Sinew channel needling

[Armin]

Hi all,

Has anyone experienced difficulty with sinew needling where it seems like the tissue doesn’t need it? What I mean is sometimes my needle grabs but in some spots it just does not want to grab the tissue even though my mind says it should because it’s a tight spot. I just think of it as the point didn’t really need to be worked on and move on to the next area.

Is that your experience too?

Cheers

[Lois Nethery]

Hey Armin

I notice this sometimes and I think what I do is to palpate near that tight knot or band to find something odd. Normally there’s something weird eg cold patch, tight skin or a soggy depression. I find that this odd patch will be expressing the stagnation of Wei Qi, rather than the knot itself. The soggy depressions are the most interesting I guess, because they feel like a place where there’s not much Qi but then they can hold the Qi really tightly.

I do find regions where I expect it to grab and it doesn’t. My expectation is not necessarily from texture changes (knots, and etc) but a bit more subtle sense that there isn’t vitality flowing through the tissues. For example it feels a bit cool whereas the surrounding area is warm. And the energy feels like it’s flowing underground, rather than perfusing through the surface. Also the skin itself might feel ever so tight or springy, rather than juicy & soft. That’s the best way I can explain it! And my mind really feels like it’s wanting to connect with something & bring it up to the surface but the needle comes out totally empty.

In those cases I can often get the Qi to respond and lift by using gua sha and/or moxa. It’s funny, when it’s not grabbing I can feel myself tensing subtly, and even like my brow is furrowing! It feels like chasing a rabbit down a hole. With gua sha, moxa etc it’s more like being outside the rabbit hole with some juicy carrots LOL.

I’d be interested to hear what other people experience. I find that sinews is the area where I feel least connected/ confident.

Lois

[Armin]

Thanks for that Lois. I think I know what you are referring to. I have experienced that too, about the area surrounding a tight spot.
I only had to attend the sinew class with Ann twice before I thought I was confident enough to start applying it in the clinic. Couple of more times and I am sure more details will emerge

Armin.

[Elizabeth Ross]

Hi Armin,

I have found those areas as well, but I am so so new to these techniques (I will be taking my first sinew class this weekend) that I don’t have a lot to offer more than to say that I have been thinking the same that you have – that I tried releasing an area that didn’t really need anything. I have been moving on from those areas since Ann keeps saying not to over think the treatments (not possible for me yet).

Do you also get spots where it grabs so intensely that you have a difficult time pulling the needle out? I have this happen with almost each attempted sinew tx at some point and I always find myself thinking how that spot REALLY needed the release. I usually check in with the patient to make sure that my tugging on the needle isn’t painful and they haven’t yet said that it is.

Lois – Thank you for the interesting description of the low soggy places – I will have to look for these now!

Liz

[Armin]

Hi Elizabeth,

I definitely get those stubborn release points too.You just keep pulling and it keeps tenting up. As you figured it out on your own, it does simply mean that the area has a lot of wind that needs to be released. I have seen Ann pulling on them very patiently until it releases itself eventually.

Great that you are doing it though without any training. That’s fantastic!!!

Enjoy the class.

[Author]

Posts