Why might there be a Healing Crisis/Detox Reaction After Treatment?

A symptom is a messenger and if that messenger has been getting your attention by knocking on the door of your knee or neck, it’s telling you that place is stuck, stagnant and it wants relief. Wherever there’s pain or other symptoms, there is energy (chi) not moving.

After treatment, it’s possible that a person might feel a bit strange. They may not be able to explain how they feel except to use the word ‘wonky.’ One can feel sluggish, tired or have a headache. The clue is not to panic. The toxins that were trapped in the aforesaid neck or knee are moving out. The lymph system is really a slow moving river that clears out “the bad stuff” and it’s on overload. This can happen after acupuncture, chiropractic, cranial sacral or any type of exercise. These symptoms are usually worse after the first visit. Symptoms that feel like the flu are not worrisome–they are the result of what some practitioners call toxic relief. Better the toxins come out than stay in the body.

What can you do to speed up the process? Sometimes the body just needs to take a day to rest. The old saying you can’t push the river is true when it comes to the lymph system. Unlike the blood/circulatory system that is constantly rushing through us, the lymph circulates only three and a half times a day. Drinking water will help, light exercise like bouncing or walking will help, meditating will help. I teach patients how to do clay soaks (either in the tub or footbath), to use castor oil packs and gentle liver/gallbladder flushes. But everyone can start sipping warm lemon water throughout the day. Relaxing in an epsom salt bath (or foot soak) will soften the muscles and allow toxins to leave through the pores. I also recommend binders such as bentonite clay to mop up what has been released.

Not everyone experiences a detox after a session. Most people do not. But if you do, there’s no need to worry. Just understand that the body is doing its best to take care of you. There are those people who have exemplary detox systems and then there are those who do not. Regular acupuncture sessions can certainly help a person let go of whatever they no longer need for their highest good.

Alexis Rotella 336 676 4555 (Call for appointment or schedule on line www.gethealthyacademy.com)