The week after my first appointment I found I was certainly not "cured." In fact, I had two migraines that week and a constant headache lingering around when it wasn't a migraine. Excellent. I told Grant this didn't surprise me. My qi has been stuck in my head for over 22 years. I don't believe in quick fixes and I didn't believe one appointment would fix this problem either.
Since my first visit to Calli I have had two more appointments. In my second appointment she put in the needles with quite a few more in my face this time. I had three running across the tops of both my eyebrows and two in my cheeks. Then she used a machine to perform what is called Electroacupuncture. (This Wikipedia article mentions that some doctors think these machines, "lack a scientifically plausible rationale and should be regarded as bogus." Excellent! I'll let you know how it goes when my migraines go away :)
Anyways... the machine sent continuous electronic pulses to pairs of needles that ran along my forehead. It kind of felt like a tingling/tickling sensation.
In my third appointment, Calli put in a few needles and then did a technique called cupping. This is where, "a cup is applied to the sin and the pressure in the cup is reduced (by using change in heat or by suctioning out air), so that the skin and superficial muscle layer is drawn into and held in the cup." (from my acupuncture pamphlet). Basically, I felt like the Chinese guy on Harriet the Spy: see at 1:10 here.
Calli didn't use fire or heat, but instead had cups that suctioned out the air on their own. This did not feel very good but it wasn't horrible. It's been four days and my giant hickies are almost gone. It was pretty entertaining to have giant red circles on my back though. The first day, it looked a little something like this:
The bruises are nearly gone now. I'm sure they looked lovely in my swimsuit for Memorial Day :) I have another appointment this evening and I'm not sure what technique(s) Calli will be using. I have continued to go without sugar in my diet. I have refused Pizookies, Cherry 7-up, Ice Cream, Cake... you name it. I allowed myself a few treats that had "No Sugar Added" like granola bars and some ice cream, but other than that, I'm doing well. In addition, I have been writing down everything I eat which is a very telling, and sometimes embarrassing, exercise.
Everytime I come home from an appointment Grant asks, "are you acucured?" Not yet. But I'm feeling good and continuing in the hope that I might be.
Want to read a little more about acupuncture? Here is an article that Grant's mom, Leslie, sent us: Acupuncture May Trigger Natural Painkiller
2 comments:
Wow those are some weird methods. I got the needle treatment, but that's it. I used to break out in hives around cats and now they don't bother me. So I'm a believer.
Bless your heart! My mom does this stuff for her migraines, too. She's pretty much up for anything (And has pretty much done everything), but the cupping is tough stuff! She always looks like she has been beaten up, but when you have pain like that, you have to try everything out there. Good luck!
Post a Comment
Whatchya thinking?