How to Prepare for Acupuncture Therapy

When you have any form of severe pain or unbalance in the body, acupuncture therapy can be a great solution. While it can be effective on its own, there are steps you can take to prepare for your acupuncture therapy session to get even better outcomes. Here are some things you can do to prepare.

  • Leave your fear at home: Because acupuncture relies heavily on the use of needles, people are often fearful or hesitant to go into their therapy sessions. It doesn’t have to be that way. Even though we will use needles for the acupuncture, the needles are very thin and will not cause any pain. In fact, the most you will feel is a slight pressure and maybe some tingling as they go in, making the feeling closer to a mosquito bite than a needle.
  • Don’t overbook yourself: When you’re scheduling your acupuncture session and any activities around the day of the session, be sure to not overbook the day. One of the main points of acupuncture is to promote relaxation, so you’ll want to leave yourself a decent cushion of time to enjoy that relaxation before you need to get back into the stress of the real world. In fact, one of the best things you can do is leave the day of your session entirely open besides the appointment itself.
  • Avoid caffeine right before and after: The caffeine you find in coffee, tea, and other similar drinks is a stimulant, meaning it produces the exact opposite effect of acupuncture therapy. Try not to consume caffeine two hours before or after your session to ensure the best possible and longest-lasting outcomes from your acupuncture therapy.
  • Remember to eat before your session:  Having an acupuncture session on an empty stomach will likely leave you feeling lightheaded afterwards. You can avoid this by eating a small or medium-sized meal about two hours before your session. That way, you’re not going in on an empty stomach or feeling overly stuffed.

These are just a few recommended steps you can take to prepare for your acupuncture therapy session. If you’d like to learn more about how you can prepare or what to expect, just give us a call at Innisfil Wellness Centre.