Needle.
There is no way for me to understate the value of my acupuncturist in my life. Acupuncture has helped me with anxiety, stomach illness, shin splints, tendinitis, and allergies among other things, sometimes providing relief the moment the right needle is set in place. With that being said, it still feels a little magical and woo woo even though I have solid proof, from within my own body that it is effective. Having grown up in the west I have western expectations for what constitutes medical treatment. Mainly, sterilish looking rooms, staff in scrubs, odd instruments, and the prescription of medication as courses of action. In my life, this formula has largely failed me.
This is not to say that western medicine does not have it’s place. If you are hit by a truck or infected with a super-bacteria, or have something in your body that needs to be removed, then western medicine is by far the superior choice. But for systemic problems, prevention, or chronic conditions, there may be a better course of treatment. More than that, non-western treatments such as herbalism, naturopathy, and acupuncture are often community-based and far more affordable than western medicine. Many of these types of treatments empower the patient to successfully self-treat one they understand what works for them. And that is my point, whatever works for you works for you, regardless of how woo woo it may seem.
When if comes to your body and your medical care, the best course of action is to investigate all of your options and try them out, with an open mind, before dismissing them based on biases or ingrained messages of “correctness’ or “Modernity”. The reality is that western medicine is a young science that is becoming increasing less effective as is entrenches itself in an unhealthy economic model and focuses on the treatment of symptoms and the lengthening of life at all costs rather than illness prevention or quality of life. In the end, whatever works for you works for you. There may be another way.
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