In acupuncture, there are a number of different ways to customize the different types of
acupuncture needles used. There are some more flexible and thin than others, with lengths ranging from 1 cm to 15 cm, and with diameters ranging from 0.27 mm to 0.46 mm. For anyone doubting the effectiveness of acupuncture, the practice of acupuncture and the application of acupuncture needles have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All needles are also regulated, similar to how surgical scalpels and hypodermic syringes are manufactured. Depending on what you like, you can choose from acupuncture needles which are small, thin, and stainless steel or which are thicker, longer, and in silver and gold, or a customization entirely different. As it relates to thickness, the average needle is about the thickness of a human hair. Regarding length, most acupuncturists will use needles up to 1.5 inches in length. The acupuncture needles used by most practitioners will be
single-use, disposable and pre-sterilized. They will be discarded after every use. Typically, they can look a little scary with giant tubes on one end. Don’t worry though as this is only so the acupuncturist is not injured while injecting them. Compared to hypodermic needles which have a cutting end, acupuncture needles have a doweled end which means less tissue damage and less bruising. These are some of the different types of specialized acupuncture needles.
- Press needles are very, very small acupuncture needs. They are pressed into strategic points on the body and used in place with sterilized surgical patches. If long-term stimulation is the name of the game, press needles are generally recommended. In fact, some patients keep their press needles in for as long as a week or longer.
- Intradermal needles are thin and short, used in acupuncture to treat chronic pain or addiction. Inserted shallowly into the ear, they are usually left in place covered in waterproof tape for an extended period of time.
- Three-edged needles are thick, with round handles, and they have a triangular shaft. Typically, three-edged needles are used strictly for bloodletting. This is a technique which allows blood to flow from the body in a controlled manner, assisting in the treatment of conditions like hemochromatosis and polycythemia.
Unless you’re already experienced with acupuncture and acupuncture needles, don’t overcomplicate it. Choose something simple. Browsing Lierre.ca’s catalogue, you’ll find
silicone-coated and non-coated needles, spring and copper-wound needles, Korean needles, Chinese needles, and a wide variety of different specialized needles including some we’ve mentioned. Acupuncture needles can treat and control several different conditions. In the hands of an experienced practitioner, you may find acupuncture to be an effective natural treatment for helping to balance what’s going on in your body.
