It was so good to be back at work again this week. I’ve been keeping in touch with people by free Zoom and phone consultations to give some support; but there’s no substitute for seeing someone face to face!
So this week I’ve been seeing a lot of people in pain and I’d like to give my thoughts and experience in treating pain with acupuncture.
I’ve a long relationship with pain and injury recovery from a lifetime of gymnastics, dance, fell running and other running and jumping things that make my heart sing!
I’m often asked if I use acupuncture on myself and the answer is a definite yes! But I also put into place all of the other things that Chinese Medicine as a whole advocates; and I’m certain that that combination reduces the number of injuries I do get and speeds them on their way when they happen.
The truth is that pain is complicated.
OK, so there’s the Tom and Jerry pain that we all know. You hit your toe on a chair leg, wait a horrible second and then start jumping up and down clutching your leg and cursing. But what happens next? If you’re lucky after a few more seconds and a promise to yourself never to leave the chair sticking out like that again; the pain subsides and all is well until the next time you kick the same chair leg that is still in the same place (and here’s the key bit) because you forgot about the need to move it almost immediately!
But what if, instead of the pain in your toe disappearing, it continues. Your toe becomes red and swollen and you start to limp. Your GP looks at it and tells you it may have a slight fracture but it’ll get better on its own. You Google what to do, strap your throbbing toe to its neighbouring toe, take some pain killers, put a shoe on to go to work the next day.
By the end of the week the outside of your foot hurts, by the end of the month you have pain in your knee and something starting in your hip. You’re finding its worse when you’re driving and start avoiding car journeys. You start worrying about going to work because now sitting at your desk is hurting that hip niggle and now your back is joining in.
It’s becoming complicated.
So how can acupuncture help? Acupuncture can ease the muscle spasm and tension in your hip, knee and foot. It can reduce the inflammation in your toe and start things healing properly. We can look at your pain killer use and see if you need to ask your GP to reduce it for you as your pain reduces. We can help with your anxiety about work, check you’re heating healthily, sleeping well and drinking enough to allow your muscles, tendons and ligaments to work at their best.
I love my work. It’s just so satisfying and happy making to be able to help, then watch people getting better!
You’re the only one who can move the chair though 😉
Meet Lilla
In her spare time, Lilla can be found growing organic vegetables, climbing hills, surfing or generally enjoying nature. Her partner in crime, a rescue collie called Finni, helps to round up the chickens in the garden.
You can read about some of Lilla's escapades on her blog!