I’m not afraid, are you? 5/5 (40)

I can remember one particular day in college, when I was walking down the hall to needling class. Everyone was quiet. This was the day we had all been dreading since day one. Inevitably we would have to learn to needle Ren 1 (CV 1) and Du 1 (GV 1). Not only did we have to needle one of our fellow students, we also had to be needled ourselves. You couldn’t pass the class unless you participated.

I’ll never forget the trepidation that I experienced before class that day. But more importantly, I’ll never forget the conversations that we all had after class. Of course, we were all relieved that the “dreaded day” was over, but we were just as surprised to find out two important things. First, we realized that needling Ren 1 and Du 1 was not as invasive as we thought it would be. Everyone was kept very modest. Finally, we learned that the needle was not painful. In fact, it felt just like any other needle in the body.

There have been multiple occasions where I have had the need to use these acupuncture points. I am grateful that I was forced to learn them, because otherwise, I am sure that I would have left school knowing that they existed, but never using them because of the fear of their awkward locations.

A week ago I had an overweight 57-year-old male patient who slid on his tailbone down a flight of stairs. Once he reached the bottom, he went into immediate muscle spasm which caused him to be hospitalized for two days. Extreme doses of pain medication and muscle relaxants did not stop the muscles in his back from contracting. Once the doctors ruled out any possibility of a fracture, herniation or a ruptured organ, I was given permission to treat him with acupuncture. I treated him 3 times. In fact, the first treatment was in his hospital bed.

The doctors told him that it could take a month or more before he could expect to find relief with this type of strain. They sent him home from the hospital with a walker and instructions to take his muscle relaxants and pain relievers every four hours as needed for pain until he was better–and they gave him a 30 day supply!

The first two acupuncture treatments brought very little relief. Treatment included:

• Ashi points in his back along the bladder channel
• Opening of the Du Mai with SI 3 and BL 62
• Opening of the Dai Mai with GB 41 and TE 5
• Ashi points in the lower back and glutes
• Cupping along the Urinary Bladder channel
• Dr. Tan’s balance treatment recommendations

Nothing to this point was really bringing him any significant relief…

On his third visit, I remembered some valuable information that I learned in school regarding the power of Du 1.

• Du 1 is the Luo of the Du channel.

• It is located between the tip of the coccyx and the anus.

• This single point has the power to spread relaxation throughout the entire back.

• Du 1 has an internal pathway which connects with the Urinary Bladder channel, the occiput and the head.

This gentleman was large, so I used a 5-inch needle for Du 1. The needle was inserted until I felt significant resistance in the fascia tissue. Nothing else was changed from my previous two treatments. When he got off of the table he felt significant relief. The next day he came into my office to report that he was pain-free and completely off of his pain medications and muscle relaxants. The smile on his face was priceless as he stood there showing me how well he could bend, twist, and squat without pain. This was 6 days after his injury.

I’m really glad that I listened and took good notes in college when we were discussing the Du channel. I’m especially happy that I am not intimidated by treating Du 1. This point is very powerful and effective when the right situation presents itself. Are you afraid to use Ren 1 or Du 1? We would love to hear your success stories.

The power of acupuncture is amazing. Stories like this always remind me of how much I love my “job.”

Have a great week!

Kimberly Thompson, L.Ac.

Acupuncture Research Analyst

Miridia Technology Inc.