Why Did You Put That Needle There? Why Did You Put That Needle There? The Expanded 2nd Edition Andy Wegman All rights reserved, 2012 Manchester Acupuncture Studio, LLC Andy Wegman Editing: Cris Monteiro, Tracy LaCreta, Jennifer Woolf, Mary Cole, Karen Wegman and Jan Donahue Cover Art: Nick Kurtz Interior Artwork: Dave Rioux Hand model : Cris Monteiro Made in Manchester, NH USA This book is also available as a free audio book at: www.manchesteracupuncturestudio.org Forward Introduction Common Questions and Their Answers: Sections 1, 2 and 3 Resources and Recommended Reading Thank You Forward A man who will usually sleep soundly for 45 minutes during his acupuncture treatments was beckoning me over to his recliner only a short while after I had initially left him. “I've got an idea for a book you're going to write”. AD whispered quickly, urging me to write down the title and general idea that came to him. “Write it like you say it to everyone”, he directed. I immediately appreciated his idea, and loved the fact that it was inspired during a treatment. Some of my own best thinking has been done in the twilight of acupuncture treatments as well. AD had recently come to discover and love acupuncture. In particular, he was fond of the Community Acupuncture clinic model that allowed him to afford regular treatments. He also made sure to mention how much he appreciated the transparency, sense of humor, frank talk and casual culture of the community clinics he'd visited. After I nodded to affirm that I got it all down on paper, he closed his eyes and eased back alongside several others in a scene that would repeat itself day after day in our clinic and in an increasing numbers of community clinics around the country, over the following months. ~~~~ It is due to the hundreds of people we see each week in our clinic for whom acupuncture is something very new - and thousands experiencing it for the first time elsewhere - that I decided to follow through with this project. This while also knowing how useful information like this would've been for me as a newer practitioner in years past. I have not come by such a direct and practical question and answer collection like my friend AD has proposed - and certainly not with an emphasis on the burgeoning Community Acupuncture social-business/justice movement. I'm wanting this information to speak to new friends who may ask similar questions over the next few years; the years before widespread access to affordable acupuncture allows millions to get themselves treatments as readily as we now can grab a slice of pizza and a cup of coffee in our neighborhoods; when a book like this may not be needed any longer. Onward. Andy Wegman Manchester, NH Spring 2010 Introduction This is a book of questions most commonly asked of us in our acupuncture clinic and the best answers we have to offer. It's been compiled and written to ease worry for those who are new to acupuncture – on either side of the needle. The participating writers of this project all work together at Manchester Acupuncture Studio - a Community Acupuncture clinic located in Manchester, NH USA. At the time of writing, the clinic gives 400+ treatments each week. We mention this only to demonstrate our qualifications to recognize commonly asked questions. Our collective experiences as acupuncturists tell us acupuncture is gracefully simple to use and the necessary tools are few and inexpensive. Because of this, we know it has the potential to play a significant role in reducing individual health care costs while increasing the well-being of our communities as a whole. This booklet aims to play a small role in this vision coming to pass. Acupuncture is downright mysterious to most people we meet. Heck, it's often mysterious to many acupuncturists too. The fact that placing tiny needles on the arms and legs can lead to less suffering and improved mental and physical functioning is nothing short of wondrous. Most importantly, acupuncture can also be profoundly effective for a wide variety of common health problems, and so potentially quite helpful for many people. Really helpful. Helpful in unexpected ways. Helpful at times even when multiple medicines and surgeries haven't done the trick. And we know this only because thousands of people we've given treatments to have told us so, many times over. We sincerely hope the following information takes some of the mystery out of acupuncture and makes it more inviting. Perhaps it will simply help to make a first treatment a bit more comfortable. It is after all, much better to take a sweet 'needle nap' without having questions running through one's mind. ~~~~ Note to the Reader: Feel free to take on these topics in the order written or drop into the conversation entry to entry as you see fit. Note for this 2nd Edition Readers have made clear demands for more questions answered since this little book made itself available in the spring of 2009. Requests have come from patients and acupuncturists alike, and who am I to ignore them? Thanks you to all who offered up suggestions for making a more representative, clearer little book. AW