If you are a parent of a kid who has needed surgery in childhood, you know how emotionally and physically exhausting it is for both you and your child. After surgery you hope that everything will be just fine and your child will instantly feel better – yet lingering aches and pains and discomforts are not uncommon. Additionally, your child may still be carrying a heavy amount of stress or anxiety from repeated hospital visits. Acupressure and acupuncture are an ideal way to soothe the body and relieve aches and pains without medications or discomfort. Acupuncture is typically provided in a non-medical setting – usually clinics have soothing music, calm environments, and comfortable beds for children to lie on while receiving treatment. When acupressure is used, it is a massage-like treatment that children find relaxing and restful. If acupuncture needles are added to the treatment they are done with the thinnest possible needles and for brief periods of time in order to achieve the necessary changes without causing discomfort. It is common if children are having orthopedic surgeries to have lingering pains due to muscle tightness or muscle imbalances. Acupuncture, acupressure, cupping, and massage can all be helpful to loosen tight muscles and to signal to the brain that there is no reason to be in fight-or-flight mode anymore. In addition to relieving linger pains and muscle tension, acupuncture and acupressure after surgery can help resolve lingering constipation, ease difficulties with napping and sleeping, and overall provide stress relief after a difficult period of life. If needed, herbal medicines can also be prescribed to assist with overall vitality, stress relief, digestive complaints, supporting detoxification of excess pharmaceuticals, sleeping issues, and more. If your child has been experiencing difficulties after surgery, please give me a call to discuss whether acupuncture may be right to help your child return to a pain-free and calm life.