Acupuncture/Acupressure/Reflexology/Chinese Medicine/Alternative Medicine/Massages/You Name it

[MarBea]

Hello Community,

I recently had three acupuncture sessions, and I loved them! I laughed when I wrote down my medical issues and history during the intake. I love the fact that a good acupuncturist looks at ALL of the systems of the body, and your health. I have done A LOT of reading lately about acupuncture, acupressure, Chinese medicine, and alternative therapies. Reading and learning is almost a full time job for me. LOL. I was up last night looking at you tube videos and performing reflexology on myself. I have become an aficionado of alternative medicine and what I call the healing arts. I realize everyone can't do or can't afford acupuncture, massages or going regularly to a healing practitioner, but there is SO much you can do and learn if you are interested. I find myself pressing pressure points throughout the day. Of course I will be purchasing items, little by little, until eventually I will collect a stash. I just ordered a pressure point mat and an ear seed kit, again I am going slowly. When I visit my acupuncturist my primary ares of concern are my kidneys, strengthening my immune system, and increasing my energy levels. These are my primary areas of consideration when doing my at home therapies on myself. Here is one of the sources I have found helpful. tcmworld.org/what-is-tcm/th... I could type all day, I have had ear aches since I was a child. In Chinese Medicine: The ears are the sensory organs related to the Kidney. The bone is the tissue associated with the Kidney. Fear is the emotion associated with the Kidney. If you often have severe panic attacks, anxiety, and fear, your body may be trying to tell you that Kidney energy is running low or is imbalanced.

Again, I could type all night, but the associations between my ears and bones, is fascinating. Well, I am off to work on the pressure points on my ears. Is anyone here doing body work? Acupuncture, Acupressure, alternative medicine, reflexology? Is it helping! I'm hooked.

[MarBea]

I wanted to add, I will try almost any alternative therapy, but I am not taking ANY herbs or Chinese supplements.

I can't see how alternative therapies will hurt me, but I am not taking anything medicinally, without running it by my Western Medicine practitioners.

It IS possible to enjoy Western and Eastern Medicine concurrently.

I NEEDED things I go do for myself that did not involve eating, medication or going to another freaking doctor.

Off to do some reflexology.

[Oldearkie_83]

I read your post with much interest. It seems that you have had your epiphany. Myself, I have been using acupressure for pain control for about 50 years, acupuncture is what I keep shingles in check with. The pharmaceuticals are a joke and a product of Hubris. You mention "alternative medicine". When you realize that acupuncture, etc is over three thousand old, that is the original and what the FDA gestapo allows is alternative. We, in the US, are the new kids on the block with a history of only two hundred years or so but are so full of Hubris that we are not able to keep up with the rest of the world, so treat symptoms, not causes. I too do not rely on herbals, only because I have not been able to find a skilled practitioner in my area (NW Arkansas). When it takes, sometimes years, to get a "new" product on the market using double blind testing, I suspect it is only Hubris that keeps us so far behind the rest of the world. I have been to China for treatment on my ADPKD kidneys so I am really aware of what is possible, to the extent that "my" nephrologist at the local VA will not talk to me because I caught him in a lie and called him on it. Keep writing, I am looking forward to your next post.

[ROK9]

Hi. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 CKD in July so I am new to all of this. My BP is normal, I’m not diabetic, I’m 52 and they have no idea what could have caused this as I don’t have the normal markers. My Kidney Dr is checking my labs every 6 months, has me on phosphate binders (5.0 in bloodwork) and wants me on a low-phosphorous diet. I had to ask for a reco for a dietician which I did this week....shocking and disappointed that he didn’t proactively suggest it and that upon meeting my dietician, learning that I’m allowed only 6oz of protein daily. I was a huge foodie and LOVED my NYStrip etc. Sigh! Anyway....my last GFR was 44 , creatinine 1.38 so I realize that I’m blessed compared to a lot of people living with this disease but for me...it’s still scary in all the obvious ways. My Dr doesn’t really have anything else to say to help me “be happy, relax, try to enjoy your life”. Well hope isn’t a strategy for me so if western medicine can’t provide a strategy, I’m looking elsewhere. I’ve started Acupuncture (first treatment was this week) and am going to take herbs (from Taiwan not China) from my Acupuncture Dr along w/ a broad spectrum pro-biotic. I have done reflexology in the past (for blood clots WHICH WORKED) but can’t afford to do everything. I’m working on eating better with the direction of my dietician and am getting better at exercising. That’s it for now. I appreciate your post and look forward to your updates. Oh..one more thing...I used to suffer from terrible panic attacks years ago so makes sense that it’s all connected. BE WELL!