The first thing I went for was for my back, which is quite a mess due to my slight scoliosis that I developed at the age of 14. Back in the United States I would visit our family's Chiropractor Dr. Forbes, sometimes frequently, sometimes every few months. I blogged about these visits when I went about 6 months ago, but stopped going after 1 month because it just wasn't doing the trick. It has been doing fine recently though, since I stretch and try to use good posture.
Anyways I had always hoped that acupuncture therapy would work, but that certainly made me feel as if it didn't. However a few months ago I sprained my ankle quite badly and Mr. Park suggested I go back to the clinic again. I reluctantly agreed, but knew that the back was quite a large (and long-term) problem, so maybe something smaller would respond to the treatment. Sure enough some pressure from the doctor's elbow in my side, and a few needles in my hand and foot 'cured' my sprained ankle. I couldn't believe it! I could walk, run, and break-dance on my recently sprained ankle with no discomfort whatsoever!
So I have a bit more confidence in acupuncture treatment, and just recently have had more success. I have had a nagging foot injury from Taekwondo for a little over a month now. I ignored it for a couple weeks, but the constant Taekwondo, volleyball and hiking made it exponentially worse. I finally had to stop participating in all of those activities, so I went and got X-Rays. A friend of mine said he had very similar symptoms, and it turned out he was walking on a stress fracture for weeks. Well they took 4 or 5 pictures of my foot (that only cost me about 만 완 [$10]), and there was no fracture. My Taekwondo instructor Master Lee gave me some cream to rub on my foot that was basically "Icy Hot," but it was not getting better.
I don't know why I waited so long, but I finally went back to the Oriental Medicine Clinic to get acupuncture.. and it worked! Now it's not 100%, but it feels so much better. I went last Friday, and then again on Monday. My last time for this injury will be this Friday, and hopefully a little rest will get it back to normal. The only way I can describe it is my foot felt 'tight,' and the needles and pressure points simply loosened it up. I actually ran at Taekwondo last night, but rested it for the other activities (sprinting and kicking). It still hurts a little bit, but I am amazed at the difference, and feel a full recovery coming on!
Here is a picture of my foot with 3 needles in it. The pain/discomfort is actually in the middle of my foot, within all the bones and ligaments.
Here is an awesome street treat that I always get before or after visiting the Oriental Medical clinic. Just under a dollar (900 won). The clinic is in Taewadong, which is 40 minutes from my house on the bus, and the only place I see these delicious little guys.
Wow I don't think I could go through acupuncture though I hear it's great for relieving stress. I hate needles and am not too thrilled with the idea of hundreds of little needles stuck all over my body and face (yuck, thinking of the Pinhead movies). But I'm glad it seems to have helped you though. What's in the street treat? It looks like some type of jam/jelly to me (blackberry?/raspberry?). Looks tasty whatever is in it. I like watching the Travel Channel and was watching Samantha Brown Passport to Latin America and she was in Ecuador and they gave her some type of pastry that was puffed up but it only had a small layer of cheese in it and it was huge with the small amount of cheese in it. I also learned that those Panama hats are really products of Ecaudor which I thought was neat and interesting. My step father's got MS and probably my brother will get it and diabetes/high blood pressure as well (runs in my step father's family among the men) so that sucks. Not sure of MS is related to scolosis so I apologize if I'm off base here. I hope you continue having fun in Korea and with your band. Hope these treatments do the trick as well which they seem to have done from your entry and make you better.
ReplyDeleteActually the needles don't even hurt, and there are only 3-8 of them used (depending on the treatment). But I have to admit I was nervous of how bad it would hurt my first time. The treat is delicious, and sort of tastes like chocolate.. but believe it or not is some sort of bean paste. It sounds weird, but it is delicious!
ReplyDeleteScoliosis just has to do with your spine curving, so no relation there. Some people have really bad scoliosis (they feel like their spine is a pretzel), but mine isn't too bad. My right shoulder is slightly lower than my left, and it causes occasional discomfort, but not unbearable.
The treatment is really doing the trick at this point though! I went again this past Monday, and will go again on Friday. I was finally able to do everything at Taekwondo again on Monday, and will again tonight (Wednesday). Also I just finished playing volleyball for the first time in a month, and my foot felt 99%! I'm really happy about that!
Oh wow yeah that is odd about the street treat being beans. That never crossed my mind as a possiblity! :) I'm happy for you that you were able to do Taekwondo again! That must be awesome for you!
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