Monday I got some sort of pain in my neck. It’s a shame, because I was so pumped to return to a vigorous workout schedule post-vacation. Between 10:30am and noon it got progressively worse. I was practically in tears at my desk at work. I would get sharp, shooting pains suddenly from different movement, like lifting the phone to my ear.

Because I have a low back scoliosis, I do have occassional unexplained back/neck pain. Basically, when I get hurt it is somewhere in my low back or neck almost every time, so I have a chiropractor I see at those moments. Sometimes it’s from bending or sleeping funny, or from not supporting my neck well when working out - but this came out of no where and I’m not sure what caused it. By 2:15 I was in the chiropractor’s office. He adjusted me and used his machines that sound like a jackhammer but actually kind of tickle. He tried cold laser and a hot pillow - while resting in a dark room, a rare treat on a Monday afternoon!

He said it would probably be a 2-3 visit issue, and not to work out above the waist.

Tuesday morning I went walking for about an hour with my friend at the park. We took it easy and I had my head tilted kind of funny. I skipped karate class that night. Wed I had my next chiropractor visit. More adjusting, more jackhammering. Then he asked:
“Have we ever tried Acupuncture on you?”
“No.”
“Are you open to it?”
“Yes.”

So he gave me a hostpital gown to change into, and I laid face-down on a table (with a hole for my face, like a massage table), and he got his needles. I had needles in my neck, back, arm, elbow, and that mushy spot between my hand and thumb. (My favorite part of a manicure is when they massage that little spot.) Then, just as icing on the cake, he put a needle smack in the top of my head, which he said would just help me chill out a bit. Then he left me in the room with the lights turned down for 15-20 mins.

No, the needles don’t hurt. I did feel them go in. They are about the width of a hair, but springy.

By the time he removed the needles and I changed back in to my shirt, I could feel some of the effects. My neck was loser, my pain was gone, and I felt like loopy and relaxed - like after a great yoga class. I went to work and it took about an hour for me to get my brain back in focus mode. But then I think my body went through a bit of a detox. I was peeing about 3x as much and feeling a much stronger mind-body connection. Focusing at work became really easy, and I was quite efficient.

I had a party that night, and even felt good enough to enter the limbo contest. Thurs AM I went walking with my friend, and was able to march with gusto. Thurs night was karate. I did the warmup (jumping jacks didn’t hurt!) but I did yoga while they worked on throw-downs. (Ways to throw people to the mat by twisting the arms and legs - stuff like that.) After 40 mins of yoga and watching my 12 year old get tossed around - and do some tossing of her own - I felt back to normal.

I think I just may like Acupuncture as much as yoga! Next time I feel an odd disconnect, it might be my go-to. Cheaper than a massage, and I didn’t even have to shave my legs