Acupuncture has recently received much popularity as a trusted pain-relieving method. The main reason behind its popularity is the absence of drugs and medication along with it.
People suffering from severe pain issues and who intend not to engage in any medication find acupuncture extremely useful.
Due to the popularity of acupuncture therapy, many acupuncture devices were recently introduced into the market.
An acupuncture pen is a popular device that provides excellent pain relief to users. This handheld device helps use acupuncture therapy without any potential safety hazards. But it is essential to understand an acupuncture pen to choose the best one for you.
The article below intends to be a practical acupuncture pen guide for beginners and attempts to explain the acupuncture pen benefits.
Contents
What is an Acupuncture Pen?
An acupuncture pen is a small device you can hold in your hand like a pen. It is used to carry out acupuncture therapy in a safe manner.
The pen-like device can trigger various pressure points in the human body to relieve pain and provide relaxation.
Although many variations are available for acupuncture pens, the most common ones are powered by batteries and are, thus, highly portable.
This portability makes it highly convenient for the users to take them along and use them wherever necessary. No power is needed to operate these, and thus, you can even use them in locations off the power grid.
Even though most people consider the term pens used for these devices to indicate their pen-like design, it is the acronym for Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (PENS).
Different Types of Acupuncture Pens
Due to the popularity of acupuncture pens, several manufacturers have developed multiple versions. The different varieties of acupuncture pens are as follows.
1. Acupuncture Laser Pens
- These pens are the best option for people who possess a fear of needles.
- They ensure a pain-free acupuncture session for the users.
- The user would only feel a tingling sensation while using these pens.
2. Electric Acupuncture Pens
- Instead of needles, these pens use electric pulses to relieve pain quickly.
- They come with effective node points that you can use for your various body parts.
- These pens are the best option to relieve tension headaches, tiredness, unexplainable aches, etc.
- The size of these pens is relatively small and thus is highly portable and travel-friendly.
3. Magnetic Acupuncture Pens
- The magnetic acupuncture pens come with a vibrating probe at the end.
- The probe helps provide instant relaxation to all aches, pains, and other discomforts.
- These pens use their capacity to regulate the bioelectric fields to help the body cells relieve their pain and other issues.
Benefits of Acupuncture Pens
Unlike regular acupuncture needles, acupuncture pens use electric pulses to relieve the user’s pain. They do not pierce your skin in any way and thus can be considered one of the safest options for acupuncture therapy.
Acupuncture pens stimulate the various pressure points on your body and provide relatively long-lasting relief from pain. As no needles are used, people who have an inherent fear of needles would find these pens extraordinarily safe and comfortable.
What to Look for While Buying an Acupuncture Pen?
Look for the following features while buying an acupuncture pen.
Types of Head
The head is a crucial part of an acupuncture pen. It is this part that facilitates the massaging or pressuring of each body part. So, it is essential to consider the head type before purchasing an acupuncture pen.
Acupuncture pens are available with only a single head and with multiple heads. Having numerous heads for your pen is always convenient, as each head serves a different purpose.
Some popular head types available in acupuncture pens are:
- Dome Head: Ideal for facial massage.
- Node head: Ideal to relieve pain throughout the body.
- Spheroidal head: Suitable for massaging and pain relief
Intensity Settings
It is always ideal to purchase an acupuncture pen with multiple intensity settings. Adjustable intensity is handy when using the pen for different purposes.
For example, you can give yourself a relaxing face massage if you can set the pen’s speed to medium. Also, you can use the pen for intense massages if you can adjust it to a higher intensity.
With the right intensity settings, an acupuncture pen sports maximum usage.
Power Source
It is essential to consider the power source of an acupuncture pen before purchasing it. Because the power source has a significant role in deciding the portability and convenience of the pen.
Acupuncture pens are available with rechargeable and non-rechargeable battery packs. Rechargeable battery packs are handy if you have the facility of a power outlet nearby and are not into carrying backup battery packs with you.
But if you live off the power grid or are constantly traveling, acupuncture pens with replaceable battery packs would be the best option.
There are also variations available for acupuncture pens, which you can use directly by plugging into a power outlet. This is ideal for professionals who have 24×7 power supply options available.
Red Light Therapy
Some of the latest models of acupuncture pens feature a service called red light therapy with them. Pens with red light therapy treat pains, aches, and complex issues like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
These acupuncture pens come with a red-light source that you can use on the body parts where you experience the pain. When you shine the light on the aching parts for a while, you will feel significant relief in the intensity of the pain.
These pens are great options for treating inflammations too. They are also helpful in improving your body’s blood circulation to provide general wellness.
If you experience unexplainable swellings throughout your body, an acupuncture pen with red light therapy would be a great addition to your medical kit.
FDA Approvals
Even though acupuncture pens do not involve piercings, they need FDA approval.
Owing to the demand for acupuncture pens, many subpar manufacturers have started engaging in mass production. Approvals like the FDA approval would help you identify the best from the lot.
