The purpose of acupuncture is to balance the circulation of energy within your body. There are many energy channels that are flowing with energy throughout your body. If this energy gets stuck, or slows significantly, you will experience aches, pain, emotional upset, or some kind of internal organ imbalance, that may or may not be immediately noticeable. Acupuncture can rectify the energy circulation in your channels, alleviating pain and redressing the imbalance directly.
By following the suggestions below, you will get the most benefit from an acupuncture treatment.
Note: It is common to feel relaxed during and/or after a treatment!
BEFORE AN ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT:
- Eat normally. Avoid getting overfull, or arriving hungry.
- Abstain from stimulants or sedatives (alcohol, barbiturates, tranquillizers, non-drowsy cold remedies, anti-histamines) for 4 hours before a treatment.
- Abstain from smoking for 2 hours, if possible.
- Take your prescription medication as usual, and pain medication as needed.
- Be as well rested as possible.
- Avoid rushing to your appointment. If you think you’ll be late, please call and inform us, to allow you to arrive in a more relaxed manner.
- Abstain from sex for at least 2 hours.
- Wear loose clothing. If wearing stockings, please choose knee highs.
AFTER AN ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENT:
- Rest at home or participate in light activity for 2 hours.
- Abstain from alcohol, coffee, or other stimulants for 2 hours.
- Abstain from tobacco for at least an hour.
- Avoid strenuous activity for 2 days if your treatment was for a pain complaint.
- Keep a record of the amount of pain medication used, to track use changes.
- Sometimes symptoms will worsen before they get better. This usually only lasts a day or two.
- The number of treatments needed to resolve any person’s health complaint varies with each person, and condition. Most people require a series of treatments to resolve their condition. A few have only needed one treatment! Ask me to show you a chart on what to expect.
- Most people experience immediate pain relief. For some it takes a few hours, and for some days. It depends on how chronic the condition, and how serious and intense the condition is, and on the ability of the person to respond to treatment.
Please call me if you have any questions or concerns.
Dr. Bonnie
