Calling Dr. Feel Good

Remember at the end of the original Karate Kid movie when Mr. Miyagi did some voodoo magic trick on the injured Daniel-san to fix his leg enough so he could return to the tournament and kick butt?

Apparently there's something to be said for Eastern medicine magic. And I can now concur.

Last week, I alluded to a unique adventure. Well, it was basically me playing the role of Daniel-san. Not with Mr. Miyagi, but with a practitioner of "unique Eastern bodywork modality" who is just known around here as Dr. Feel Good. Now I know why he's earned that reputation. (And it’s nothing to do with the methods mentioned by Mötley Crüe.)

They call this type of healing (for lack of a better word) alternative holistic solutions. Some just call is miracle healing from pain. That word "alternative" tends to scare people away, though,  especially since there's no insurance coverage for it. However, a spendy 45-minute appointment is nothing when I've paid literally thousands over the years for chiropractors and such. Plus, once you go, you should be good – a.k.a. pain-free – for a year.

Too good to be true?

It took me a few years to make the appointment. I first heard of Dr. Feel Good from some friends who experienced success. Then, most recently, my massage therapist recommended giving him a try. First I had hubby go (as a gift from me) to help with a shoulder issue. Then I thought, why am I not going, too? Plus, I heard he may be retiring, so I had to move quickly to get in.

I showed up Friday after work not really knowing what to expect. Especially when I was warned it would be painful and that I would probably cry. For the record, I didn't cry. Thanks to recalling my Lamaze breathing, that is!

It was a painful working over of my entire body – toes to nose. I guess my chronic back and hip issues were due largely to locked up hip flexors. Well... Doc unlocked them. He basically can take any painful area, untangle your muscles and ligaments and set them straight. And yes, it is as painful as that sounds.

The work on the hip flexors was pretty painful and getting my shoulders back into proper location was crazy painful. And my mouse hand (as I call my right typing, mouse moving, computer operating picture taking hand) was a big ouch. The way my forearm got worked on, he just might have reversed any carpal tunnel that may have been in the works. At least it felt like it. He also untwisted an optic nerve that likely had been causing headaches.

As he said, I was a piece of work!

Needless to say, I did feel like I'd been hit by a truck and dragged around a bit. But before I left, I had full range of motion in my neck and arms and legs. And I could bend down and touch my toes. Easy Peasy.

So after 3-plus days of a ton of water, no soda, Epsom salt baths and stretching, I feel good. Still a bit bruised up, but no back or hip or headache pain. I don't know if this "feel good" part will last a full year, but it's worth it already.

No pain, no gain. It's a true story.