Acupuncture Therapy

[PandaBear12212]

So today my parents offered to pay for some acupuncture treatments to see if that would help ease my symptoms. Has anyone ever had acupuncture for insomnia, eating disorders, stress, or PTSD? Any advice or personal experiences in general would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MissMacD]

Acupuncture is wonderful. You should try it.

 

[joshua_]

I've used EFT which is similar and it stopped flashbacks.

 

[lonelyshadow]

I have been getting acupuncture for a while now for a variety of things including diet, sleep and stress. My guy is very helpful and offers practical advice on a whole bunch of things, he's been doing acupuncture for ages and he is also a registered psychologist and nutritionist. He doesn't prescribe any medicinal herbs as I guess it's not required. I've noticed an improvement in my overall health by getting regular treatments (usually once a week, for three weeks in a row, every six weeks) making simple changes which he recommended for my lifestyle from day to day, just little things in combination.

Just a warning, I often find it difficult to "relax" when someone is sticking needles into me (I totally hate it) especially when sometimes it can hurt if I am especially unbalanced/stressed/whatever. Which goes to show how much I benefit from it, that its worth the discomfort. Generally speaking you shouldn't be in massive pain though, for the most part you just lie quietly for however long and it's quite relaxing, but I don't recommend falling asleep in case you move and bump one of the needles. My first appointment I remember it just felt like a little finger tap along the points in my arm/hand/leg/feet and I was like "So... Is that it? What do I do now?" and he said just focus on breathing slowly. This in itself is a very good thing, if you are like me and can't really meditate- there's nothing quite like being literally "pinned down" and unable to physically move so you are forced to do some mental housekeeping. It reminds me what it feels like to have a somewhat clear(er) head and sanity, pleasant, even if it only lasts for the next few hours before the mind goes back into overdrive. I usually sleep well/better that night.

I was amazed that he told me to avoid certain foods before I even found out I was allergic to them and had a variety of intolerances and had been eating everything on a regular basis which was causing too much "heat"/inflammation in my body and damaging my stomach and affecting my emotional health too. (Interesting tidbit- I've heard it said that your digestive system or your gut is your emotional brain, this has proven true to a large degree in my experience. When I was at my lowest mentally, my body was suffering a great deal too. My GP also told me, if your body is getting what it needs then you have more resilience and energy and have a better chance of fighting things off in more ways than one, and vice versa. Kind of chicken and the egg...). So now I don't have as much pain in my stomach/gut, my hair isn't falling out, no more itchy hives and rashes, etc etc etc gee I sound delightful hey? lol

Sometimes I get emotional but that's complicated (hormones and PTSD stuff) and sort of like a release of nervous energy and tension. Usually if I am in a bad state (headaches/migraines) he might put a needle in a certain spot between my brows or in the top of my head in my hair (then I look like I've had 12 hours sleep afterwards, because I guess it must relax the muscle). Which reminds me of yoga, how doing certain poses and stretches can "release" emotional pressure... I recommend that too.

Don't think I have much more to say re acupuncture except that its something I found works for me, but requires some of my own effort and persistence. A one off treatment wouldn't have helped much in my circumstances although I noticed an improvement straight away, it was a verrrry gradual process to achieve this level of health (still a work in progress). Wear loose/comfortable clothes. Make sure your practitioner is officially registered and... that you feel you can trust them (well- I felt quite vulnerable). I have only ever been to this acupuncturist so I don't know what others would be like but I suppose like most other health professionals, they vary in personality/experience/compatibility so if the first one doesn't suit you then perhaps another will.

I feel like I've just shared something really intimate or... something lol. Good luck, I hope you find it a positive and helpful experience. Let us know how it goes :)

 

[Jane.l]

I have acupuncture for all the things you mention and yes it has been helpful. As a holistic therapy it treats you as a 'whole' so they will want a bit of background on whats going on for you but you don 't need to go into details .

I guess a lot depends on whether you are comfortable with your acupuncturist - mine is great he is very calm and caring - but they are not therapists and he sometimes is a little clumsy around his language regarding self harm etc

But positives are great - really helped me with eating and stopped me feeling so sick . Helps a lot with relaxation and sleep problems . Also great for symptoms of pmt if you suffer with that. Sometimes I come out floating on air !

Would give it a try and see what you think . I can imagine it's not for everyone but it might be great for you .

 

[seedling]

I saw one of your earlier posts about your symptoms and almost posted to recommend acupuncture.

I've had acupuncture for three years now and it's helped my recovery immensely.
The first time I went I came out feeling kind of spacey, got to the car and started smiling and broke out laughing. The first time I'd really laughed in a LONG time. Just laughing about feeling good.

