Acupuncture isn’t really about hard and fast rules. What works for one person may not necessarily work for another. This is the beauty of acupuncture—it meets us wherever we’re at however, there are some general rules of thumb when it comes to preparing for an acupuncture appointment. These guidelines tend to improve the treatment experience and outcome for most people.
Schedule wisely.
Avoid scheduling acupuncture before or after something really strenuous or stressful.
Eat.
Do not go for acupuncture on an empty stomach. It can leave you feeling lightheaded or physically depleted. A good guideline is to eat about two hours before an acupuncture appointment.
Avoid coffee.
Coffee is a stimulant which triggers the release of certain neurotransmitters that can kick your body into fight or flight mode. Acupuncture works to shift you away from that sympathetic (fight or flight) state and toward a parasympathetic (rest and digest) one, so coffee inhibits the process.
Try to avoid coffee for at least 2 hours before your appointment.
Avoid alcohol.
One goal of acupuncture is to bring more awareness to how we feel. Impairing the senses with alcohol is not helpful.
Wear loose clothing.
Loose clothing makes it easier for your practitioner to access acupoints and makes you more comfortable as you rest during your visit.
Don’t rush.
Arriving at your appointment amped up is counter productive. It’s similar to how coffee works against the process of calming the nervous system. Shoot to arrive 1015 minutes early for your appointment.
Unplug.
Please turn off your phone. This is your time and no one else’s. Make it count.
Pay attention.
Make note of any symptoms or sensations you’ve experienced in the past or currently. We tend to forget these things, ignore them, or assume they’re irrelevant, but from an acupuncture perspective they help contribute to your overall picture of health.Your acupuncturist will want to hear about them!