By Hadthiah PD Hazair
The needles went in and it felt like tiny electrical pulses were shooting up and down my veins. My toes wriggled involuntarily. "It's normal. Your 'chi' (energy) is flowing where it was once blocked or weakened," the Chinese medicine practitioner tells me.
Earlier this week, after what seemed like the umpteenth consecutive migraine attack and sick of taking painkillers, I decided to turn to alternative medicine. With a throbbing head, my mom and I googled for acupuncture practitioners in Brunei and found one shop in Batu Bersurat, on the same block with well known duck serving restaurant, Shikai.
And before I know it, we were sitting on a massage bed with plastic cups stuck to our backs. "This is beneficial to relieve the muscle tension and regulate blood flow," the practitioner explains.
To be honest, I've always stayed away from "bebakam" or cupping because firstly, it looks painful and secondly, the marks (bruises more like) left behind leaves very little to be desired. But, it was what was ordered by the practitioner and being desperate to get rid of my marathon migraine, I submitted myself willingly.
My mom, who has been complaining of wrist pain was cupped on her lower back, back of her shoulders and (surprisingly) her right leg. For my chronic headache, the suction cups were leached on the nape of my neck, front of my shoulders and along my shoulder blades.
According to the acupuncturist, our aches and pains usually stem from pulled nerves and blocked energy flow. The concept of energy flow in human bodies is a science the Chinese are very well-versed in and something that's pretty vague to me.
However, with acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology and even cupping, practitioners are said to map invisible energy pathways and channels, looking for areas that are "blocked" and working their craft to undo the "obstructions". They believe that when energy is able to flow freely without any stagnating areas, the body would be healthy, energized and more balanced (bye-bye aches and pains!).
The first few minutes of the cupping session was pretty painful (with all the ruckus I was making my mom would gladly tell you "pretty painful" is an understatement), but it soon faded out to just a slight pinch and eventually numbness.
Most of the cupping therapy carried out by Chinese practitioners is categorised as "dry cupping", the cupping which our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) advocates involves actually sucking out "dirty blood" by making tiny incisions on the area which is to be cupped. It was narrated that there are only certain areas which are recommended by the Prophet, including the top of the head, and the soft areas just under the shoulder blades.
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 | | Cupping therapy is said to help with obesity. |
The "bebakam" lasted only 20 minutes (although it felt much longer). After which the practitioner whipped out a couple of thin needles, as long as my index finger. Although the notion of alternative medicine is not new to me as I've witnessed relatives, siblings and grandparents undergo acupuncture sessions before, but I was never on the receiving end of the needles, and it sure felt disconcerting at first.
The practitioner puts on his rubber gloves and began to rub and gently press down on areas along my arms, neck and legs, before tearing out sheets of alcohol wipes. To my amazement, he did not poke any needles on my face or neck at all. The practitioner instead poked one of my right hand and another one closer to my right ankle.
On my mom, the practitioner inserted a few needles on her left arm, a few inches above her elbows. We both felt the slight shock of electrical pulses coursing through our veins the first few seconds after the needles were placed, coupled with weak muscle jerking movements.
Compared to the cupping session, we endured the acupuncture needles (which was not painful at all) for a mere 15 minutes. "Do not cross your legs when you sit, it is very bad for your posture and it also pulls on your nerves, this might cause some problem with backache and muscle tension," we were advised.
"I think you both will find that you feel much 'lighter' after the bakam and acupuncture. Blood circulation will improve right away and you will feel less achy and more energised," the practitioner says.
My head was, if anything, throbbing even more painfully. However, my shoulders felt less tense and the migraine induced nausea has all but disappeared. So, we went home thinking it might just be placebo effect, a case of our mind being tricked into thinking the body is feeling much better.
The rest of the day went by without much fuss mom reported that her wrist did not bother her and that she feels more "awake". I still had a migraine, but amazingly I could actually bear the pain and even went about running errands as usual.
Personally, I am not sure whether it was the cupping or the needles that did the trick, but, it wasn't until the very next day that I realised my allergies have abated. My sinus wasn't blocked, my eyes were less puffy, the post nasal dripping was sparse, and being in the office did not make me sneeze every other minute and I rub my eyes a lot less (I hate wall-to-wall carpeting, really bad allergic reactions).
It has been six days since the treatment, and as of yesterday morning, I am happy to report that the allergies have been less invasive. Sure, I still wake up with the sniffles and the sneezes, but the rest of the day remains pretty honky dory.
Verdict: I have decided to keep up with the acupuncture and see if it will eventually help with the allergies and the migraines. Will keep everyone posted!
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