Acupuncture

I had my first (and only?) acupuncture session today, as part of a summer yoga package. I looked up acupuncture on About.com; here's what it says:

According to the NIH Consensus Statement on Acupuncture, there have been many studies on acupuncture's potential usefulness, but results have been mixed because of complexities with study design and size, as well as difficulties with choosing and using placebos or sham acupuncture. However, promising results have emerged, showing efficacy of acupuncture, for example, in adult postoperative and chemotherapy nausea and vomiting and in postoperative dental pain. There are other situations--such as addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low-back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma--in which acupuncture may be useful as an adjunct treatment or an acceptable alternative or be included in a comprehensive management program.

But the only physical symptom I currently have is a somewhat sore right shoulder/rotator cuff.  The acupuncturist did stick some needles in my shoulder and leave them there, but she mainly did a general condition type of treatment, where she stuck pins in and pulled them out.  She said she selected the pinpoints based on my type, which she said was water.  Not sure what type I am; seems like I exhibit aspects of all 5 elements (wood, earth, metal, fire, water).

I don't think my shoulder feels any better; but then, it didn't hurt that much to begin with.  As for whether I'm more balanced as a result of one treatment--not sure.

I can see using acupuncture for a medical condition that defies other treatments.  Since I have Meniere's disease, I briefly looked for information on Meniere's and acupuncture.  According to some information posted to the Meniere's Disease Help Blog, results are mixed and often short term.  I haven't had a vertigo attack since Dec. '06, so I can't test that out.  I do have hearing loss in my right ear, but it goes in and out--so would be tough to isolate any possible effects from acupuncture.  And while I also have tinnitus (the third Meniere's symptom), I only hear the noise when everything else is quiet.  And that's hardly ever in this world.

At $85 per hour session, this isn't something I can afford.  Especially for a more general "tune up" (they don't call it that).  One does feel the pins, in some locations more than others--I'm getting a bit queasy just writing about it.  So it's not like it felt good, or therapeutic, while I was undergoing the treatment.  In a way I didn't feel like I got my money's worth (although it was part of a package, and thus felt like it was free), because she didn't stick in that many pins.  But I wouldn't have wanted a whole hour of pin-sticking... I'd rather have a massge.