This post should have been published several months ago if I ever got around to do it. The thing is since January 2010 there was nothing related to my knee injury to nag me anymore about this personal obligation I felt I had to write this post. I actually got on with my life.
Honestly I probably would have lived with post ACL surgery pain for the rest of my life and let it leak out hisses of fun like an invisible hole in an inflatable raft. As each month goes by I realize how fortunate I am to have visited Paul De Lucia’s new acupuncture practice. Now I’m able to keep all of my fun.
Sure I was a bit skeptical then. I mean, why does my health insurance company find it inconclusive that acupuncture is a formidable type of pain alleviating treatment? I listened to the puzzling explanation about Qi and although it still is a mystery to me it didn’t seem too far fetched considering it is noninvasive and the practice has been traced back to the stone age. With so much history, there must be some merit to it and the big plus -there are no side effects. Western medicine has a hard time claiming this.
What convinced me to go ahead with this mysterious procedure was most definitely the thorough time Paul De Lucia took to have a dialog with me about my history and describe the fascinating procedure of an acupuncture treatment and general Chinese medicine. Alex sat in on the consultation as well. Despite my mental aversion to needles, I was not only curious but put at easy with the attentiveness Paul gave to me. I could tell he was really interest in helping me and not rush me out the door. This was a refreshing change to the typical pace of a regular doctor’s visit. And what about the needles? – they turned out to be no sweat.
The needles are so thin I didn’t get queasy at all. Once the needle was inserted there is a teeny pinch (way milder than getting your finger pricked for a blood sample) and at a certain point a tingling sensation radiated from that point, a rather interesting experience. Twenty minutes later the needles were out and I could rub my scar with some force without any feeling of pain or sensitivity as before. I was, and still am, amazed.
Will I visit an acupuncturist again? Definitely, it’s just a shame Paul doesn’t live in Munich. Like most physiciansm, no two are alike so when I do visit another acupuncturist I know I want him/her to have similar traits as Paul. Now I know what to look for.
If you are in the Tampa/St.Petersburg, Florida area do stop by to see Paul because there are a whole range of health concerns that acupuncture has been effective in treating, just visit Paul De Lucia’s Acupuncture website. A million heartfelt thank yous to Paul for his healing care!
Paul De Lucia, AP, DOM
7235 Central Avenue
St Petersburg, FL 33710
Office: 727.345.7770
in case you are lost, rewind the last couple of years
Ping and Paul De Lucia with Alex and their son on Clearwater Beach
Just to recap: I tore my anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in my left knee on February 14, 2007 during an Ultimate Frisbee tournament in Erlangen, Germany. After some conservative healing and physical therapy, I opted for surgery in October later that year. My surgery involved an autograft of my semitendinosus tendon, the largest of the four hamstrings. Healing was slow and steady and a year after my surgery I could say with confidence my knee was just as stable as before.
My only complaint was a dull, achy pain in and around the two deeper scars (the longer tibia scar and a short scar just to the side of the knee cap), which were very sensitive to pressure. The pain would worsen with prolonged walking, cycling, and of course, jogging. A friend suggested I use a suction bell to work the scar tissue, which, with the combination of strength training, helped for times when I walked around the city but jogging was always a problem for me. After a 30-minute run I’d come home almost in tears. It baffled me that Ibuprofen didn’t offer any pain relieve. Deep down, I knew I needed to find something else or learn to live with the pain.
So being the doctor-shy, needle-phobic person that I am, I lived with it for awhile.. er, say another year. The rewards that sports gave me were always a bit soured by this post surgery discomfort. Most people I know who have had knee related injury or surgery talk of their joints not being the same afterwards. Why should I be the exception? Now I am glad I’m feeling more like I am one.
Maybe relief is in sight for some pain suffers. There is work being done to scientifically quantify the positive results of acupuncture.
Glad to hear your acupuncture was a success. I am hearing more and more from friends who have gone to an acupuncturist and got satisfaction. I will follow your search to find one in Munich.
@Expatsagain Thanks, I’m also hearing the same.Now if only I could convince some family members to try it out.