FDA-approved acupuncture pens are safe to use and are particularly recommended for use in professional acupuncture therapy centers.
Head with Crystals
One of the significant issues that the people who use acupuncture pens share is the difficulty in exerting pressure on pain points when they are going through severe pain. This is why an acupuncture pen with self-mobilizing crystals at the head is essential.
Such pens activate the massaging crystals at the pen tip when you place the tip on the part where you want to put pressure on. This feature provides excellent convenience to the users.
Auto Turn-Off Mechanism
Auto turn-off mechanism is not very common in acupuncture pens, but some latest launches have incorporated this feature too. An auto turn-off feature ensures the product stops working when not in contact with body skin for a stipulated time.
This feature enables you to save much battery power from waste. You can also improve the longevity of the acupuncture pen by making it not work for continuous hours.
Product Size
The size of an acupuncture pen is one of the primary things you want to check before purchasing. Because when it gets extremely big, you might have a hard time handling it. So, for convenience and portability, having a small-sized acupuncture pen is always ideal.
When considering the size and design, it would be ideal to consider an anti-slip grip on the pen. This helps you hold it well even when operating it on the highest intensity level.
User Manual
Although the idea of a user manual may not seem important at first, it helps save the user a great deal of time.
Suppose you are a beginner in the acupuncture field and intend to use the acupuncture pen for pain relief. It would be great for you to have authentic information on all the different pressure points and the effect the pen can cause on each pressure point.
Although such information is available online, it may or may not align with the purchased device’s intensity levels and control settings. Having handy information from the device’s creators would always be more helpful for the user.
Safe Design
Safety should be a key concern when purchasing an acupuncture pen. There have been reports about cheap acupuncture pens causing mild electric shocks to the user’s body.
Although such shocks are not fatal, looking for reputed brands with safe designs to purchase from is essential. It is advisable to use more discretion when buying an electric acupuncture pen.
Manual acupuncture pens would be the right option for people with significant safety concerns. They don’t use any electric impulses for pain relief.
You’ll have to manually exert pressure on the device to help relieve the pain. They are the safest options available among acupuncture pens as they do not involve any electricity element.
Summary
Although acupuncture therapy has been around for a while, I was pretty skeptical about the cost and thus never made an appointment with an expert. But a couple of months back, I was introduced to the easy-to-use acupuncture pen that was highly cost-effective. I experimented with a basic model acupuncture pen and was positively surprised by the effects.
My joint pains that has been a constant for a long time, have started reducing significantly with the proper use of the acupuncture pen. I used the pen per the accompanying manual three times a week and felt highly relieved of the pain and spasms. I used a laser acupuncture pen and have already recommended it to friends and acquaintances.
FAQS
1. What are acupoints?
Acupoints are those pressure points on the human body where acupuncture therapy would be highly beneficial. Exerting mild pressure on these points is believed to impact the human body positively.
There is a total of 361 acupoints recognized by the experts. But it does not mean that acupuncture therapy would only be used in these acupoints exclusively. There could also be minor pressure points that may change from person to person, depending on their personal health conditions.
2. Are acupuncture pens effective?
The long-term effects of acupuncture pens and similar devices are still undergoing analyses and studies. But acupuncture is a Chinese healing method that has been used in the country for centuries now. But incorporating modern medical technology into this therapy is a reasonably new happening.
But many scientific studies have reported that these pens effectively relieve severe pain from muscle ailments, chemotherapy, inflammations, etc.
3. How successful is acupuncture?
Acupuncture has a higher success rate in pain relief than morphine. While morphine has a 78% success rate, acupuncture maintains a whopping 92% success rate.
According to the data from the World Health Organization, acupuncture therapy has been found helpful in treating inflammations, aches, and several other physiological issues. They have recommended approaching reputed acupuncture practitioners for safe and hygienic treatment.
4. Is acupuncture painful?
Traditional acupuncture therapy involves poking and piercing the human body using specialized fine needles. Even then, it is reported that the process does not hurt much. Instead, inserting needles into pressure points would cause a relaxing sensation for the human body.
Now, many advanced acupuncture devices like acupuncture pens are available in the market, almost eliminating the pain aspect of the treatment. There are self-usable acupuncture devices that you can even use on your face without worrying about pain or wound.
5. Is an electric acupuncture pen safe?
High-quality electric acupuncture pens are very safe. They only use a mild current for the treatment, so you will not feel pain or hurt other than a minute tingling sensation.
The current intensity used by these pens is not capable of causing severe harm to the human body. So, electric acupuncture pens can be considered entirely safe. It is also essential to note that electric acupuncture pens from subpar brands and manufacturers could cause health risks.
Hi, I am Valerie. I love working out and trying out various products which help me maintain my fitness. I love reviewing products related to posture and pain relief that will help people in some way. I like to spend my extra time swimming, Running and Wall Climbing. I am a physiotherapist and have helped countless people lead a pain free life.
