HOW SHOULD I FEEL AFTER MY ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT?

 

I’m asked this question a lot, and the answer is always the same: It depends… But on what does it depend? That is the real question. Well, it depends on many factors, such as the following: What exactly is the problem you’re being treated for? Depending on what you are being treated for, you might have all types of reactions to the acupuncture treatment.

If you are being treated for a systemic problem, like migraines, or ovarian fibroids, then you may experience a healing aggravation. This means your condition may actually seem to worsen or other uncomfortable physical or emotional symptoms may arise—but these, as well as the original problem—will subside as your body works to heal itself.

If you are being treated for a short-term, pain-related problem, then the likelihood of a healing aggravation is not as high.

Systemic problems include anything hormone-related or having anything to do with one of the various organ systems in the body. Examples are the cardiovascular system, the central nervous system, the emotional system, the urinary system, the digestive system, and the like. Because these systems are so complicated, often a problem related to one of the systems might take longer to heal.

 

When treating these types of problems, a person will often experience a healing aggravation, or healing crisis. This could mean you experience a rash, or headaches, or nausea, or certain emotions such as anger; or weepiness may overcome you.

These are all signs that your body is healing by correcting imbalances by releasing physical and emotional toxins that may have been held in the body. The healing aggravation occurs when the problem gets temporarily worse before getting better.

Depending on the severity of your health problem, you may experience positive results immediately, or the treatment might take some time. The length of time it takes to feel the healing results of the treatment might be anywhere from one treatment to six months of treatments.

I’ve seen many migraine patients who experienced relief with one treatment, and other migraine patients who didn’t experience complete pain relief for about six months or so after the treatment. In general, the more severe the health problem, and the longer you have had the problem, the longer it’s going to take to heal and establish permanent results.

Please remember: this is a general rule, and depending on other factors, even a longstanding, severe problem can sometimes respond quite well to acupuncture in just a few short weeks. I recently treated a man in his 50’s for long-standing asthma and coughing, which cleared up in three treatments. I generally tell people that it’ll take half as long as you’ve had the problem to completely heal it. But that is not to say that you won’t experience significant relief and benefits from your treatments long before this time period. It has been my experience that most people find significant relief in just three or four treatments, regardless of the length of time they’ve had the problem.

Treatment time will vary depending on what result we are trying to accomplish and the following additional factors:

1. How many needles are used

2. How many treatments have you received

3. Which type of acupuncture is being used

4. How much toxicity is stored in your tissues and cells

5. How much anxiety or stress are you under

6. How easy is it for you to relax

7. What your diet is like

8. How much water and other fluids you drink to keep your body hydrated, and flushing out toxins

9. Whether you exercise regularly

1. How many needles are used?

Some forms of acupuncture may use only one or two needles placed strategically on specific points meant to elicit a constitutional balancing. Other treatments may use 20 to 30 needles or more. Depending on the strength of the various types of treatments, you may feel entirely different and get entirely different results. In fact, even if you had the same treatment for two consecutive weeks, you might feel different after each treatment, because the energy traveling through your acupuncture meridians is constantly shifting and changing.

2. How many treatments have you received?

In general, the more treatments you receive, the better results you are going to have. This is also true in terms of frequency. If you have been feeling very depressed and come in for acupuncture, I will probably recommend you have treatments twice a week. This is not to say that you won’t get as good a result if I only see you weekly, or twice monthly, but you will receive the benefit more quickly if you receive treatments more often. Most people receive a very nice benefit from the treatment after about eight to ten treatments, and then they will often decide, with me, to let the frequency trail off to every other week, or once a month.

3. Which type of acupuncture is being used?

There are so many different types of acupuncture. Each type was “invented” by a different doctor and most have proven to be quite successful. You could go to 20 different acupuncturists and receive 20 different types of treatments. The important thing is that you experience significant improvement and that you feel comfortable with the acupuncturist and your treatments. Comparing types of acupuncture treatments is like comparing apples with asparagus. Each practitioner you see will tell you something different.

4. How much toxicity is stored in your tissues and cells?

Most people living in our culture do not eat and drink only perfectly healthy food. Also, if you live in a large city you are breathing air that is not too pure. So for the average patient I see, there is quite a bit of detoxification that goes along with the acupuncture treatment. Often people will report headaches, changes in bowel and urination habits and emotional shifts. If you are someone who rarely expresses yourself emotionally, you might find that after receiving regular acupuncture treatments, you are more apt to say what is on your mind. On the other hand, if you tend to have an explosive streak in you, then as you detoxify, you might tend to become more calm and relaxed.

Above all, acupuncture allows the body to heal itself by releasing toxins and allowing a free flow of energy throughout your body to help you reestablish harmony in your body and in your life.

 

How Should I Feel After My Acupuncture Treatment
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