HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AFTER AN ACUPUNCTURE SESSION (PART II)

There are so many benefits from doing acupuncture. It can help with pain relief, as well as treating anxiety and depression. However, in order for you to get the full range of benefits, you need to take care of yourself afterward.

So, what else can you do after your acupuncture treatment to ensure that it is working as effectively as possible?

It is very important for you to drink plenty of water. Your body can easily become dehydrated after an acupuncture treatment so you need to make sure that you are drinking plenty of water.

And avoid caffeine and alcohol. You need to avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol because they will dehydrate you even more.

You also need to watch what you eat. Heavy meals can slow your body down so you should try to eat light food like fruits and vegetables. Make sure that you eat a good healthy protein. You should avoid processed foods and foods that are high in sugar.

Come up with a schedule and follow it. Most of the time, one session is not enough to help. Some recommend coming in weekly for awhile and then coming in monthly or every other month as needed to keep feeling better. However, you should discuss this with your acupuncturist.

Follow any of their other tips. Your acupuncturist is a great source of knowledge so don’t be afraid to ask any questions that you are having. They may also be able to point you in the right direction if you are looking for more herbal medicine instead of the traditional kind.

If you want to get the full benefits of your acupuncture sessions, you must drink plenty of water and watch what you eat. You should also follow the treatment schedule that your acupuncturist recommends. You may need to come in regularly in the beginning before you can cut back.

If you are looking for a more natural approach to your health, contact us today. We would be glad to help you get started on this journey, whether you are interested in acupuncture or even herbal medicine.

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HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AFTER AN ACUPUNCTURE SESSION

Acupuncture has so many benefits, from pain relief to the help with anxiety and depression. However, if you don’t care for yourself properly afterward, you might be losing some of the benefits.

So, what can you do after your acupuncture treatment to ensure that it is working as effectively as possible?

You must relax after your treatment.
Many people feel a burst of energy after, though it is crucial that you take time to rest and relax. This is essential to get the full benefits of acupuncture.any people feel a burst of energy after their treatments, though it is important that you take time to rest and relax. This is essential to get the full benefits of acupuncture.

You shouldn’t do any serious exercise for at least twelve hours after your treatment in order to get the full effects. You may take a short stroll around the block if you feel like you need to do something!

Keep away from the cold.

Cold can really stop you from achieving the full effects of your acupuncture treatment. For this reason, you shouldn’t use ice packs or go swimming in cold water. You also should avoid the wind and drafts. Cold food can also halt the progress that you were making.

Painful?

If you are feeling painful after your treatment, you may want to try a massage. Since you need to avoid using an ice pack, a massage can be a good way to relieve some of your pain. In fact, they work well together. Acupuncture followed by a massage can really enhance the benefits of both.

It is important to remember that it takes time to get the full effect of a treatment.

You may not feel better immediately. Some people even feel worse before they feel much better. You can’t get frustrated because it takes time for your body to get the full benefits of your session.

Acupuncture can be a great way to feel better. However, if you aren’t careful afterwards, you might be missing out on some of the great benefits. Make sure that you take time to rest. It is also as important to remember that it takes time for everything to work. You may feel worse before you feel better and that is completely normal.

If you are looking for a more natural approach to your health, contact us today. We would be glad to help you get started on this journey, whether you are interested in acupuncture or even herbal medicine.

Study at SITCM and take your career to the next level. 

Enrol now to our July intake.

HOW CAN A CONSULTATION FOR TUI NA HELP YOU

Tui Na is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which, like acupuncture and herbal treatment, focuses on encouraging the flow of Qi, or the body’s vital energy, to promote health and healing. Understanding how Tui Na is utilised and who may best benefit from this form of treatment can help you determine if Tui Na is right for you. 

Tui Na in Action

Tui Na is an ancient form of Chinese massage and musculoskeletal manipulation. It employs specific techniques, including rhythmic compression along the routes through which the body’s blood and energy flow, with the intention of increasing circulation and relieving blockages that may be causing discomfort, illness, or pain. Careful stretching and lubrication of joints, sometimes aided by the use of poultices, compresses, or other topical ointments, supports treatment. For a more in-depth understanding of Tui Na techniques and methods click here. 

A Tui Na consultation should include a discussion of your presenting issue, and your practitioner should explain his or her recommended course of the therapy. Multiple sessions may be advisable, especially for treatment of chronic complaints. Massage and manipulation typically take place on a padded table or mat, usually over loose clothing, though some direct skin contact may occur. 

Massage is vigorous; this treatment is generally not appropriate for those with osteoporosis. Further, care should be taken when treating pregnant women, or anyone sensitive to massage. Finally, any skin issues or open wounds should be considered carefully. Discuss any concerns with your practitioner before treatment begins.

