Acupuncture Needles: Choosing The Right Needle Size For Treating Pain

By Author: Shailesh Gajjar
Total Articles: 162
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Although Traditional Chinese Medicine practice involves several therapies, acupuncture therapy is often the most popular holistic healing practice in Western civilization. Whether you are learning the science of acupuncture or you are a practicing acupuncturist, it is essential to learn about the size of acupuncture needles. It will help you in treating patients better.

Acupuncturists use different needle sizes for different types of therapies. Your choice also depends on your expertise, the treatment modality, the affected body part, and the patient's comfort level with the needles.

Let's find out how needles are differentiated based on size.

1. Length

The practice of acupuncture has evolved over several centuries. Different regions have adopted varied practices to cure the imbalances of the Qi. For example, Japanese needles tend to be smaller and sharper than Chinese needles. The depths of insertion also vary along with diverse needling techniques.

The length of acupuncture needles is the distance from the tip to the end. For example, TCM practitioners use shallow needles (3mm-7mm) for the ...
... face, hands, and ears. Usually, acupuncturists use 0.18x7mm acupuncture needles for facial treatment.

The most common length of needles is 13mm-40mm. Medium-length needles are ideal for multiple body parts such as the face, shoulders, hands, arms, stomach/abdomen, back, legs, etc. For example, the Seirin D-Type acupuncture needles come in two sizes (0.18x15mm and 0.16x15mm). You will also find Seirin J-Type needles in a wide variety of sizes to treat patients effectively.

Do you know there are acupuncture needles longer than 50mm? The longer needles are essential for body parts with extra muscle and fat, such as legs and buttocks. If you want to insert needles in the hip or thigh, that usually have muscles and fat, opt for long acupuncture needles such as Silverstar S-Type Chinese needles that range from 7mm-75mm.

2. Thickness or Gauge

Did you notice there is another measurement of acupuncture needle along with the length? The other number mentioned is the thickness or the gauge.

Thin needles (0.12-0.18mm) are ideal for body parts such as the ears, face, hand, and feet. Experts recommend acupuncture needles in the range of 0.20-0.25mm for many parts of the body. Use thicker needles (0.30-0.50mm) for the back, glutes, hips, and thighs.

Although the gauge/thickness of acupuncture needles is measured in mm, you will find a different coding system in the Japanese and Chinese acupuncture therapies. Let's take a look.

The Silverstar N-Type needles come in many gauge sizes to address the needs of TCM practitioners. It is essential to offer a wide range of options because acupuncturists have a personal preference for choosing the thickness of the needles. For example, the Japanese style of acupuncture has thinner needles in comparison to Chinese acupuncture therapy. Remember thicker the needle diameter, the higher the sensation of Qi.

Acupuncture Needles: Making the Right Choice!

Along with the size of acupuncture needles, several other considerations require your attention. What kind of handle do you need for the needles? Are you looking for metal handle acupuncture needles? Or do you want to buy Korean spring handle acupuncture needles? Once you decide on the handles, make sure you choose a reliable seller. If the prices seem too good to be true, they might be! Research before you finalize the purchase decision. Seek recommendations, read online reviews, and buy sample sizes before you place a big, wholesale order.

Buy from a reputed online acupuncture wholesale store to get quality needles and treat your patients the right way!

When you are practicing acupuncture therapy on your patients, it is imperative to choose the right needle size.

Do you want to buy acupuncture needles for your TCM practice? Choose 100% authentic Chinese and Japanese acupuncture needles online. Get the best deals on top brands such as Seirin acupuncture needles, Silverstar acupuncture needles, and more.

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