I ran a supply company for 5 years, specializing in high quality acupuncture supplies. One of the great things about that job was that opportunity to handle a lot of superb Teishin (blunt-ended needles) made of different metals. What I noticed, after only a short time, was that I could tell what material the Teishin was made of just by handling it. Although platinum, silver, and zinc all look similar, the feel of each is very different. And although 14K, 18K and 20K gold look quite alike under low lighting, Qi passes through each of them in a totally distinct way.
Different alloys of steel also have different qualities. If you perform the same technique with two different brands of acupuncture needle, you will notice differences in the way each feels during treatment. Some needles feel heavier, others transmit changes in the Qi of the point more quickly to your fingers, some might feel duller and have less Shen, or still others may feel bright or shiny when you use them. I have had people tell me that certain Teishin “sing” to them while they work. And while a machine-made filiform needle does not have the uniqueness and depth of character that a handmade Teishin does, a good steel filiform needle can still hum a quiet tune from time to time.
If you want to see what I am talking about and you only use one kind of needle, go support your local acupuncture school bookstore and buy some boxes of another needle that is of the same or higher quality than the one you currently use, but in the same size and length. You can alternate between the two brands on different days, with different clients, or as your whim dictates. Pay attention to how the insertions and manipulations at different points feel in your hands while you work. If you find that you like or don’t like certain properties of the needles, force yourself to express why. For me, it is never enough to think, “this one is not as good.” I push myself to come up with clear reasons why I do or do not like using one brand of needles over another.
When you are not treating, handle the needles you use often, and experiment with how it feels to pass Qi through them in both directions. Remember that a needle not only transmits Qi into the client for treatment, but also transmits the Qi of the client back to you for evaluation and feedback. In addition to handling your needles more, become consistent in the way you load them for insertion. I am a huge fan of the one handed needle turn, and I will post more on this soon. But whatever method you choose for readying the needle, spend some time doing it without a client present – just loading and unloading, over and over. In this way you can compare two needles easily. You will be surprised what your fingers will pick up while you do this.
If these exercises proved interesting, I recommend you make a habit of them. Over time you will develop increasingly deeper awareness of what you feel during needlework that comes from the properties of the needle you are using, and what comes from your technique. Separating the two will give you better palpation skills and greater understanding of what techniques and which needles are appropriate in different clinical situations. If you want even more information about this, come to my upcoming class on Advanced Palpation Skills, and the other Advanced Skills classes coming later in the year.
