Living in Western society can be exhausting. Our days are filled with schedules and completing tasks. Work, school and life can pull people in different directions, leading many to feel tired at different times during the day. Some individuals are tired throughout the day. Getting good quality sleep can help improve energy levels, but sometimes it’s just not possible to get a sufficient amount. Many doctors recommend 7 to 8 hours of sleep, which is ideal for good health, yet there is a significant portion of the population that gets far fewer.
With so many people suffering from fatigue on a daily basis, there has been a substantial increase in the number of products being sold that claim to boost energy levels. No longer does a person have to go to see a doctor or travel to the pharmacy; energy drinks, pills and bars are sold everywhere. The contents of these products are of concern, as many contain chemicals that can be very detrimental to the body. There are specific warning labels on many energy-related products that divulge this information, yet there are people who either don’t read them or simply believe nothing bad will happen with occasional use. Consuming chemicals on a regular or semi-regular basis can have adverse effects on the human body. Caution should be used.
Why am I so tired?
There are a litany of reasons why a person might experience fatigue—many of which are common causes that can be resolved with minor modifications to diet and behavior. WebMD provided a list of possible causes that include: what you eat; how much you sleep; how much you exercise; being anemic; being deficient in key nutrients; having a thyroid problem; being diabetic; being depressed; having sleep issues; and having undiagnosed heart disease. [Link] Looking deeper into each one of these is important when trying to find why your energy levels are not sufficient.
Can acupuncture resolve fatigue?
Traditional Chinese Medicine, which includes acupuncture and Chinese herbs, has been used for thousands of years by millions of people to remedy illness and pain. Symptoms like fatigue can be alleviated by focusing efforts on resolving disharmonies and supporting balance and harmony in the body.
After performing a detailed intake, a licensed acupuncturist will use differential diagnosis to identify the pattern(s) that needs to be resolved. One key factor that is taken into account is whether the presenting disharmony is excess or deficient. Being able to identify that component helps the practitioner create a treatment plan.
There are specific issues that an acupuncturist will look for when formulating a proper diagnosis. Some of the key questions presented to patients are: What time of the day is the fatigue worse? Is the fatigue better with movement or exercise? Is there any sense of heaviness in the body? Is there any depression or irritability? Is there any pain in the ribs? How is the appetite? After the practitioner has obtained this important information, he will look at the tongue and check the pulse. Tongue and pulse diagnosis is a vital part of the process and provides more clues as to what disharmony is taking place.
After all the information is obtained, it becomes possible to provide a Traditional Chinese Medical diagnosis and treatment plan. This plan can include acupuncture, Chinese herbs, nutritional suggestions and lifestyle modifications—all depending on the practitioner and his or her training. The goal is to holistically treat the patient, resolving the root cause of the fatigue and promoting balance and wellbeing.
If you, or someone you know, has been experiencing fatigue and is looking for a natural and holistic way of treating it, then please set up an appointment for treatment at Above & Beyond Acupuncture in Scottsdale, AZ.
