Acupuncture - Just a little scared to try

For the longest time I can remember my dad going for regular acupuncture treatments for his shoulder. I can’t remember at what stage I found out that acupuncture included getting lots of tiny needles pushed into your muscles until they relive the pressure and tension, but I know that from the beginning this did not sit well with me.

Me and needles simply do not go together. I scream blue murder having my finger pricked for a blood sugar test or when the dentist needs to give me a filling. I have the chills just writing about it now!

I have of course grown up (a little) since then and now know that acupuncture is not a barbaric act but rather a form of oriental medicine which uses very fine needles inserted into various points on the body to release tight muscles, increase circulation and to balance energy within the body. This is of course all done by a professional who has a qualification. Does this make me feel better yes – will I try it – no.

I don’t know what it is about this practice that makes me so squeamish. I mean I love other forms of traditional Chinese medicine and know that the after effects are fantastic. I just cannot get past the needles. Even when I was going through extremely painful treatments for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome on my shoulder and my physio kept trying to tell me that acupuncture would be far less sore and traumatic and would leave far fewer bruises I still could not do it. Even my dad tried to persuade me into it – and I trust that my dad would never put me in a situation which is not good for me – still not luck.

According to ehow.com, I should follow these steps:
1. Step 1
Go to the doctor/tattoo parlor/acupuncturist – any place that has needles – Ok I’ve been to these places but do I have to undergo the treatments? Well actually I have – I have a tattoo and I was able to sit in the chair for the full twenty minutes and only started to feel faint once the guy was done.

2. Step 2
Take deep breathes, do not look at the needles, do not look at the bottles containing the medicine, in fact, do not look at anything if possible. I’ve tried this one too but still knew what was coming and I cannot trick my mind.

3. Step 3
Request the best shot giver in the house. If other patients have completed their appointment and are waiting to check out, ask them how their needle work went. Was their nurse/tattoo artist/acupuncturist amazing or is their arm bruised to the high heavens?

4. Step 4
When it comes time to get pricked take deep breaths, take yourself to your happy place, close your eyes and keep breathing.

To me, although these sound like obvious solutions to my problem I don’t see them helping - maybe this is more of a problem that I know, after all “Needle phobia is a defined* medical condition that affects more than 10 percent of the population to an extent that it causes them to avoid needed medical care.” Should I be seeking professional help?

Whatever my problem I hope I get over it because I know that acupuncture has helped my father and I hope that it will be able to help me one day – that’s if the therapist can get me to lie still!


Additional reading:
http://www.futurescience.com/needles.html