Acupuncture part 2 -Mind over fire needle

I have been going to acupuncture at the Sino Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing for two weeks now. I have seen some dramatic differences in my knee. Even the way it looks. It used to only have a few small holes from repeated arthroscopic surgeries. Now it has like a million little holes in it! Remember those cartoons where someone gets shot and they laughingly say “Ha ya missed me”. Then they drink a glass of water and it pours out from hundreds of holes? I am a little afraid that will happen.

But seriously; I am trying out a new attitude on the whole pain thing. I am trying to embrace my fire needle experience with a more positive attitude. I have to believe it will work. I have one of the best doctors in Beijing in Dr. Bai and they have used these techniques for thousands of years. Well maybe not the ones where they put 30 needles in my leg and apply electricity to them to make my muscles do the Macarena but the other techniques have been around for a long time.

I am reminded of a series of tapes I listened to. Brian Tracy , was the business self help guru on the tapes and he stated that you have to make thoughts and affirmations from a positive approach. Like if you want to eat better for instance you have to tell yourself I only eat food that it good for me as opposed to saying I don’t eat fast food because it is bad for me. He and others say that your subconscious will take that information and help you get what you want. OK Steven Covey, Joe Vitale, Wayne W. Dyer and all you guys. I hope you know what you’re talking about. I am now trying this technique on my acupuncture. When they are about to stick a hot lawn dart into my leg in about 40 places, I tell my self It feels good. IT FEELS GOOD. IT FEELS GOOD. THIS IS SO GOOD FOR ME! I LOVE GETTING JABBED BY SHARP HOT NEEDLES. I LOVE TO SOUND OF A RED HOT NEEDLE WHEN IT GOES INTO MY FLESH!!!!!!!!!!!!  They say picturing success is a good idea. I picture myself walking with no pain. I picture being able to walk long distances or even running. Hey this is working. Now I am running on the beach. Hey a beautiful woman in a flowing white dress is running toward meEEYOWEEE SWEET BABY JESUS THAT HIT A NERVE!!!!!! OK I need more practice but the technique is working. The pain seems less when they stab at me. I have to practice to focus more and stay positive.

The regular patients are forming into a little family of needle heads. The other day I was getting my hot stone massage before the needling. It felt a little different but I couldn’t see anything because I was face down on the table. Then the person doing the massage said something to me in Chinese and I looked around to find that it was one of the other patients who was doing the massage. She was helping out the doctor. Hmm I thought? Then the other day after my timer went off she came over and turned off the timer and started pulling the needles out of my leg. Hmm I thought again. Then I saw her sitting next to the doctor while she consulted with a patient. She seemed to be consulting with the doctor and offering advice. It is not uncommon for the patients to pitch in. They may hold the lamp with the flame for the fire needle or change the bed after a patient is finished.

Yesterday I was lying there and again my timer went off and the same woman along with another came over and started to do the wrap up. One was pulling a heater cart away and caught the wires that were connected to the plethora of needles in my knee. The wires tightened and started to bend the needles. My new caretaker caught it and kept it from becoming a scene from a three stooges movie. She stated to remove the needles in my knee and leg. She said something in Mandarin and I caught a few words. It sounded like you have good leg chicken? It turns out the word for muscle is the same as the word for chicken. Chicken meat is Jī ròu the word for muscles is Jī ròu but the first character in the written language is different. So she either said I had nice leg muscles or my legs look like chicken meat. Sometimes a little knowledge is scary. I must have looked confused as the other woman made a gesture indicating it was the muscle thing.

I am feeling more strength in my muscles around my knee, one in particular, which atrophied a few years ago after surgery number two. It just seems like no matter what I did, I couldn’t build it back up. When the needles are inserted an inch and a half into my muscles, I feel an energy like they are working even though they are just lying there. At the end of a session I feel like I ran a marathon. (like I know what that feels like) They feel exhausted but somehow energized. I think this is worth continuing and committing to it.

This morning I really focused on the positive thinking thing and even though she was inserting that fire needle into the spaces around my knee joint, it wasn’t that bad. Maybe next time I visualize the woman running on the beach in slow motion she won’t be carrying a sharp spear. 

Dr. Bai on the left is one of Beijing's top acupuncturists. People come from all over the world to study with her. Yoon Ji Young (Xiao Jing)  is here from Korea to learn from Dr. Bai. She is holding the lamp where the fire needle is heated up. 

I call these the friendly needles. They are thin and are are not inserted too deeply.

This is the fire needle. It is thicker and often heated with a flame. Sometimes it is heated until red hot. It can be inserted one and a half inches into the muscle etc.

This is the resting position when all the needles are in, some light electric current gets the muscles jumpin' and there is heat applied to the knee. I sometimes fall asleep when in this stage. Note the needle just above the knee cap is pretty deep!