Definition: Acupuncture is a form of treatment used in both Traditional and Classical Chinese Medicine. Acupuncture is based on the principle that there are energetic pathways, or channels, throughout the body that influence associated internal organs and structures. Energy from these pathways surfaces at various points on the body, identified as acupuncture points. Each of these acupuncture points serves as a tunnel, or access route, to the deeper circulatory channels within. Extremely fine gauge needles are inserted at selected points, stimulating these points and thereby activating the body’s natural healing abilities.
This is an environmental website and about all things natural, so I thought I would share my recent experience with the ancient art of acupuncture. Acupuncture should be incorporated into the practice of general medicine because it’s a miracle. I just witnessed first hand what it can do. I suffered occupational back pain for years. I engaged in a series of weekly massages. I visited my chiropractor on a regular basis. Got a prescription for rehab from my current doctor. Exercised. And rationed out a month’s supply of muscle relaxers over a year for especially bad pain. I’ve also used a shiatzu massager for years on my back for what a masseuse described as knots like rocks . After which she asked if I was ever in a car accident. If the knots along my backbone are like rocks it means they are very old. And while massage and my chiropractor work wonderfully, it’s always temporary. The knotted muscles will win and contort me out of whack.
Now these knots of mine aren’t just from occupational overuse. My hip tilts. It’s not uncommon. A hip tilt will appear to shorten one leg. That little 1/4″ tilt throws all my back muscles out of skew up to the point between my shoulder blades where overuse is already aggravating the region. At this point muscles cross to a point in the armpit then proceed to wrap in front of the chest. If the back is tight, the shoulders are high, and the chest is compressed. It all makes sense now why my recent VISIT to the acupuncturist for the knots also helped with decongestion. I haven’t taken an OTC allergy pill in almost a week!
I ran across acupuncture looking for a means to cure or at least ease my aging mother’s incontinence after chemo. She could no longer feel what she complained to be a constant flow. She’s near 90 and messing around with Poise and Depends is a new and not welcome experience. After visiting a urologist who determined all was fine with her bladder, he suggested she try a brand new device that hooks electrodes to the sacral nerve operated by a transmitter implanted in the bladder. NO. She’s almost 90 and may still have cancer for all we know. She wants no more chemo either. It’s a matter of feeling good until whenever. So her big concern was her incontinence. It was keeping her from getting out, infringing on her freedom.
I started thinking electrodes?—sacral nerves?—natural?—non-invasive?—holistic?—ACUPUNCTURE! I checked for acupuncturists in areas near me and wallah—Ann Arbor Healing Arts had a lady acupuncturist named Cynthia Essiechick, which would be my mother’s preference. Cynthia sent me 3 pages of info to fill out for my mother with heartfelt apologies that she needed to know so much. But the more the better. The first 2 treatments she did for my mother worked on the general immune system—boosting it after the cancer and chemo. My mom felt great but was still incontinent.
The final two treatments concentrated on the sacral nerves and brain. That was it. My mother no longer suffers incontinence. She is back to normal, no Poise, no Depends. My reaction was OMG. I thought it would help but… I asked Cynthia if she could unknot me. Cynthia said yes. I immediately made my appointment. I gladly filled out 3 pages of paperwork where she could see I suffered childhood bronchitis and my lungs are usually congested from allergies and whatever. She goes over your health history during the the first treatment, which is usually 1½ hours. We went over my hip tilt. My chiropractor gave me shoe lifts to correct for it, but I can’t wear them with flip-flops, sandals, and even walk out of most of my shoes because of it. Cynthia suggested I correct it while sitting instead. She listened to my pulse at my wrists. I was surprised that she was really listening to the pulse of my organs. Then she took my blood pressure in the standard way.
First she placed needles on the front side of me and my heels. None of this hurts even though she prepares you for trauma. I actually couldn’t feel anything. Way back when my family doctor did it, there was no pain either. Cynthia said she was clearing my passageways and my congestion. I was thinking knots in my back and didn’t really pay attention. It was all good. The white, white everything, cushy table, pond/garden view, oriental music was so soothing, like getting a massage.
The second half of my visit concentrated on my back. I got a massage with oils, and what is known as cupping. She takes what is like the cupped part of a spoon and runs it across the skin where my back aches. She warned that would look like I was drug a mile on my back—red and blue, so I couldn’t wear a backless dress or anything. It would go away in a few days. I didn’t care. IT FELT SOOOO GOOD. She then placed needles along my spine and wherever. The best part of this—heat was applied also. Ahhhhh. I didn’t care if I ever got up. About 20 minutes later, I didn’t feel my back at all. She removed all the needles. I dressed and when I opened the door she said “Oh your shoulders dropped.”
