Using Acupuncture To Look And Feel Better
Acupuncture is an ancient therapy that is regaining popularity today. It is often used as a complimentary therapy for treating pain caused by anything from menstruation and arthritis to chemotherapy and fibromyalgia. If you or someone you know suffers from pain and would like to try acupuncture, keep reading to learn the risks and rewards that can come with acupuncture.
Be sure to allow some time for your acupuncture to work. Once you attend a couple of sessions, you will see what acupuncture can do to help improve your health. One session is often not enough. Schedule regular appointments and give acupuncture more time if you do not notice a difference right away.
Do not eat too much before you head in to your appointment. While you should not go in on an empty stomach, because you could experience nausea if you do, stuffing yourself will only make you feel bad. Instead, plan to have a snack about an hour or two before your appointment time.
Think ahead before you schedule your next acupuncture appointment. Its best that you don’t have a session right before or right after you do something strenuous. If you usually workout on Wednesdays, make your appointment on a Thursday. If you’re expecting to have a stressful couple of days, schedule your appointment for the following week. Acupuncture works best when you’re truly able to relax.
Ask any potential acupuncturist how many years they have been in business. As with most other professions, experience counts for a lot. You also want to find out where they received their education. There is often a big difference in quality if the person trained in the United States versus somewhere else.
The needles used for acupuncture do not hurt. You might think that you are going to experience pain, but this is not true. These needles are nothing like the needles used for injections or blood draws. They are so tiny, you will barely feel them being inserted into your skin.
Prior to booking your appointment to see an acupuncturist, you must realize and accept the fact that there will be needles used. Many first time patients panic when the see the needles at first. If you can accept this fact prior to going to your appointment, you will better be able to relax and the treatment will be more successful.
Let your acupuncturist know if you’re taking any medicines. The therapist will be able to tailor your treatment to your specific needs, taking this information into account.
Ask your acupuncturist whether they will accept insurance. Many alternative treatments, including acupuncture, are now covered by health insurance. If your insurance is accepted, it will save you a lot of money. If not, this will end up costing you a lot of money.
Acupuncture provides is said to provide lot of healing benefits. It is touted that it positively affects the nervous system, however connective tissue networks are generally pinpointed a lot in the practice. It is not completely understood why it works for many people, but it does, and it is considered a great alternative treatments that many people look forward to.
It is always important that you feel comfortable with the person preforming acupuncture on you. Being uncomfortable and remaining tense through the treatments can end up being counterproductive to your therapy. Find an acupuncturist that you feel totally comfortable with and once you do, stick with that person. You can even give other people referrals.
If your acupuncture practitioner makes dietary and supplement suggestions following a treatment, try your best to abide by them. Sometimes treatments are enhanced when a person eats right and consumes certain supplements. This not only makes the treatment work better, but it can enhance recovery time too. Take this advice seriously whenever you receive it.
Children can benefit from acupuncture too. If your child suffers from ADHD, allergies or other health ailments, sometimes acupuncture can offer answers. While not a replacement for traditional medicine, it can enhance other treatments and help to keep your child comfortable. If you decide to go this route, make sure to work with a professional who is seasoned in working with young children.
Consider trying seasonal acupuncture treatments. With each changing of the season, the body’s needs change too, and you must keep it balanced. For example, it’s usually cold in the fall, so respiratory issues and congestion can be issues. Treatments in fall tend to focus on improving the health of your lungs. Ask your acupuncturist to make some recommendations and incorporate them into your treatments.
Feeling a need to urinate frequently after an acupuncture session is normal. This is one of the many ways that the body releases toxins, and it can also help with bloating and water retention within the body. Acupuncture helps with all of these things, thus the need for frequent urination. Continue to drink water as normal until the symptoms subside.
Modify your exercises following a treatment. You do not need to avoid work outs all together, but tone down your normal routines. If you normally run, take a walk. If you lift weights, move down a few pounds from normal. You only need to take it easy for hours following your session. You can easily go back to regular workouts the next day. Let your body relax and reenergize from the treatment and enjoy the benefits on your first workout back.
There are many types of pain. Your acupuncturist will want you to be as descriptive as possible about the types of pain you are experiencing before he begins treatment. Try to use descriptive words to describe your pain. Some of these words might be: burning, stinging, stabbing, numb or heavy. The better your description, the better your treatment will be.
As mentioned earlier, acupuncture can be used to treat pain stemming from any number of health issues. As you can now see, the ancient therapy is popular again today for good reason. You can now use the tips and information you’ve learned here to find a reputable practitioner and reap the many benefits of acupuncture for pain relief.
