Acupuncture Can Help Ease Your Pain and Stress

A lot of factors in our lives can stress us out. Tight deadlines at work, problems with your girlfriend and being late on your rent for the second month in a row can all contribute to your stress level. Continuous high levels of stress can take a toll on your body and lead to a plethora of different problems including achy muscles, fatigue and high blood pressure.

Acupuncture's an option

If you are feeling the physical symptoms of stress, there are a number of ways that you can treat your problems. One of these is through acupuncture. Acupuncture is a holistic medical treatment that involves the insertion and manipulation of needles in the body.

Unless you?re a person that enjoys getting pierced or tattooed, the thought of somebody sticking needles into you can be disconcerting. In order to try acupuncture, you need to have an open mind. Acupuncture isn?t just an alternative medical treatment used by hippies and gurus wearing magical gems while searching for their spirit animal in a field of wildflowers. It?s a legit medical practice that can ease tension, relieve pain, treat disease, and promote general wellbeing.

If you suffer from chronic stress related neck or shoulder pain, acupuncture can greatly benefit you. Acupuncture can help relieve general tension as well as deeper muscle tightness that requires stimulation.

Upon arriving for treatment, the acupuncturist will ask you a variety of questions including you medical history, what stress factors play into your life, and your health and diet regiment. They will then question you about your pain and perform a physical exam on your before having you lie down on the medical table.

Once you are on the table, the acupuncturist will start by placing very thin needles in different pressure points in your body. This can include your hands, feet and ears. Once this is done, they will start working on your sore and stiff muscles.

The needles will be inserted into different trigger points in your neck and back where the muscles are tightest. Once inserted, the acupuncturist will move the needle around to help and release the muscle fibers that are clenched. When the fibers finally release, you may feel a heaviness in your limbs. Your muscle fibers may even clench tightly before quickly releasing. This can cause them to jump, much like a muscle spasm, and be painful for a few minutes.

After your session, the acupuncturist will leave the needles in for a few minutes. After you get up, you may feel a bit light headed so it is important to take your time. After you get home, either take a hot shower or apply heat to your muscles if you feel any discomfort.

The next day, your muscles will feel as if they have been through a vigorous workout. By the second day after treatment, you should not feel any pain and your stiffness and achiness should be gone.

If you want to seek relief for your pain and stress, definitely look into getting acupuncture.