All the years of struggling to stand up straight had me thinking I needed breast reduction or something. It was a chore. All of that was gone. It was not only easy to throw my shoulders back but it immediately caused my stomach muscles to pull up and back, tight like when I was younger. Before, throwing my shoulders back was a fight with my stomach muscles that wanted to protrude. I realize it was the whole slouch thing. Bow your shoulders to accommodate the tight back. Bowed shoulders lead to slouching forward, neck and all. And this lead to a protruding stomach, which acted to pull the lower back. Yikes!
I then asked Cynthia about my next visit. There was none. The knots were unknotted. She suggested I keep that area stretched and keep my red and blue back covered. Cupping brings blood to the surface tissue and therefore any toxins the blood is carrying out to the surface too. Toxins going out is good. But it can work in reverse also. The blood is open to whatever is in the atmosphere. Cynthia told me a story of someone who got a terrific cold from exposing his back to the wind after a treatment.
What a wonderful experience for both me and my mother. I don’t have those horribly sore pressure points in my armpits anymore where the muscles would knot. My left arm ached for awhile because the muscle at my elbow finally released. And I haven’t suffered from allergies, congestion, cough, or wheezing. Cynthia said the muscles across my chest were strangling that area. I was hardly getting blood through my back in the sore area. She also told me that my muscles would be terribly sore the next day, like I worked out. They were.
I found out that people have acupuncture on their birthday, seasonally, or whenever they feel they need a fine tuning. Fine tuning is an excellent idea. It’s another art that’s been lost for far too long. The people that study Chinese medicine and the like are Godsends as far as I’m concerned. I will be one of those that gets fine tuned on a regular basis.
If you’ve tried everything but acupuncture, check out Ann Arbor Healing Arts. Acupuncture costs no more than massage. Chinese medicine is a holistic way of tackling problems that pills only add to. Ann Arbor Healing Arts is located right across from Briarwood Mall on Eisenhower Dr. If you’ve been to the mall, you know its right off of 94. As a matter of fact, I found out that Ann Arbor Healing Arts is having an open House soon.
Ann Arbor Healing Arts, LLC
325 E. Eisenhower Pkwy., Suite 1
Open House
Saturday August 15, 2009
3:00 – 7:00 pm
An RSVP appreciated 734/761-5402
They offer Traditional Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Chinese Herbs, Myofascial/Neuromuscular Trigger Point Therapy, Professional Therapeutic Massage, Tai Bodywork, Maya Abdominal Massage.
Tags: Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Natural Cures
i am always astonished how Acupunture helps in dealing with my migraine. it works wonders on other diseases like anxiety and allergy.
As a matter of fact my girlfriend went to my acupuncturist for anxiety attacks and stress. She said after her first visit she hadn’t had an attack in a week and was able to sleep better at night.
I need a little tune up myself and plan on making an appt.
Acupuncture does work. it helps me deal with my allergies and also i use acupunture for relaxation /
Male, 40, good health, athletic,cyclist, experenced over the summer excruciting lower lumbar pain in the sacral area and after being treating by a Chiropractor, Rolfer, Massage Therapist the pain persisted until I was unable to touch my hands to my knees. M Boone from Ann Arbor Healing Arts treated me in August just before I left on vacation and in two Acupuncture treatments with extensive questioning, testing methodologies and streching he was able to diagnose, treat and make streching suggestions to arrest the chronic pain. My lifestyle restored by the decisions he made by treating me with Acupuncture and his extensive knowledge of sports injury treatment .
Thank you Mark
Acupuncture helps me in my allergies. I have hay fever ever since i was a kid.”-,
Just had to take the two seconds to post a thank you. Read through your web page and really liked the content, bookmarked and I plan on coming back soon!
Chinese herbs do work because it is time tested.`”‘
Chinese herbs do work because it is time tested.”:
chinese herbs are very helpful on my allergic rhinits:`,
Are you referring to a leave-in treatment, a chemical relaxer or a flat iron?
Hi mate would it be ok if we used some info from here to use on one of my blogs? all the best
Acupuncture is a great stress reliever on me. it is also great for headaches *
chinese herbs can actually treat a lot of ilness and have fewer side-effects too;*;