Benefits of Tui Na

Though Tui Na is often sought out for the treatment of specific ailments, like other forms of TCM, it is a holistic approach to treatment and is commonly used as preventative maintenance or to increase overall well-being. People suffering from musculoskeletal discomfort, including chronic back and neck pain, report lasting relief as a result of Tui Na. It is also used to stimulate the digestive system and to help with  stress-related disorders. For further reading on the effectiveness of Tui Na, including how it differs from more Western approaches to massage, click here. 

 

Contact us at Sydney Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine to learn more about Tui Na, or to discuss our whole range of courses and treatment options. We’ll be happy to match you with the programs and services best suited to your needs, and we’ll help you determine whether Tui Na is a good fit for you. 

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VISITING A TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE PRACTITIONER

Whether you are about to experience your initial visit to a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioner, or you have seen a TCM in the past, these guidelines are a solid course to follow before you walk into the TCM waiting room. For many patients, writing down symptoms and questions they might want to ask the practitioner is always a good idea.

Consultation Questions

The TCM practitioner will commence by asking you questions about your physical conditions. Many initial consultations take from 60 to 90 minutes. The doctor’s inquiries will include these topics:

  • Chills and fever
  • Perspiration
  • Appetite, thirst, and taste
  • Defecation and urination
  • Pain
  • Sleep
  • The sex and reproductive systems
  • Obtaining children’s disease history and changing body issues
  • Head and body
  • Hearing
  • Chest
  • Changes due to a medicinal intake
  • Menses
  • Diabetes

Patient questions might include:

  • How long will treatment sessions last?
  • Am I eating the proper foods?
  • Will you recommend specific dietary changes?
  • What is my treatment plan?
  • Will you treat my entire health and wellbeing conditions?

Treatment Options

The treatments recommended by your doctor could include the following procedures:

  • Acupuncture
  • Herbal medicine
  • Patient education
  • Lifestyle counselling
  • Moxibustion – The burning of moxa against the skin to treat pain or illness.
  • Therapeutic massages and others.

Expectations

In a research article for Biomed Central (BMC), published in 2017, the authors interviewed experienced TCM practitioners. Since TCM treatment outcomes are concerned with understanding patients’ biophsychosocial health and not a single disease or symptom, the overall health of a patient is seen in TCM as the central issue. One TCM practitioner involved in the experiment said:

Relief from the patients’ chief complaints is the main criteria for evaluating effectiveness. The patient often takes the initiative in telling us what he is concerned about and most anxious to improve, which is the most important part of the assessment of therapeutic effects.

Another added:

TCM treatment has beneficial effects on patients’ general well-being and functioning. When physical symptoms are relieved, moods usually also improve, and patients’ happiness index increases. This creates a continuous positive feedback.

The Sydney Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SITCM)

You can book your appointment at SITCM on its website. You may find that TCM is the answer for improving your entire sense of well-being. Our staff hopes to assist you in all aspects of your life-balance.

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THE WARM DISEASE THEORY AND ITS LEVELS

The goal of the specialists at the Sydney Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine (SITCM), is to look for the underlying cause of a patient’s symptoms and treat the individual, not just the disease. The Traditional Chinese Medicine warm (or heat) theory disease is one of the maladies treated at SITCM. This topic is for those who wish to know more about the Chinese Medical procedures that are used to come against these particular infectious agents. The Warm Disease Theory is also called Wen Bing Xue and developed as an independent system during the Qing dynasty.

Warm Diseases

Warm diseases include disorders such as:

  • bacterial and viral infections
  • Ebola
  • influenza
  • infectious epidemics
  • tuberculosis
  • glandular fever
  • chicken pox, measles, whooping cough
  • SARS
  • meningitis

These bacteria and viruses enter the body by way of the nose, mouth, skin wounds, eyes, or any other bodily orifices, so, obviously, the best way to avoid them is to practice careful personal hygiene habits. It was Chinese doctor Ye Tian Shi who developed the idea of using levels to describe the intensities of warm diseases in 220 AD. He labelled the warm disease as having Six Stages. Later, he created the Four Levels which also explained the manner in which these infectious diseases gain entry to the body. Ye Tian Shi found that all these conditions were contagious, included fever, involved a fast development of symptoms, and damaged the patient’s Yin. According to the Miriam-Webster Dictionary, Yin is: 

The feminine passive principle in nature that in Chinese cosmology is exhibited in darkness, cold, or wet and that combines with yang to produce all that comes to be.

