Why You Need Acupuncture Now
By: Dr. Deborah Rothman
The weather has turned, the days are short, and your calendar is packed with what you need to accomplish in the next six weeks. Between work, family, and holiday planning, your body is keeping score. It is November, and it shows. The stiff neck you blame on your pillow, the headache that shows up every afternoon like it has a standing appointment, the sleep that comes in installments. You tell yourself you will deal with it after the holidays. I have a better idea. Deal with it now.
Acupuncture has been practiced for thousands of years, and it is still here for one simple reason. People keep coming back because it works and helps them feel better! What surprises most first timers is how deeply relaxing a session turns out to be. Your muscles let go. Your breathing slows down. Sessions involve deep relaxation. Many of my patients call the time on the table their AcuNap, and they guard it like the best part of their week. For a little while, nothing at all is expected of you.
Now let me address the skeptics, because I know you are reading this with one eyebrow raised. Yes, the needles are real, and no, it does not feel like getting a shot. Most people feel a small pinch that lasts a second, and some feel nothing at all. Skepticism is welcome here, since it keeps the conversation interesting. Even the skeptics often admit to feeling surprisingly relaxed after a single session.
Why now? Because this is the season when everything you have been quietly managing gets louder. Cold weather has a way of finding every old injury and reminding you it exists. If you have been living with a stubborn back, a cranky neck, or headaches that keep coming back, this is a good time to stop putting it off. There is no prize for toughing it out. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that acupuncture can help with back and neck pain, relieve osteoarthritis pain, and reduce the frequency of tension headaches and migraines. The American College of Physicians even includes acupuncture among the first options it recommends for chronic low back pain. That is not a small endorsement.
Then there is the stress. If the holidays are joyful and also slightly terrifying, congratulations, you are a normal human being. Stress does not stay in your head. It shows up as poor sleep, a short temper, and shoulders that live somewhere near your ears. An acupuncture session is an amazing opportunity to lie still, breathe, and let the to do list wait outside for just a bit. People walk out much calmer than they walked in, which in November feels like a minor miracle. Your family will thank you for it.
If you have never tried acupuncture, here is what an initial visit looks like. We sit down and talk during your consultation. There is no rush, no pressure, and no wrong answers. I review your complete medical history and ask about everything you have going on, because treatment is tailored to you and your body, not to a template. The needles are sterile, single use, and they are thinner than a strand of hair. Then you rest while the needles do their work. Most people are surprised by how uneventful it all is, and by how good the resting part feels. Many of my patients fall asleep. Around here, we consider snoring a compliment.
Be honest with yourself for a minute. How long have you been putting off taking care of the thing that bothers you every single day? Waiting does not make it smaller. It makes it louder. The body starts to whisper, and when we do not listen, it screams at us until we have no choice. The good news is that getting started is easy, and the hardest part is making the first appointment. The needles are the gentle part. Think of it as a standing appointment with your own wellbeing.
Consider this your friendly nudge. Before the calendar fills up and the to do list grows, give yourself some genuine, and much needed self-care. A little rest on the table and your body finally gets a turn to shift back into balance. You might even get an AcuNap out of it. Future you will be glad you did.
Call AcuZen Wellness Center at 516-203-4500 or visit AcuZen.com to schedule your appointment. Your body has been patient long enough. It is time to listen to it.
Dr. Deborah Rothman is a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, as well as a Diplomate of Acupuncture. She is in private practice and runs a wellness center in Lawrence, offering a complete solution for all your health and wellness needs. Comments and questions are welcome. She can be reached at 516-203-4500 or [email protected]. Please visit AcuZen.com and follow AcuZenWellness on Facebook and Instagram.
