Does acupuncture hurt? This is the first question patients ask about acupuncture and the answer is NO, acupuncture does not hurt. Acupuncture needles are extremely thin and have a filiform tip. This means the needles are solid with a round edge and therefore gently part tissues out of the way during insertion rather than cutting through the skin (unlike the hollow needles used for vaccines and injections). One of the biggest barriers people face when considering acupuncture treatment is getting over their ‘fear’ of needles. Once patients try acupuncture they are most often surprised at how painless it really is.
