“Fatigue after acupuncture?”

I would talk to your practitioner, as they need to know how long you feel the side effects. Fatigue and being very relaxed is usually normal after treatments, but if it is of concern, be sure to discuss it with your acupuncturist. Often it is recommended to eat a small meal before, and drink plenty of water before and after treatment. Your acupuncturist may have other specific suggestions based on what they know of you and your case.

Without seeing you in person, it sounds to me like there could be a general Qi deficiency. Acupuncture inherently increases circulation, but it will only do so temporarily if there is not much energy there to draw from. My recommendation would be to make sure that you are properly hydrating and incorporating warm, cooked foods as often as possible to increase absorption of nutrients and ease digestion. Examples would be steamed or roasted vegetables and lean cooked proteins one or two meals of the day. Then of course ensuring you are getting a good nights sleep, including going to bed no later than 10 PM at night will help as well.

If the needles retention time is too long then this can be sedating. Typically I don't recommend retaining the needles for more than 25-30 minutes for this reason, especially if I am using electroacupuncture. If you are deficient and the acupuncturist overstimulates the needles with wide amplitude rotation as in a draining technique then this can be sedating. I had a patient with severe insomnia who hadn't slept in 7 years, after I treated her she went home and slept for 3-days straight. It is possible that if your body hasn't been getting sufficient rest then it may be trying to catch up on the lost sleep(?)

First, is your acupuncturist a FULLY TRAINED one? Or did they learn it in a few hundred or less hours seminar and their state allows them to call themselves acupuncturist? Do they have a few years practicing experience, or are they new to the field? These are the first questions that pop into my head... are you REALLY doing acupuncture, or are you getting needles stuck in you by a fake acupuncturist?

Some patients who are in a weakened state do experience fatigue after treatment. The treatments ARE slightly draining on energy... in that we are moving your energy, and movement takes energy. When the energy is moving properly, it generates more energy on its own. System in balance ---> creates more energy via digestion and healing.

However, if your practitioner just does points to move, and not balance, from a watered down or sorely incomplete understanding of this medicine, then you will just feel drained. 2 sessions doesn't alarm me, but if after the 4th or 5th they have not adapted their treatment approach, it might be time to find a new practitioner more capable of working with you. Not all acupuncturists are created equal. I am happy to consult with your practitioner if they wish to contact me so that I can help you get what you need.

Finally, I would recommend you incorporate hemp seeds into your DAILY diet. Hempseeds strengthen the digestive energy (involved in constipation) and also help to lubricate the bowels. Are you exercising adequately? Movement helps to facilitate bowel movement. Are you adequately hydrated (with water, nothing else qualifies)? Are you a coffee drinker (dehydrating substance)?

You should also make sure you are eating breakfast between 8am-10am... a hot one. A nutritious one. It needs to have a large amount of protein and complex, whole grain carbohydrates in it.

Acupuncture doesn't work alone in our system of healing. You will need to do your self-care and self-maintenance homework as well if you wish to experience wellness.

I especially want to thank you for providing detail to your question. Most people on here ask me such simple and ambiguous questions it isn't even fun to participate. If you wish to ask more, please do. More information makes it easier for me to help.

Sometimes you may feel fatigue after treatment with acupuncture, because your body is working with your medical condition. So a rest or sleep is recommended for this case. No worries. Stronger constitution with not have this fatigue.

I would recommend communicating this information with your practitioner and he should suggest to decrease treatment time by half to see if it makes a difference. There is nothing that you should buy or take afterward. After a certain period, the practitioner should increase the time again to obtain all the desired effects without causing fatigue.

Alexandre Hillairet, DAOM.

Thank you for your question.

It is not unusual for a person to feel tired or very relaxed just after an acupuncture treatment. However, in most cases, this is very transient. It is possible that the treatment itself, i.e., the choice and/or number of acupuncture points, needs to be adjusted. I would encourage you to discuss it with your acupuncturist.

Richard Mandell, Lic.Ac.

Hello,

It is normal for a patient to feel sleepy or tired after the treatment for a day. But sometimes it goes on for a few days. One thing you can do if you feel uncomfortable feeling tired, then you can drink more warm water on the day and the day after. As well as eating more protein may help.

Sincerely,

Scott Sang In Lee

Drink warm or room temp water with lemon 32 ounces in the morning before anything else after treatment drink a minimum of 16 ounces of warm water

Hi,

I don't know what your acupuncturist did. it is hard for me to explain. Here is the YouTube link that I teach my clients even with server constipation can cure. Hope this helps you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8OpgEcudCE&t=23s

Jonathan Fang, Lic. Ac.

Never go on an empty stomach for acupuncture. Your glucose level might drop.

That means his (or her) treatments are not good. There are a lot of acupuncturists whose needle treatments are not quality at all, and also you can get additional negative results from them. Kindly suggest you don't go to that clinic again.

Hello,

Please click on this link for an elaborative answer. newleafnaturalmedicine/2013/post-treatment-reactions-to-acupuncture/

Best regards,
Dr. Khounh

Additionally, the exhaustion and your condition screams nutritional deficiencies and adjustments needed.

Typically, an acupuncture session will drain your energy in efforts to harmonize the qi flow; almost like it resets the qi flow and will return the next day. Sometimes a patient will faint during treatment, usually because they have skipped a meal or haven’t eaten. Being fatigued for a few days is rare, but it may be from a combination of acupuncture points selected and your weakened state. Make sure to eat before the treatment, keep hydrated before and after. Make sure to check with your primary that you’re a capable candidate for acupuncture as well.

Live Happy,

Michael

It isn't uncommon to feel fatigued for the rest of the day following a treatment. Feeling fatigued for a few days, however, likely means that your practitioner is trying to do too much at once. I would recommend trying a different style of acupuncture (such as Traditional Japanese Acupuncture) that uses fewer needles and minimal needle manipulation so as to not overwhelm your body.

Continue to talk to your acupuncturist. He or she will need to do something different if the problem persists.

While it's not unusual to experience some fatigue for a few hours immediately after a treatment, it is somewhat unusual for feelings of fatigue to persist for several days post treatment. I suspect you're probably correct in thinking that acupuncture is causing the situation. That being said, I would need a lot more information regarding your situation to provide anything beyond the most basic guidance.

Generally, when someone experiences an unwanted effect or adverse event as a result of acupuncture, it means that something is not quite right with the Chinese diagnosis, the points chosen for treatment, or both.

You mentioned you're seeing a doctor, but it often matters whether or not this person is a doctor of acupuncture/Chinese medicine versus an MD/DO/DC who may be providing 'acupuncture-like' services under the scope of their existing license. Your provider should have an L.Ac. or R.Ac. credential and either a Dipl Ac or Dipl OM national board certification. If you're seeing an MD/DO, they should have an AAMA national certification. If your provider doesn't have either of these credentials and/or board certifications, they are likely not well trained in acupuncture or Chinese medicine. This matters because the Chinese diagnostic system is very different from conventional medicine. If you wouldn't expect your doctor to diagnose a broken bone without taking an x-ray, you shouldn't expect an acupuncturist to treat without diagnosing your problem using the Chinese diagnostic methods.

It sounds like you've spoken to your provider, which is usually my first suggestion in these types of cases. However, since this person seems a little dismissive of the idea that acupuncture is the source, I'd strongly suggest getting a second opinion from another licensed provider of acupuncture/Chinese medicine. You can go to NCCAOM.org and use their 'Find a Practitioner' lookup to get a list of board certified and state licensed acupuncturists in your area. Call around and see if you can find someone who will give you a free consult - this will let you lay out what's happening and maybe together you can get to the bottom of the situation and find some resolution.