A New Experience

In preparing for this baby’s arrival, one of the main concerns of mine and the doctor’s is whether or not I can go into natural labor. He’s given me some things to try and I also had the idea to try acupuncture. I have heard good things about it and that it really works. So I had my first appointment last Tues.

Wow, I had no idea what I was in for. It truly was a “foreign” experience. I know this lady personally, she is in my church ward, and I had no idea what she would do. I was expecting a couple of needles maybe and was a little nervous about it. Was it painful…YES! Were the needles the worst part…NO!

As I tried to wrap my mind around what she was explaining and what she was doing, I felt a little overwhelmed. So when I got home, I started looking things up on the internet to help me better understand what I had gone through. So for your curiosity and reading pleasure, here is what I found:

Many of the concepts emphasized in traditional Chinese medicine have no true counterpart in Western medicine. One of these concepts is qi (pronounced "chi"), which is considered a vital force or energy responsible for controlling the workings of the human mind and body. Qi flows through the body via channels, or pathways, which are called meridians. There are a total of 20 meridians: 12 primary meridians, which correspond to specific organs, organ systems or functions, and eight secondary meridians. Imbalances in the flow of qi cause illness; correction of this flow restores the body to balance.

It works by applying pressure to acupoints, meridians and groups of muscles or nerves to remove blockages that prevent the free flow of qi. Removing these blockages restores the balance of qi in the body, leading to improved health and vitality.

I did what is called “cupping” on me, in which drawing up the skin is believed to open up the skin’s pores, which helps to stimulate the flow of blood, balances and realigns the flow of qi, breaks up obstructions, and creates an avenue for toxins to be drawn out of the body.

Depending on the condition being treated, the cups will be left in place from 5 to 10 minutes. Several cups may be placed on a patient’s body at the same time. Some practitioners will also apply small amounts of medicated oils or herbal oils to the skin just before the cupping procedure,

In “air” cupping, instead of using a flame to heat the cup, the cup is applied to the skin, and a suction pump is attached to the rounded end of the jar. The pump is then used to create the vacuum.

While cupping is considered relatively safe (especially air cupping, which does not include the risk of fire and heat), it can cause some swelling and bruising on the skin. As the skin under a cup is drawn up, the blood vessels at the surface of the skin expand. This may result in small, circular bruises on the areas where the cups were applied. These bruises are usually painless, however, and disappear within a few days of treatment.

Yeah, it looks more like hickies on the skin. I also had my neck, legs, and back scraped which gave me a rash. And in the end I did have too qi-punctures to my shoulders. Those felt like an average stick of a needle, like when you get your blood drawn.  The next day my shoulders were so sore.

So in summing up my experience, it wasn't horrible, it was painful, it was really different. You just kind of have to let go and have faith in what she tells you. It's almost like switching religions. You can't compare it, you just have to believe it. I have another appointment next week. I'm a little nervous, but if it works and she can do what she says she can do, then it will all be worth it. If it doesn't work, then I've had an experience I would have otherwise never had and I'm all about new experiences.