Battlefield Acupuncture

My mum at the beginning of the year found an Acupuncture Therapist near to my work place at the beginning of this year. Because I suffer from chronic pain 24/7 since 2005, before that it was on and off, when I hit 17 it just got worse and worse. I had to use crutches because I hurt to put weight on my legs, hips and back. I have schmorl's nodes through out the lumbar part of my spine, bony spurs on my hips, bursitis on my hips, SI joint dysfunction, not to mention my hips jump out of their socket, I have Hypermobility Syndrome, which means I'm in pain all the time, with all of my joints, but my backs the worst of them all.

Problem with this is that no doctor can help with the pain instantly, there's loads of long term stuff like hydro therapy, physiotherapy, splints and all that kind of thing. They have prescribed painkillers, but they're not very good for you to take all the time, so what are people meant to do?

Anyway, mum booked me in and told me to go, so I did. My first session was mainly talking to the therapist about my symptoms and what I would like to get out of going to see her.

Blue Nymph by LazyHaze

Well, like most people I HATE the idea of needles, and blood tests so I'm pretty normal in the slight fobia of people sticking needles in me. But after tensing so much before the first needle and the realising the you can't feel very much, I was fine, nothing to it. Sometimes they do hurt, they only way I can describe the pain is when a dentist pokes a nervy tooth, really puts your teeth on edge, but you can just say something and the needle will be moved and the pain is gone.

Also a good acupuncture therapist will ease you into the needles, if it's your first time, they'll only put a couple in.

I have to say on my first go though, I wanted to be coved in needles, she kept asking me if I was ok lol, "yeah fine, keep going!"

You lay there for about 30 mins sometimes they'll talk to you about your work and all that kind of thing, then they remove all the needles and job done. From my experience I always go home sleepy and super relaxed, I always have a good nights sleep after a session. And I really have got used to it, even the ones between my toes lol.

Cute Cocoa Panda by LazyHaze

If like me, you've been in so much pain for so long, you start to get a bit desperate for something to help, anything that will help even for only a minute. I had two epidural's to try and get rid of it (which by the way I found out the local anaesthetic doesn't work on people with hypermobility syndrome) that was so painful I nearly broke two nurses hands, and was flat on my back for 5 days. Last year, if some one had told me that eating a carrot whilst dangling upside down over cliff for four days straight would ease pain, I would have done it- that's how bad it gets.

Every month now I look forward to going to acupuncture because for about 2 days I get pain relief and good sleep, it's so nice. The next day I feel energised and better in myself. Also she takes care of your emotional needs as well, I can't say how nice it is just to talk to some one about your pain and the problems in life that it causes. We talk and we can a joke together, it's really comforting, she's like another mummy ha ha.

It's also nice the some one has looked up my condition and read loads of literature about it and takes and interest, more than I can say for my doctor.


Contemplating i-Pad sleeve! by LazyHaze

From my understanding of the new technique it was developed for the US army because to use on the battlefield because you don't want a load of soldiers doped up on pain killers running around with guns and flying planes, because if you're not meant to drive a car, well, you can see where I'm going. So some one studied the acupuncture points on the ear and made tiny studs so people wouldn't have needles hanging off their ears.

The little studs are in tubes that the therapist pushes down on the correct points and they wedge in your ear. It does hurt put only half of getting your ear pierced, and they're tender to touch, but you shouldn't touch them anyway so the don't get infected. The do come with little plastics, but I think it's best to leave them off for a couple of days and let the air get to them, then I use micropore tape because I blends in with the colour of your skin.

They're only meant to stay in for a few days but if you look after them they can stay in for a couple of weeks.

Just don't touch then, play with them, and be careful of putting anything up to your ear. For girls with long hair I French plaited the side the stud wear on so I din't try to tuck it behind my ears.

Siesta! by LazyHaze

When the last stud goes in and I'm off of the table, the pain is gone! When I went last time, I had 3 anaesthetic patches on, deep heat patches and 4 painkillers and I could still feel it, no sleep for 3 nights too, on crutches. So off I went to the acupuncture therapist, get my ears done and had a few other needles because my stress levels were off the charts.

Pain all gone, there nothing I've had that has been this effective at pain relief, 3 days and very tiny amounts of pain, no painkillers, patches used. It was like a scene out of the bible lol, if Jesus was real, then he came back as Judy.

I'm always pessimistic about alternative medicine but this I have to say is just incredible. I've been telling all of the specialists about it as well so they can tell other people.

So give it a go! You've got nothing to loose!!!!

If you're near Crowborough, East Sussex, see Judy's website below.

Judy's very warm and kind hearted.

Thank you Judy.