[ElaineM]

You are right Pam. Acupuncture doesn't hurt most of the time. Everyone's Pain level is different. It might be true that the person doing acupuncture is hitting a sensitive area that has been previously injured or affected by your health problems or treatments.
As long as you are getting some benefit from the acupuncture needles placed in other areas that is what counts. I wonder if putting a little numming cream (lidocream) on the areas that hurt an hour before your acupuncture treatment would help?
Also your doctor of Chinese medicine should be open enough to explain to you what is in any teas or other things he or she prescribes. We want to be sure that there are no negative interactions between those things and the things our other doctors are prescribing.
My naturopath explains everything to me and even checks to make sure the things he prescribes are not interferring with other things I am taking. I have found a couple reliable websites were I can check drug to drug or drug to supplement or drug to food interactions myself. I bring my M. D.s up to date about what I am doing with my naturopath. One of my M. D.s is even working on a project with him on my behalf. All in all I think my naturopath/doctor of Chinese medicine/acupuncturist has contributed greatly to my survival.
Good luck. Take good care of yourself Pam. I have my fingers crossed for you. I wish you well.