What should patients do after an acupuncture treatment? For starters, they should avoid caffeine, junk food, digital screens, alcohol, difficult exercise, and stressful situations whenever they can. Various other activities should be avoided after an acupuncture treatment, at least for a short time. In some cases, this is for safety reasons, but it may also be done so the procedure's potential benefits can be maximised as a result of this short-lived change in lifestyle. Let's point out the things that should be avoided, this time in greater detail:

Avoid Stressful Situations

Acupuncture is a relaxation treatment for most clients, so at the very least, they need to avoid going back to a stressful situation, necessitating some lifestyle changes, at least for a short while. Whenever possible, you should book your appointments at a time when you won't have to go back to work. It may also be beneficial if you don't watch TV or check stressful news sources but instead listen to relaxing music, read a book or work on your favourite hobby.

Avoid Cold Temperatures

After acupuncture, your body will need to be warmed up to get back to normal. You should consider avoiding cold temperatures and avoiding using ice for any topical pain relief.

Avoid Digital Screens

Regarding relaxation, TV and other digital devices tend to stop the body from relaxing, as you are constantly engaged. You should give yourself at least a couple of hours of rest when you're done with the acupuncture session to wind down and have a good night's sleep. On the night of the acupuncture session, you should read a physical book, listen to music if you need to or lie down and try to relax and sleep.

Don't Drive if Lightheaded

For safety's sake, you should think about how you feel after the session is complete. Some people feel lightheaded after the procedure, so you should avoid driving if that's the case until you feel better. Have someone pick you up instead.

What Should Clients Eat After Acupuncture?

Just like you should avoid certain activities, you may also want to be aware of the food and drinks you're consuming. To maximise the potential benefits of the treatment, you should eat healthy, non-processed foods rich in antioxidants and vitamins, such as the following:

• Kale
• Spinach
• Ginger
• Kidney Beans
• Herbs such as Thyme, Basil, and Oregano
• Peppers
• Tomato
• Broccoli
• Green Tea
• Blueberries
• Blackberries
• Cranberries
• Turmeric
• Pecans
• Artichoke

What Clients Should Not Eat After Acupuncture

Just like there are foods you should eat, there are also foods and drinks you must avoid after acupuncture, ensuring your rate of recovery and improvement works out for the best:

• Junk food and fast food in general
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Refined sugars

Should Clients Rest After Acupuncture?

Though you don't need to sleep for days on end or get confined at home, you should still take it easy for a couple of days once the procedure is over so that you can reap the most benefits. What's more, you will find that rest will help restore your physical and emotional wellbeing.

What Clients SHOULD Do After Acupuncture

So, to summarise things:

• Rest
• Eat well and drink plenty of water.
• Be aware of their benefits, side effects, and general experience, as this feedback may be useful to you as their practitioner.
• Keep warm and use heat for pain relief where necessary.
• Consider other interventions to maximise outcomes.
• Take it easy and avoid strenuous exercise.

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There are two ways to explain what acupuncture is - the first uses Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and the other explains it with the western school of thought using biomedical functions. Traditional acupuncture works by presenting it through the channel theory: qi energy travelling in pathways called meridians throughout the body. Qi is often mistranslated as ‘vital force’, which isn’t the right translation, as acupuncture is not an energy healing therapy. A better interpretation of what the ancient Chinese meant would be oxygen in the vessels, as qi means air or breath. The basic foundations of acupuncture and TCM is that a lack of qi and blood not reaching a certain area of the body leads to ailments and pain.

Sometimes, due to certain lifestyles and environmental reasons, the flow of qi can become disrupted or even blocked, resulting in pain and illness symptoms. In some cases, traditional acupuncture can be great therapy in restoring balance and promoting emotional and physical harmony. At its simplest, acupuncture is the practice of inserting extremely fine, sterile needles into acupuncture points. Acupuncturists believe that stimulating the qi in the meridians signals the body’s immune system and enables it to resolve the condition.

How does it work?

Despite some excellent research being done to answer how acupuncture works precisely, there are no clear and straightforward answers at this time. This is mainly because acupuncture has many therapeutic effects on the body, so its action depends on the pathology involved. Pain and pain relief is the area in which the most research was done, so most of the theories regarding acupuncture have to do with pain relief issues.

The most popular of all modern scientific explanations on the subject is that inserting needles in acupuncture points stimulates the nervous system to release pain-relieving substances. Nerve fibres travel from the acupuncture points to the spinal cord, and from there, they move on to the brainstem and the hypothalamus-pituitary gland. The stimulation of these areas in the brain and the spinal cord ends up releasing neurotransmitters, such as endorphins, causing inhibition in the nerve pain fibres. Animal studies showed that acupuncture might alter the release of various hormones and neurotransmitters. These affect the parts of the central nervous system relating to sensation and involuntary functions, such as blood pressure, immune reactions, blood flow and body temperature.

