Is acupuncture really painful?

Hardly: I have several patients who are actually phobic of needles who regularly get acpuncture. Why? Because it works & usually is painless. In the hands of a gentle needler - insertion are not usually felt. Using a "push the finger" technique- penetration of the skin is generally not felt. There are some specific points which can be uncomfortable (so i generally use alternate sites for these). Enjoy!

Acupuncture: I practice acupuncture in my practice and i frequently have people come into the office who are afraid of needles. They are often surprised at how painless the insertion of the needles is. Once the needles are placed, there is no pain experienced there either.

Rarely Painful: Acupuncture uses extremely thin needles and is rarely painful. Japanese styles of acupuncture tend to use even thinner needles, and are inserted more shallowly. Patients state sometimes, with extremely acute symptoms like a backache, back pain or neck pain, the needles may feel like a mosquito bite.