Friends who know me well are amazed that I have even been TALKING about acupuncture, let alone…read moresinging its praises. I am. It has helped me tremendously.
I am a naturally skeptical guy, a fan of science and fact, things empirically observable, provable and documented, peer reviewed studies and the like. Generally not a herbalist, homeopathic sort of person, one who chuckles at astrology, and tarot and auras and the like.
But my knee hurts. Or it did.
Starting about 2 months ago I became aware of left knee pain that started bad and got worse, When I found myself limping in pain, and even while resting getting jolts of pain in the knee that hit 3-6 on the pain scale, I visited the surgeon who repaired torn meniscuses on both sides of my right knee 3 years ago. Checking my left, and confirmed by an MRI, he let me know that both sides of it were also torn, frayed and aggravated too, and that in all likelihood surgery would provide the relief it had done on the other side.
It took about 3 weeks of physical therapy to fully "get back on my feet" last time, and we are approaching the busiest month of the Pub Year, with Paddy's Day and the SXSW conference and festival and I simply could not take the time for the surgery and recuperation right now.
Enter acupuncture. Long recommended by my friend, nurse and Licensed acupuncturist Laura, at Point Well Taken Acupuncture in Baltimore, I sought a local practitioner and found Karen Nunley, whose practice includes pain relief. I warned her that this was way out of my comfort zone, and near voodoo and santeria in my list of helpful practices (no offense intended to those who partake in either) and she chuckled and said, "I love treating skeptics."
The sessions were easy, relaxing and totally painless. Karen is a charming conversationalist with great bedside manner and a long history in Austin. We chatted as she took my medical and emotional history and were soon quite comfortable with each other. Intent on treating my whole person, Karen asked about all medical ailments, not just my knee.
The needles are 40 gauge, incredibly fine, like stainless steel hairs, and of the sterile, single-use variety. With a dozen or more needles in place at various points all over my head, arms, legs and feet I was left to drift off to the sounds of soothing binaural waves of instrumental sound, in a warm, darkened room while the pins did their thing. After two sessions I felt better, different, in less pain, down to a 1-3 on the scale.
After the 3rd session I was no longer limping. I was *aware* of my knee but not pained by it. Even after a full day on my feet walking miles around the pub I felt no pain above a vague 1. The 4th session convinced me. No pain except on direct probing of the knee, no issues walking, sleeping, sitting or rising from a chair.
I plan to follow up every 2 weeks or so, and may avoid the surgery I thought I needed altogether. Absent pain, I see no need to invade my knee at all. Leaving each session I felt a strange combination of calmness, relaxation and energy, as if a nap or a marathon would be a good idea. I skipped the marathons, but I will return now and then for a session as long as I feel like this afterward. Highly recommended.