Press Needles - Acupuncture Pellets - Ear Needles

Acupuncturists use press needles in treatments that require prolonged periods of stimulation at a point. Typically, these periods last between one to three days. Acupuncture press needles are tiny and only one to three millimeters long. As a result, practitioners can press these needles onto the point and secure them with a small surgical adhesive patch. In addition, press needles have a spiral loop preventing them from being pushed too far into the client. This feature is mainly why acupuncturists frequently use press needles for acupuncture of the external ear. As with any indwelling needles, the client must ensure that dirt does not form under or around the adhesive patch.

When you carefully take the press needle out of its package, you will notice a tiny bump in the center where the needle resides. The bump is on the opposite side of the adhesive side of the ear tack. Once you have located the point on the client’s body, peel off the first part of the backing and press the adhesive side onto it. Ensure that the needle is not penetrating a tendon and it is in the exact place you intend it to be. After you’re satisfied with needle placement, you can take off the second part of the backing on the press needle. If you are unsatisfied with the placement, you can use the back to lift the needle and reposition it.

Ordinarily, acupuncturists allow acupuncture needles to remain in place for ten to fifteen minutes. But these needles can stay in place for several minutes to a few hours. During that period, the practitioner may twist or flick the needle to enhance the effectiveness of the treatment. However, some specialized needles have varying periods of staying in place. For example, tiny seed needles can remain in a client for a few days, while the three-edge needle only stays in the body long enough to draw a few drops of blood.

Auricular acupuncture focuses on normalizing a body’s dysfunction by stimulating points on the ear. Acupuncturists use it to treat pain and illnesses linked to the reticular formation and the nervous system. Like reflexology, auricular acupuncture stimulates pluripotent cells in the ear that contain information from the entire body. These cells form regional control centers representing various parts of the body. As a result, symptom relief of a remote dysfunction is possible by stimulating a reflex point in the ear with products like magnetic pellets for acupuncture. Stimulating the reflex point recruits cortex cells assigned to specific regions of the body.

Acupuncture practitioners use ear tacks or ear seeds to stimulate acupressure points in the ear to treat disorders in other parts of the body. For example, they use ear seeds to treat insomnia, chronic pain, nausea, vomiting, gynecological problems, substance abuse, and digestive ailments. The most popular variation of ear seeds is a Vaccaria plant bound to a small latex sticker. However, other variations include ion acupuncture pellets, magnets, stainless steel, ceramic, and titanium. Acupuncturists take the ear seeds and skillfully place them in the clients’ ears at specific acupressure points that connect with the client’s adverse condition.

The most apparent difference between acupuncture needles and press needles is their size. Acupuncture needles range between 8 mm to 7 cm. long. The length is the reason practitioners must use a guide to insert the needle about 2.3 mm to 2.5 cm into the point. Conversely, press needles are only one to three millimeters long with a small surgical adhesive patch to secure them to the point. Acupuncturists use their fingers to push the press needles onto the point. As a result, these two acupuncture therapy supplies have very different packaging.

Acupuncture and press needles are very different because they serve separate functions. Although both needles stimulate the area around the point, acupuncture needles are tools for short 10-to-30-minute treatments, and press needles can remain in place for several days.