Click here to print »

Close Window

Are you having difficulties recalling what you ate for dinner last night or tend to forget what you are talking about in mid conversation?

Do you have trouble coming up with new ideas or find yourself having to study twice as much to retain half the information?

Fuzzy thinking can muddle our words as much as our thoughts. It can drain our creative juices, zap our confidence, and make us question our intelligence.

Enhancing the ability to think clearly is something your practitioner of acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help you with. Although there can be many factors contributing to 'brain fog,' sometimes it is an imbalance of the spleen that needs treatment. The notion that this organ contributes to cognition and mental abilities may make you question if you understood what you just read, but the following will help explain the connection.

According to the theory of acupuncture and Oriental medicine, the spleen houses the Yi. The concept of Yi is akin to the intellect. The intellect is another way of describing the mental powers of an individual, including the abilities to reason and perceive the intended meanings of words and ideas. Sometimes when there is an imbalance of the spleen, the Yi can suffer and the ability to think clearly is impaired.

You know your spleen may need a boost when obsessive thinking takes the place of orderly thoughts, excessive worrying dominates your mind, and complaining is preferable to taking action to right a situation. Interestingly, the archaic definition of the word spleen is the organ in the human body considered to be the seat of emotions.

Your practitioner of acupuncture and Oriental medicine will need to perform an evaluation to discover if the spleen is contributing to your brain fog. During the medical intake, questions will be asked regarding all your symptoms, including your emotional state. If the spleen is found to be deficient, acupuncture needles will be inserted at specific points on your body to correct the problem.

Additionally, easy-to-perform acupressure techniques may be suggested for you.

If you are in need of a quick boost of mental energy, there is an acupuncture point called Du 26, which can be pressed upon. It is located between the bottom of your nose and your upper lip, in the vertical groove that is technically called the philtrum. Simply tap the area with moderate force for about 30 seconds to help revitalize your mind and bring your awareness back to the present moment.

When you're struggling to recall information and can't quite do it, try pressing on an acupuncture point called Gall Bladder 14. To locate this point, find the middle of your eyebrows with your fingertips and slide upwards about half an inch. Just press and make tiny circular motions for a minute or two. Doing this gentle exercise may help coax the information from your mind that you are looking for.

Find an Acupuncturist near you to learn how acupuncture and Oriental medicine can help you!

About the Author:   Vanessa Vogel Batt, L.Ac., MSTOM, studied at the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, and practiced acupuncture and Oriental medicine in New York for several years. Vanessa enjoys traveling the world, and has published articles on acupuncture and Oriental medicine and related health topics for websites and publications in both the U.S. and abroad.