7 Acupuncture Aftercare Tips
Check out these 7 tips to continue your cozy calm after your session:
Drink More Fluids Than Usual — Hydrate yourself with water or delicious herbal tea to help your kidneys filter toxins and cellular waste.
Pause on Caffeine — Only for the day of acupuncture (don’t worry!). Caffeine can block the positive benefits of acupuncture, so avoid it before acupuncture, too.
Take It Easy — Try not to do a 180º and dive super hard into work, tons of screen time, or intense workouts. Allow your body some time to slow down and process the treatment.
Eat Nourishing Foods — Go for warm foods that are easy on your digestion like steamed or baked veggies, soups, grains. Try to avoid overly greasy, raw, cold, or heavy meals after acupuncture which can be hard for your body to process.
Try Heat — Reach for a hot water bottle, heating pad, or a warm compress to help increase your blood flow and circulation (especially in painful areas).
Notice What Comes Up in the First 48 Hours — How do you feel in your body, what thoughts or feelings are surfacing? Make a mental note or jot a few things down to share during your next session.
Check In With Your Acupuncturist — Reach out if you have any questions. IMO, a stellar acupuncturist will check in with you the evening or the day after your first acupuncture treatment.
Cupping Aftercare
Drink extra fluids
Keep the area warm and covered for 48 hours — this may mean adding an extra layer
Try to avoid cold showers for 24 hours or anything super chilly like sitting in front of the air conditioning (even if it’s warm out)
Apply heat to the area if there’s any tenderness or discomfort
Ear Seed Aftercare
You can shower and do everything normally — the ear seeds may fall out, but they won’t fall into your ears!
If they’re comfortable — Leave them in for a maximum of 7 days.
If they make your ear feel tender or uncomfortable — Take them out. This isn’t a no pain, no gain situation. Sometimes people feel slight pain when sleeping on their sides so we don’t want you to lose sleep!
K-Tape Aftercare
You can shower with it, just pat it dry after. The k-tape will peel off over time between 2 and 7 days, depending on your activity level.
If it’s comfortable — Leave it on until it peels or falls off.
If it’s uncomfortable or itchy — Take it off. Ideally, you want to pull it off in one fast move.