Bleeding
Dear Patient,
Acupuncture needles are so small—about the width of two human hairs—that it’s a relatively bloodless procedure. Sometimes a drop of blood will appear on the skin after a needle is removed. Occasionally that drop turns into a trickle. And every now and then, the trickle becomes a stream, and a point will bleed for several seconds or more. “That one’s a gusher!” I’ll joke with a patient when that happens.
Bleeding might occur for a number of reasons. Sometimes it’s a matter of simple anatomy. Areas of the body without much padding, say the scalp or the ears, tend to bleed more because the blood vessels are closer to the surface of the skin. Acupuncture needles don’t puncture large vessels like arteries and veins, but sometimes they’ll hit a little capillary.
If a patient is taking anti-coagulant or anti-platelet medications, that can also cause more bleeding, as can certain naturally blood-thinning supplements like fish oil and vitamin E.
Sometimes, bleeding can indicate weakness in the digestive system—the Spleen not doing its job of maintaining the structural integrity of the blood vessels.
But most often, bleeding is a positive sign. It could mean your body is releasing excess heat, or that stagnant blood is starting to move again. In fact, some acupuncturists will intentionally use bloodletting as a pressure-release technique.
Bleeding in acupuncture is a sign that your body is letting go. From the tiniest needle can come profound change—a drop, then a trickle, then a stream, as your body releases what it no longer needs.
Love and gratitude,
Your Acupuncturist