De Quervain Syndrome and Acupuncture

In June 2007 after seven years with the library, I got promoted to 20 hour Aide (from 15hour) at the North Branch, thanks to Vivian V.(for hiring) and Andrea S. (for encouraging me to take it). Berkeley has four branches (North, Claremont, West and South), but North is the busiest one mainly because it is easier to find a parking space there and also most patrons like our services - some even bring us home-made baked goods and flowers to show their appreciation and gratitude.

After about a few months working at North, I got injured on my right wrist. The symptom is called, De Quervain Syndrome or a Washer-woman Sprain. The city sent me to U.S. Health Works in Berkeley to treat my injury.





I spent about a year here for physical therapy two or three times a week. The physical therapists at U.S.H.W. were very nice, but the doctors were all businesslike, and I usually had to wait 30, 40 minutes or sometimes more to see the doctor for about 5 minutes or less, just to get his or her prescription for therapy.




With this injury, I could not do simple tasks like combing my hair, brushing my teeth and so on without feeling the pain. I had to wear a splint all day at work and also at home and even to bed. Physical therapy and Ibuprofen pills helped ease the pain- they had me do stretches, put on ice-pack, heat, wax, and massages. The doctor also gave me two shots of cortisone, but I still could not flex my wrist and the pain was still there after a year of treatment. She then suggested surgery, but I told her I wanted an alternative method of healing - acupuncture. She seemed upset and said that acupuncture is not going to do me any good. I asked for a discharge and gave acupuncture a try.



I heard that Kaiser uses acupuncture to heal its patients so I asked my Kaiser doctor for a referral to see one. They sent me to Amy Lee on Telegraph Avenue for the treatment.





As a child growing up in Viet Nam, I had used Chinese herbal medicines as treatment for common illnesses, but I had never had acupuncture and I was ready to try this ancient Chinese method of healing that I've heard so much about.



This is one of the rooms at Amy Lee's acupuncture office.

Kaiser pays for twelve acupuncture sessions a year. At first I went to see Amy Lee once a week and then twice a month. After seven treatments I was feeling better and at the end of the twelfth, there was no more pain in the wrist and I now can flex it a little.



There is less pain when the needle goes through compared to the common injection when you get your childhood immunization shots. I would say even less pain than an ant's bite.



Every things in your body are interconnected, in order to create the balance and promote blood flow, Amy put needles on my leg and feet as well even though I only have pain on my right wrist.



If one needle insert gives me more pain than others, I would let Amy know so that she could take it out and reinsert it.



With all the needles in place, Amy put some music of my choice - a classical Chinese music, turned off the light and let me relax for about an hour. She also prescribed some herbal pills for me to take every day.

The Chinese have been using acupuncture for thousands of years, it has to work. If you have body pains, try this ancient method of healing as an alternative to pills and surgery. It worked for me.