Bloodletting much?

So today's acupuncture treatment was more adventurous than usual.  First, let me give you the skinny on me and acupuncture.

I try to get acupuncture on a weekly basis, although since my ankle surgery, it's been a challenge to get there regularly.  I've been going for...hmmm... 4 years now?  Something like that.  Everyone's body is different, but, initially, it took me 4 treatments to start feeling the healing effects.  Before acupuncture I had started taking Vicodin on a regular basis for pain.  NOT GOOD.  Since I started treatments, it's very rare that I have to take something that strong.  I do have my flare ups with stuff, but overall acupuncture has really helped me. Like A LOT.

See, this guy is even smiling :)

Okay, so my adventures of today.  Well, my neck has been flaring up for the past couple of months...horrible burning pain down the side of my neck, into my shoulder blade, down to my shoulder, into my ear, and even to the side of my face.   Friggen awesome I tell ya.  I've been seeing this new doctor who's trying some different techniques to get it under control.   Problem with that is that it takes me 3 damn weeks every time I need an appointment with him.

I told my acupuncturist about the flare up and she did what I'll call--enhanced acupuncture treatment.  This is normal needle acupuncture with electro-stim action to enhance the effect.  BTW, the electro-stim devices literally looks like mini jumper cables....like if you wanted to give a jump to your matchbox cars.

Because I was in so much pain today, to enhance the effects of the already enhanced acupuncture treatment, she also did a little good-old-fashioned bloodletting.  Yes, you heard me right.  BLOODLETTING. And can I tell you that it's effing awesome!  I'll say it again, cause you probably think you're reading this wrong.

BLOODLETTING IS AWESOME.

How is it done?   She basically takes a small needle and gives you a little pin prick.  Then squeezes where she pricked you...and bam! Bloodletting.  It's just like when they have to prick your finger at your primary care doctor to test your iron levels...except it hurts a whole hell of a lot less.

I had this done before when I had a massive sinus induced headache.   It worked like a friggin charm...headache gone in a few hours. Today's bloodletting was not a letdown.  My neck burning has gone from a 6-7 on the pain scale (don't you just love that stupid pain scale they post in the doc's office?) to a 1-2.  It's not totally gone, but wayyyy better.  Even if the pain subsides just for a day, I'll be happy.  Hopefully I'll get a few days to a week out of it. We shall see.

Anybody else done this? Acupuncture? Mini-jumper cables? Bloodletting?