Dear Editor,
The cover story of the December edition of Sinorama, "The Rise of Alternative Medicine" included two sections that I found to be particularly enlightening and beneficial-"Chiropractor Edward Chen" and "Chinese and Western Approaches to Back Pain."
Two months ago I was fixing a broken tap at home, when all of the sudden I slipped and fell flat onto the floor. As I lay there, I felt as though I were floating above myself somehow. It wasn't until about five or six minutes later that I gradually regained feeling in my limbs. A couple days later, I headed over to a nearby bonesetter's studio, but the bonesetter wasn't willing to do anything to help. Then I visited two other bonesetters. Though I did feel somewhat better after receiving treatment, in each case the symptoms of numbness in my limbs resurfaced the next day. Even today, all I have to do is look down and the uncomfortable sensations return. At this point I'm starting to feel a bit uneasy-I still can't figure out if the problem is in my neck or my lower back.
There are plenty of bonesetters in my area, but they seem only to be able to provide temporary relief. As the cover story points out, chiropractic is a highly specialized medicinal practice. However, taking good overall care of your body is paramount. When there's a real problem, techniques like tuina (manipulative therapy) or massage will make you feel better, but they still can't get to the root of the problem.
