Background Noise

Dear Patient,

Sometimes a patient will ask me, “What’s that point for?” Usually it’s when they feel a zap or a jolt or a sting when the needle went in.

“That’s a point for stress” is often my answer.

And they’ll reply, “But I don’t feel stressed!”

I know, love. Stress doesn’t always feel the way we think it’s going to feel. It’s not always explosive. Sometimes it’s like having the television on when you’re trying to do something else like read or have a conversation. Sometimes it’s a low-grade distraction.

Stress is a part of life. At times it’s so loud that you can’t hear anything else. Other times it’s very quiet. And often, it’s somewhere in the middle, like background noise.

Please don’t feel bad about yourself when stress catches you off guard. It happens to all of us. You think you've been doing everything right, meditating and exercising and going to bed early, and then it pokes its head out when you’re not expecting it, like when your acupuncturist sticks a needle into the top of your foot.

When that happens, it’s a good opportunity to honor its place in your life, and be grateful that for the moment, it’s only background noise.

Love and gratitude,

Your Acupuncturist