An Encounter with Acupuncture

Yesterday's acupuncture treatment had an unexpected twist at the end. It was just so totally different from what I had previously experienced.

I went to see my doctor Neil, the physiatrist, yesterday. In addition to manipulation he also does acupuncture as a way of dealing with physical problems. He was trained at UCLA, one of the best schools in the country for acupuncture.

For my particular case, he had advocated scalp acupuncture, noting that there are definite points in the brain that connect to all other parts of the body. He said he had actually done a lot of study in preparation for my appointment. Having received acupuncture from two different practitioners, I was familiar with the preparation of placing the needles. In my case there were 3 in each leg, 3 in each of my lower arms and hands, and 11 in my head, mostly on the right. He explained what he was doing as he inserted each needle accompanied by "a little pinch". I asked him to turn off the hideous fluorescent lights before leaving the room.

The idea is that you rest undisturbed with the needles in the various points of your body. You actually fall into an almost trance-like state, much as in meditation.

I was totally unprepared for what happened next. After I had rested with the needles for proably a half hour, an assistant I had never met entered the room, switched on the hideous lights and proceeded to remove all 23 needles. As she left the room, she announced, "You're done now."

WHOA! I had been used to acupuncturists trained in the Chinese tradition of monitoring various pulses before, during, and after treatment. There was intentionally nothing abrupt, allowing the patient to gradually return to full consciousness and re-enter the world.

I made it clear that I expected at least a closing discussion with my doctor before being told to pay up and go home. So I sat and stewed and sat and fumed and sat some more.

Finally as I was leaving a message for the doctor that I was not happy and I expected a phone call, he appeared, looking rushed and guilty. He had gotten tied up with another patient who had an unending stream of questions.

I screamed about the lights and then suggested he bring in a desk lamp for this purpose since the overhead lights are simply not compatible with acupuncture. He agreed. We talked about the differences between his style of acupuncture and typical Chinese acupuncture that is so geared to pulses.

We talked about what was next on his agenda for treating me. By this time I was feeling better. But I noted that getting angry right after an acupuncture treatment takes a lot of energy that I didn't have.

As I shook Neil's hand upon leaving, I realized that we have a good working relationship and that there is a lot of ground we still need to cover together. Yesterday's visit was just not exactly what I had planned. I will be interested to see what comes of it, as the results of acupuncture often play out gradually over the next few days after treatment.

(If you are not a believer in this form of treatment, you are probably saying "And why would any sane person let someone place 23 needles in her body and leave them there for 30 minutes?" But, on the other hand, if you are a believer, you understand perfectly...)