I
would not say that I am truly terrified of needles. "Terrified"
is such a strong word. However, I am one of those people
who might need to lie down before giving blood or getting
a shot at the doctor's office. Needles tend to make me
queasy. That said I would consider myself the last person
on earth to seek acupuncture treatment as a healthcare
alternative. And yet, just six months ago I was sitting
in Heather McIver's office at Stillpoint Acupuncture in
Greensboro describing my symptoms and wondering just how
those needles would feel.
I
was dealing with considerable pain and had reached the
point with my medical doctor that despite his best efforts,
my treatment options were potentially more disturbing
than my symptoms. It's important to note that I greatly
respect my medical doctor, but sincerely felt that there
had to be a better way.
On
my first visit I learned that to enter Heather’s
office is to enter a world apart from the typical doctor's
office. It is quiet, and after a long day of dealing with
people and traffic, I appreciated that. A babbling water
fountain against a wall of windows welcomes me and soft,
soothing music plays in the background. The interior is
simple and inviting. As I stepped into the waiting area
for my first visit, Heather came to greet me, ready to
begin our interview.
She
asked me questions about my symptoms, looked at my tongue,
and took my pulse. At first I was a bit put off by this
and really wished I had brushed my teeth before leaving
work. Heather explained that the tongue and the pulse
are used in traditional Chinese medicine to assess how
the internal body is functioning and to help her make
a diagnosis. In making her diagnosis, Heather asked very
detailed questions and focused on me completely. If I
took my best doctor's visit and magnified it ten times,
I would get the experience I had with her during that
first visit which, I believe, set the tone for the visits
that followed.
I
also appreciated that she in no way bashed Western medicine,
which is where my medical history resides. There is possibly
nothing worse than being made to feel that you've done
everything wrong while trying your best to take care of
yourself. On the contrary, she believes that Eastern and
Western medicines can complement each other.
Before
beginning the treatment, Heather asked if there was anything
else that she should know about me. I paused. It seemed
ludicrous to say it aloud but I did. "Well, there
is this one thing. I'm afraid of needles." She laughed,
a good-natured laugh that put me at ease, and then explained
that acupuncture needles are not like those used to take
blood or give shots. The needles are very thin, sterilized,
and disposable.
I
breathed a sigh of relief as I got up onto a very comfortable
table covered with ironed cotton sheets. Fresh cotton
sheets instead of napkin paper may not be important to
everyone, but I appreciated this attention to personal
detail.
I took a deep breath as I awaited treatment and tried
to appear relaxed. Thankfully, the needles are housed
in a wooden needle cupboard in the corner of the room
- out of sight. I'm the kind of person who prefers instruments
kept out of view. Heather works quietly when she inserts
the needles, moving back and forth between the cupboard
and me. I like the sounds of quiet rustling as she shifts
glass jars and searches for the right size needles. It
doesn't ever take long for her to insert them, then she
leaves me alone for a while to relax.
The
first few times I was treated I couldn't even tell that
the needles were there. I felt a kind of thump when she
put them in and a sort of brush of her fingertips as she
took them out. Since then, I have experienced a slight
amount of pain here and there, but nothing catastrophic
and certainly not enough to ever deter me from future
treatments.
During
the past six months, I have learned to look at health
problems and solutions differently. In the past, I have
described my symptoms and my doctors have tended to look
for concrete answers. For example, if I suffer from migraines
and Imitrex is effective, then I just need to make sure
I always have Imitrex with me. On the one had this is
good; Imitrex equals solution. Next patient, please. But
this perspective also leaves room for doubt. Will I always
have to have Imitrex in my purse? What if I forget it?
What if my insurance company, which already severely limits
the use the costly drug, eliminates it from the formulary
completely? Where does that leave me?
Acupuncture
seeks to understand more of what's happening in the body
as a whole. The cause of the symptoms plays a huge role
in the diagnosis and treatment of health problems, so
much so that results can often take longer but with less
reoccurrence of symptoms. This is why Heather's treatments
are so thorough. I typically spend about an hour for her
to ask me about my symptoms and perform the treatment.
By comparison, it's unusual for me to spend more than
fifteen to twenty minutes with my medical doctor. This
is not to say that the medical doctor is better or worse.
It's only to point out some important differences for
those who may be considering acupuncture as a healthcare
alternative.
Personally,
I am happy to say that after just a few months of acupuncture,
I have experienced great relief and would recommend this
medical treatment to anyone.
Julie
Goyette lives in High Point. She is a librarian and mother
of two.
Heather McIver, L.Ac., owns Stillpoint Acupuncture in
Greensboro. You can reach Heather at 336.510-2029 or visit
www.stillpointacupuncture.com.
