How Body Reflects Stress and Feelings During Acupuncture

Part 1 – Holding onto Discomfort

Recently, in an acupuncture professional development class focused on women’s health, a compelling case study highlighted the intricate connection between our emotional landscape and physical well-being. The story centered on a woman in her late fifties who experienced a sudden and significant fluid retention, gaining over 20 pounds in a single week. This abrupt swelling coincided with her father entering hospice care and a demanding executive position in a company, placing immense pressure on her personal and professional life.

Initially, the presenting acupuncturist approached the issue as a straightforward case of fluid imbalance as a part of menopausal symptoms, initiating a treatment plan to drain the excess. However, surprisingly, the client’s swelling worsened with each treatment, to the point where she could no longer wear her shoes. Comprehensive medical testing by the order of her physician revealed no underlying physical cause. This deeply puzzled the experienced acupuncturist. His intended treatment to alleviate fluid retention paradoxically seemed to amplify it.

After careful consideration, the acupuncturist recalled a teaching from a respected colleague – a Daoist Priest and world renowned Scholar of Daoism and Chinese Medicine – about how our bodies can unconsciously hold onto things, often stemming from a fear of releasing what we perceive as a protective mechanism, even if it’s causing us discomfort. This insight resonated deeply with the client’s situation.

Shifting his approach, the acupuncturist implemented a treatment aimed at introducing more “water” into her system – a conceptual technique in acupuncture, not literal hydration. Remarkably, the client’s body began to release the retained fluid. He then integrated this new strategy with his original drainage plan, leading to a further reduction in swelling. Ultimately, through the initial treatment of fluid drainage, the client fully recovered.

This case beautifully illustrates how the client’s potential fear of losing control and experiencing abandonment may have manifested physically. Her body appeared to be retaining fluid as an unconscious form of self-protection. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the Water element is associated with the Kidney and Urinary Bladder systems, which are, interestingly, linked to the emotion of fear.

This story prompts a profound question: Why do we sometimes cling to the very things we consciously desire to let go of? In this woman’s experience, the retained fluid can be viewed as an unconscious protective shield, despite the discomfort it caused.

Consider her brain and body’s potential response to the intense fear she likely faced – the anxiety surrounding her father’s declining health, the possibility of his loss, and perhaps a fear of losing control within her high-pressure career. These are significant and overwhelming emotions, particularly the deep-seated fears of loss and abandonment.

Faced with such profound feelings, her system might have unconsciously identified the fluid as a physical anchor, a way to feel more frounded amidst the emotional turmoil. This wasn’t a deliberate choice but rather the body’s attempt to contain or brace itself against the perceived threat of things falling apart or loved ones leaving.

This “shield” manifested as swelling, puffiness, heaviness, tightness, pain, and sluggishness, creating a new layer of stress. Dealing with these physical discomforts likely amplified her initial worries, establishing a challenging cycle.

This situation underscores how the body’s unconscious coping mechanisms, though potentially rooted in protective intent, can sometimes generate a more significant problem than the original threat. The protective shield becomes an overwhelming burden.

This pattern is something I observe frequently, not only in my own acupuncture practice but also in my personal life. It can manifest in various ways, from seemingly minor issues like scar tissue buildups after an ankle which restrict the movements of ankle to the body’s retention of the effects of difficult, unprocessed memories in the breathing pattern. Even when we intellectually process a challenging experience, the body often retains its own memory, reacting automatically before our conscious mind can intervene. This is akin to “muscle memory,” but applied to how our bodies hold onto patterns related to past stress or traumas.

This is why, in my opinion, cultivating conscious awareness of interconnectedness between our mind and body is crucial. Recognizing the body’s capacity to hold onto experiences and react automatically allows us to approach the process of understanding and releasing the tension from the past burdens with greater gentleness and care.

In my next blog post, we will explore another fascinating way the body reflects stress and emotions during acupuncture sessions – hyperarousal vs hypoarousal.