In Febuary, Social Media Manager Hannah McGill interviewed Kim Chan - a world-renowned professional Chinese medicine and acupuncture lecturer.
We have all heard about acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine before. The rumours about the benefits it can have for you have been around for years! Kim Chan professional Chinese medicine and acupuncture lecturer is here to put these rumours to rest and tell you all you need to know about Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Does it hurt?
“I always get asked about the pain. People see needles go in skin and expect there to be screaming. Like a torture. No, you only feel a slight pain or nothing. If you feel bad pain something is wrong so stop”. Acupuncture works to stimulate different parts of your body by using thin needles that go through the skin. It works as a natural pain killer because it works part of the brains that handles pain. It has been proven to help pain such as lower back, neck, knee pain and people say that they feel relieved once the treatment is over.
People have described the feeling as relaxing whereas others say it energizes them. The result differs for everyone, but most people report that they feel no pain during the process. Afterwards you may have a little bit of soreness from where the needles were inserted but nothing too bad.
Is it a placebo? “If (It was) a placebo then I would be out of a job *laughs* The way acupuncture works is insertion of thin needles into your skin. The needles are inserted in different points of the body for different results. Lower back pain is experienced then acupuncture is done on your knees, feet.”
Acupuncture is said to be a placebo effect.
Some research has been put out that it is a powerful placebo effect and clients who experienced relief from acupuncture weren’t actually getting better. Since these studies were done scientific research has come out to suggest otherwise. That acupuncture does in fact work and is really beneficial to achieve. The study of acupuncture is so complex that people jump to the conclusion that it doesn’t actually work because it is complicated to understand.
How does it actually work? Fine needles are inserted into the body at different locations. It is the process of stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles to help reduce pain. Your body releases a natural pain killer which is a pain-reducing endorphin which have very beneficial affects on the body. From just one session of acupuncture clients notice pain reduced but the most effective treatment is a few sessions to really help eliminate the pain. “Acupuncture restores the flow of Qi. When Qi is not flowing through the body, this is when you have illness and pain.” Qi (which is pronounced chee) is believed to be a life force which goes through the body. Traditionally acupuncture was used to encourage Qi to flow through the body better, getting rid of illnesses and pain. You can use acupuncture to help with a wide range of problems, but it is most used for chronic, long-term pain, tension headaches, migraines etc. If you have joint pain then acupuncture is also a great method for you to get rid of this pain.
What’s an acupuncture session like? Your session will depend on how bad your pain is and where you are wanting the pain to be relieved from. Your session can last any time between 20 minutes and an hour for the initial appointment. An initial appointment is crucial to get to know your general health, any health concerns, and a physical examination. Once this research into your health is completed then the needles will be inserted. You will then be advised how many sessions you need to have to get the best out of acupuncture, and this of course depends on your pain and your preferences too. The session is always very relaxing, dim lights and nice relaxing music is typically used for a session to encourage you to relax as much as possible! Once the needles have been placed into your skin, you will be left to relax and enjoy the session and you’ll be checked on a few times to make sure that everything is okay for you! It’s okay if you fall to sleep too! Acupuncture can be so relaxing, so it is actually really normal for someone to fall to sleep during the session.
Tips for before your session “Always eat before you go. You don’t want to get lightheaded. Be prepared for undressing a little. We need to access your skin, but we’ll cover you so only a small part of your body will be exposed” Getting acupuncture when you haven’t eaten can lead to fainting or dizziness. It is recommended that you have some food before you come in so you can relax without getting unwell. You don’t have to have a full meal but having a snack before you come in will help your body receive the maximum effect of the acupuncture. Wear clothes that are baggy and comfortable. Something that is easy to move so you don’t have to take off your clothes is a great tip. Something that is tight might irritate your acupuncture areas once the treatment is done.
If you are interested in getting started with acupuncture then please feel free to get in touch. We can arrange an initial assessment where we will ask you some questions and look into your health history, so we know if acupuncture is right for you! If you have any questions then please feel free to get in touch and we will respond as soon as we can. We know that acupuncture can seem scary, especially if you are afraid of needles so if you are a little unsure about it, we are happy to have a chat with you to calm your nerves.
