“Does acupuncture for insomnia hurt?”
I have insomnia and want to treat it with acupuncture. Does acupuncture for insomnia hurt?
19 Answers
AcupuncturistAcupuncturist
No
Acupuncture in general, including for insomnia does not hurt at all. When the needle hit the acupuncture point you will feel a tingle sensation which is normal, feeling nothing at all means most of the time that the acupuncture point was missed.
No. Acupuncture with massage, and sometimes herbs, can help you with your insomnia.
Acupuncture can definitely help with insomnia, and usually does not hurt. Acupuncture needles are tiny, thin and flexible, about the size of a cat’s whisker. Patients are often surprised that acupuncture is relatively painless! They usually report that needles create very little to no sensation at all, and within a few minutes they become so profoundly relaxed that they often fall asleep during the treatment and awaken feeling very calm and refreshed.
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Read one of our testimonials here: https://healingwithzen.com/insomnia-2/
Here are some additional tips for insomnia: https://healingwithzen.com/3-tips-for-insomnia/
In your question, "hurt," if you mean does it cause any pain during and after acupuncture treatment, the answer is no. It should not cause any pain.
There is no way to guarantee that there will be no pain, but if a needle does hurt it should be adjusted or removed so that you are as comfortable as possible. It is common for my patients to fall asleep on the treatment table.
Acupuncture needles are very thin about the thickness of a cat whisker. Most patients feel a slight pinch or prick when the needle is first inserted which goes away after a few seconds. Some patients report feeling sensations of heaviness, warmth, or slight soreness around the needle during treatment. Many patients report not feeling the needle at all. I always work within my patient’s level of comfort, if you are uncomfortable at any point I can adjust or remove the needle. Acupuncture is very helpful for insomnia and treatment can be done with just a few needles.
Acupuncture for insomnia would hurt just as regular acupuncture treatments hurt. Closer to the nerves like the fingers & toes can be very sensitive to the initial pricks but more points along the body are very painless. Check with your primary to see if alternative medicine is a
a good option for your condition & Salud!
a good option for your condition & Salud!
Acupuncture for insomnia is not painful.
Sometimes acupuncture can be painful the needles are inserted but the pain usually subsides with in seconds. it is considered a pain free modality
I have not read any articles regarding acupuncture and sleep. I would think if the pain is causing your insomnia it could help. I would look at other modalities with cognitive behavior therapy before I would use acupuncture to help your sleep problem.
The needles we use are very thin. Everyone is different, but most people at most feel a very slight pinch, if anything, and once they are placed some do not even notice they are there.
It depends on the Acupuncturist but Acupuncture does not have to hurt to work.
Acupuncture is not recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine as a treatment for insomnia. The best non-drug intervention known to work, is called cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, and I would encourage you to pursue that instead. This is generally done by a specially trained and certified clinical psychologist.
Yes, acupuncture is good for insomnia.
No
Mr. Anthony James Lorenzo
Acupuncturist
Acupuncture, by default, is someone putting needles in your body. Some are uncomfortable, some sting a bit... so that fits my internal definition of "hurt," so yes. Is it severe hurt? No. Most importantly, since you are thinking about doing acupuncture, do find a qualified and real acupuncturist! Anything less would be you not really trying this system of healing. Find a fully trained professional in Chinese medicine, possessing a master's degree AND 5+ years experience in this field. Medical Doctors, Osteopaths, Chiropractors, and even Physical Therapists (dry needling) are able to do what looks like acupuncture (but isn't) with a couple weekends of training or less. I would NOT let any of these inadequately trained people NEAR ME. :-) Buyer Beware!
It depends on the style of your practitioner. I don't go deep and look for what's called the du qi which creates a strong sensation. I also use Japanese needles which are much smaller than Chinese needles. Call the practitioners near you and ask what they do.
Define 'hurt'.
There are a variety of sensations which can occur as a result of having an acupuncture needle inserted. For someone who has never had acupuncture before, some of these sensations may be new and it's possible to confuse them with pain or discomfort.
In and of itself, acupuncture is relatively painless. I say relatively because different people have differing levels of sensitivity and different pain thresholds. It's a mistake on the part of most acupuncturists to refer to the procedure as 'painless' because that's not always true.
There may be a mild pinching sensation on initial insertion of the needle. This should fade in a second or two. If the 'sharp' or 'pinching' sensation doesn't fade fairly quick, tell your provider and have that needle removed or repositioned.
Normal sensations include a dull aching or dull throbbing around the needle. Sometimes there is a short lived electrical sensation (like pins and needles) that propagates up or down from the needle site. There also might be a mild distending sensation, like someone blowing a balloon up under the skin around the needle.
If you're unsure about any sensation you're noticing after needles are in, talk to your provider about what you're feeling.
There are a variety of sensations which can occur as a result of having an acupuncture needle inserted. For someone who has never had acupuncture before, some of these sensations may be new and it's possible to confuse them with pain or discomfort.
In and of itself, acupuncture is relatively painless. I say relatively because different people have differing levels of sensitivity and different pain thresholds. It's a mistake on the part of most acupuncturists to refer to the procedure as 'painless' because that's not always true.
There may be a mild pinching sensation on initial insertion of the needle. This should fade in a second or two. If the 'sharp' or 'pinching' sensation doesn't fade fairly quick, tell your provider and have that needle removed or repositioned.
Normal sensations include a dull aching or dull throbbing around the needle. Sometimes there is a short lived electrical sensation (like pins and needles) that propagates up or down from the needle site. There also might be a mild distending sensation, like someone blowing a balloon up under the skin around the needle.
If you're unsure about any sensation you're noticing after needles are in, talk to your provider about what you're feeling.
