Acupuncture: A Jab Well Done

It was always my hope to put the pun in acupuncture. Now after finally experiencing it I feel like I'm one step closer to my goal.

I'm sure you're all on pins and needles wondering about my latest adventure. Well, as the title hints, it was a mighty trip. An activity that I probably wouldn't have considered without the aid of Groupon and a friend of mine who couldn't make his appointment. I completely lucked out with this opportunity and I'm amused to be so grateful for having had the chance to be stuck with a bunch of needles.

Acupuncture bases a lot of its principles around meridians. A means to connect internal organs with the external ones through stimulating specific surface points to encourage blood circulation and the flow of qi. To accomplish this, my doctor spent a few minutes feeling my pulse and reading the story enfolding with every heart beat. Apparently, my inner book is a "strong pulse that struggles with dampness". With only 30 seconds spent feeling this strong pulse of mine he was also able to decode things I had been holding on to emotionally. I try so hard to put on a brave face sometimes that it fascinated me to know that my mask really only runs skin deep; beyond the surface lies a truth that so often stays silent.

I then moved onto my back with a pillow under my knees and was quickly pinned down by a series of needles in my arms, legs, feet, and face. Each prick brought on a slightly different sensation. At times I could actually feel an immediate reaction with a tingle down to my toes. The doctor then put on a heat lamp near my legs, turned the lights down lower, and put on a CD of relaxing music featuring a wooden flute. He also gifted me with a neck message before leaving me alone with my thoughts and freely flowing qi. After he left the room, I was graced with twenty minutes of focused meditation in this new environment (that I quietly declared to be comically romantic) to dry up that defined dampness rumored to be dancing in my pulse.

When the doctor came back he asked me how I felt and I burst out, "it feels like my body is humming!" And he laughed. I guess patients don't usually articulate their sessions like that. But overall, I truly felt like my body had a chance to uncover a song that had gone unsung for a long time. He concluded our time together by rechecking my pulse and confirming that the beat of my heart seemed to be answering to a new medley. And I left with the regret that my insurance doesn't cover acupuncture or a recording contract for the tunes my body now wants to jam about.

But if you can get it covered or perhaps the next time Groupon offers the chance, I highly suggest seizing each and every pun that acupuncture can offer you. And sticking to it!