Not feeling a spring in your step this spring? That may be down to your Liver...

Hopefully colds and flus are now behind us and hayfever isn't in full swing yet so why are some of us feeling off in the early days of the Spring season?  The culprit may be your Liver meridian!  Chinese medicine considers each season to be a peak time for specific organs and functions and transitions from one season to the next are times when imbalances can show forth and when we can struggle through a little more than usual.  If your Liver isn't in tip top conditions it will be all the more vulnerable at this time of year and you could find a number of things more difficult.  Note that in Chinese medicine this encompasses your actual liver organ as well as other functions and physiological processes so don't rush to the doctor and have your liver functions checked out just yet!

So how does this manifest you might ask....It may be a time however when you get more frequent headaches, when your joints get stiffer, when you feel more irritable or your digestion isn't as smooth.  The Liver function may also affect your susceptibility to develop allergies at this time of year, especially if they affect your eyes a lot (dry and irritated or itchy eyes).

Spring should be a time when the Liver and all its associated functions should thrive but before reaching that state it may struggle to finds its balance through the seasonal transition.  
Acupuncture can help balance your whole system and especially so your Liver so if you notice any of the following then acupuncture may be just what you need at this time:

You have more frequent headaches and other pains than normal: in Chinese medicine the Liver is responsible for the smooth flow of Qi and when it fails to function properly we may experience sensations like pressure, tightness so tension headaches or even menstrual cramps may be more prominent at this time.  If you are experiencing one-sided headaches affecting the temple or eye area, that is also down to your lovely liver not feeling the love right now.

You feel tense, irritable or frustrated.  Chinese Medicine associates the Liver to a smooth flow of energy throughout the body and healthy tendons and ligament so poor response to stress, feeling physically tense, stiff in your muscles or joints, clenching your jaw, having a shallow breathing are all signs that the Liver isn't working optimally and at this time of year those signs may even be exacerbated.  If emotionally you fuse has become shorter and you find yourself more irritable and easily annoyed, that can also be down at least partly to one aspect of the Liver functions. 

You digestion is not at its best, more specifically you experience wind, bloating, heartburns or constipation.  These are all signs of "stuckness" from the Liver Qi not moving smoothly throughout your system.

Your eyes are dry and irritated.  The eyes are associated with the Liver system and many eye problems are attributed to the Liver in Chinese medicine so if you notice eye pain and fatigue, dry eyes, itchy and irritated eyes (one symptom of hayfever).