 Level 1 Wei (Defensive)

Wei, in terms of Chinese Medicine, means the immune system, or the first layer of defence. The gastrointestinal tract makes up 80% of this system. When, or if, the disease moves into the circulatory system, fever may occur, along with chills. The collection of signs and methods, called “syndromes” in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) realm, manifest in warm diseases through:

  • Wind-Heat – (fever, dry cough, mild thirst, headache, and more)
  • Damp-Heat – (acne, loss of appetite, sore and tired muscles, sties, and more)
  • Dry-Heat – (fatigue, diarrhoea, inflammation, fluid deficiencies, and more)

TCM recommendations that can assist at this level are:

  • to maintain a balanced, healthy diet
  • to get adequate sleep
  • avoiding damp weather and wind
  • taking herbs for detoxification
  • considering nutritive tonic herbs
  • practising positive prevention tactics

Level 2 Qi

At this level, the disease has taken hold. Symptoms include:

  • high fever
  • heat sensitivity
  • a desire for cold water and air
  • sweating
  • asthma (yellow phlegm)

Because the syndrome variations at Qi level are Lung-Heat, Stomach-Heat, Intestines-Dry-Heat, Damp-Heat in the stomach and spleen, and Gallbladder-Heat, the following treatments might help:

  • Ephedra (Ma Huang)
  • Apricot Kernel (Xing Ren)
  • Gypsum (Shi Gao)
  • Licorice Decoction (Gan Cao)

Level 3 Ying (Nutritive)

Now the disease has almost reached the deepest level. The symptoms at this stage are:

  • High fever, especially at night
  • Skin Rash
  • Mental Restlessness
  • Stomach Deficiency
  • Insomnia
  • Disorientation

To assuage the symptoms, heat needs to be cooled, blood needs to be tempered, and orifices need to be cleared. Common TCM treatments used at this stage are:

  • Chinese Foxglove Root, Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang)
  • Ningpo Figwort Root (Xuan Shen)
  • Lophatherum Stem and Leaves (Zhu Ye Xin)
  • Honeysuckle Flower or Lonicera (Yin Hua)
  • Forsythia Fruit (Lian Quao)
  • Coptis Rhizome (Huang Lian)
  • Salvia Root (Dan Shen)
  • Licorice Root (Gan Cao)

Level 4 Xue 

This is the time when the disease has entered the blood and the liver. The kidneys are also involved in this, the final stage of the diseases’ invasion of the body. The symptoms have worsened and take the form of:

  • Spasms
  • Bleeding from the nose
  • Vomiting blood
  • Blood in stools
  • Weak pulse

The care options recommended by TCM are:

  • Chinese Foxglove Root, Rehmannia (Sheng Di Huang)
  • White Peony Root (Bai Shao)
  • The cortex of Tree Peony Root (Mu Dan Pi)

In a paper by Qin Bo-Wei, regarded as one of the most prominent physicians, educators, writers, and synthesisers of Chinese medicine of the 20th century, Qin Bo-Wei states:

After one understands the chief patterns, chief signs, and chief formulas of wind warmth then one should combine this knowledge with that of the seasonal aspects of the onset of disease, and other complex factors. Consequently, if one understands all this, even conditions that are complex transformations are not difficult to solve.

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WHAT ACUPUNCTURE IS GOOD FOR?

When most people think about acupuncture, they think about the needles. It often makes them uncomfortable because many people are scared of them. However, it can be quite relaxing, as well as good for your health!


Here are some benefits of acupuncture

Acupuncture can be great for relieving headaches (including migraines).

Many people suffer from chronic headaches. Some of them are tension headaches while others have migraines which can stop you in your tracks. It has been found that not only can it decrease the intensity of the pain that you are feeling, it can also reduce the amount of time that you have them!

Acupuncture is also great for chronic pain.

Just as many people suffer from chronic pain that can interrupt their day. By starting an acupuncture treatment, many long-term chronic sufferers (including those with back and arthritis pain) were able to see some relief.

Acupuncture can improve your appearance.

Many people notice a difference in their appearance after acupuncture. Their skin is smoother and looks healthier. They may have less acne. Many lose weight because they are sleeping better, less stressed, and they may stop being as hungry as they were before.

Many women suffer from infertility and struggle to carry a pregnancy all the way to full-term.

By introducing acupuncture into a women’s life, she is more likely to get pregnant and stay that way. It is known that with acupuncture treatment in a long-term the chances of improving pregnancy and IVF outcomes are higher, due to the fact that there is an improvement in their state of health before starting the pregnancy process and that builds up woman’s body straightness.

Acupuncture can also help with insomnia.

Many people suffer from insomnia, and they can’t fall and stay asleep all night long. However, acupuncture can relax someone enough that their sleep patterns improve.

If you have been thinking about trying acupuncture, knowing  what acupuncture is good for, it may be time to have a consult at SITCM. Many people who struggled throughout insomnia, stress or women with infertility, they have been able to get some healing after trying acupuncture.

Contact us to set up an acupuncture treatment today! You will be glad that you did.

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