Acupuncture effects?

Question

If bruising and pain occur during or after acupuncture is something wrong???

Answer 1

My writings come from personal experience: I have been seeing acupuncturists for over 20 years now, visiting about 5-8 different acupuncturists during that time. One thing I did in the early months of treatment (to resolve a long-standing emotional issue), was to tell my body it was safe to allow the directed change in the energy flow.

Sometimes there is such a strong puddle stagnant 'chi' that the point chosen reacts strongly to the needle's nudge to make the energy move. I remember one point actually jumping away from the almost inserted needle. The OMD saw it move away, I felt it move... we laughed.

When there is pain which does not diminish after about 15-30 seconds, please inform your practitioner of the condition before they leave the treatment room. Speak up if they do not ask if all is ok. It is your treatment, and you are the consumer.

If an acupuncturist is trained in China - they are taught that the more painful the point used, the more power the treatment will have. It appears that the Chinese subscribe to the "no pain, no gain" theory. My first acupuncturist walked between this training and more gentle western approaches.

Bruising is uncommon, but can happen. We are all built a little different, and perhaps your body has something carrying blood by a point where others don't. Hopefully, your practitioner notes if a drop of blood appears when s/he takes the needle out, or you are telling them when/if you return.

Like another poster suggests, if the practitioner *always* bruises you, then move on to another person, perhaps one who has been in their 'practice' longer than a few years.

In summary, the pain does *not* indicate something is wrong. But if there is always bruising no matter where the point is, yes, something *is* wrong.

Answer 2

The very quick answer would be yes. I would qualify this by saying that occasionally the patient might get a little pain but bruising is very rare.

You can ignore the ignorant who feel that acupuncture is mumbo-jumbo especially those entrenched in western medicine. If western medicine is so brilliant why is life expectancy longer in China?

Acupuncture has been shown to increase endorphin levels by up to 50%. Endorphin is the bodies feelgood chemical and is a powerful mediator of mood and stress. Since many symptoms are related to depression and/or stress, it is hardly a surprise that acupuncture nakes the patient feel better. A doctor who is concerned with the welfare of a patient as well as the mechanics of disease will recognise the value of any therapy which can reduce stress and lift mood.

In case you fel I am anti western medicine, I am not. I am a doctor but I recognise the need to take a more holistic view of patients' needs.

Answer 3

Not necessarily. I have had it where they put a needle in and it causes excruciating pain. It usually is as much a surprise to the acupunturist as to yourself. The pain to me indicates there is something serious amiss on the meridian's energy flow. My acupuncturist usually takes the needle out straight away. Sometime they will draw a drop of blood too.
Never had bruising though. But then again, i don't bruise easily. Neither have had pain after acupuncture myself.

Answer 4

If a person id getting bruised in accupuncture; the accupuncturist is either using needles too big, or is applying a lot of pressure to coax the needle into the skin.

The needles are only about as thick as a human hair.

I have had accupuncture, and I have done accupuncture to myself; I LOVE it.

There is almost no pain because the needles are so fine.

There are only three or four accupuncture points on the body that really hurt when the needle goes in.

Answer 5

Oxycodone can interfere slightly with acupuncture treatments because of the effect it has on the sensations elicited from the needling. However, we are able to take this into account when we develop the treatment protocol and the effects of acupuncture are still realized by people who are prescribed oxycodone.

Answer 6

I tried acupuncture on a balloon once. It did nothing for the pain, it just made a loud bang.

Answer 7

I think there is something wrong with somebody who goes for acupuncture. What is wrong with a doctor?

Answer 8

Good grief ! Look at those answers above.... It appears people have a problem with Acupuncture.

Sheesh.. I know people who swear by it and they love it. Bruising, I have never heard them complain about.

: )

Answer 9

Your therapist appears to be heavy handed. No such reaction should occur.

Answer 10

stear clear of these quacks, my brother died of kidney failure but in shear desperation six months before he died he thought of giving this form of therapy a chance, to the whole family horror, every place on his body where a needle had been inserted developed into enormous sores making his last few days on Earth unbearable, they do not have a thoughro understanding of medicine, and made the situation ten times worse