Surprisingly, acupuncture is not usually painful. Acupuncture needles are a mere fraction of the size of the conventional needles that are used for injections or blood draws. The tiny acupuncture needles are quickly inserted through the skin, where the nerves that transmit pain are located. The sensation of the insertion is like a “quick pinch”, which resolves in several seconds to a minute after insertion. Once past these nerves, the needles do not usually cause pain. In fact, the sensation of the inserted needles is often referred to as being numbing, achey, heavy, distending or energizing.