This is a long one. It’s worth it.
It’s not easy dating me.
I’m sure it’s just as difficult for my current boyfriend, who called me in a thrilled state. An acupuncturist had visited his workplace to show off his skills of pain inhibition by way of auriculotherapy (read: ear acupuncture).
I am a master’s student of acupuncture, so Salim was pumped to share how this clinician surveyed the room for a person with hip pain, and the pain dissipated after a needle to the ear.
Salim: Kathy, you have to meet him.
Dooley: I don’t think I’m interested in meeting that practitioner.
Salim: Why?!
Dooley: Pain is a signal that something is awry. I already know acupuncture kills pain perception. Peer reviewed literature and my own experiences support the hypothesis.
Salim: But I was impressed!
Kathy: Acupuncture is impressive.
So why didn’t I jump to meet the good doctor?
Let me give you a scenario.
A man has low back pain for months. He goes to the chiropractor and acupuncturist, who get him out of pain – for a day or so. The pain keeps coming back. This goes on for 3 months.
His pain was not biomechanical. His cancer progressed to Stage IV. It got missed, because the focus was on the pain – not the patient.
Pain can be covered with pills, drips, needles, myofascial release, you name it. But getting to the reason why – THAT is diagnostic. Pain is subjective. Diagnostics cannot be purely subjective.
A solid history and proper assessment must be administered before attacking the reasons pain is perceived.
We can do better than showing off pain inhibition skills. Help people get out of pain, but always investigate deeply into why the pain is there. Referred visceral pain must always be considered and ruled out.
Be on your game, and save the demos for an office visit.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley