FUN N SUN

NELSON'S NOTES #55

San Benito, Texas

Dec. 29, 2005

ELECTRO-ACUPUNCTURE

At this visit I had only two needles; one time I had eight.

The needles in my low back stimulate the nerves that go to my brain. Then the brain tells the muscles in the low back to relax so there will be less pressure on the nerves that are causing pain in my hip, leg and foot. The procedure is not painful and carries no risks. I was charged $40 for each treatment (I had five).

In electro-acupuncture, the cable from the needles is hooked up to a computer, which puts a micro-current in the body. I felt tiny pulsations for a few seconds at the beginning of each 20-minute acupuncture procedure. The electrical current increases the stimulation of the nerves at the acupuncture point. It has been used for the last few years by acupuncturists who have bought this expensive, new equipment.

Acupuncture itself has been practiced for 4,700 years. During the last 25 years more as been learned than in all the other years combined.

ACUPUNCTURE, SCIATICA AND ME

Unfortunately, I seem to be in the small group in which acupuncture doesn't work for sciatica. (The medications my doctor prescribed didn't work either.) I still have the pain that began six months ago. An MRI showed spinal stenosis and a disc bulge at the L4/L5 level, and these are causing the pain. It starts in my right hip and goes down my leg, sometimes to my foot. I can't stand comfortably and can't walk more than 100 yards. However, I do shop, because I am able to lean forward a little on a shopping cart. This position takes pressure off the nerves in my back. Sitting is also comfortable, and I do as many chores as possible while sitting down. Bruce is very understanding and helpful and, among other things, does the dishes every night. I can't stand up that long, especially at the end of the day.

Here I am at the Rio Rehabilitation Center exercising on a Theraball. During my 11 physical therapy sessions, I learned to strengthen the core muscles and do leg stretches that promote nerve gliding. I continue to exercise and stretch every day. For aerobic exercise, I pedal a Schwinn Airdyne at least 30 miles a week.

YAHOO SNOOPS ON GROUPS

If you belong to any Yahoo Group, you are being tracked. Yahoo is now using something called "Web Beacons" (similar to cookies) to track Yahoo Group users around the Net and see what they're doing. Yahoo is recording every website and every group you visit.

Take a look at their updated privacy statement at http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy. When you're at the site, here's how you can protect your information. About half-way down the page, in the section on cookies, click on the link that says "Web Beacons." That will bring you to a paragraph entitled "Outside the Yahoo Network." In this section you'll see a little "click here to opt out" link that will let you "opt-out" of their new method of snooping. Once you have clicked that link, you are exempted. Note: Be careful when you get to the "Success" message on the top of the next page. if you click on the "Cancel Opt-out" button, you'll undo your opt-out.

Thanks to Lynne Benjamin from the Penwheels Yahoo group for sending this information.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!

Marianna and Bruce

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