Week 2

At the end of the second week of clinic, we have delivered a total of 164 treatments to 44 unique patients.  The age range is typically 40-60 years old (with four patients younger than 40 and three older than 60).  Most patients have returned for treatments at least three times, and only six patients haven’t returned at all.   Treating the same patients daily for a week affords many learning opportunities...

Shoulder pain is by far the most common chief complaint (17 out of 44 patients). For my CM pals, I’m seeing great results with Qi Hu (Master Tung, 77.26), Wrist Flow One & Two (MT 22.08 & 22.09) – or just SI-3 – and a couple constitutional points (GB-34 & SP-9 for example, as Damp Heat presents a lot).  Seriously every patient with shoulder pain (whether unilateral, radiating to the arm, cold, hot, burning or tingling) has benefited from this treatment.   Sometimes the pain decreases incrementally over the course of the week and other times it’s completely gone when they get off the table (but typically returns after a few to 24 hours – progressively getting better). 

Let’s be honest – some of the patients have conditions that I’ve struggled to figure out how to treat.  My first couple of patients with sciatica (with herniated discs) did not improve after two treatments.  Khadijah (my mentor) encouraged me to simply “hold” the patients until they were ready for needling.  I did (simply put my palms on their knotty lower paraspinals and applied gentle pressure until muscles relaxed) and what do you know it worked (I also changed the treatment strategy to directly address the bulging discs, strengthening the Du/spine). 

Another patient with severe sacro-iliac pain showed no reduction in pain for a full week (although her gastritis symptoms and feverish sensations were dramatically reduced).  I pulled out all the stops, read up every night, consulted with Khadijah to no avail.  For me it was an opportunity to practice humility and learn how to graciously refer a patient out (to an MD/PT) for her sake.  

Another big learning opportunity this week:  endurance.  By Tuesday I awoke with a gnarly occipital headache and realized I need to focus more on my posture in clinic.  I’m constantly looking down at patients and leaning over to needle (the bed I’m sleeping on is pretty uncomfortable, too).  I’ve got a great Qi Gong stance when administering the JMT root treatment, but the rest of the day I’m a hack.  So I decided to focus on my Qi Gong stance whenever needling, which not only helped the headache and stiff back but helped me remember to obtain a De Qi sensation with every needle.   At the end of the day I self-administered needles to UB-65 and SI-3 and the pain was gone within minutes!

I’m grateful to chat with Linda and Eve briefly twice a day, but I gotta admit, loneliness crept up on me Tuesday night.  I mean, it’s natural. I decided to invest in my relationship with the guitar I’m dating, so I bought her a new pair of strings, dressed her up real pretty and took her for a two hour ride. She sounds great in the wide open living room of my apartment.   Plan B was to visit the “live music” night (to socialize, not to perform) at the Café down the street that’s a hangout for Western hippie ex-pats.  I had a blast and made some new Australian, Spanish and American friends who I expect to see again tonight and in clinic on Monday.   Provisions abound.

So enough of me talking - what’s going on with you?  If you feel inclined, hit me up on WhatsApp (my US mobile number), FB PM or email.   Or just send me a link to a song you’re digging.  My response will be brief but my joy will be great. 

Namaste, y’all.