Classical Acupuncture

"The short of the long: David Walker is amazing. His treatments not only made me feel better physically but strangely enough - emotionally also! Now the long of it in tiresome detail: The treatment began with me telling the doctor (David) what the problem was. He also quizzed me about my diet. I told him I was trying to keep the carbs down, ate my vegetables and am a carnivore of the first rank. The treatment begins with me laying on my back on a table with my shoes and socks off so he can access my toes. He begins by taking a lit incense stick and holding it close to a select point on the left side ( toe and or finger) and waiting for me to yelp, then on the corresponding point on the right side and waiting for the yelp. He measures the time differences of yelps and the differences in the pulse / pulse pressure on each side. Based on this, he pokes a needle into my hand/arm/leg and then repeat the “fire and pulse” process. The object was to equalize the numbers for left and right side. As he explains it, “We need to balance the forces.” What was surprising was to have the insertion of a small needle do just that! I remember it taking “forever” for me to feel the heat on one of my toes, while he heat was nearly instantly felt on the other side. Once balanced, the time for each was the same. I was curious about the driving of the needle into the body. He told me that the accuracy of the placement must be within ⅛” to get the desired results. For me, the needles were hardly felt or not at all. They are very thin and very sharp. David told me that in former times, the needles were not so sharp and had to be used over again. Now, they are disposable and come sanitized. I notice that as I have had 4 visits, he makes more use of the needles. I suppose he is trying to figure out if they bother me or get me accustomed to them. (I suppose it would be bad for business if he had me in and stuck 14 needles in my forehead… but I wouldn’t mind. I like the sensation and I know it’s all good for me.) After the needles, David reaches under the sheet on the table to put pressure on points on the right and left side of my back with his fingers. This isn’t a massage, it’s only pressure on the two points. For the most, I do not feel any changes in my body; but I did notice in the last visit where he put pressure on the left and right side of my head and I could feel pressure changes in my eyes and see “colors”. This is all well and good; but what about results? The results are difficult to verify! This is the case for any kind of problem with the body or psyche. There’s always the possibility any change is the result of “something else” unrelated to the treatment. Whatever the case, I notice that I’m usually tired after the treatments and sleep well at night. I have noticed that I don’t have that “run down” feeling as I did before. Is it the acupuncture or do I just feel okay without it? I think it's acupuncture, but I have no empirical data to verify this. Just the experience of feeling better after the treatments.. Cost? $80 per session. Sessions are every two weeks - or three or whatever one wants I suppose. David says it’s constant maintenance as the body changes. My tendonitis has not gone away - but it has not gotten worse. Fact is that it has gotten a little better."