The Top 3 Things to Avoid After Acupuncture

Congratulations! You’ve just had an amazing acupuncture treatment that has left you feeling completely relaxed and high on life.

You’re probably thinking, “Wow! I wish I always felt like this! How can I get this feeling to last?”

The truth is, despite how good it feels, only about 20% of acupuncture’s healing power happens while the needles are in. About 80% of the healing effect occurs in the 24 hours following the treatment.

To sustain the healing effect, you must avoid three things 24 hours after the needles come out:

1. Cold
Cold is the #1 arch enemy in Chinese Medicine:
cold air
cold drinks
cold shower
jumping in a cold lake
eating cold foods (ice-cream included)
sitting in front of a fan blowing cold air
drinking a cold smoothie or shake
using ice packs on your body

All of these cold things can all counteract the benefits of acupuncture by contracting the flow of qi and slowing down the healing process.

2. Alcohol and recreational drugs
After an acupuncture treatment, your body works hard to transfer the energetics of the needles into acute healing and homeostasis (balance). Alcohol is warming to the body, yet can significantly alter the 24 hour cycle of qi. Alcohol and recreational drugs disrupt the healing process (and in the case of getting drunk, can completely cancel out any treatment benefits).

Consuming alcohol or getting high after a treatment is effectively wasting your time and money.

3. Sex
Sex is considered an activity that promotes the free flow of qi. However, after an acupuncture treatment, sex can demand too much qi and inhibit healing. It is best to wait until the day after acupuncture to get your qi moving between the sheets.

So, now that you know what to avoid, what should you do during the 24 hours after an acupuncture treatment?

The best thing you can do is rest your body and relax your mind:
Sleep
Read a book
Listen to music
Make art
Write
Watch a movie or interesting tv
Spend time with friends

Allow the natural high to sink in for 24 hours while your body-mind-spirit take the time needed for healing.