inside the needle. There is not. The needles licensed acupuncturists use are solid – usually stainless steel – and as fine as a hair or two on your head. They are not hypodermic and, in general, bear no similarity to those used in western medical offices.
And lastly, Virginia state law requires we use disposable needles, and so we do. They are never reused. Once used, they are disposed of as bio-hazardous waste.
