The Acupuncture Needle

Nowadays, the acupuncturists use disposable needles made of stainless steel. These needles are very fine. The diameter is about 0.0007” to 0.020” or 0.18 mm to 0.51 mm. These needles are sterilized using ethylene oxide or by autoclave.

Being much smaller than the needles used for giving injections, these needles are much less painful. They are also not hollow like the needles used for giving injections.

The top of the needle is wound with a thick wire like bronze or is covered with plastic. This is done to make the needle stiff and also to provide a grip or a handle for the acupuncturist while he is performing the process.

Needles are of various sizes and types. Depending on what purpose it is required for determines the size, type and the depth of insertion of the needle.

A type of acupuncture treatment requires the needle end to be warmed up using herbs. This process is called moxibustion. This is sometimes used as a supplement treatment.

One well known technique used is by using dried moxa. The acupuncturist inserts the needle at the desired point, attaches dried moxa to the external end of the needle and ignites it.

The moxa smoulders for some time conducting the heat through the needle to the area surrounding the needle in the patient’s body.

Another technique involves holding a glowing stick of moxa over the needle. Sometimes moxa is even burnt near the surface of the skin. An ointment is applied on the skin to protect it from burns.

Vascular headache is also effectively treated by acupuncture. This is done by stimulating sensitive points which are present in the center of the webs between the palms and the thumb of the patient. These are called the “he gu” points.

Stimulating these points targets the face and the head of the patient. This is effectively used to treat various disorders affecting the head and face. The procedure starts with making the patient lie down flat and sterilizing the points on both the hands with alcohol.

Disposable needles are then inserted to a depth of around 3 to 5 mm until a “twinge” is felt by the patient. This “twinge” is accompanied by a slight twitching in the point of insertion of the needle.

Needles are left for about fifteen to twenty minutes during which time the patient relaxes and rests and then they are removed.

Patients suffering from acute Vascular headaches may experience sensitivity to pain at the point of insertion of needle, feeling of nausea throughout the procedure and simultaneous relief from headache.