So, I was sitting around a few days ago minding my business when Ping-Ping told me "you have an appointment with my Aunt in a few days." What kind of appointment I asked? "Accupuncture, for your sinuses" she responded, so sweetly that it felt like she said "she is taking you to buy a banana fudge sundae." The idea appealed to me - my sinus problems are chronic and I've tried a million other things to no avail, so what the hell. We got up early today and hopped in a cab with Ping-Ping's aunt towards the east side of the island. I learned during the trip that the doctor was a little old lady who rented a room in a private house to ply her trade. The room had two small beds separated by a curtain and a burea at the head of one of the beds. I got on the bed and the doctor began to quiz me. What hurts? Where? How long? How else have I tried to fix it? I decided to give her a try at my left wrist, which bothers me from time to time. I watched her burn the needles, then closed my eyes. You can definitely feel them go in, but it doesn't really hurt much, surprisingly. Once they're in, you cannot feel them at all.
When it came time for the sinus work, I was curious to see where she was going to jab. I never would have guessed inside my nostrils. She gave me a small device that looked like pliers to open up my nostril and off she went. Those felt really strange - again, it didn't hurt much, but it is strange to feel a needle sink into the inside of your nose, so deep that it touches bone. She jabbed at least seven different spots in the left nostril and five in the right. I thought the needles were actually still there but Ping-Ping told me she simply inserted the needle, twisted it and then pulled it out. As you can see, she then sunk in 9 or 10 into my face. After they were all in I had to lay there for about 45 minutes. Ping-Ping was crackberrying away and talking to the doctor in Mandarin. She kept asking me if I were ok.
Funny, but even though I don't speak Mandarin, I knew that Ping-Ping was telling the doc "oh, and at night he doesn't breathe good, like he is choking sometimes." BIG MOUTH!! Guess what that little tidbit of information got me? Tongue accupuncture. Yeah, a needle being jabbed into my tongue over and over. I cannot make this stuff up. About 100 jabs, both on top of the tongue and on the underside.
Here is live action of the tongue jabbing. Now, what you are wondering is if it worked.... Truth be told, my left wrist did feel much better but no such deal for the sinuses. Turns out, sinuses require repeat visits so Big Mouth got me another appointment for Saturday morning. Yay, I cannot wait....
3 comments:
I've been "doing" acupuncture for about 6 years, and while it didn't affect my blood pressure (the original reason I went), it does affect other problems, such as muscle spasms, arthritis pain, and so on. I keep my eyes shut, though; don't want to watch.
I tell ya what Sal - if it makes my sinuses feel good, I will let em poke me every day.
You looked like my cat, Bast, after my dementia ridden Grandfather cut her whiskers off with scissors for fun.
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