Pain during and after treatment

I&#39ve responded to similar posts previously (some posted at the end of my response here) but yours warrants some further commentary. Generally everything your practitioner said is technically correct - yes sometimes the needles can hurt and for the most part this dissipates with a few days and may only happen a time or two. Instead of talking it away, however, your practitioner could simply use different needles and/or different techniques to avoid this. Generally the technique is to blame. The point she used, PC 6, -can- cause nerve damage if needled inappropriately and it is somewhat disturbing that she wouldn&#39t be aware of this. My guess is that she is, but was simply trying to appease you in your concern.

One of the many things which separates fully trained licensed acupuncturists from MD&#39s, DC&#39s, etc. that practice acupuncture is the extent of our training which culminates in better technique, better point location and generally a better understanding of the underlying anatomy.

Some practitioners use more aggressive/deeper needling techniques or do not properly account for differences in anatomy (i.e. size of wrist, etc.) well. There was actually a study a while back done on needling of PC 6 in particular (I tried but couldn&#39t find it right now...). The study found that 20% of Chinese practitioners studied (it was a small study - 20 or so practitioners if I remember correctly) caused nerve damage to the point with more aggressive techniques. It was unclear whether or not this lead to any permanent damage. My understanding is that permanent nerve damage is extremely unlikely without the most invasive and improper of techniques being applied. A similar study looking at a few points in the neck illustrates some of the possible dangers of not being trained well (see "Clinical anatomy study on the acupuncture safety of tiantu (CV 22) and qishe (ST 11)").

So the short of this is if your practitioner really did say - "since the needle was so small and thin there is no way it hit a nerve" - this is 100% incorrect. Chances are very, very small with proper technique, but it can happen with improper/aggressive technique.

I would venture to say that you will be fine after a few days and that this will more than likely never happen again. I would say, however, that a practitioner that lets a patient dictate how many needles to use because of fear is generally a little uncomfortable with their technique to begin with. Proper technique would mean you would feel very little from the needles, even if you are stressed or apprehensive the first time (which, by the way, many people are). In fact, proper point selection and technique should make the treatment a very enjoyable, relaxing experience. If this is not the case for you I would simply find another practitioner.

My general recommendation would be to voice your concern, go back for another treatment or two, and if this response continues and, more importantly, you are not improving with your main complaint - find someone else.

Related Responses - "Pain with Needles", "Back Pain Worse After Treatment"

with acupuncture, the main thing to be aware of is your definition of "pain". a strong qi sensation can often feel heavy, achey, sore, etc....which is good and therapeutic. generally, if you hit a nerve, it&#39s a shooting pain that extends past the area and through the limbs, into the fingers, etc. it&#39s not true that an acupuncture needle CANNOT damage a nerve, however generally the nerve can only be damaged if the needle hits the nerve and the acupuncturist continues to manipulate the needle (twisting it, for example). the needles are so small that if they hit a nerve, the nerve can easily repair itself, in most cases.

i agree with the comments above, in that you should make sure you&#39re seeing a licensed acupuncturist...and also only the acupuncturist should be removing the needles, not a nurse.

i also hope this doesn&#39t deter you from future acu treatments, but make sure you&#39re with a practitioner you&#39re comfortable with and who listens to you. acu treatments are generally very relaxing, once you get over the initial nervousness that everyone feels. go with your gut, if you&#39re not confident in this practitioner, find a better one! :)

Thank you for finding that study, I had read that one as well awhile back and couldn&#39t find it. Very interesting reading. Also I&#39m glad to hear that you are feeling better but am concerned that you may not further pursue acupuncture. I would simply try someone else, perhaps even someone that practices Japanese acupuncture or at the very least ask them if they use seirin needles. Generally if they use those needles they do lighter needling techniques. The seirin needles have a light silicon coating on the needle that makes for a very smooth insertion and they are generally small in diameter than the standard Chinese needles most commonly used.