When an acupuncture practitioner takes your pulse they will most likely use three fingers on your wrist and ask to take it on the right and the left. This is not because they think that your pulse rate is different on each side, but because each area on the pulse relates to a different organ in the body.
That's because the pulse provides a lot of information about your body: the state of your organs, your Qi, blood, yin, yang and overall constitution. And, of course, those things are all interconnected. Here's what we're looking for. Your organs are assigned to various positions on your pulse.
Chinese medicine believes that tongues reveal the state of an individual's energy distribution, organ health, and blood circulation.
Do not rely on a diagnosis of disease by an acupuncture practitioner. If you have received a diagnosis from a doctor, you may wish to ask him or her whether acupuncture might help. Choose a licensed acupuncture practitioner. Your own doctor may be a good resource for referrals to a licensed or certified practitioner.
Through pulse palpation at three locations, i.e. cun, guan and chi, on both wrists, general health condition of a person and a particular organ can be fully recognized. Figure 1 illustrates the locations and their corresponding organs.
A weak pulse may be caused by: A blood clot in your arm or leg. Diseases of the blood vessels (peripheral arterial disease). Heart disease and heart failure.
Avoid Strenuous Exercise
You may feel a boost of energy after your acupuncture treatment – this is one of its many benefits. However, be careful not to partake in strenuous activities after your treatment. If you perform intense exercises or heavy lifting, you may undo some of the benefits of treatment.
Some short-term effects may indicate that the acupuncture sessions are working. One sign is you notice slight improvements in your symptoms. Curiously, the other is a worsening of symptoms. “It's actually not a bad sign if you feel worse after acupuncture,” Sheinberg says.
It is also often recommended that you do not brush your tongue for 24 hours before your appointment. This might seem like a strange request, but the color, coating, and texture of your tongue can help with your acupuncturist's diagnosis.
In Chinese medicine, the colour and coating of the tongue helps the therapist work out the cause of your problem. This is why it's better if you don't brush your tongue in the 24 hours before the appointment. Other things to consider before an acupuncture treatment: Don't arrive hungry or over-full.
Usually cracks down the centre of a tongue indicate an imbalance with the digestive system (or organs related to this such as Stomach and Spleen).
That relaxation and unclenching can extend to our emotions as well. This can be felt as an emotional release. This may include crying, feeling suppressed emotions, or it can feel like a weight being lifted away. In the moment, it may feel overwhelming or it may feel soothing.
If it is a short and weak pulse, it could indicate an energy deficiency, with the body unable to move the blood properly. If the pulse is short and pumpy or forceful, it could indicate stagnation or blocks in the system that prevent the blood from moving smoothly.
“Acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system,” according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. “This, in turn, releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes may stimulate the body's natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.”
Identifying the location of the pain will show us what meridian is being affected and needs to be focused on for treatment. Once we've established where the pain is located, the acupuncturist can identify the affected meridian(s). For example, pain in the shoulder and upper back is associated with the Bladder meridian.
An acupuncture session may take up to 60 minutes, although some appointments may be much shorter. A common treatment plan for a single complaint would typically involve one or two treatments a week. The number of treatments will depend on the condition being treated and its severity.
The intense heat from Sauna and bath is considered an extra stimulation that may undo the energy reset. However hot showers are okay after acupuncture.
Elimination. Another effect you should be prepared for after an acupuncture treatment is frequent urination. Bowel movement changes are also another positive effect of healthy metabolism levels. These symptoms mean that the body is elevating its metabolism, eliminating toxins, and returning to a state of equilibrium.
So, what else can you do after your acupuncture treatment to ensure that it is working as effectively as possible? It is very important for you to drink plenty of water. Your body can easily become dehydrated after an acupuncture treatment so you need to make sure that you are drinking plenty of water.
A normal resting heart rate for adults ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute. Generally, a lower heart rate at rest implies more efficient heart function and better cardiovascular fitness. For example, a well-trained athlete might have a normal resting heart rate closer to 40 beats per minute.
People are often worried that a bounding pulse is a sign of a heart problem. However, anxiety or panic attacks cause many cases and will resolve on their own. People may notice their heartbeat feels stronger in their chest or when they feel for their pulse in the neck or wrist.