ART/Acupuncture Treatment #2

Yesterday afternoon I went for my second ART/acupuncture treatment with Dr. Nino.  I was feeling pretty excited, since the results from the first visit were so dramatic! It was definitely another good experience.

During my first visit, he took my history and asked a lot of questions, including whether or not I was working out again.  Actually, he assumed I was NOT, since pretty much every exercise involves clenching your jaw (consciously or not).  I said, no...I WAS working out, and not finding it a problem.

Well....I was treated on Thursday afternoon (after a workout) and didn't get another chance to hit the gym until the following Wednesday. And when I did return, boy, did I ever start feeling the muscle pain and tension in my jaw. I did a bit of rowing on the ergometer (my cardio of choice, or running) and I don't think that has been helping me.  So I'm going to have re-think my exercise strategy.  Maybe I'll try to hit more yoga classes....I think it's going to be a lot of trial and error.

That being said, I went in yesterday with some pretty tight muscles, but still not horrible pain considering where I had been prior to the first visit.  Dr Nino was pretty happy with 6 days of relief.  He put in a few additional needles, choosing to do a point on my feet (between big and second toe), one on my chin just below my knee (for muscle/tendon pain), one on my hand (between thumb and index finger), 2 in my TMJ's and one on the top of my head (apparently for mental well-being). I don't know all the details of the points, so I won't pretend to be able to recommend them to you).  Then he did a lot of massage/ART on my head, which felt AMAZING(ly painful). Actually, it felt great at times and awful at times.  He also discovered 2 huge knots in my shoulders (between trapezius and levator scapulae).  These are still very painful as well, and could be a result of being at a desk most of the time during the day.

I can't say that I felt any immediate relief afterward, but last night I was just exhausted. I made and cleaned up from dinner, took a shower and got right into bed, lights out by 8:45pm. I slept like a baby, and this morning I feel pretty good, with some soreness in my shoulders. 

I will say that my jaw feels more sore than usual, in the joints themselves.  I have found in the course of my healing that I have so many different types of pain that when one subsides, it's like my body gets a chance to feel another that may have been there all along. Not sure if this is normal in pain management, and it's weirdly not that stressful, as long as the pain is manageable. Nix this if it's tooth pain.  Internally I lose my shit whenever I feel tooth pain....and constantly until it goes away.  It's not cool.

I also feel a bit like the left side of my mouth is getting shorter - which I'm sure is totally unrelated to this treatment, although who knows. I can feel the gums behind my molars almost touching, or touching but lightly. I am sure this wasn't the case before.