I am 6’6” tall and weigh something between 215 and 220 depending on the time of day and the amount of food I have recently eaten. Now, you may not think of it too much, but being that tall puts tremendous pressure on your bones. You have a large moment of inertia, which stresses all the fulcrum points in your body. (Or something like that). The result is that you tend to get more aches and pains than more normally sized folks.
I have on and off back pains regularly throughout the year. I don’t worry about it too much, as I usually have some time to stretch out the back (thanks Gus!) and slowly remove the pain. This week, though, it has been tough. Flying to and from New York, and then the planned trip to Rome next week means that I don’t have quite enough time to get myself back in a pain free situation.
So I decided to attack this issue two ways – Western and Traditional. So I had an appointment with my regular doctor this afternoon, followed with my first meeting with an acupuncturist. Following is my story.
I had my meeting with the GP at 2:30. I have been to see her once before, (in 2005!) so I did not need to fill out all the necessary forms. I was taken in the back at about 2:40 (not bad) and had my weight and blood pressure taken. I then explained my symptoms to the nurse, and was told to pee in a cup.
Those formalities taken care of, the doc came in to chat. I explained all my symptoms, and we talked about my pain control regime. (three Costco Ibuprofens twice a day) She said that was fine, and if I needed to do so, I could move up to four ibus three times a day. That seemed like a lot, but I was pretty happy about that. Then she suggested that they take my EKG to make sure I was not having any heart attacks. (don’t ask).
So I got the EKG hooked up, (attached to a PC) was measured and told I was in fine shape. Then I was sent downstairs to have my blood work done and I was out the door by 3:40.
The end result? I am getting old. Take more Ibuprofen if I need. Heart’s fine, blood work will be back before I head off to Rome.
Then I headed off to Dr Wu.
He is located in a small house not far from where we live. I got in and filled out their new patient form. Standard stuff, but it also asked what “Herbal Supplements” you are taking. (I am taking Glucosamine and Chondroitin. He said that was probably doing me no good).
The doc finally took me in a back room (that was furnished in 1980s college dorm room) and asked me what was wrong. I gave him the old song and dance about the back, the hip, and the tingling leg. He laughed and said that I was the sixth man today who had the same problem. He made me strip and looked at me front and back. He noticed my hernia scar that I got when I was probably 12 or 13. He then told me that my right side was in bad shape, which was causing my left side some pain.
He then made me lie down on my right side, and he started hammering in the acupuncture pins. Yes, they get hammered in. They are long pins that are very thin, with a thick part on top. He must have jabbed me about 15 times, left the pins in, and pointed a heat lamp at them. He then told me to lie still for 25 minutes, turned off the light and left.
After 25 minutes the light went off, and I was left lying in the dark. It started to get cold (air conditioning, you know) and I was still there in the dark. I was wondering if Dr Wu forgot me.
He came in about 10 minutes later, pulled the pins and told me to get dressed. He said I should return tomorrow, and he will attach electrodes to the pins. Oh joy!
I dressed and felt no different than when I walked in. Now, I must admit, a couple of hours later, my back feels fine. Coincidence? Who knows?
Additionally, they gave me some “herbal” medicine. You have to take LOTS of them – five each of one (fat and brown) three times a day; ten each of the other (small, round, and black) three times a day. Yum! Pills!
So here I am. I am no stranger to Chinese cures, having undergone cupping in Beijing, but in my mind the jury is still out.
Yikes!
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