Is acupuncture painful?

There are misconceptions about the treatment, most having to do with pain, but acupuncture is almost never painful. The needles are extremely small, nothing like needles used to administer drugs. An acupuncture needle does not puncture the skin; it slides into the tissue without cutting it and can hardly be felt. CHA uses the finest Japanese needles — smooth, sterile and disposable, with rounded points. Discomfort is rare and usually due to an unusual degree of tightness or sensitivity. During an acupuncture session, different sensations may be experienced by the patient, from numbness and tingling, to an electrical-like discharge upon insertion. This is perfectly normal. The discomfort will usually disappear as soon as the needle insertion is complete, about 5 seconds. If the discomfort remains, please tell the practitioner. the sensation of acupuncture is actually rather pleasant and most people fall into an alpha state of semi-sleep, a very relaxed state of mind.