Needles In My Knee: Acupuncture On the Rolling Sea
Atlantic Ocean
I was in a treatment room in the Greenhouse Spa, lying on my back with a cushion roll under my knees. The doctor was giving quick taps to my skin and then inserting little needles. I could feel some of them as they went in, but not all of them. As he found the acupuncture points on my feet, ankles, around my knees, and on my stomach, he talked about how the treatment would increase blood flow, relax muscles, and affect the cells. Along with treating pain, he said I should expect to reduce fluid retention in my legs.
I had heard there were a lot of benefits to acupuncture, but I was specifically interested in getting my knee back to normal. My right knee started hurting after an especially aggressive training session last November. Then I irritated it more in December by walking miles every day in Japan. Since then, I’d tried rest, knee braces, yoga, and strengthening exercises. It was better, but still not back to normal. The needles in my stomach were there to also address some minor digestive issues that had started before I boarded the ship.
Dr. Pushkar Patthe was young, friendly, and very positive about the benefits of acupuncture. The first thing he did was ask to see my tongue.
“I just ate ice cream,” I confessed.
“The white on your tongue may be from ice cream, but you also have some redness on the sides that shows heat related to your stomach.”
Once all the needles were in place, he attached electrodes to key points and turned up the dial until I squeaked. “I felt that!” He dialed it back to a tolerable level. Electroacupuncture is a modern variation of this 3,000-year-old practice. Another layer of treatment is red light therapy. It’s been shown to reduce pain and inflammation, and potentially enhance the pain-relieving effects of acupuncture. Dr. Patthe put goggles over my eyes, turned on the red light, covered me with a sheet, and handed me a buzzer.
“Relax for 25 minutes. Press the buzzer if you need anything.”
It was a little chilly in the room, but I could feel the warmth of the red light on my legs. My knee felt tight, like some kind of cap was cupping it. Dr. Patthe had said that some patients fall asleep; he had one guy who snored during treatment. I had to make myself relax. I would unconsciously tense my thigh muscles and then relax when I realized I was doing it. The exam table had a constant vibration from the movement of the ship and, there on Deck 9, I felt the sway of the wind and waves. The red light went off after 15 minutes, and I missed its warmth. I was just starting to relax.
It felt like a short 25 minutes when Dr. Patthe turned on the room lights and started taking out the needles. “Now I will do the cupping.”
He applied oil to my knee, put a small, glass cup against the skin above the kneecap, and applied suction. He slid the cup down my knee, pulling the skin until the bend of my knee broke the suction. He continued around the knee in a series of short, quick strokes. Again, the theory is that cupping will improve blood flow, reduce muscle tension, and stimulate tissue repair.
I swung my legs around and stood up from the table. My knee felt better than it had in months, and I was starting to be optimistic that it might get back to normal. I was scheduled for six appointments, for a total of $1,200. I decided it was well worth the expense.
It’s been three days since I completed the last treatment. Now that I don’t have as much pain in my knee, it’s become clear that there is a separate issue of a compressed nerve happening somewhere in my lower back that has been mixing in with knee, leg, and hip pain. Dr. Patthe recommended some exercise and additional acupuncture treatments when I get home. I think yoga and exercise will fix it, but I would definitely be open to more acupuncture if I need something more. Overall, I’m feeling much better and hopeful I’ll be ready for walking tours in Amsterdam next month.
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Tips & Recommendations
Did you know acupuncture was outlawed in China for a period of time? Or that there is some question of whether or not it originated in China? This academy site mentions those points, but a more traditional, and comprehensive, entry in Britannica does not.
I was familiar with red light therapy for facials and anti-aging purposes, but not for pain treatment. This Cleveland Clinic source talks about the origin of the therapy.
I always thought photos of cupping look so unappealing. Fortunately, the work on my knee didn’t cause bruising, perhaps because it was the “running cup” method. I am still uncertain of the benefit, but put it in the category of “no harm, no foul.” Here is another Cleveland Clinic article that talks about the pros and cons of the practice.
I asked what to look for in an acupuncturist. Dr. Patthe recommends a professional with Western medical credentials who is certified in acupuncture. Here is a WebMD summary of credentialing.
I was on a transatlantic cruise on Holland America; however, according to AI search results, acupuncture is available on 104 ships on 12 cruise lines. More than half a million cruise guests have received treatment.