Acupuncture-question--Laurel

[Guest guest]

Hi Laurel,

I've been having skin reactions that might be similar to what you're

experiencing, though without the muscle spasm.

I've had small cuts develop (or emerge) where there had been no trauma to

the skin but where I had been injured many years ago. This has been

happening over the past 10-15 years and the MD I first consulted said it's

impossible. However, I tested free of infection and impetigo virus

(spelling?), and the skin soon heals without a scar. It's been particularly

bad on my face, where I had a bad fall in a cinder pile as a child (not well

cleaned out) and on my elbows and shoulder (kids' falls plus the site of

smallpox vacinations).

MY ND years ago said I tended to suppress symptoms, so I see this process as

one of healing. It follows the general guidelines that in healing,

conditions move up to the surface and out toward the extremities. The fact

that I recall the old injuries and that in a few weeks after these eruptions

they heal without a scar is reassuring.

I don't know if this is what you're experiencing but you might ask your

acupuncturist or ND if it's possible for truama to heal incompletely (such

as the needle holes from the steroid injections) and remain under the skin's

surface. As far as a piece of an acupuncture needle remaining in your skin,

my guess is that a foreign object like that, even sterilized, would cause

some swelling and infection, just as you can feel even the tiniest thorn in

your skin. My guess, then, is that this is part of a healing process. I'd be

curious to hear how things develop.

Best wishes,