Posted by sid on March 19, 2002, at 20:51:18
In reply to SID: thanks and more: » sid, posted by Janelle on March 19, 2002, at 13:28:21
> How many acupuncture treatments did you have?
I had one per week for 6 weeks, then 1 every other week for a couple of months, then 1 treatment at the changes of season (4 times a year) until I moved and never found another acupuncturist I liked so much. :-( Try several if it doesn't work at first.
> What was it like, meaning did the acupuncturist tap the needles in and that was that, then you laid on the table for however long it was OR did the acupuncturist tap in the needles and then keep tapping each one until you could *feel* it a bit?
Not sure what you mean... 1st treatment was VERY tiring - went straight to bed after and did not do much of anything for the next couple of days. She put the needles in (mostly in my back) and left them in for 45 minutes; an energy diffusing process. My back became VERY warm - I thought she was heating it with a lamp but not so. It was all red when I left... I was convinced that it did something right there and then. What it did was (and still is) not clear, but I felt a reaction.
Other treatments were a mixture of the same, although not much of that, along with "poking" and moxa burning. The poking is pressing on the needle somewhat forcefully and taking it out immediately - it's supposedly an energy-concentrating process. Moxa burning is using a dried herb (moxa), wetting it a bit, sticking it on the skin and lighting it. It burns slowly, and when you feel the heat on your skin, you say so and the acupuncturist removes it. Many insurances do not pay for that due to burn risks, but it was fine with mine at the time. It's acu-thermic treatment, basically. Some acupuncturists also leave needles in and use a powerful lamp to heat them - since they are in metal, the heat gets into your skin. Treatments other than the first one were done all over my body, on my fingers, on my hands, around my wrists, on my stomach, on my feet, on my head, on my face, on and in my ears, on my sides under the arms, etc. Treatment differs from one person to another however. Not all acupuncturists use the same techniques, and they consider everything for your treatment: diet, sleep pattern, medication, disease, etc...
> I ask the second question because I did go to an acupuncturist once (so far) recently and he did it the second way - where he tapped till I could feel it.
That might be what I call poking? It did not matter to her whether I felt it or not, but since she was doing this somewhat forcefully, I felt it every time and sometimes it was painful, although not unbearably painful - the benefits outweighed the discomfort.
> I never heard of this - I've been under the impression that acupuncture is done very lightly and that you're NOT supposed to feel it. I asked him about this and he told me he practices TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and that this is the better way of doing it. In light of this, I'm curious to hear what your acupuncture was like (and how many you had).I guess it must be similar to the poking I'm talking about. My acupuncturist did TCM as well - she was trained in Columbia, Maryland, where there is a good school; it a M.A. in acupuncture.
> THANKS A MILLION!
You're welcome.
- sid
poster:sid
thread:98741
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