This has been my view for the past 48 hours:

Not the most glamourous thing, is it?

Well, sadly, sometimes this is the harsh reality for a ballet dancer.  In the dance world, injuries are frequent, painful and at times, all consuming.  Right now I’m experiencing some pretty intense back spasms, which have left me feeling a lot like an old tortoise: slow moving, weak-limbed, and permanently hunched over.

Being sidelined for these past few days has been difficult to say the least.  Physically, I’m in pain.  Emotionally, I am sad.  Mentally, I am searching for peace.  In an attempt to remedy these symtoms, I’ve been seeing a chiropractor, taking a whole line-up of prescription drugs, and receiving acupuncture treatments.

After one too many less than pleasurable experiences with the chiropractor and 2 days of feeling like I was tripping while riding a huge roller coaster with a stomach full of fried food (read: vicodin makes me woozy), I am beginning to think more and more about the possibility of restoring my health through acupuncture.  The difference between acupuncture and other forms of treatment is that acupuncture aims to restore the flow of qi in your body, rather than merely subduing the symptoms.  I know what you’re thinking, “Qi?  Huh?”, and honestly, at first I was just as skeptical.  But I’ve decided in order to really give this a shot, I must let go of my apprehension and trust this relaxing, albeit slightly strange, ancient practice.  Letting go of these doubts, I can already feel some pressure being lifted from my shoulders.

Have any of you ever tried acupuncture?  What did you think of it?