When you are on pins and needles about your medical condition, acupuncture can relieve your discomfort through the use of… needles! The acupuncturist knows exactly where to place the points on your body to alleviate any sort of issue you may have. Trust in them to keep you healthy, and read the tips below to learn more about the art.
Don’t eat too much before you go to your acupuncture session. It is important that you eat before your session to avoid dizziness and nausea, but don’t overdo it. Eating too much beforehand can cause those symptoms or worse during or after your session. Try eating a very light meal, or preferably a snack, about three hours before you get acupuncture.
When looking for an acupuncture professional to treat your aches, pains and ailments, be sure to ask if they are nationally certified. Although this will not guarantee that your sessions are perfect and painless, it will guarantee that the specialist you visit has had a lot of formal education and is well qualified to perform the service. You should see the certificates on the wall.
Ask your acupuncturist about the style they use. Acupuncture is a very complex discipline and there are several methods acupuncturists can use to relieve pain or stress. Make sure the methods your acupuncturist uses are painless. If you are new to acupuncture, ask if you can get a very simple treatment to get used to the sensatin.
Have a basic understanding of what acupuncture treatment looks like before taking part of it. Typically, you will undergo approximately twenty sessions before really seeing results. If you cannot commit to the entire treatment series, you might be wasting your time, as no benefits will be seen. Make sure that this time commitment will work for you before signing on.
Be sure to give yourself some extra time to get to your appointment. Rushing in at the last minute will put you into a stressful frame of mind. Stress is an inhibitor to a successful treatment. Giving yourself a few extra minutes to arrive will allow you to calm down from the stressors of the day and let your body have the time to calm down. This calm will make your session be much more useful to you.
During your first treatment, breathe and relax. This obviously is a treatment that involves needles. Your body may be tensing up in unexpected ways. Just do yourself a favor and breathe deep. Let go of your tensions, and trust in your acupuncturist to do the right things for you.
Taking good care of yourself after an acupuncture treatment is important to allow the treatment to work properly. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water and avoid caffeine and alcohol. Acupuncture can help with releasing toxins and it is essential to flush them from your body by staying properly hydrated.
Acupuncture is different for everyone, and your first session will let you know how it affects you. While most people experience little to no pain whatsoever, some people can be bothered by it. Your body is not the same as anyone else’s, so don’t rely on the anecdotal evidence. Speak to the practitioner if you experience more pain than you believe you should.
Insomnia can be alleviated by acupuncture in many cases. Weekly sessions can help you to relax and maintain a regular sleeping schedule. Your weekly treatment will soon become part of a schedule. Speak with the person doing the acupuncture to see if there are any exercises you can try before going to sleep every night.
Don’t expect a massive turn around from one treatment only. Acupuncture takes a whole course of treatments to see the full benefits. Most people report not seeing any benefits until after the first few courses, so be patient. Go into your treatments knowing this is not a “one and done” scenario.
Some acupuncture patients have reported feeling worse after receiving a few acupuncture treatments. This is called a “healing crisis”. Symptoms may tend to worsen and then improve. Discuss these issues with your acupuncturist and your primary care physician to decide if acupuncture is the right choice for your condition.
As you would with many other services, schedule a consultation with any prospective acupuncturists. These generally last 10-15 minutes, but they can give you an idea of whether or not they are right for you. Ask them any questions that you have, talk about their experience and education, express any concerns, and pay attention to how they make you feel in their office. If you ever feel uncomfortable, try someone else.
Now that you know all about acupuncture and how it can help you, your job is to find a great practitioner near by. If you plan to learn it on your own, be careful and ensure you know what you are doing before you begin. Regardless, use these tips and you should do well in the future.
