Acupuncture is a powerful treatment that was first practiced thousands of years ago. However, it continues to evolve and grow so that today we have a wide range of acupuncture styles. These can be offered by registered acupuncturists who’ve taken extra training beyond their thousands of hours of foundational acupuncture training.
What is FSN?
Fu’s Subcutaneous Needling (FSN), sometimes called floating needle acupuncture, was invented by Dr. Fu Zhonghua in 1996. The word “Fu” means floating, but it’s also the inventor’s name.
FSN uses a special single-use, disposable needle that’s partially embedded in a casing. This needle is inserted into the subcutaneous tissue (under the skin, in the fat and connective tissue), and the needle is carefully moved. The patient may also be asked to move. It is an effective way to relieve pain quickly. This method uses fewer needles and can produce fast results.
What are the benefits of FSN?
FSN is used to treat muscle-related pain. It can provide significant relief for the majority of muscle or tendon problems, such as back pain, lumbar muscle sprain, neck and shoulder tension, muscle strain, and soft tissue spasms.
It typically uses much fewer needles, and it can produce almost instant pain relief after the needles are removed. It is also very safe because the needle insertion is very shallow.
FSN can be used alongside traditional acupuncture or on its own, depending on your needs.
How does FSN work?
By stimulating the subcutaneous tissue that is associated with the muscles underneath, it can relax those muscles, thus releasing trigger points and relieving the tension that contributes to pain.
What can you expect during an FSN treatment?
FSN, like acupuncture, uses needles, however it should not be painful. FSN does use larger, specialized needles, but because they are inserted into the subcutaneous tissue (fat and connective tissue) where there are fewer nerve endings, the sensation is typically not too strong.
Your acupuncturist may decide to do a combination of FSN and regular acupuncture needling or focus on FSN alone. During FSN, you’ll be able to (or asked to) move around. During the regular acupuncture, you’ll have a chance to lie still and rest on one of our massage tables.
Sometimes patients are a bit “out of it” or tired after treatment for a short period of time, and you should also make sure you’re not dizzy before stepping off the massage table. Bruising and a bit of soreness afterward may also occur. But you’ll also benefit from feeling less pain and less tension.
To note:
FSN is a specialized training branch for acupuncturists, and My Rest’s acupuncturist who can offer this service is Sasha Li. She offers FSN under the heading of “Acupuncture Plus” at My Rest. If you’re new to acupuncture services at My Rest, book in the Initial Visit Acupuncture treatment first: https://myrest.janeapp.com/#/discipline/1/treatment/3.