Helps me with sleep, anxiety, body pain, when I'm triggered, grounding. I tell him what hurts or what emotions I'm dealing with and he tailors the treatment to that. It clears those symptoms for me.

The positive effects last longer and longer the more I've gone. I've been able to take on more and more in my life.

It provides me with a deep rest every time I go (twice a week now, used to go three times a week; once a week is a minimum but I can make it through a couple if he's on vacation).

My acupuncturist recommends dietary changes and also prescribes herbs. I've been taking the herbs daily as well and my overall health has rebounded.
He taught me to do tapping similar to EFT and I've done that on my own at the same time.
I also see a psychologist who specializes in PTSD (CBT).

The acupuncture has helped to release the emotion (got me out of the "frozen" mode). I've recovered a lot of memories and had an avenue to work out the emotions surrounding them. I started to be able to cry after starting acupuncture. And feel angry. I guess I go so often because it helps me work on all of that and deal with working on it.

My acupuncturist is familiar with patients that have traumas/emotional issues. I think he's seen other people with childhood sexual abuse. None of what I tell him is shocking to him. He has been like another therapist for me.

He was the first person to hug me and tell me he loved me when I was so terribly low. I don't think he would have done that for everyone (not appropriate), but for me it was what I needed. He meant it (and it was taken) as a caring professional (I'm trying to make the strong point here that this action was appropriate for me - not saying this should happen with all acupuncturists etc - and I'm glad that he reached out to me). Something my psychologist could never do because of professional boundaries.

It's worth a try. See how it feels for you :)

 

[Jane.l]

@seedling - my acupuncturist is always asking me what emotion I am feeling and because I am often numb and also because I struggle to identify emotions I often can't answer him. Any advice ?

 

[PandaBear12212]

Thank you all, may I ask about how much one session normally costs for you all? I'd like to know what my parents would be paying for me.

 

[Jane.l]

I am in the uk not sure where you are - I paid £50 for the initial consultation and £40 for sessions afterwards which are typically an hour long .

 

[seedling]

My acupuncturist's clinic is run on the Community Acupuncture model. He has 4 rooms and takes a new person each half hour with a few slots blocked out during the day so he can eat, answer emails etc. I go in and we talk and he sets the needles. Then he leaves, goes to another room and takes out needles. After that he starts another person.

If I need more time he adjusts his routine a little. I can tell when someone else has needed more time because he is a little briefer with me. Sometimes he will tell me that or excuse himself before he sets the needles for me to check on someone.

It is usually perfectly quiet, each room has its own mellow music playing. There a two rooms with a thinner wall between and he reminds me that we need to talk quietly when there is someone else in the adjoining room. I like having a separate room because sometimes I cry, not as much anymore but some of my earlier treatment released more emotion.
Some Community Acupuncture clinics have people all in the same large room or divided off by curtains between the beds. It is much less expensive than individual treatments.

I pay $40 US per session, it takes a hour and a half start to finish. If I go a second time in the same week that appt. is $35 and a third one is $30. Initial consult takes two appt. slots and is $55: paperwork to fill out about diet and symptoms and a thorough consultation about everything.

He has comped me some visits and I've traded garden produce for sessions. Needless to say I still have struggled to pay for treatment, acupuncture and therapy both. I really couldn't say how we've made it through my medical expenses for PTSD. I'm working now so that's helped a lot and I need fewer sessions and less herbs a supplements for my physical health. It's been a valuable investment over time.

@Jane.I I don't know if I have much of an answer. I usually say if I'm anxious or angry. I remember on one of my first visits I said I was anxious and he asked me what about and I couldn't say. Just Anxious! Did I need a reason?;) I think a lot of times he gets a lot out of me describing a situation that's upset me. I think he can read what the emotion is and where it's at by watching me, especially if I start to feel it while I'm talking about it. Many times I release the emotion from that afterwards and/or get new insights that help me get past it.

 

[seedling]

If I go in with low appetite and stomach problems I am always hungry afterwards! My acupuncturist was always glad to hear I was eating more in those early days :)

 

[TeaLeaf]

Acupuncture has been really helpful to me in letting go of emotional pain, somatic memories, decreasing startle response, improving sleep and decreasing depressive symptoms. I am in the US and go to a community clinic, it's a group setting so everyone is in a recliner, it's several big rooms and I talk quietly with my acupuncturist prior to treatment.

This place also has a table that is curtained off if people need it for any reason, for the first year that is where I was because I couldn't handle being next to men or not having control over what happened right next to me. It's sliding scale and you pay what you can, 15-35$ so it is very affordable, especially when I was going a few times a week.