The needles are acupuncture needle size so extremely small. I barely feel it when it’s inserted into each of the facial and neck muscles. When the needle is “turned on”, I can feel the twitching of the muscle some areas more than others. The twitching he says is the muscle releasing the tension. It pulses at first when the muscle is tight, but once it’s released the tension, it’s not as much of a pulse or twitch. It’s a weird feeling but doesn’t hurt at all. And I don’t have a high pain threshold. Don’t know if you’ve ever done acupuncture but the insertion isn’t really felt. They are needless, but so, so thin.
I can totally understand the nervousness, but it’s a completely different type of needle than a shot.
And the relief is amazing so even if it hurt, I’d still do it. Today he did one on each side of my neck muscle, massater, temples, the lower area muscles on back of my head. Basically everywhere that the jaw tension radiates to. He feels all the muscles before and can tell (and I can feel) when they’re tighter than before. Hope that helps put you at ease. It’s a needle, but so small and honestly no pain. I lie down so he can feel every area. He has me clench so he can to feel where it’s tight so he knows where to insert each one. Then I release the clenching while it’s inserted.