Acupuncture! Pain or NO Pain?

I believe that there is should be some reaction from the patient... the deqi. Unfortunately it is not always pleasant and at first it might be perceived as pain from Western patients. But the discomfort should not last that long... some people described it more as soreness... or heaviness or tingling. It shouldn't be a sharp pain but I am definitively looking for some sort of reaction...

When I have pain from the needles, sometimes it goes away after a bit, but if I move my hand ot leg in the slightest, it comes back as a sharp pain.
I also sometimes get a mild pain that lasts the whole treatment like it's touching a nerve. It makes it hard to relax...

How much (in mm) do you put the needles in? Sometimes they seem to be quite deep!

Also, a friend of mine told me that your hands can start sweating profusely when the treatment is working, is it true?

Claire.

I believe that there is should be some reaction from the patient... the deqi. Unfortunately it is not always pleasant and at first it might be perceived as pain from Western patients. But the discomfort should not last that long... some people described it more as soreness... or heaviness or tingling. It shouldn't be a sharp pain but I am definitively looking for some sort of reaction...

My thoughts exactly!

although it also depends on needle thickness you are using as to the extent of the reaction in some patients.

I have treated many patients from other 'western' practitioners who have not felt a thing! and were just left for 20 mins then have them out. This seems a pointless exercise IMO.

I also have no faith in Medical acupuncture where they just insert needles hoping for the 'gate theory' to do the job, the fact that they dismiss qi altogether makes you wonder what kind of practitioners will be aloud to practice if state regulation comes into force.

If you own a mercedes you take it a mercedes garage, not a ford one! 😉

To get back on subject.........

I always find the initial 'grab' can be slightly distending but if the point specific to that deficiency or excess it will 'take' for a longer time.

INDO

My style has got more gentle as I go along. I have found that being too vigorous with needle stimulation or using thicker needles than required can cause pain, and this masks the deqi sensation.

I always elicit deqi, but try to do so with little or no pain. Using top quality needles has helped me no end in this regard - I use Seirin.

I've had acupuncture on many occasions. I reckon about 80% I don't feel and then you get a few which feel a bit sore and then there is always at least one which actually hurts.

I have also become more gentle with my needling. I remember learning TCM acupuncture from Chinese doctors who were very vigorous with their tonifying and reducing techniques. I try to make mine more Japanese. I put the needles in, leave to settle, then return to obtain De Qi if I haven't already got it. The only time I work points lot is if I am trying to travel Qi for musculoskeletal problems, but that usually feels pleasant for the client. Sometimes the needles hurt going in (the ear in particular can be tricky) and some points are more 'electric' than others (LI4, LV3, SP6, SP9, HT7, ST38, KD7 anybody have any others?) so I keep my fiddling to a minimum on those points as you don't have to work to elicit sensation. I use fine needles : Seirin & Tewa. I used to use Sharp but recently tried them again and I can FEEL the stickiness of those needles: much more uncomfortable :026:

My first treatment was an hour and a half. My second treatment yesterday was an hour. In both cases, I was drifting off and VERY relaxed. Yesterday I had about 16 needles in me at various locations. The turning of some of the needles at times caused some mometary discomfort while other needles I did not even feel. I probably could have fallen asleep without any difficulty.

kcat