Many people are intimidated by acupuncture because it seems ancient and they have a fear that the needles will be painful. However, if you suffer from pain that is debilitating to your life, it is high time that you face your fears of acupuncture. It has been shown to relieve pain and it is not as scary or painful as most people think. Keep reading to find out the truth about acupuncture therapy.
Remember that acupuncture does not use needles. Many people think that they are being stuck with small needles that hurt, but this isn’t the case. Tiny, solid and sterile little pins that are about the thickness of a strand of hair are what are used for acupuncture. Many of them are flexible, and since they aren’t hollow, they rarely cause pain.
Do you suffer from chronic pain, but are leery about taking prescription medication to help it? If so, then acupuncture might be for you! Acupuncture targets pressure points in the body to relieve pain and stress. This medical practice is used all over the world and is a great alternative to prescription medications.
You should find out if your acupuncturist is NCCAOM certified before you set an appointment. This national board certifies practitioners that have completed a national exam and full program. It doesn’t say anything about whether their sessions are painful or not, but it does mention their educational level describing how many hours were spent in school and if they did any supervised internships at their school’s clinic.
If you’d like to get more out of your acupuncture sessions, start cleansing. A good cleanse will free your body of toxins, which means acupuncture will be more effective. During this time, you may also want to detox from substances like alcohol. Ask your acupuncturist to recommend a good detox diet.
Don’t go near alcoholic beverages before going to a session. Acupuncture is about clearing the mind and body. Alcohol only slows you down while trying to reach this cleaner objective. When you are suffering from a hangover before an appointment, try rescheduling for a later date when the full effects will be noticeable.
Do not focus on how long treatment will take, as this can keep you from focusing on the big picture, which is to get well. The acupuncturist likely cannot give you an answer to that immediately anyway, as it depends partly on what you are willing to do at home to help yourself.
If your acupuncture therapist starts to place needles between your eyes, on your abdomen or in other unusual spots, do not be alarmed. Sometimes the pressure points he must reach are located in these areas, and it is quite normal to place needles there. An added bonus is that these areas typically hurt less than other areas where needles are placed, making the session a more pleasant one.
As you can see, there is no reason to be intimidated by acupuncture at all. It can be a wonderful therapy for relieving pain that is difficult to control by traditional means. Use the tips and information you’ve learned here to find an acupuncture therapist who can help you realize relief from your pain.