Q&A Does acupuncture hurt? Acupuncture is not painless but neither can it be described as painful. Most people's experience of needles is of those used in injections and blood tests. Acupuncture needles bear little resemblance to these. They are much finer. When the needle is inserted, the sensation is often described as 'tingling', a ‘dull ache’ or a ‘pull’. Is acupuncture safe? All members of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) must observe the Code of Safe Practice which defines the hygiene and safety standards relating to the practice of acupuncture. These procedures have been approved by the Department of Health, and provide protection against the transmission of infectious diseases.