Where did it originate from?

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine system that dates back over 2000 years. Since then, different opinions, theories and techniques have developed various styles apart from the conventional style of TCM diagnosis and treatment. The traditional Chinese style is the father of acupuncture, a source from which all other types of acupuncture have branched out ever since. That includes the Japanese style, Korean hand technique, Five Elements, French auricular (ear acupuncture) and more.

What can it help with?

In western medicine, acupuncture is almost entirely identified as a treatment for pain management. Though this is true, many people turn to acupuncture to relieve particular pains, like osteoarthritis and more. More and more people realise that the uses of acupuncture can explore treating the whole person, rather than specific symptoms such as pains and ailments. Traditional acupuncture may help if you have a particular type of symptom or condition but also if you feel general unwellness with no obvious diagnosis. It can be used if you want to maintain good health, as a preventative measure or if you're going to improve your general sense of wellbeing.

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The NHS doesn’t condone or fund faith healing, things like crystal healing or using magnets to heal patients. If you ask for a treatment where things don’t fit within the accepted NHS treatment plans, then you will be out of luck. That doesn’t seem to be the case with acupuncture, however.

The government doesn’t share how much the health service is spending on acupuncture every year, but the estimations are somewhere around £25m. The NHS rationing body, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says that doctors may prescribe acupuncture for chronic tension headaches and lower back pain. The NHS Choices website mentions there is reasonably good evidence about the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating a range of conditions, such as dental pain, headache, back pain, nausea after an operation as well as osteoarthritis of the knee. There are also plenty of patients who swear by the procedure.

Of all the types of alternative medicine or complementary, acupuncture has the most credibility among health officials and doctors. There are naysayers, however.

Scientific rationalists have been spending their lives debunking quack science, and now they have turned their sight on this ancient Chinese therapy. They couldn’t find any mechanism that explains how the needles ease pain or treat disease or any proof that it does that. Overall, there was no evidence that most of the conditions acupuncturists treat are affected, according to the rationalists. Though there is research showing there is mild effectiveness, the effect is weak, they say. In trials, some patients will benefit, while others won’t. When acupuncture is tested on thousands of patients, the average benefit was too small for someone to notice.

So, are the naysayers right?

The earliest known accounts of acupuncture being used appear in “The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine”, a text dating back to the second century B.C. where the principles of traditional Chinese medicine are laid out. Reports of acupuncture appeared in the western world in the 17th century, it grew in popularity much later during the 20th century. Modern acupuncturists have inherited that popularity largely due to the decisions of Mao Zedong, who promoted the use of Chinese traditional medicine during the Cultural Revolution of 1966-1976. It was a way to boost the national identity of China and deliver cheaper healthcare at the same time. It spread around the world in 1972 thanks to the visit of President Nixon to China and has been more popular ever since.

In 2000, a survey done by the British Medical Association showed that half of the doctors in the country were prescribing acupuncture in the UK, either as a complementary treatment or as a direct treatment instead. Over 2000 years, more branches of acupuncture appeared, with most of them relying on the idea of the “life force” or “qi” that flows through the human body in 12 channels, called meridians. Pain and illness occur when the qi is blocked from flowing freely, either due to poor nutrition, infection, injury or stress. The insertion of fine needles into specific parts of the body - the acupuncture points - restores the body’s qi flow and helps the natural healing response.

Needles are just part of the procedure, however. Traditional acupuncturists do more than that - they inspect the face, body, condition of the tongue and more. The idea is that different parts of the tongue are linked to different organs and its condition shows their condition in turn. They also listen for unusual sounds, wheezing, and strange odours in the body. They check the patient’s heart for clues of health issues and the state of their organs and qi flow. It is a much more thorough and careful examination than most people realise.

Despite the naysayers, the benefits of acupuncture for pain relief and stress relief are still observed and very real.

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When it comes to traditional Chinese medicine, the heart is considered central to your body’s health. Ancient Chinese texts of the past, such as Huainanzi and Guanzi, Daoist classics, consider the heart “the ruler of the five organ networks”, also known as the “emperor of the human body”.

The Heart According to Traditional Chinese Medicine

The heart is known as one of the five Zang organs, together with the spleen, kidneys, lungs and liver. They are also known as the yin organs, as they produce, regulate and store the vital substances of the body, such as bodily fluids, blood and qi. The Zang organs are vital to the regulation of the body’s internal functions.

Each of the Zang organs is paired with a fu organ, also known as a yang organ. The yang organs include the small intestine, the gallbladder, stomach bladder and large intestine. They help you digest food, absorb its nutrients and get rid of bodily waste. The fu organs are busy with external functions.

