Acupuncture!

It's been over 2 months since my arthroscopy.  I continue to experience tight ligaments around my knee and other minor issues but daily physical activity is keeping me moving.  I was hoping to get acupuncture soon after as well as sticking to a strict diet but the emotional and physical challenges I faced following surgery were not sustainable for the sheer discomfort I had experienced.  I'm still interested in eating healthy and although i cave for sugar and coffee I'm staying on track with eating right.

Today I went to a new clinic for a session of acupuncture and realized that if anyone was experiencing acupuncture for the first time at that place it wouldn't seem like a pleasant experience.  It's a community clinic and do they mean community.  They had us all in the same room on random beds and chairs.  It made me feel like I was in another country.  It was not relaxing and quite distracting every time someone came into the room.  It was also not a full session which was nice since it was difficult for me to lay there and listen to everyone else rustling around.  It was a good thing I didn't wear jeans today because there was no way I was going to disrobe in front of a room full of people.

The acupuncture I received a little over a year ago was a stark contrast to today's session.  Last year I got a full hour and a half complete with acupuncture on both sides and then a full body massage after.  Can you guess where I will go next time?

If you have never experienced acupuncture I have 3 pieces of advice.

1.  Do not move!  Once the needles are in you do not want to move.  I learned this during my second session nearly 20 years ago.  The technician had left in a needle by mistake and when I moved I felt one of the worst surges of pain I have ever felt.  That is because the needle was lodged into a nerve.  Never again have I attempted to move during a session, even if it's an hour long.  If you have a hard time staying still then maybe no acupuncture for you.

2.  Investigate the clinic.  Ask others about their experiences.  Yelp is good for getting feedback and reviews on clinics.  I've been to places where they insisted on using "cupping" which I do not like at all.  And the worst nightmare was a guy that double charged me his fee and then charged me for 5 sessions when I had only 2.  Not only that but he demanded his money and refused to discuss the billing.  He even threatened to send me to collections!  It doesn't hurt to try out a clinic and see how the session goes but not every clinic is the same.  Make sure you are very comfortable. 

3.  Don't knock it until you try it.  I always thought acupuncture was tomfoolery.  To me people who used things like acupuncture and saw chiropractors where goofy people with made up ailments that went to made up doctors with made up gimmicks to supposedly fix these fictional problems.  But when I fell down a flight of stairs not long after a terrible accident that caused problems with my hip locking nearly 20 years ago, I was petrified that I caused some serious damage.  My landlord at the time was fighting a pulled muscle in his back and he insisted on me getting acupuncture.  I went to 3 sessions and never had a problem with my hip again.

Acupuncture is like a deep tissue massage from the inside.  I always walk away feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.  I highly recommend it to those who are suffering just about anything.  Supposedly it can also help you kick bad habits.