Acupuncture is a form of medicine where an acupuncturist (someone versed in traditional Chinese medicine) places very thin needles into certain points on the body. It is considered an alternative medicine because it is not traditionally used in Western society. 

 According to a recent estimate in 2018, around 6.5 to 7% of Americans see an acupuncturist, which is about 21 to 22 million people. 

The benefit of this treatment is that it can help patients who can’t take medication for their pain or illnesses. Though it does help with pain and symptoms the beneficial effects will most likely not be long term.

I could go on and on about the ways it helps or the spiritual holistic aspects of it but I am here to describe my experience of it so those who read these may get a read at what this is.

I had been meaning to try acupuncture not only because of seeing how much it benefited my mom but also because the tension build up in my shoulders and the sharp pain my knees.

The acupuncturist I went to go see was Dr. Larson at Traditional Chinese Medical Clinic, Inc. located at 700 W Mountain Ave, Fort Collins.

Right as I walked in there was a wall lined with all sorts of herbal medicine and a waiting area with a water fountain that made me feel immediately calm, offsetting my nerves.

Soon I met Dr. Larson and she checked our temperatures and oxygen levels just to make sure we were good and after that we washed our hands.

We went into one of the rooms and since this was my first time there she did a consultation and sought out which treatment plan and or lifestyle choice would be best for me. We talked about diet, habits, family history, medical history, and more–which took forever to get through. 

Throughout talking about all of these things, she connected them to pain, some things that might help, as well as describing how the whole body can be represented in the feet, ears, face, tongue, and hand. After almost an hour of just talking through everything was time for the part I was nervous and excited for–the needles.

To make sure I was ok with having them on my back, she first put one into my hand and the needle was so thin that it made a spaghetti noodle look large. She removed the needle and I felt not too bad, but still worried for a lot more of them to be all over my back. 

Once I had my back facing up and my head comfortably cushioned into a massage head pillow, she found where on my neck, back, and feet she would put the needles just so she wouldn’t be free handing.

During the process of putting in the needles she simply talked with me and asked frequently if it hurt at all or if I could feel them. which I couldn’t because I never knew when she would put them in. 

After what I thought was the hard part, she put a heat lamp on my back to heat the needles and let them rest in me for about twenty minutes so the energy channels and muscles can open up and release the tension.

The needles activate in a way when you move the muscle and it moves. I moved my neck just the slightest bit and I could feel the few needles in my neck. 

During the time when the needles sit is when you’re supposed to try and relax and I am a very stressful person, so for the first ten minutes I was regretting my decision deeply, but then the second ten minutes I started counting and letting my mind wander, which relaxed me.

After my twenty minutes, Dr. Larson came back in, removed the needles, and  used a topical lotion with a Guasha (an ancient Chinese medicine tool) to scrape my back.

The Guasha and the technique referred to as “scraping” or “coining” used with it is used to scrape the back or muscle with pressure to relieve tension and or pain. This can cause some bruising to the skin even though it may not hurt.

For me, the process of getting my back scraped with this tool was satisfying and painful because of all the muscle tension I was holding.

Overall, the experience of tiny needles and a scraping tool was relaxing and pain-relieving.