Hitting The Reset Button

When something doesn’t go right with any kind of electrical equipment, appliance or computer device, the first step to dealing with the problem is to shut it down and restart it. Often this is enough to correct the problem. So too with the body, which encounters difficulties all the time such as unexpected stresses, physical injuries and inexplicable malfunctions. The first step to addressing such problems is to stop and let the body’s natural healing mechanisms take over. 

Nighttime sleep is one way in which the body resets itself. We also turn to physical exercise, a nap, quiet sitting, yoga, a massage or even a glass of wine to turn off the engine of life for just a short time before we get back into the driver’s seat and start things up again. During this down time the body’s restorative functions have an opportunity to turn their attention to the needs of the body that were neglected during the day’s busy activities.  

One feature of modern medicine is that it can place great demands on the body without providing support to the body’s restorative functioning. Medically prescribed therapies such as surgery and prescription medications often place new stresses on the body, have unexpected side effects, and can depress immune functioning. 

In contrast, acupuncture works mainly as a support to the body’s restorative mechanisms, boosting immune functioning and speeding up the healing process. Because of its calming effect on the nervous system it can reduce stress levels in the body and clear the interference that stress imposes on the body’s restorative functioning. In this regard, an acupuncture treatment has a similar effect to hitting the reset button on an electrical device.

During or immediately after an acupuncture treatment most patients report feeling very relaxed and even sleepy. Some describe the effect of the needles as inducing a deep meditative state. It is not unusual for patients to fall asleep during a treatment, or to report feeling that the body has become very heavy as if it has sunk down into the treatment table. 

Acupuncture gives the body an opportunity to let something go and renew itself. Muscles become more relaxed, tensions are released, and constrictions around organs and nerves are relieved. This allows for increased blood flow to areas in the body that need repair, increased transmission of signals through the peripheral and central nervous system, and smoother flow of energy through the subtle pathways known as acupuncture channels.