Key points of the needling techniques in acupuncture

The needling technique is a key link in acupuncture treatment. When using acupuncture needles, the commonly used techniques include twisting and lifting. Twisting involves rotating the needle left and right within the acupoint, and stimulating the acupoint by adjusting the amplitude and frequency of the rotation. Lifting and inserting involves moving the needle up and down within the acupoint, controlling the depth and speed of the lifting and inserting. Different diseases and acupoints require different needling techniques. For instance, in empirical cases, the twisting amplitude might be large and the frequency of lifting and inserting might be fast; For deficiency syndromes, the techniques should be relatively gentle. Doctors need to master these key points of acupuncture techniques proficiently and apply them flexibly based on the specific conditions of patients in order to better exert the therapeutic effect of acupuncture needles.