Tai Chi Report: Acupuncture Cured My Migraines

Have you ever wondered what goes on away from the tai chi and kung fu schools of the Golden Lion Academy?

Perhaps you know that our Dai Sifu, Dr Pier Tsui-Po, a registered acupuncturist and a registered Chinese herbalist, runs a TCM Clinic at the Berwick Specialist Suites, Level 1, 50 Kangan Drive, Berwick, and would like to know a little more about how acupuncture and herbal medicine complement tai chi or kung fu.

I won’t go into technical detail about how Traditional Chinese Medicine works, but I thought that sharing some of my personal experiences may take a little of the mystery away for you. After reading this, you may even like to find out if the Dai Sifu can help your medical problems.

Since being involved in a bus accident at the age of 19, I have suffered chronic migraine. Over the years, I tried heaps of remedies including progressive muscle relaxation, naturopathy, homeopathy, hypnotism and dietary restrictions. Some things helped to some extent, but the problem remained. They alwaysseemed to occur at the most inconvenient times, and I went through stages where there were only occasional days spent pain-free.

I was always getting a migraine, suffering a migraine or recovering from a migraine. Believe me, these are not simply headaches; it is a very debilitating illness.

I’d considered seeing Dai Sifu for a long time before I finally made an appointment. You see, I was the original chicken when it came to needles. And yes, he immediately recommended acupuncture! I opted out, and asked for a herbal remedy. This treatment really didn’t result in much improvement, so after a while I took the plunge and asked for acupuncture. (I also later found out that acupuncture results are usually speedier than herbs).

Yes, I felt the needles going in, but was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t hurt as much as I had imagined. In fact, after lying there for a short while a very pleasant feeling ensued whilst the Chi started flowing correctly throughout my body. That sensation is different to the Chi sensation we feel in the practise of tai chi.

But the best surprise was that after 2 or 3 treatments there was a definite improvement in the frequency of the migraines, and shortly thereafter, they ceased. Wow, this seemed like a miracle cure to me. After about six months, I did get another migraine but was not troubled again for a long time after another acupuncture treatment. In the ensuing years, I have discovered that if a migraine starts lurking, a treatment will keep them away for months or years.

My experience is not an isolated case history. I know of others who have had great success with migraine and other types of chronic pain. I have also had other conditions treated successfully and once witnessed an incredible cure after an instructor moved incorrectly during a fast routine and fell tothe ground. He suffered what I thought would be a badly sprained knee, needing days or weeks of rest. Fortunately the Dai Sifu was in the building and after a session, the instructor walked out with no pain and able to bear weight on the injury.

In short, Traditional Chinese Medicine is not a miracle cure, but it is a way of giving your body the best chance to achieve optimum health. I have certainly seen and experienced some amazing results.

Denise Appelbee, Tai Chi Instructor.
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