Three (Qi-Free) Therapeutic Benefits of Acupuncture

I recently returned to acupuncture after an accidental eight month hiatus and was instantly enveloped by its healing powers. Before falling into the zone of the treatment which can be best described as a deep and juicy nap, my mind started wandering to what it is, specifically, that I find helpful about this treatment modality (aside from the fact that my recurrent bronchitis never reoccurred after I started receiving it a few years ago). 

You see, I've recommended acupuncture to many and a lot of the time people try it and love it. But understandably there are still people who are reticent to try something so different than their usual healthcare. Because the energetic ins and outs of this component of traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are someone else's field of expertise, I wanted to offer up three aspects of the work that  I find deeply therapeutic, both as consumer and as a therapist :

1. You can talk to your acupuncturist about your symptom(s) without anticipating judgment. Let's face it: We don't address half the things we don't address because we are scared that our issues are too big, too complicated, or too shameful to say aloud (sometimes they are too something even to let into our awareness). But much like with psychotherapy, there is not much you can tell acupuncturists that they haven't heard before. Their education exposes them to every system of the body and their extensive hours of training allow them to witness what it is like for people to experience various issues. So whereas you may not always feel comfortable telling your friends or partner about some itchy aspect of your life, the regularity of your bowel movements, or even how often you feel weepy or anxious, your acupuncturist is ready to receive such information with an openness and readiness to alleviate your discomfort.

2. Each treatment session induces a state of sustained relaxation. Here's the world's quickest physiology lesson. Two main components of your autonomic (involuntary) nervous system are the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems. The former is in charge of the “fight or flight” response, which is triggered by the perception of danger. Think increased heart rate, adrenaline rush, tensed muscles, and anything else that would help you gear up to fight for your life.

The latter is the ruler of the “rest and digest” response, which involves the slowing down of your heart rate, the relaxing of muscles, and other physical indications that you are safe, that you can let go. With our fast-paced world and big fat brains we spend a lot of time in the “fight or flight” zone even when we are not in actual danger (just imagining past dangers or anticipating new ones gets us going). 

Anything you can do to lure your parasympathetic system into action is a gift that keeps on giving (seriously, once you feel a truly relaxed state you will be very aware of what you've been missing) and easing into an acupuncture session, where you will be reclining in a comfortable position in a warm room for at least 45 minutes...well, I'm getting relaxed just thinking about it.

3.You can expect to be treated as a whole person, not just a walking symptom. I don't know about you, but when I go to the doctor, I am often surprised by how quick they are to offer a prescription without asking a lot of questions. Furthermore, the side effects of said prescription (which we all know tend to take up half the air time in commercials) first come to your attention in 16 font print at the pharmacy. Not so with acupuncture. When you engage with treatment they take a good history, and while your life context may not be the subject of conversation at your follow up visits, you know that they are keeping your story in mind (another commonality with many forms of psychotherapy).

You can also describe your mental and physical experiences in whatever terms make sense to you. Maybe you feel “ungrounded” or “meh” or you stomach doesn't hurt, but feels “hot.” There's room to describe your experiences without trying to wedge them into a limited check box and you will be met with curiosity and, again, the readiness to treat. The side effects? Well, let's just say your are more likely to need an extra five minutes to wake up before you drive home than you are to have temporary hair loss, incontinence, or trouble breathing.

So if fear of the unknown has kept you from this particular healing system, consider whether any of the above considerations could be of services to your health.  Don't your mind and body deserve it?

PS: One more thing to put your mind at ease: Acupuncture is very affordable. Many practitioners now take insurance and there are tons of community clinics popping up all over the country. Check out some local suggestions here!