Some people are so interested in acupuncture, but can’t quite bring themselves to try it. Despite being curious about something they sense could be helpful, there are still some fairly common excuses I tend to hear.

Here are a few of the excuses, and although all are valid, they just should not be enough to stop you from pursuing health.

1.“I’m scared of needles…”

Oh if only I had a dollar for every time I have heard this one. Usually, it isn’t until you actually have an acupuncture needle inserted by a properly trained Registered Acupuncturist, that you can realize it is not that bad. When we think of needles we think of sitting with a tight band around our arm waiting to get blood taken. The lab smell, sounds and needle sensations all come rushing back when you hear ‘NEEDLE’. The wonderful thing about acupuncture is that even though it is the insertion of small needles in the skin, it is NOTHING like getting blood taken. The gauge of the needle is significantly smaller, in fact about 40 acupuncture needles can fit into the average needle used for taking blood. Thats right, 40! So although a fear of needles is valid, it is a fear of a completely different needle, in a completely different setting, for a completely different reason. And my door is always open for a free 15 minute consultation for you to see what one needle feels like. During the course of your treatments, we will use other modalities that don’t involve needles and potentially gradually use more needles dependant on how comfortable you get with the concept of needles. From my experience, it only takes a few treatments to begin to feel more comfortable with the idea.

2. “It is too expensive”

Yes, that is a very valid concern. However, more and more insurance companies are starting to cover acupuncture which is wonderful! If your current health insurance doesn’t cover acupuncture, you can check periodically to see if the plan has changed at all.

When you come in for a treatment, you don’t have to have the hour long traditional treatment. There are options of a 30 minute cupping treatment or a 15 minute ear needling treatment. The ear is a microsystem of the body so that treatment would consist of a few needles in the ear and then being sent home with ear seeds. For more information on cupping you can look through past blogs or contact me for more information concerning ear needling or cupping.

The other thing to think about when considering price, is what you’re buying… Health. When you come in for an acupuncture treatment the goal is to get to the point where you no longer need to come in for any treatments. Unlike prescription medication that can mask the symptoms, acupuncture works to harmonize the body and eliminate the pathology.

3. “I don’t have time”

Well, lucky for you, I work; sundays, evenings and mornings. So usually we can find a time. An acupuncture treatment isn’t just important for you physically, it also is emotionally and mentally. To  be able to remove yourself from a hectic schedule for one hour is so important. It gives the body and mind time to relax and move closer to homeostasis. How often do you disconnect from your phone/ technology? For most of us the answer is rarely. But we need to.

So, for those who say “I would, but I just don’t have time”. I call Bullshit (sorry to those of you I may have offended with the word choice). You can make time for things that are important for you, and your health should be one of those things. Don’t get me wrong, having kids, careers, animals and so on… Life can get pretty hectic. But most the time we can manoeuvre it enough to take an hour for ourselves. And if you can’t, that is even more reason you need to come in – to relax!

If you are one of these people, give me a call and we will figure out a time that works in your schedule. So yes, acupuncture does take a little time each week, but it is time well spent.

4. “I don’t believe in acupuncture”

There is a pervasive belief in western culture that for something to be effective it must be validated by clinical trials. This simply is not true. And neither is the opposite true – that if something is validated by clinical trials then it’s effective. However, as acupuncture becomes more recognized in western culture as a legitimate form of health care more studies are becoming increasingly accessible.

Just because the basis behind acupuncture is energetics, does not mean that there is not anatomical and physiological proof that acupuncture does work. WHO (World Health Organization) recognizes over 30 different health concerns that acupuncture has been proven to help with.

Acupuncture has been around for about 5000 years, this would not be the case if it did not work. So, if you are thinking “I don’t believe in acupuncture”, I challenge you to look deeper to see what is actually holding you back from pursing acupuncture treatments.If acupuncture is something you would like to try, don’t het blogged down and over whelmed by all the research out there. If you are interested, try it, and then you can decide whether it is right for you are not.

resources: http://www.who.int/en/