Saturday's Acupuncture Appointment

I had my acupuncture appointment on Saturday. They didn't do the trigger point releases, and I was really disappointed. What they did do was check out my arms, specifically my left one where I'd had the "tennis elbow" surgery, and put needles in there. I don't know if it was anything they did, but the pain in my thoracic region was worse and I had pain running down my arm all weekend.
The pain in the arm went away, and I'm wondering if it was just something that they released that was working itself out or what. I don't have appointments for the next two weeks as the students are graduating, then I go back in early May and I really hope that they bring back the Pain Clinic then or that I have no need for by then!

Pain Clinic Redux

Well, it just keeps getting better and better. Last Tuesday, I had a different set of students again and I have to say, they were the best yet.

Everyone up to this point has trying to get the big knotty muscles in my back to "release." No one has been able to do it. I had one set of students tell me to get ready for it, then it never came, what a letdown. This week was different; this week I had so many releases going on I felt like I needed a cigarette afterward.

They started with my calves. I usually get needles there, but whatever they did with the needles this time caused a small electric shock to run deep through my muscle, building up until it exploded in the most exquisite pain, my calf was twitching and jumping and quivering uncontrollably. It was the most delicious release; meanwhile, I'm gasping and moaning with it and there's only curtains in between me and the other patients in the clinic and I'm feeling like I should apologize for making so much noise but the student practitioners say that that is what is supposed to happen and I'm doing great. I'm sure it sounded to anyone else who may not have known what to expect from acupuncture that I was getting laid, and how, in there.

They did the same thing to my other calf, more moaning and yelping from me. They did it to my back, my shoulder and neck, all followed by paroxysms of pain/release from me. Wondrous.

I have had mucho pain relief this week, though I'm a bit sore in the neck area, as that was the worst/best orgasm, er, I mean release, that I had. I haven't been back to the gym yet, partially because I don't want to strain or tax those released muscles too soon, also this flu thing is lingering like a bad odor and I'm very tired. But needless to say, I am really looking forward to next Tuesday.

Pain Clinic is aptly named

Last night I had my first visit at the TSCA Pain Clinic. It's different from the regular appointments that I have on Saturdays, as they really pinpoint the places that hurt and try to directly relieve the pain. Ironically, it's by causing more pain.

Well, pain is a relative term here. The discomfort, pressure and heaviness that I felt I was supposed to feel, according to them, as the needles were "releasing" stuff in my muscles. I was very sore when I got up from the table and am still a bit sore this morning, but the big knots that were working on seem to be smaller in size. Yay! I have two more sessions with them in addition to the regular Saturday appointments, so let's hope this continues to improve.

Pins and Needles, Needles and Pins ...

I had my first acupuncture appointment last Saturday and I go back again this Saturday and several Saturdays after that. My unsurance, Oxford, only partially covers alternative treatment so my co-pays at an "approved provider" would have been either 70 or 90 dollars a pop. Instead, I opted to go to the Tri-State College of Acupuncture, located near me at 14th and 8th Avenue.

There were a bunch of us sitting in the waiting area, and of course I'm wondering how many of these people are ahead of me for a nine thirty appointment. Turns out, the class lets out at that time and we all get teamed up with a pair of pin-pushers and go to the back. I had an Asian guy who looked like he was ready for his close up, nattily dressed and all officious in his white coat, and a Russian or other Eastern European woman who seemed disappointed that I had so many scars.

They talked to me for a long time, asking all kinds of questions about how I was sleeping and if I had any digestive problems, etc. It was kind of depressing to have to rattle off my list of stuff that's wrong. The clicking in my hip, the pain in my neck, the occasional sciatica, the leg pain, the acid reflux, the two surgeries on my arms, the sinus surgery; it was such a litany that I decided not to even report the biopsy that I'd had on my right breast two weeks ago and that was still seeping blood.

They called in their supervisor, a Chinese lady with an accent so thick I could barely understand her questions. Mostly what she was saying was "better?" when they stuck me with a needle or pressed somewhere.

I had needles everywhere. My arms, ankles, knees, and that was just the front side. They had me flip over and did the same thing to my back.

I can't say that I felt all that much better afterward, but they said it's an ongoing thing, so I might not feel anything for the first few treatments. They also have a pain clinic on Tuesdays that they recommended to me in addition to the Saturday appointments.

It seems like this is going to be a life-long thing with my back.

I have to say, I was looking forward to being pain-free for at least a little while, but a few months into my recovery from the low back surgery, the upper back and neck starting getting painful. When I discussed the upper back pain with Teresa at Dr. Balderston's office, she told me that the cervical disc replacement surgery was a lot easier than the lumbar. Okay.

I have high hopes for the acupuncture.