At the Acupuncture Doc's office. I fill out a very brief 1 page
summary, a refreshing change from the the overly and unnecessary and
misleading (IMHO) detailed forms required by Conventional Docs. I
think
the difference with Alternative medicine is they talk to you and get to
the important information which the briefer appointments (this one was
an hour) with Conventional Docs try to deal with mechanically and
ineffectively missing the point IMHO.
The Doc comes out
of his treatment room, reads my form. then goes on the computer. I
couldn't see what he was looking up but believe it was PRP my rare disease.
Docs in general do this. They Google your rare disease, then they tell
you what it is from their Googling. Out of politeness you listen and nod
appreciatively while already knowing what they tell you and more
since you have spent a lot more time Googling than they have, or can
afford to, spend on this rare disease.
The Doc then
greets me and we go into the treatment room. His ethnicity is Chinese
(the office sign says Chinese medicine), and I would guess in his 40's
as is his office assistant (wife?). They are both quite businesslike. I
would not describe them as warm and friendly but they are not in any
way unpleasant. I find if I smile she smiles back , but neither
initiates a smile. He was recommended to me by a friend who has had
successful treatment with him and the Doc has a number of awards listed
on his website, and wall, all of which led me, along with what I have
read, to be not at all concerned about my being about to get a whole
bunch of needles stuck into me by complete stranger.
We
discuss my condition. He had not dealt with PRP before but had heard
of it. I give him the chronology. Told him I was way better (only 20 -
25% of the rash remains), and seem to be maybe continuing to get
slightly and progressively better with time but want to see if I can
reinforce or accelerate my improvement. He thought (like others) that
perhaps the powerful antibiotics I had taken in treating a urinary tract
condition, (possibly brought on by a trip to a foreign country-I'd
never had this before) had triggered the onset of PRP.
He
asked me if I want to do Acupuncture. I said yes and signed a
disclosure/acceptance form. Next he had me remove my socks and shoes and
lie down on the treatment table. After swabbing portions of my body
with alcohol, he then proceeds to stick 5 or 10 needles in my left ear.
I am surprised by the number here as well as the total number (maybe 50
to 100) which he sticks in my ankles, forehead, stomach and right side
of my head. He does this very rapidly and I feel no pain but do feel
them being inserted. He says they are stainless steel, disposable and
far narrower than typical medical needles. I asked him how deep they
were inserted and he said 1/4 inch to -I think - 1/2 inch.
Then he tells me that the treatment is to improve my immune system .. not
strengthen it. (PRP may be an autoimmune disease where your immune
system is out of control or overreacting to some other condition and fighting your body). I say you mean not
strengthening or weakening but tuning it and he says yes. (I'm not sure
this makes sense, I'm just reporting here as accurately as I can what each of us said).
He
has this electric box with wires coming out of it which he connects to
the needles in my stomach I feel some slight turbulence or rumbling in
my stomach - but its not real unpleasant. He also says as he connects
the electrodes that he is adjusting my metabolism. He then says he is
going to leave the room for 20 minutes and to call him if I need to.
So,
now I am lying here very peacefully trying to observe what I can to
report on my Blog to you. I notice that the light in the room grows
stronger and then dimer and repeats this periodically. I think that this is the overhead chandelier
with about 5 yellow Christmas tree shaped bulbs programmed to lighten
and darken as part of the treatment but then I figure it is the light
coming into the room through a window as the clouds shift, covering and
uncovering the sun. I hear the traffic in the very busy road in front
of the office but it is like the ocean surf so almost soothing (fast
flowing vehicles, no stopping or starting). I think I could fall asleep
given my lack of sleep the night before related to my current activist
efforts but I don't want to and don't.
I feel like I am here for quite a bit more than 20 minutes by the time the Doc comes
back. He rapidly removes the pins and dabbs my left ear several times.
Then he has me remove my shirt and lie on my side while he rapidly
pricks my back in maybe 20 different places. This hurt very very
slightly so I guess it was a needle or some instrument thicker than the
needles previously inserted.
We then go out and into
the office where I pay $118 and get an appointment for the same time a
week from this one. He tells me next time he will place the needles in
different places.
I left thinking that I don't really
expect this to work but it's worth a try. But, as I say, I am so
positive these days I think I am getting and will continue to get better
no matter what.
So does Acupuncture work? I don't
know yet and may never know for reasons stated in my last post. But, I will tell you my experience with
it as it occurs. And both of us can draw our own conclusions. OK?
Thanks for reading!
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