Let me preface this by saying I had (kind of still do) a huge fear of needles from all the shots/blood type tests growing up. Then I met acupuncture, and I knew I had to learn it and do it, but oh man I hated needles. In fact my fear of needles almost kept me from experiencing the benefits of acupuncture.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When you learn acupuncture, your fellow students are practicing on you just as you are on them (aka LOTS of needles, 8 hour days, no experience and well… this doesn’t help the fear!)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
When I did my acupuncture training was also in the height of my body breaking down — but that’s another story for another day.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Every single needle hurt. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I actually had to opt out of receiving a bunch because my nervous system just couldn’t handle hundreds of needles for 8 hours day!⠀
FAST FORWARD TO MY PRESENT DAY FEELINGS ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE⠀⠀
Present day: I now literally ask the girls to leave them in LONGER when they come to take them out. I’m obsessed with the benefits of acupuncture — for pain, for facial rejuvenation, the list goes on and on.⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So… why I’m sharing this? If you’ve been avoiding the benefits of acupuncture for fear of needles here’s what I learned through my personal experience:⠀
3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ACUPUNCTURE⠀⠀
1. If you’ve had acupuncture before and did not like it, remember, it is an ART as much as it is a TOOL, so practitioner’s needling, choice of points, dose (how many are put in and how long you’re left on them) and brand of needles all matter!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
2. When they get the right points, move over CBD, your nervous system would actually LOVE it (it makes your body relax as if you’ve taken a sedative or a pain killer or what we call at The Movement Boutique “acu-stoned”)⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
3. If you’re afraid of medical needles, acupuncture needles are like 1/100th the size! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Plus, here at TMB, we do a little needle insertion distraction technique when we put them in to make it even more comfy.⠀Once you realize that acupuncture doesn’t hurt, once that fear of needles dissipates, you can start to enjoy the benefits of acupuncture for pain relief.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
So tell me, what’s your experience with needles?