Are You Ready to Thrive?

This is a question that I get asked regularly.  We're used to seeing our doctors only in times of trouble (even if then!) and otherwise, we go on our own merry ways.  So when an acupuncturist says that they'd like to see us again in a week, we question it.  

In our society, because we don't go to the doctor until we're experiencing symptoms that are bringing us to our knees, we've dug ourselves into a bit of a "health hole."  What do I mean by that?  We spend our lives worrying, and stressing, and not exercising or eating properly, in effect neglecting our bodies, until our bodies finally break down and we experience a symptom that is worth complaining about. But in Chinese medicine, we've been unhealthy and out of balance for a lot longer than this uncomfortable symptom has existed!

In order to get back to a truly healthy state of being, one in which our uncomfortable symptoms don't come back a short while after treatment, it takes time - and practice.  Our bodies have forgotten, and need to relearn, how to be healthy!

When we get acupuncture, it does its thing for a certain amount of time.  Some people may feel better for a whole week after their first couple of treatments, while some may only feel better for a couple hours.  How long an acupuncture treatment lasts depends on the person, how out of balance they are and how quickly their body responds.  

It is best to get another treatment before much of the effects of the acupuncture have worn off.  For some people this will be a couple times a week, but for most people this is once a week.

Now remember, the whole point here is that your body starts remembering how to be healthy on its own - without ANY outside help.  So once you become symptom-free from treatment to treatment, your acupuncturist will start spacing out your treatments.  If you were coming in once a week, perhaps you'll go to every other week for a while, then maybe once a month.  

In effect acupuncture is reminding your body how to be healthy again, and once it starts remembering, it's time to wean you off treatments so that your body has the opportunity to practice being healthy between visits!

Just like riding our first bikes, once we get the hang of it, and our bodies know how to be healthy again, it's time to take off the training wheels!