Until a couple of days ago I hadn’t heard the expressions “You’re in Vermont, do as you want”. Pretty funny. I think it’s pretty much the same here as anywhere else in the states just at a different scale. Vermonters spend more money on guns than folks from other states but lot’s of people here hunt for food. We are also worried about invaders failing to bring enough available credit.

It’s OK to speed now though, the cops just flash their lights. LOL.

today’s post has nothing to do with guns or invaders. It’s about acupuncture.

About five years ago when I was riding the trials bike a lot, I hurt the tendons in my arms. I wasn’t sure if it was a problem right away as certain kinds of pain are expected from time to time but I continued to ride often, making the situation worse. It’s also called “tennis elbow” or golfers elbow” depending on what tendon is damaged.

I asked around a bit and people actually break tendons sometimes. That got me a little worried. The usual treatment is either an arm band worn around the forearm, designed to roll the tendon away from the bad part allowing it to heal. Great if I wasn’t wearing five garments on my upper body.

Cortisone stops the pain but causes the tendons to harden (so I read) increasing the chance of breakage. Cortisone is also a “performance enhancing drug”. I know there is a great joke in there somewhere).

You can actually get a “gimme” for using cortisone at bike races by getting a doctors note. If, for example you have a saddle sore you can get permission to use cortisone. If you have a sinus condition, you can use some stimulants that are also banned.

I like crushing Russ on the climbs but the guy eats freakin’ bologna/wonderbread sammys for lunch. If I gotta juice to beat that guy, I am nobody’s hero, Ill pass.

Sorry but I tried all the usual cures and like anyone with “hammer elbow” ( the blue collar version) knows it’s not easy.

Stretching and working the tendons helps also. It works like this: you get up early in the morning and spend 30 mins bending your arms and elbows. It really fucking hurts. Later that day, you have less pain. If you miss your “morning appointment” you can’t really start over. You have to do the exercises before work and the arms are often too tired to press on after work.

Kinesio tape

I found this website. http://www.kinesiotaping.com/ It looks a lot “tidier” today than the last time I looked. I tried this method and it did work. Wearing tape on your body sort of stinks (literally) but it does work. The tape is unlike athletic tape.

What I failed to mention earlier is I have the same condition now. My arms feel like they are on fire. I have been doing the stretching but not daily.

Last time, I got acupuncture. It’s an ancient chinese technique that involves using tiny needle pressed through the skin. I don’t care for needles myself but I had three or four appointments and the problem went away.

As I mentioned, I don’t like needles. The practitioner who treated me has devoted his life to the practice of acupuncture and after trying nearly everything else I went for it.

There is a place near here called . I didn’t have insurance and was able to make a cash deal that fit my program.

I didn’t pay attention to the details. I needed results. Brett met me in the lobby and led me into a small room with a nice stream of sunlight and I relaxed.

This time was different. I didn’t massage the tendons, I didn’t use ice, I haven’t stretched enough and all I really did was complain.

I got back with Brett Avelin in an act of desperation. He was kind enough to come to my shop and begin treatment. I admit it’s a lot to expect. If you hope to get results from homeopathy you need to listen to your body and do what you can to reinforce and support the process and this is a bit more difficult.

I got my first treatment a week ago and my second yesterday. You would think that the needles would be noticeable but they aren’t.

From what I understand, there is energy conduits in our bodies that can’t be found with a scalpel. ‘being a nut’s and bolts kind of guy, I wasn’t able to figure it out. I did take a few photos. There is about 1″ (25mm) of needle under the handle. What looks like blood on my leg is a very thin scar over a bone that wears through a little.

Here are a few pics along with some other stuff.