7 Ways to Maximize the Effects of Acupuncture

Ways of Maximizing the Effects of Acupuncture Treatments

How You Can Get the Most Out of Acupuncture Treatments

While acupuncture can be an intimidating treatment at first, especially for those who may have a fear of needles, the benefits are well worth it! Acupuncture therapy has a lot of benefits and can be soothing and relaxing as well. It is an ancient treatment that has proven to be effective. To make the most of acupuncture therapy and reap the benefits of treatment, it is best if you keep the following 7 points in mind:

Make sure you have something to eat beforehand.

Acupuncture works by directing the body’s energies (known as Qi) in specific ways. Qi is produced from the food you eat, so if you haven’t been eating well or you’ve been skipping meals, you will have less Qi or energy, to begin with. Having food in your stomach means that there’s more Qi or energy to use, which helps the acupuncture treatment to be more effective.

Avoid stimulants and greasy foods.

Having caffeine, alcohol, depressants, or drugs beforehand means that your body has been stimulated when it should be relaxing and enabling the Qi to flow.

Acupuncture works by increasing the production of adenosine, a chemical compound that performs signaling functions in the brain. Adenosine helps you to relax, feel calm and rested during acupuncture treatment. However, caffeine blocks the production of this chemical compound, so it’s not a good idea to have that skinny latte beforehand.

You should also avoid large or greasy meals as they can irritate your stomach and keep you from relaxing during your acupuncture session. Large and greasy meals, as well as large drinks, caffeine, depressants, alcohol, or drugs, are a no-no at least 12 hours before and 2 hours after your acupuncture therapy.

Arrive on time for treatment.

There’s nothing worse than arriving for treatment late and stressed. Arriving for treatment on time means you get the most out of the acupuncture session, the needles have time to ‘do their work,’ and your body has had the chance to relax and release the chemicals needed to improve your health and wellbeing. Do yourself a favor and leave yourself enough time to arrive!

Arriving early will also give you time to fill out your forms. Ensure you provide accurate and detailed information about other treatments you’re taking. You should also report any previous aftereffects of acupuncture to your acupuncturist.

Turn off your mobile phone.

Imagine that you are lying on the treatment table or sitting comfortably in a chair, letting the acupuncture needles do their work, feeling all relaxed and calm, almost in a dream-like state, and your phone goes off! Yes, the day-to-day demands of life will still be there after treatment, but whilst you are in treatment, show yourself some consideration and care and turn the phone off.

Your acupuncture treatment is a time to focus on yourself without pressure or demands, and when was the last time you actually got a chance to do that? Remember you are using acupuncture for relaxation, so you need to do away with everything that can distract you or make you uncomfortable, even tight clothes. Tight clothes will restrict your movement and make you uncomfortable. Instead, wear loose-fitting clothes.

Plan your day so you don’t carry out strenuous activity after treatment.

This doesn’t mean you can’t do anything physical after acupuncture, but it does mean that it is better to do something less strenuous if possible, because, during acupuncture treatment, you have had your body’s energies directed to specific parts of your body to heal and rebalance. Strenuous activity almost distracts the energies that have been directed elsewhere and stops the desired effects of acupuncture.

Follow any lifestyle advice given to you by your acupuncturist.

In everyday language, we call this ‘lifestyle advice,’ but in Chinese medicine, we call this ‘the three free therapies. What this means is that your acupuncturist will also give you the support and knowledge to make changes in your life. The three therapies are nutrition, exercise, and relaxation. Your acupuncturist makes these recommendations from an understanding of the importance of nourishing food, appropriate exercise, and personalized relaxation methods, so take their advice. It’s the free bit!

Consider strategic scheduling of acupuncture treatment.

Think of acupuncture treatment as a process rather than as an individual treatment. As an acupuncturist, many people have asked the question, “Does acupuncture work?” We always talk about strategic scheduling or a course of sessions over a period of time.

Whenever we see someone new, we use acupuncture more often, over a shorter period of time, so it can trigger the changes needed in the body to rebalance and heal. As acupuncture continues and the compound effect impacts the body, we increase the time between treatments and reduce the number of sessions, so as to wean the body off as it improves.

Schedule You Acupuncture Therapy at All Deep Massage & Wellness Clinic

Acupuncture alleviates body pain and even treats disorders like anxiety and sleep issues. Women with fertility issues can also take advantage of fertility acupuncture, which dates back to about 2000 years ago. It is effective and has helped millions of other women through the ages. To get the best acupuncture treatment results, contact us today for a consultation and request an appointment with one of our professionals.