Acupuncture Treatment Aftercare

What to expect after acupuncture and how to make the most of your treatments

The most common response to treatments is relaxation. The reactions listed below do not happen often, but if they do it’s nothing to worry about and they usually subside within 24 hours. If anything comes up that feels worrying to you, do not hesitate to reach out to your practitioner.

Possible reactions to acupuncture treatments

  • Fatigue

    • Acupuncture has a calming effect on the nervous system, and can abruptly decrease adrenaline from being in a heightened state of fight or flight for too long. The result is the emergence of the underlying exhaustion that existed beneath the stress. The fatigue is your body’s way of getting the rest you need. Take naps or get extra sleep if you can. Be sure to report fatigue to your practitioner so that measures can be taken to lessen the intensity after your next treatment. It’s common overtime for the body to feel less and less tired after acupuncture as you heal.

  • Increased Thirst or Appetite

    • In the busyness of life, we can sometimes become dehydrated without realizing it. Acupuncture treatments encourage full embodiment, or being aware of your physical body, when we might have been too distracted to notice before. In addition to this, the detox process and healing response from your treatments might require more water and calories. Listen to your body and follow any cues it offers.

  • Stiff Joints

    • This can be a sign of detox after your treatment. If you do experience joint pain, it’s important to increase your water intake to help your body flush out toxins.

  • Mild Bruising at needle sites

    • Occasionally, acupuncture needles can cause bruising after your treatment. Let your practitioner know if this becomes bothersome.

  • Emotional Sensitivity or Irritability

    • Sometimes the body will hold onto emotions in the muscles and tissues because we’ve been so caught up in life we haven’t had a chance to process them. Acupuncture treatments can release what is ready to be let go. Be gentle with yourself and lean into this process if you can. Releasing emotional buildup will leave you feeling lighter overall and will allow your Qi to move more smoothly throughout your body. We recommend walks in nature and calming tea like chamomile to soothe the system.

  • Soreness

    • Sometimes our symptoms of pain can become slightly worse before they get better after a treatment. See our in depth explanation below.

  • Feeling Off Balance

    • During an acupuncture session we are moving energy throughout the entire body. Sometimes an energy imbalance presents as too much energy above and not enough below or too much energy on the right side of the body and not on the left. You might feel off balance when we unblock the channels and you suddenly have energy in a place that has been blocked for so long. Take it easy and give yourself time to adjust to your new and healthier normal.

How to make your treatments more effective

  • Drink plenty of water after your treatments.

  • Try to take it easy for the rest of the day after a treatment. Exercise is fine, but keep it at about 50% of your usual intensity.

  • Avoid exposure to extreme cold. If you imagine Qi is like water, cold freezes water and decreases movement. Cold diminishes Qi flow, and we need to keep Qi flowing smoothly in order to stay pain free. This means switch to heating pads instead of ice packs.

  • Avoid heavy meals and greasy food. It takes a lot of energy to digest a big meal and we want to use that energy to prioritize healing your body.

Why is drinking water important?

Acupuncture can have a detox effect, both physical and emotional. A body that is out of balance tends to build up toxins and emotions that are stored in the muscle and connective tissue. Acupuncture can sometimes trigger a release - better out than in! Drinking water will help the body filter and clear toxins that are released from the treatment. It is normal to experience some stiffness and emotional sensitivity or irritability the day after a treatment (especially the first). Try to take it easy and be gentle with yourself. Curl up with a warm cup of tea or go for a walk in nature to help regulate and move through whatever gets stirred up. Chamomile tea is a great option for calming.

Sometimes symptoms worsen slightly before they get better

There are several reasons for this. Acupuncture works to clear blockages in the channels, as well as moving Qi and blood. Sometimes this creates a bottle neck effect as the body works to slowly restore order to previously blocked channels. Imagine a dam in a river that does not allow water to flow through. Acupuncture breaks up that dam and builds up the water pressure again so it can push through the blockage. The temporary increase in activity can cause some discomfort that should subside within 24-48 hours.

We recommend a heating pad or hot shower to help ease this process because relaxing the muscles can open up the channels and help things flow better. Gentle stretching and movement can also help assist the flow of Qi, but try not to overdo it.

Another reason behind worsening symptoms is a temporary flare up of your immune system. This can feel like mild inflammation or soreness, and it means that your body is actively healing your symptoms. This is a good thing especially if your body has adapted to your injury and healing has plateaued.

You might experience strange responses to your treatment

The body is a holistic system, meaning that everything is connected. As a result, you might experience strange things like sensations in your neck while we are working on the lower back! Your pain or symptoms can even switch sides of the body. You might feel sensations of cold, heat, heaviness, or what I like to call “sparkles” - not quite a tingling or pins and needles feeling, but similar. These are all examples of what Qi flow can feel like. You might have vivid dreams or feel really tired as your body processes the new energy flow that we introduced during your treatment. Your body is incredibly wise and it knows what it’s doing. Trust the process and know that everything is unraveling as it should.

Be sure to make note of your responses to treatment and tell your acupuncturist at your next visit. They could be clues about your symptoms that can help us fine tune your treatment plan for better success.