If you keep your heart healthy, you can keep your body healthy as well. If you are taking good care of the organs that generate qi, then your heart will be protected and well-nourished.

How to Keep Your Heart Healthy

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death all around the world. Some of the risk factors surrounding it include inactivity and an unhealthy diet, as well smoking or inadequate amounts of sleep and stress. Each of these risks can be addressed, according to traditional Chinese medicine. You can stay motivated by following the examples below:

• The Risks of Inactivity

The solutions to this particular problem can be found with Tai Chi, Yoga or other activities that promote movement and flexibility. Set a regular schedule, stick to it and alternate activities together with friends or alone if need be.

• The Risks of Unhealthy Diets

According to traditional Chinese medicine, red foods help strengthen the heart by making up for the loss of the yang from the body, the fire energy. Some of the red foods in question are cherries, tomatoes, red beans, apples, watermelon, strawberries, beef and more.

• The Risks of Smoking

You should let people know you’re planning on quitting smoking, making it easier to stick to it by having people keeping you in check. YOu can also look for astragalus with your herbalist, which helps reduce the anxiety of quitting. If you feel withdrawal symptoms, you should look to friends and family for help. You can also join a support group for former smokers if you feel it’s necessary.

• The Risks of Inadequate Sleep

Poor sleep is caused by imbalances in your yin and yang energies. Depending on your type of problem, your herbalist might give you a customized formula that works for your specific needs. You need to practice good sleeping habits, such as having a specific bedtime schedule, turning off your electronic devices before bed and making the room comfortable for sleep, among other things. You need a way to remind yourself to stick to that habit, so set alarms and stick to your schedule.

• The Risks of Stress

You can find a solution by practising meditation, tai chi, qigong, whatever works to calm your nerves. Drinking calming teas recommended by your herbalist also helps, as well as practising deep breathing before stressful situations bring you down. You need to understand that stress is the body’s natural reflex to threats, real and perceived. Take a deep breath once the danger has passed and repeat a mantra that helps you shed the fear.

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Acupuncture is a form of treatment, which relies on very thin needles being inserted into the skin. The philosophy originates from Ancient Chinese Medicine. It is based on the belief that processes in the body are controlled by the vital energy flow of qi. It travels through the body via pathways – meridians. If these pathways become blocked or obstructed, certain illnesses and discomfort follow. With acupuncture, experts can work on the blockages and restore the natural flow of qi. 

Acupuncture nowadays has been proven to work for many conditions and improve overall health. It may be utilised as a pain reduction treatment, as well as to treat everyday stress. Patients with certain neurological conditions report feeling much better after acupuncture. Here is more about the benefits of acupuncture and why you should consider the treatment:  

• Stress reduction – the main reason people want to see an acupuncturist lies with their need to reduce stress. One key factor to that lies with restoring their energy balance and triggering specific nervous system responses. Acupuncture works well in terms of stress relief because it lowers the hormones that lead to stress. It also improves mood significantly and lessens the feelings of anxiety. It triggers a response in the body to release natural feel-good hormones, which is in most cases enough to work well for stress relief. 
  
  
• Reduces pain in the back and joints – another major plus of acupuncture lies in its use as a pain relief method. It works on tension in the back and neck area of the body, alleviating the discomfort you feel in the joints. As a drug-free treatment for pain, it is effective with no side effects. 
  
  
• Treatment for headache – many people struggling with chronic headaches and migraine often resort to medication, but acupuncture has also been proven to relieve some of the pain. Study after study shows that the treatment is effective at reducing not just the frequency, but also the severity of the headaches. In some instances, it proved to be even more effective than medication for tension headaches. 
  
  
• Enhances mental clarity – with stress often comes brain fog, which can rob a person of their capacity to focus and concentrate and to think well. With acupuncture treatment, it is possible to address brain fog as a method for inducing relaxation and dealing with the problem in a non-invasive and risk-free way. 
  
  
• Deals with digestive problems – there are many digestive problems, which occur for different reasons – heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome and constipation are just some of the most common ones. If your digestive system is not working all too well, your overall health will also decline. With acupuncture treatment, you can regulate the digestive process better and bring yourself great relief from the common ailments of this nature. 
  
  
• Better sleep – if you maintain a good energy balance in your body, you can sleep without any issues. Acupuncture treatment in scientific trials has shown great promise in alleviating some of the struggles of people with insomnia. According to some of the results, acupuncture was better than certain medications and the benefit from the treatment was proven more effective. 
  
  
• Improves fertility – for couples who are having trouble with fertility, acupuncture could be the treatment to come in handy. It works by optimising reproductive hormones, with subsequent treatments helping with healthy pregnancies in women. 
  
  

Acupuncture is a wonderful choice for many people, who have trouble with their health. It is a risk-free treatment that works well on both men and women of all ages. 

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