On day 10 of my double-jaw surgery recovery, I went to a local acupuncturist (Ballard Acupuncture if you in the Seattle area) to see what they had to offer for my poor face. I am still 100% numb from the eyes down. I can move my face, just can't feel it. Think major, major dental numb and swollen. The inside of my cheeks are very puffy. Annoying when I am trying to eat.
I asked the acupuncturist to work on lymph swelling and numb facial nerves.
What they gave me was needles in my feet, lower legs, arms, and hands.
Whut. the. fork?
The acupuncturist explained that the deadened nerves in my face are connected to end points in my feet and hands. They set needles at the branches at the end, then over time work their way backwards to the face. Okeydokey. I'm here for the full ride.
I lay on a comfy table for 30 minutes with the needles in, with the lights down low and a swell heating lamp hoovering over my lower legs to keep me warm. It was lovely and relaxing. Only thing missing was someone rubbing my feet. Goodness, do I love a good foot rub (reflexology in science terminology.)
When it was done, I made weekly appointments for 5 more treatments. Standard timeline for most acupuncture treatments. Luckily, as I mentioned before, my health insurance covers acupuncture treatments, so since I met my maximum deductible for the year with the jaw surgery, this bit of deliciousness is free for me.
What they gave me was needles in my feet, lower legs, arms, and hands.
Whut. the. fork?
The acupuncturist explained that the deadened nerves in my face are connected to end points in my feet and hands. They set needles at the branches at the end, then over time work their way backwards to the face. Okeydokey. I'm here for the full ride.
I lay on a comfy table for 30 minutes with the needles in, with the lights down low and a swell heating lamp hoovering over my lower legs to keep me warm. It was lovely and relaxing. Only thing missing was someone rubbing my feet. Goodness, do I love a good foot rub (reflexology in science terminology.)
When it was done, I made weekly appointments for 5 more treatments. Standard timeline for most acupuncture treatments. Luckily, as I mentioned before, my health insurance covers acupuncture treatments, so since I met my maximum deductible for the year with the jaw surgery, this bit of deliciousness is free for me.
Four hours after my first needle treatment, I noticed I can feel my cheeks around my ears. At the 5-hour mark, fully half of both cheeks are awake again. This stuff is AWESOME! I can hardly wait to see what happens over the coming days until my next acupuncture appointment.
 |
| Oh man, the needle in my left instep (inside of foot) just about killed me. So painful going in! Turns out that point is directly connected to my facial nerves. Ah! A method for the madness. |
 |
| Didn't feel a thing for most of them going in. A few minutes in, the tops of both feet itched for a few minutes. Weird. |
After 6 acupuncture appointments, my face was fully alive again. Pretty sure that is a jaw surgery miracle. My surgeon said they are gonna recommend it for other interested patients. Some people (like me) want to do All. The. Things. that will help with healing and insurance will cover.
Comments
Post a Comment