Heaven Rewards Diligence

I resolved recently to experiment with various kinds of massage, in myriad styles and flavours, representing the four corners of the world. Massage is massive in Australia these days, and every small town in the Outback has at least one or two Thai parlors, to complement their one or two Thai restaurants. Now some of those massage parlors might be derisively called "rub and tug" ventures, but most of them legal and legit, and at the very least they are servicing a need. As well as exotic services such as cupping, hot stone treatment, myofascial release, lymphatic drainage, and foot reflexology based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), you can also find evidence-based sports physiotherapy, covered by Medicare. Even if you have to pay full fare, there appears to be no shortage of punters lining up for a spell on the mattress, beneath the masseuse's healing hands.

Ubiqitious Thai massage clinic, in Wyong (Australia, 2024)

Whether it is a side effect of my meds or an early symptom of Huntington's Disease, or simply run-of-the-mill anxiety, I often clench my jaws and grind my teeth when asleep, and wake up with a stiff neck. One of my Chinese students, Nico, suggested that I try acupuncture as a potential remedy. It has a 2000-year history in the Middle Kingdom, where it is credited for curing practically every malady or disorder under the sun. More specifically, benefits include pain relief, improved circulation, stress release, boosted immunity, and restoration of the body's original Qi (energy system). In TCM, it is believed that Qi must flow freely to maintain optimum health.

According to the Lee Massage website: "Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medicine practice that involves inserting fine, sterile needles into specific acupoints on the body to balance the flow of energy (Qi). This treatment is used to alleviate pain, treat musculoskeletal disorders, reduce inflammation, and improve overall well-being."

In late February I telephoned my local Lee Massage clinic at Tuggerah Westfield, and arranged an appointment for their acupuncture treatment. Nico warned that it usually takes a number of sessions for results to appear. 

On the way to my first session at the ungodly hour at 8.30am, I passed by a rival Chinese clinic at the mall. There was a poster in the window celebrating Lunar New Year.

Not my acupuncture clinic, but in the same basic ballpark (Australia, 2026)

I strolled on upstairs, where I located Lee Massage's facility on the second floor. The manager accompanied me to a booth inside which they were playing Chinese classical music, whimsical and evocative. The scrolls on the walls made me feel like I was back in Japan.

Motivational scrolls on the walls of my booth, at Lee Massage (Australia, 2026)

I later asked Chat GPT to translate that piece of calligraphy and this is what it said:

"天道酬勤
Tiān dào chóu qín
Heaven rewards diligence"

Hard work is rewarded, in other words... and boy was it hard work, lying on that bench getting poked and prodded with minute needles by my male masseuse. Although the session was only supposed to be an hour, it seemed to drag on much longer. From time to time, the masseuse would twist or move the needles, and I would detect tiny, very peculiar electric shocks emanating from that particular acupoint. "Tight," he said, squeezing my neck and shoulders. Yes, tight and sore, indeed... that's why I was there. I sought solace in the whimsical background music, and the motivational scrolls on the walls.

Heaven rewards diligence, and some lines from the I Ching (Australia, 2026)

The acupuncturist and his manager convinced me to return the following week, confirming Nico's suspicion that one session would not be enough. So I went again, and the second round of therapy was just as gruelling as the first. It was like there was increased electric zapping all through my body, even in places they hadn't even needled. Was that the mysterious Qi energy in action, I contemplated. Dining in the foodcourt later I had a dramatic jolt in my heart, which alarmed me. Jolts were also assaulting my jaws and cheeks.

After my third session, there was a tingling in my toes which shot all the way to my neck. In the school of reflexology, toes are connected to the trigeminal nerve, the largest cranial nerve, responsible for transmitting sensory information (touch, pain, temperature) from the face and mouth to the brain and controlling the chewing muscles. It has three main branches, the ophthalmic, maxillary, and mandibular nerves, that provide sensation to the forehead, cheeks, and jaw, respectively. 

Recalling my Vagabondic post on "rebellious Qi" being blamed for causing panic attacks, I wondered if my visits to Lee Massage were redirecting energy towards my feet from the upper regions of my body, where it has run amok for so long. On that matter, the Burong (ST-19) acupuncture point can assist energy to descend, and I think I have had a needle inserted there. Jianjing (GB 21) might also be useful in regulating Qi and reducing neck pain. I found myself urinating a lot at this stage, which is supposedly is a common side effect and cleanses the body of toxins.

Acupuncture can also be helpful for confronting Huntington's Disease. According to TCM, this disorder is an example of "endogenus wind".

After my fourth session, I had tingling in my fingers (Zhongchong (P9) point) and knees, although I didn't receive any acupuncture in these joints. I noticed some more tingling in my cheeks.

A few days later, I experienced what felt like an endorphin rush, a natural high. Is it possible that robust massage can get you high? If so, then I can't believe I waited so long before discovering it!

On April 18, following my sixth session, I remember wondering about what had happened to my familiar neck and back pain. Was it fading? I was also feeling slightly more energetic. Was this just a placebo, or a direct result of acupuncture?

Two days later, on the morning of my seventh session, I realized that I was getting (somewhat) accustomed to the early rising. The massage and needling wasn't as painful as it used to be, too. I was making progress, at last! As always, the masseuse and occasionally pushy manager at Lee Massage urged me to return next week. I obliged them, but reluctantly. After all, I only originally wanted to try acupuncture once, to cross it off the bucket list you might say. I never imagined making it a permanent routine, costing me $120 per week.

So, I persevered for another month. Then reality finally hit: Bitcoin was faltering, leaving me running short of cash. Just as in 2022, the rebound of April had proven to be a dead cat bounce. On top of that, I was tired of waking up early every Monday morning. Endorphin rushes might be nice, but there are cheaper ways of obtaining them (such as teaching 8 lessons in a row on iTalki!) If acupuncture was truly working, then why did I need to go back again and again for more? I had given it long enough, I reasoned. It was time to end this experiment.

Another acupuncture place, Central Coast TCM, in Wyong (Australia, 2026)

Shortly thereafter, I embarked on a new experiment, thereby crossing another box off of my bucket list: I subscribed to a premium account on X.