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As I've posted previously, I've started acupuncture treatments to deal with my back pain.
I am no stranger to back pain. For 10 years I had dealt with lower back pain before finally having surgery in 2002. Acupuncture helped me for five years live relatively pain free during that time. Then, on September 19th, 2008, I was in a car accident and suddenly, I am all too acquainted with back pain once again; this time in my mid back.
I've done the drugs, the therapies, the MRIs, blah blah blah. A year later, still the constant pain. I've had enough.
Ron was nice enough to do the research and found me an acupuncturist in this area. I called and made my first appointment with Caruso Acupuncture. So far, I've had four treatments, and last Wednesday, Ron even went with me. Of course, we had a camera in hand as I thought this was going to make a heck of a blog.
One more warning - pictures of me in treatment will be posted here. Use your own judgement if you want to see this or not.
While I've been through acupuncture while living in Houston, my practitioner didn't speak much English. So, he did what treatment he thought appropriate and I didn't argue. Now, I'm learning a lot from Frank. Ok, I'm making that up. I still don't know why he does what he does or what he's trying to accomplish. All I can tell you is that it works. Four treatments later, I AM a different person. Am I perfect? Not yet. But I will tell you that for the last two mornings, I got out of bed because I WANTED to get out of bed, not because I just couldn't lay there any longer. I've had company in all week long and I should have spent about a week on the couch recovering, but other than a lazy nap, I'm jiggy. Un-freakin'-believable.
So I'm not going to pretend to talk like I know about releasing the Chi or placing a needle at the Du 20. (Ok, I heard these terms but for real, I'm clueless.) I go in, strip, lay down, take a nap, get dressed, pay the man and then go on my way feeling better. That's all I need to know - I am feeling better.
Each time I go for acupuncture, the needles will be placed a little differently each time. But I will try to show you most of the ones from last Wednesday.
We start with the Du 20 (I just learned that one!). This is the one in the top of my head. I tried to draw a circle around it because it kind of gets lost in my hair.
Heading down, the next picture is what Ron called my Frankenstein look! I have a needle coming out of each side of my neck and one on the top of each shoulder. Good look, huh?
I lifted my right hand so that Ron could get this picture. The needle is kind of in the webbing between my thumb and fore finger.
This next picture goes right up my back. It's kind of hard to see in the picture, but the top of the needle is a lot thicker but the part of the needle that is actually inserted is very very fine. What this picture doesn't show is that a few of the needles on my right side were hooked up so something similar to the TENS unit that emits small electrical pulses. It's not terrible; I can still nap while being zapped so how bad can it be?
Lastly, we gotta do a few my the feet. Here you can see the needles coming out of each ankle.
Again, I don't know why it works. I really don't care why it works. All I can tell you is that it DOES work. And I am living proof. I think I'm one or two treatments away from being normal again. Whatever that is.
I strongly suggest if you're in constant pain, go for acupuncture. It truly is a painless procedure that is absolutely nothing like getting a flu shot or tetanus shot or even giving blood. I feel his fingers placing the needle and sometimes I feel the needle but it's so light I can't even call it a pinch. This technology has been around for thousands of years for a reason.
And I am living proof that it works.
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