Acupuncture...
What do you know about it?
An old Chinaman will stick needles into strategic points of your body, and miraculously you'll be cured, right? Painless..something herbal..what do you know about it?
I found out just a bit more this past Saturday. I visited a building just down the street from my apartment, a building that is dedicated perhaps solely to the medical services. A pharmacy on the first floor, men sitting in wheelchairs with IV bags tied on outside the entrance on the street, a dental clinic on the third floor, and general clinic on the fourth, and what appears to be resting rooms for the convalescent on the fifth and sixth. (I apologize on behalf of my memory for what exists on the second...I hadn't looked that closely and I didn't believe it affected me). I visited the fourth, as I'd been led to believe I could recieve acupuncture treatment. It was the lunch hour, and after waiting for a time, a far too busy nurse approached the front desk and informed me that no, indeed it was not possible there. She motioned for two other locations, I largely ignored her and headed out towards a Korean clinic I knew of.
Across the 10 lanes of traffic and up to the second floor. They were also on lunch hour, and quite! amused at the fact that a Korean speaking foreigner was inquiring into their services. I had 25 minutes to burn and they recommended taking a lunch. I agreed and departed the clinic. Although the lunch was to be missed. I had noticed a children's book shop down the hallways and stopped in. A private lesson was taking place behind a stack of books and the seller was initially leery of helping me, but after several well-timed questions by myself, he took a genuine interest and I was able to mine him for some valuable info. about youth series and other assorted items. Afterwards I had more time to kill and found myself passing a painting, photo, and frame boutique. As my puzzle has been simply idleing under my blankets for a time...I took the chance the proprieter of this shop might have some solution to the riddle of hanging a 192 x 138 cm fine art puzzle onto concrete walls. Sound the alarm..he did! Museum quality hooks that hang from the ceiling, NOT the concrete walls, and a single-sided adhesive cardboard that may only cost me 10-20,000 won total. In other words, for us 50,000 won I might have this sucker hung yet. A successful non-lunch in my account ledger...
On to the needles. A quick web cam photo for their records and into the far too young-looking doctor's office. "What seems to be the problem" he says (in Korean of course) I explain the shooting pain I experience in my lower-left back while performing flat-back streches during the P90X program and the yoga DVD's...he seems to get the drift and we clarify the area and times when I experience pain. I demonstrate what hurts the most and how I awkwardly accomodate for it. He has my lie down on a thickly padded table in his corner office with giant windows and remove my slippers and socks. (Damn the time for so much new sock fluff on my feet...pretty embarrassing) We stumble of his next question...3 minutes spent of him asking me if I prefer a hot or cool feeling...I ask for cool. He grabs a sealed pack of four needles from an aluminum cup on his desk... These needles are not as thin as you'd think...he assures me, "this will hurt". Great, I said.."let's go.." The first needle he will insert into the cuticle of my index finger on my right hand...about 2 cm. deep...yes, I feel that! I don't grimace or make a sound..and he compliments me. He does the hardest one first. Second is into the pinky toe of my right foot...the pain is in the left-side of my lower back..all four needles are inserted into my right side. Left brain-right brain?? I honestly couldn't say... Third is into the fleshy top of my right knee...finally one into the underside of my right knee. As he sticks the fourth needle in, my right foot flexes involuntarily. He obviously found something. I feel no cool, nor heat...and after a mere 2 minutes..he removes the needles. He wipes at my little toe...blood perhaps? I can see a bit of red puffiness at my finger...no blood. I don't even check my knee...it's just fat anyhow...
He has me stand and perform the offending motion...I do and the first time I feel no pain. Pretty impressive! I skeptically try a second time and find a very faint, distant shock in the same location that before had forced me to abort all attempts to bend over with a flat back. Not completely convinced..but, much better, especially as I'd had no warm-up. He asks if I want medicine to try..and I'm sure I'll pay for it..but yeah..I do want to at least try it. So he hollers out at a nurse who brings a giant laminated index card...think not 4x6 but 10x12. On it are Chinese characters listed top to bottom..he reads them...he could have been reading baseball stats for all I know..but I see the characters and portion amounts and figure he must not be totally scamming me. So I agree and he asks the nurse to 'fill the subscription'.
We are now in a hallways and he has some handle and a ballpoint pen and he's asking me if I want some other treatment...he makes a clicking motion with the ballpoint pen and a gripping motion with the handle. I gather it's some deep muscle massage and probably costs money..I've already asked 'how much' enough that I just defer and say, 'next time.' So he leads me to another bed, and has me remove my shoes and jacket and cap. It has a heating pad, a heating lamp, and I lay and begin a indeterminately long heating regimen. A nurse arrive with a burning, smoking (think incense candle) and places it on my stomach. She says that if it gets to hot, I should call. I refuse to..part out of pride, partly because..as always..I think, I'm American, I'm stronger than anyone else...'here watch, I'll show you'..and partly because..when they pull the curtain closed, I can shift the little burning bastard when it DOES get too hot and then they act all apologetic when they come to check on you and I can just say..."oh...THAT?...yes, a little warm..but,...whatever" :)
So...31,000won later, I'm 'cured'. Incredible...in the west..that treatment and med's would have cost me a MINIMUM of $200...I paid $25 with no insurance as a walk-in. When I get my insurance card next week...I'll save about 10 bucks. Sheesh...hurry up Obama with your health care...but seriously..I'm just fine here!
So..acupuncture..what do you know...
now I know just a little bit more...
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