Bettie Week 12: Needle in the Right Spot
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| https://mantracare.org/therapy/stress/acupuncture-stress-anxiety/ |
Although sticking needles into various parts of the body definitely does not sound the most appealing or practical way to treat internal or external injuries of the human body, acupuncture is arguably one of the most mysterious yet effective healing medical practices. As a main component of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture has gained widespread recognition in modern healthcare, and while many still view the practice with skepticism, its benefits have been increasingly validated by scientific research and firsthand experiences.
Having played sports throughout my entire life, I’ve become all too familiar with injuries. Spraining my ankle, having knee pain, pulling a muscle, and even now, partially tearing my Achilles tendon, are just a few sports-related injuries I have sustained the past few years. Usually, to treat these injuries, Western doctors would refer to RICE—rest, ice, compress, and elevate—a widely accepted method for reducing pain and swelling. While this approach undoubtedly works, I, personally, have very little patience waiting around, unable to move around properly or play my sport. To speed up the healing process, my parents decided to combine the RICE method with acupuncture, hoping to enhance recovery without compromising my ability to return to my sport.
At first, I was extremely doubtful of acupuncture. How would inserting these needles into certain specific points magically heal or lessen whatever that was bothering me? I also hated, and still do hate, needles in general. But after being convinced by both my parents and my sister, I experienced it for myself after spraining my ankle and was genuinely shocked about how much faster it healed than before. Instead of spending three to four weeks on the benches, sitting down and icing my ankle while envying my other teammates playing, I found myself being able to play just as fine only after two weeks with an ankle support.
In traditional Chinese medicine, it is believed that energy, or "qi," flows through the body along specific pathways. Disruptions in this flow can lead to pain and illness. Acupuncture aims to restore balance by targeting these energy points with needles, encouraging the body to heal itself naturally. While Western medicine often focuses on treating symptoms directly, acupuncture takes a more holistic approach, considering the body as a whole system.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been attending acupuncture sessions for my Achilles injury, and I’ve already noticed significant improvements. Although the healing process is still ongoing, the reduction in pain and swelling has been remarkable. After just a few visits, I’m able to put more pressure on my foot and walk with less of a limp, though they still recommend limiting my walking for now.
Acupuncture may seem strange and mysterious, but its effectiveness is undeniable. While it may feel unconventional, it has proven to be a powerful tool for healing. If you find yourself injured, it's definitely worth considering as an alternative treatment to hasten the recovery process and alleviate pain.
Hi Bettie! I really enjoyed reading your blog and learning about acupuncture. Similar to you, acupuncture is something that confuses me but also seems very fascinating at the same time. The way in which qi works and how some needles can so easily fix it has always amazed me. I really liked how you provided some information on how acupuncture works and its roots since it really did help me understand it better. As someone who is aiming to be a part of the medical field in the future, I really found your blog interesting as it gave me much to learn about our body and the way it works! Filling in your own opinions on acupuncture and how you’re experiencing its effects firsthand seems really cool to me. Like you, I am very scared of needles and until a few years ago, I couldn’t even get a shot without crying or getting scared. The art of acupuncture is something I have heard much about since my grandma has frequently experienced it due to her back problems, but it’s never something I have gone through. If you were to ask me different ways to treat your torn Achilles, I don’t think I would’ve even thought of acupuncture as a suggestion. I really agree that people should try it out more. I enjoyed reading your blog and hope to work with you more this semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Bettie! As someone who has also played sports for a large chunk of life, I can definitely relate to the pain of waiting for what feels like forever in order for an injury to heal, as I would always have that itch to go back to practice and try at least improve in some sort of metric. In fact, I sprained my ankle a couple months ago, and the process of recovering has been long and bothersome as I was unable to properly train and get back into shape. That might partially be my fault, as I didn't particularly adhere to the principles of RICE and instead jumped back into light training while minimizing the usage of my ankle about a week after practice. After what you said about acupuncture, I kind of regret not at least trying it out as any sort of way to expedite recovery from an injury is great in my eyes. The topic of acupuncture also reminded me of cupping, another treatment rooted in ancient Chinese medicine, as they both serve to help with recovery, albeit in different ways. To be completely honest, acupuncture is not something that I would have expected to work, as there is really no blatantly intuitive reason why needles being stuck into your body should be able to help with recovery, but I mean, if it works it works.
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