Monday, March 18, 2013

Gray's Venture into Acupuncture

According to the APA's 2010 survey Stress in America, about 44-percent of Americans reported their stress levels have increased over the past 5 years. I can certainly relate to that finding- factor in my increased responsibilities, accumulating bills, forging a career path, and throw in some car trouble, failed relationships, deaths. I would say I have always been a worrier, but the past few years my anxiety has become more noticeable.

The Mayo Clinic cites some effects of stress on your body, feelings and behavior (2011)-

On your body...
Headache
Muscle tension or pain
Chest pain
Fatigue
Change in sex drive
Stomach upset
Sleep Problems

On your mood...
Anxiety
Restlessness
Lack of motivation or focus
Irritability or anger
Sadness or depression

On your behavior...
Overeating or undereating
Angry outbursts
Drug or alcohol abuse
Tobacco use
Social withdrawal

Ultimately, I decided that there has to be a more constructive way of dealing with my stress than drinking gin and tonics or binging on Kettle Brand potato chips (jalapeƱo flavor). I do have healthy coping skills (e.g. talking with friends, exercising), but when your energy and focus go out the window, even turning on the bath can become a chore.


Then there is acupuncture. For those that still don't know, acupuncture is where one stimulates various points of the body through the application of needles penetrating the skin. This technique is part of ancient Chinese medicine, used to correct imbalances in flow of qi (life energy) in the body. Disruptions of this flow are believed to be the source of disease, and various points in the body correlate with different ailments.

My sister had discovered this year the Community Health Acupuncture Center. The center opened in August 2011 in Ferndale, MI. When I heard the center used a sliding scale of $15-35 per treatment, I was sold. I decided to take a stab at acupuncture (har har).

"At CHAC we operate a community style clinic, meaning that we treat people in recliners in a room together. We are able to take care of lots of people efficiently this way...Efficiency of treatment means we can be very competitively priced." 


Considering that acupuncture treatments in Ann Arbor can be around $80 (also a $135 consultation, yikes!), the CHAC offers an affordable service to a population that might not otherwise have that opportunity (broke students, single parents, those without health insurance and the like).

Booking my appointment was fairly easy- a quick call to (248)246-7289. I was then emailed forms to fill out before my visit. One form included was a health history, where one gets to freely indulge in their hypochondriac side, ticking off symptoms left and right. Restless sleep? Check. Cold hands/feet? Check. Sadness/grief, body aches/heaviness, chest pain, sinus problems... check, check, checkity, check.

I met with one of the practitioners Darlene, who was lovely and had a soothing voice of velvet, and I told her further intimate details of my body pain and emotional stress. After narrowing down my grievances to stress, nerve/chest pain, and emotional loss, Darlene kindly explained to me the procedure. After applying the needles, she would leave me to sit and relax. Needles and people vary, but the process usually takes 30-40 minutes until you feel alert and "done."

Now, for those afraid of needles, I may not be that much of help, considering I love to donate blood every 8 weeks. However, I will say, it does not feel like getting a shot. Darlene brought the little applicator to my skin, did some light tapping on the back end to drive the needle in. I did not notice the sharp pin-point of pain until I tried moving various limbs. The sting is vary light and only occurred when I tensed my muscles.


After I received some needles in my ankles, wrist, neck and top of my head, Darlene kindly asked if I would like a blanket. Mmm, heavy, fluffy, blanket. She instructed me that when I felt done, to make eye contact with her and that she would un-pin me. I then reclined in my big comfy chair, in a room of 4 other sedated strangers, and listened to the delicate hum of the white noise machines.


I stewed for a glorious 45 minutes. I floated between the realms of consciousness and sleep, my heart rate slowed, and my deep breath moved my belly freely like that of a puppy or baby. Now- would I have experienced these same things just sitting idly with my eyes closed in a recliner with ambient noises? Probably. Though the needles did offer a heightened experience, making my targeted points tingly. I caught Darlene's eye, was uncovered and plucked free. I rose feeling loose and high. After donning my layers I arrived in, I walked out of the clinic into the crisp Winter air and felt refreshed and relaxed.

For the price and customer service, I would recommend CHAC to anyone. I figure an interdisciplinary approach to ailments is often most effective. If anything, I would recommend people branch out and try new experiences. Somewhere there is a proverb about using the old bricks builds the same house.

Live and explore!

-Gray

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