Having had a knee replacement 8 years ago which hasn’t had the desired result, I have exhausted most of what conventional medicine can offer me. Painkillers don’t touch it unless I’m dosed up on opiates, physio to increase my mobility just makes it more swollen and painful, my exercise bike at home fills me with trepidation and is now a repository for hanging bras, I’ve had a manipulation under anaesthetic which worked for about 8 months and was distinctly unpleasant.
Cold water wild swimming completely relieves my pain and stiffness for about 2 hours so I do go when I am able.
I am now exploring acupuncture and I had my second session today.
It helps that the acupuncturist is young, fit and rather dishy because it’s an odd experience.
Being a medic I am trying to suspend my own assumptions and knowledge and to just trust him.
There’s lots of pulse taking and gentle prodding before he gets down to the business of skilfully inserting, twisting and jiggling tiny needles in various places on my leg, knee, ankle, toes and, bizarrely, my opposite wrist, elbow and both shoulders.
Some needles I don’t feel, some are sharp and some cause an electric shock down my leg (presumably because he has just impaled a nerve – which is really very weird and makes me rather apprehensive about the next needle).
As yet I haven’t noticed any real change, and am always a little surprised that I don’t look like a pincushion afterwards.
I do leave the session feeling immensely chilled and relaxed which is suppose it a good start!
Watch this space.