“Can acupuncture hit a nerve?”
I am a 39 year old male. I want to know if acupuncture can hit a nerve?
19 Answers
AcupuncturistAcupuncturist
Although possible, it is rare to hit a nerve during acupuncture if your acupuncturist is experienced. Acupuncture is often used to treat nerve damage.
yes but it is very unlikely. if you feel like this happened contact the practitioner you saw immediately.
You can expect some points to be more sensitive than others. If a needle hits a small nerve, muscle, or blood vessel, you may feel some pain or a more intense sensation. A single sensation is OK as long as it's brief
It can hit a nerve if inserted very very deeply, but nerve tissue is rubbery so it is not plausible, in my opinion, to assert that an acupuncture needle will do any damage to nerves.
Acupuncturists are trained in proper technique and depth of needling. The one exception to that rule might be needling PC6, which is used for nausea among other things. It is situated on the inner wrist and sometimes the median nerve can be hit because of the close proximity to the point and the tight musculature/tendinous area. Yet, I have needled that point many times without a problem. So the short answer is, yes, it is possible to hit a nerve. Every practitioner has completed a minimum of 700 hours of clinic even before they start practicing on their own. We have been trained on anatomy and how to locate points effectively without causing harm. Think positive! Acupuncture can be very helpful for a multitude of ailments. It will help you if you give it at least 6 -8 treatments and trust that your practitioner knows what he or she is doing.
Although acupuncture needles are hair-fine, it is possible to come close to a nerve. The nerve usually cannot be damaged, but you may feel intense sensations if the needle gets too close. Be sure to alert your practitioner right away if you feel a sensation that is uncomfortable or feels like a zap. That could indicate the needle is somewhere it shouldn't be.
Yes, it is possible to hit the nerve. When an acupuncture needle hits the nerve, you will feel a burning sensation. Your acupuncturist will remove the needle and it will be no harm.
Trained expert acupuncturists should do their best to avoid “hitting nerves.” Some points, like for sciatica/back pain, we are trying to access the nerve to release the shooting pains. Other points are incredibly minuscule. With each body being different, it’s the practitioner’s responsibility to check with the patient to ensure no sharpness occurs on these insertions to avoid discomfort of nerve activation.
Nerves are usually deep within the layers of the human body so it will take an unskilled practitioner to hit those areas. We usually recommend to contact a licensed acupuncturist that has been recommended by other patients. Sometimes, there is a sensation created during the needle insertion but it is just the way the body is responding but the nerve was not hit.
Yes, it is possible for an acupuncture needle to hit a nerve but it is highly unlikely that it could actually damage the nerve. Hitting nerves is very uncommon - we spend many years in school practicing on fruits and vegetables and then each other, and then we work under direct supervision of experienced providers before we are unleashed on the public to ensure that we know how to needle safely and comfortably. And not hit nerves.
It depends on the conditions. For instance, a traumatic injury can cause nerve (s) injury. In this case, acupuncture will hit nerves to help recovering or re-generating nerve signals.
Mr. Anthony James Lorenzo
Acupuncturist
Of course. Though there are not generally or often major nerves found at acupuncture points.
If you're seeing a board certified and state licensed acupuncturist, hitting a nerve would be unusual but not impossible.
It can. Though it does little to no damage to the nerve itself, this is why it is very important to make sure your acupuncturist is licensed. A licensed acupuncturist has had full training in acupuncture from an acredited college and therefore has a deep understanding of anatomy and proper needling depth.