What are acupuncture needles made of?

Time for a deep dive into acupuncture needles and a very common question – what are acupuncture needles made of?

The sterile, tiny needles used in acupuncture are considerably thinner than the hypodermic needles used to draw blood or introduce fluids into the body.  Acupuncture needles are commonly made from stainless steel, which offers strength, flexibility and a hygienic surface. The handle at the top can be made from different materials, copper often a favourite so it can conduct electricity during electro-acupuncture.

Acupuncture needles vary in length and diameter to accommodate different parts of the body and types of treatments. The ‘gauge’ or the thickness of the needle can range from 0.12mm – 0.35 mm. The length of the needle can range from 3mm to 125mm long, (yes, unbelievably there are needles 12.5 cm long – another reason to only let qualified acupuncturists treat you). To choose the right size needle your acupuncturist will have to weigh up several factors. The patient’s sensitivity as an individual, the area of the body and which position it is in, the amount of adipose tissue around the point and the depth and angle to which you plan to needle. Needling a trigger point is different to needling an acu-point even if they are in the same area. It is the skill of the acupuncturist to be able to choose appropriately. Using the same gauge needle every time you needle will not give the same results on different people. The needles used now are single use and come in sterile packets. Whilst you can buy cheap needles, the most expensive needles are better quality meaning two things for patients. Firstly – needle insertion is much less likely to cause discomfort. Cheap needles feel blunt for the acupuncturist and the patient. Secondly, better quality needles are much less likely to snap and break in situ. Yeas ago, needles were reused and sterilised after every use. Working in a rural clinic abroad where this was still the case,  I can tell you the needles are pretty blunt after a few weeks. I was heavily complimented on my painless needle technique but I think they were feeling the effects of new needles after years of blunt tips.  Modern needles are produced in China  packed in sterile packaging, given an expiration date and then stamped with a country specific safety mark.