Queena’s Progress with Acupressure and Acupuncture

I first started providing Acupressure and Acupuncture service to Queena in September 2011. 

My immediate goals for helping Queena in her recovery were:

1. To bring more energy to her center of gravity so that she could experience and interact in the world with her emotions.
2. To help decrease the stiffness and rigidity of her muscle tone. From the Chinese perspective this is done by clearing phlegm and heat from the body.
3. To clear blockages in the acupuncture meridians and strengthen the energy flowing through them.

I saw Queena on a once per week basis. Her treatment consisted of a full body acupressure massage (AMMA Therapy) followed by needles which were retained for 5 – 20 minutes. She was also being seeing by other caregivers at this time. Over weeks and months, I noticed that her muscle tone in arms and legs were becoming softer. What continued to be rigid and still continues to some extent today are the joints of her hands, elbows and shoulders. Her hands being the most problematic. Focused attention has been given to shoulder joint but more attention needs to be given to her elbows and joints of her hands. 

More energy has been brought into her center of gravity and she is experiencing her emotions and from what I have been told by her mother, at times to intensely.

Clearing blockages from the Acupuncture meridians has been a challenge. More specifically her stomach meridian on the left side gets interrupted quite frequently and affects her left shoulder.  This is the side of her impairment from a stroke and also the side that has a feeding tube. She has an over production of phlegm and is susceptible to an increase in heat symptoms which are cleared on a regular basis. Her meridians are also affected by the intense exercise of physical therapy and focus has been given to relaxing her muscles after physical therapy. 

Queena has come a long way since I first met her but she still has a way to go. 

Her future goals include:

1. Focused attention to elbows and hands so that with the help of physical therapy she may easily use a walker.
2. Continuing to clear phlegm and heat and get her to the point where she has less interruption in the flow of her meridians for longer periods of time.
3. Strengthening the energy flow in her body.

Yvette C. Thompson, AP

Yvette C. Thompson is Acupuncture Physician and certified AMMA Therapist. She has been providing Acupressure and Acupuncture service to Queena since September 2011.