Winter colds and 'flu
Yvonne came back from holiday in November with a nasty sore throat, swollen glands and headaches and still felt unwell over Christmas. Although the fever and main symptoms subsided, she felt she had not fully recovered. She felt exhausted and lethargic with no energy or motivation. Despite feeling so tired, her sleep was disrupted, she kept getting sore throats and suffered watering eyes and a runny nose. All in all, she was low and miserable.
Acupuncture can help you recover from colds, winter bugs and 'flu faster. We need more studies, but so far, research has shown that patients receiving acupuncture have elevated immune enhancing hormones and blood counts for up to three days after treatment. (*Kawakita 2008).
We started Yvonne's treatment by using an acupuncture point located on the inside of the thumb joint to help with the sore throat, as well as selected other acupuncture points that are thought to increase the body's strength in fighting bugs. After the first treatment, Yvonne's sore throat disappeared and she felt she had a little more energy. We also used points to relieve congestion. At this point we encouraged gentle walking and suggested she reduce the amount of coffee and tea she was drinking too. Following this advice, Yvonne slept better and felt more energised. After four further acupuncture treatments, Yvonne felt herself again.
As well as formulating an individualised treatment plan, an acupuncturist devotes time in a consultation to discussing lifestyle changes with you. This might include looking at your daily diet and the amount of exercise you take.
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