Acupuncture experiences (effects)

[miyu]

Who here has acupuncture stories? Good or bad experiences?

I recently started going to an acupuncturist just for the Moderator cut: not allowed of it. I'm actually a very non-spiritual and non-zen type of person. But being of a curious scientific mind, I thought it couldn't hurt to address some ongoing health issues by using the ancient Chinese secrets of my ancestors. LOL.

I believe there is some solid science behind this stuff. People say it's placebo but I am pretty sure it's not. Everytime I get acupuncture, I feel immediate effects. If they put needles next to my abdomen, immediately I feel my gut moving. If they put it into my wrists, nausea goes away. The same is true of accupressure.

The only things I don't like are (same events reproduced 2 out of 2 times):

1) They try to treat my asthma by sticking a needle into my chest. I always feel almost instantly like there is a rock on top my my chest. A couple of times I was kind of relaxed/zoning out but then had to wake myself up in a panic because I felt like my breathing was going to stop permanently.

2) I don't like the forehead point - near the 3rd eye. At first it is relaxing. But then at some point I feel like my mind is entering a danger zone where I might lose control of my body (mind/body feels so heavy, like drowning or death) and never regain consciousness again. Then I have to quickly rouse myself.

Anyone had similar experiences? Can acupuncture be dangerous?

[Janecj]

I have had acupunture performed and I really believe in it. The key I believe is to keep going.. but not sure how long for it to help long term. I had more stress related issues with my neck, headaches, etc. It relaxed me in one session. Headache went away instantly. Issues came back and I kept going for a couple weeks. I stopped going, but I'd like to go again. Sometimes it would make me cough for no reason.. very odd. (I had reflux issues and it helped that too). I felt like that the movie "Green Mile" where when I coughed and all the imaginary bad bacteria left my body.. or something like that. It was strange to say the least, but it worked. I think your experiences depend on what is bothering you at the time. I would talk to the person performing the acupuncture to let them know what you are feeling. I bet others had some strange feelings as well.

[nimchimpsky]

I am a strong believer in it. I don't think it's the cure to everything, but it is definitely an option and can help cure ailments where other treatments have proven to be unsuccessful. I also do self acupressure on a daily basis to deal with my chronic pain. Like the OP, I can really feel my meridians, and I can feel the energy flowing when holding the points (or when the needles are in at the acupuncturist). I also confirmed it's not placebo because when I go to the acupuncturist, I tell them exactly where I feel it and they always ask if I've studied acupuncture. I haven't--I'm going by what I feel--but I do plan on studying it someday! I have friends that have auric sight (they can see energy/qi) and they report being able to see the meridians. My roommate traces the meridians on my body as he seems them and it lines up exactly with what I feel, and he can see the energy blockages I feel. For example yesterday my stomach meridian felt incredibly out of balance and he said he could see it in my energy body and even pointed out the points where it was most blocked up, which is where I was also feeling it the most. To me that is more than enough evidence that acupuncture is not just a subjective reality or Placebo effect but does have some basis in real science.

In response to the OP specifically: it sounds like they are treating your lung meridian which makes you really acutely aware of the imbalance in your lung meridian. That heaviness in your chest is a really classic feeling when the lung meridian is out of balance. (I get it all the time when I empathize with my friend who has a chronic lung meridian imbalance due to emotional issues and it drives me nuts cause I feel like I can barely breathe, so I can totally relate!) The other thing is that the third eye can really bring you into other states of consciousness that you may not feel comfortable with, which is what I imagine you're experiencing. Of course, I don't say any of this for sure as this is online and I'm not a licensed acupuncturist, but I'm just throwing those out there as possibilities.