A painful shoulder injury gets cured with needles

Shoulder injury
Originally uploaded by Brite light photos.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - My shoulder had been killing me for nearly two months, a side effect of using the computer too much and also not having the work station set up properly.

But after I could barely steer my sailboat with my right arm last weekend, I knew it was getting serious.

Next thing, I wouldn't be able to lift a wine glass.

But my medical doctor looked me over and told me to take three Advil, three times per day and do some minor stretching exercises - for three weeks. I made it one week before my stomach cried out 'no mas!'

And my shoulder hurt worse than ever.

So this week I went to see an acupuncturist, whose office is actually within walking distance of my house.

I had high hopes that she might be able to give me some relief, but I never thought that she would be able to basically free up the knots in my shoulder and arm within minutes. Four needle pokes - and a short nap on her examining table - broke loose what a week's worth of pharmaceuticals couldn't touch.

A massage therapist then spent about a half-hour working all the tight muscles. That hurt!

But today I have about 90 percent use of the shoulder and arm and with stretching get pretty close to 100 percent. At 57, getting close to 100 percent is close enough.

Interestingly, the doctor also checked me over and told me that I had low energy because my kidneys weren't working quite right. She was right about the low energy, but I didn't know what it was coming from. So as soon as I finish this missive, I have to take six pills - a Chinese dietary supplement that is supposed to boost my energy and simultaneously strengthen my kidneys.

Oh, and when the doctor cured my right shoulder with those four needles, the needles were put into my right ankle and right forearm.

Yup, nowhere near the aching shoulder.

Whatever. It worked.