A day in the life of an acupuncturist is unique. I particularly enjoy the fact that no two days are alike, as it serves to keeps things interesting. Each day presents its own feats, challenges, and surprises. This is a testament to the fact that each and every patient, regardless of similar symptom presentation, is treated as a unique individual. Acupuncture not only helps ameliorate painful symptoms, but also works to get to the root of the issue and to resolve it entirely. No two people are alike and neither is the respective treatment. The acupuncture point selection is highly individualized according to the particular patient and his or her presentation. Additionally, by using the body’s own energy to heal itself, you can effectively treat a myriad of illnesses and symptoms. There is a huge gamut of the types of patients and illnesses I treat every day, and it is quite fascinating.
I often get a lot of questions about what acupuncture can help treat. Here is a small peek at my day.
I am starting the day off today with a patient who has been suffering from chronic migraines. This is the most common ailment I treat in my practice daily–and with tremendous success. Migraine headaches are painful and debilitating. They can come on often and last a long time. Some individuals present with an aura or prodromal where they know they are about to get hit. Some people have migraine headaches as often as 2—3 times a week that can last for a full day. There are a few prescription medications which many neurologists prescribe. Unfortunately, the side effects are severe and relief is not guaranteed.
What’s worse is that the individual is practically certain to suffer a severe migraine headache when under pressure. It is common to have a migraine before and during a family simcha, when they are under pressure at work, or when things are super-busy and they really need to have clarity to focus. The stress and pressure is often a trigger, bringing on the headache at the worst of times. Acupuncture not only provides relief during the actual headache, but with a series of treatments, it can resolve the headaches entirely. What is fascinating is that while I may treat a number of patients suffering from migraines in a given day, the acupuncture point selection varies. It is based upon the particular patient’s presentation.
Alleviating the headache for the moment is important, but resolving the chronic migraines is life-changing for the patient. This particular patient has already seen considerable improvement in lessening both the severity and frequency of the headaches. Additionally, in this case they were exacerbated by the menstrual cycle, which no longer seems to be as big an issue. I am confident that with continued treatment the headaches will resolve entirely.
My next patient is someone recovering from invasive back surgery. While the surgery was a success, the person still suffers from back pain and has numbness and tingling in one foot and heel caused by nerve compression in the L5-S1 vertebrae. I always prefer to treat back pain at its onset and, when possible, to prevent surgery. However, in this case this patient was introduced to my practice after her surgery. She is very stiff and especially finds it difficult to go up and down steps, get in and out of the car, etc. Acupuncture has worked amazingly for her in terms of her stiffness, stamina, and relieving the back pain. We are now working to increase the circulation to her foot by promoting blood circulation as well as alleviating the nerve compression entirely.
Next up is a patient who suffers from severe anxiety. With this particular individual, the anxiety causes tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, as well as what is described as a feeling of movement of air in the head. It is very frustrating to the patient and serves only to cause more stress, creating a vicious cycle. In this case, it is equally important to settle the “head noises,” as much as it is to control the stress and anxiety. Where the patient only had one day out of the week prior to treatment where he could function, it has reversed. He currently has one or two difficult days per week, and the others are good days where he is functioning with no issues!
My next patient is a gentleman whose wife is also a patient; she referred him to my practice. He has a very stressful career, and uses racquetball as a stress reliever. This is a fantastic way for him to get exercise while simultaneously enjoying a recreational outlet. Recently, he suffered a pinched nerve which caused severe sharp pain in the area between his shoulder and neck. It radiated up and down the entire length of his arm to his fingertips. He was unable to play and had constant pain. He had difficulty lifting his arm without further exacerbating the pain. Since this was an acute injury, it took much faster to resolve. By the second treatment the patient said his pain level went from a 10/10 down to a 6/10 and was no longer constant. By the third treatment the pain was gone. He thanked his wife for the recommendation and was happy he actually listened to her in this instance.
My next patient is a mature woman who comes in with her aide. She is truly a star as she greets everyone happily and with humor. I feel fortunate just to be able to help her and get to know her. She initially suffered from knee pain, a decline in memory, and fatigue. We were able to resolve her knee pain quickly. She no longer has difficulty walking up steps and seems to glide along more carefree. We continue to work to sharpen her memory. Her family has noticed the difference. She is having an easier time recalling recent activities, whereas prior to treatment she only had recall from many years ago. Her energy is improving significantly as well. She enjoys her weekly acupuncture treatments and is quick to tell everyone how much it has helped her.
This is a sampling of what a typical morning in my practice may be like. I am blessed to be a part of helping people on their wellness journey, and every patient teaches me something, too. My goal is to ensure that my patients live life to its fullest with physical wellness as well as emotional balance and harmony.