By Nine Life Land Acupuncture
1. Rest and relaxation are required after acupuncture treatment, as your energy is re-directed by acupuncture and it will remain healing-process in the next hour or longer. Proper rest would enhance the physical and emotional restoration process.
2. It is better not to take a shower until 2 to 3 hours after treatment. If we use plum blossom needling, please don't take a shower for 24 hours.
3. Please drink warm water; it will enhance your energy moving forward, and avoid caffeine and alcohol.
4. Eat healthy food, and learn how to choose food according to the season and your body condition. Please discuss with your practitioner individually.
5. Use heat. Acupuncture restores the flow of qi (energy) and blood, which helps to eliminate blockages within our body that lead to disorder. Ice, cold showers, cold food and beverages are counterproductive and could cause things in your body to remain stagnant, slowing down the healing process. Putting a heat pad or hot water bottle on where you feel pain is a much better choice.
6. Be patient. Mostly in our clinics, you can feel pain relief immediately after acupuncture. It is not unusual to feel like resting after a treatment and occasionally your symptoms may flare for a short time before settling. Some cases the effects of the treatment will be more obvious the following day. For those who struggle with this concept, please talk to your practitioner to adjust the frequency or way of treatments, and supplement with Chinese herbs, etc.
7. It is important to continue your medication. There can be serious consequences from suddenly stopping some pharmaceutical drugs. Whilst it is possible to use acupuncture to reduce the need for some medications, this should only be done in full consultation with your GP.
8. Acupuncture is extremely safe when practised by a qualified practitioner. We only use sterile single use needles and abide by the Clinical Guidelines of the organisation. Occasionally a small bruise may occur at the site of the needle insertion but this is not usually painful and will clear in a few days.