How Does Acupuncture Actually Work
(And Why Does It Feel So Darn Good?)
Today during my meditation, as I do on many occasions, I found myself sticking needles in my head and hands so that I could receive the double benefit of both meditation and acupuncture at the same time.
But today as I was sticking myself with needles, I was thinking, “How weird is this, and how did I get into this profession anyway?” After all, I began doing acupuncture in 1983, when it wasn’t accepted as “normal” at all. The fact is, I have no idea why I was attracted to sticking needles into people as a profession. I just was. And I’m so glad I made that decision.
There isn’t a day goes by that I don’t think, as I’m sticking needles into people, how weird is this?
How does this work anyway? How could sticking these thin little needles into peoples bodies actually create a healing response and help relax them and relieve their pain and stress?
It’s just too weird to think of. But it’s true. It really feels good to get acupuncture, and it really does relieve stress and pain. It just does, as strange as we Westerner’s think it is.
Of course when I was in China and visited an acupuncture hospital, I was witness to long lines of people waiting to receive acupuncture. And they would get it daily, or possibly twice per day.
I love the fact that something so strange, and so terribly simple, can be so effective and feel so good.
If you haven’t yet tried it, I encourage you to open your mind. A few minutes after the needles are in and begin to take effect you inevitably find yourself drifting off into la-la-land. Most of us feel a floating sensation, or we just fall into a gentle alpha semi-conscious sleep state.
Basically this is the endorphins beginning to take effect. It’s like during exercise, or listening to relaxing music, or that state of mind just before you fall asleep at night when you are semi-conscious and almost in a sleep state.
This “alpha-state” of brain waves is one which feels very good due to the effects of the needles stimulating the release of endorphins. Endorphins are our own relaxing brain neurotransmitters; a chemical in the brain which gives us that “feel-good” sensation. We feel safe, and just float. It’s kind of like taking a warm epsom salts bath with soft music and a candle.
But in the case of acupuncture there is lots of research that actually shows it’s working for so many different types of problems; from Parkinson’s, to anxiety, insomnia, PMS, menopause, facial twitching, facial wrinkles, indigestion, hair loss, infertility, muscle spasms, arthritis, sciatica, stiff neck, frozen shoulder, and so many more…..
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wish I could get acupuncture on myself daily. And many days I do in fact give it to myself. You may have seen me walking around my office with needles sticking out of my head. Or you may have seen my secretary with needles in her ears.
Funny? Yes! Effective? Yes!
This year, give yourself a gift and if you haven’t tried it yet, just open your mind to something that may in fact seem weird, but that actually can help in boosting your sense of well-being and increasing the quality of your life.
ACUPUNCTURE!!! Weird but True!