What is the difference between various acupuncture needles?

A needle is NOT just a needle! Not only do acupuncture needles vary in length and diameter, they also vary in the grade of materials used and their manufacturing processes.

Seirin (Japanese) Needles:

Designed to be smooth on insertion

• Seirin brand needles
• Known as “the painless one”
• Seirin disposable needles are setting standards worldwide for PAINLESS and infection-free acupuncture therapy
• Seirin offers an extremely flexible needle, while still exhibiting a smooth and hard structure
• Medical grade stainless steel is used for the needle shaft
• The needle tip is mirror-finished and coated with medical grade silicone oil (adhered using a patented heat-curing technique which leaves no trace of silicone residue in the body)

Korean Needles:

A middle-range needle in materials, manufacturing and price

Dong Bang brand needles

• Middle range
• Quality is comparable to Seirin needle, but closer in price to Chinese brand needles

Chinese Needles:

These Chinese brand needles are suitable if you are looking to FEEL the needle as it enters the patient’s body, to be able to sense resistance, and when the needle has activated ‘de qi’. The patient should also be able to feel the needle and sense when ‘de qi’ has been achieved.

• Hwato brand needles
• Carbo brand needles