Case Studies
Case 6: Sixty-Nine-Year-Old Ulcerated Leg
C. was a sixty-nine-year-old woman from a poor country. She presented with a 2 ½ inch ulcer on her lower right inside ankle. Her foot was very dark in color and there was much swelling. C. was on ibuprofen, which she had been on long term, but complained of pain daily from the ulcer. C. had had the ulcer for nine years. She had seen doctors, she had had a skin graft that had fallen out and she had even tried a bush doctor, all to no avail. So C. was managing it herself, washing it daily, applying an ointment and bandaging it up. C. came to see me because she was tired of having it and hoped I could help. Family history reflected that ulcers were an issue and that they appeared to be from poor circulation.
Prescription:
I suggested to C. that she comes daily for ten consecutive days for acupuncture and I said I would also incorporate some healing and use of essential oil.
Session 1: Duration 1 ½ Hours
I used ten 30×30 needles as I wanted to give the leg some good stimulation. The needles were used in close and distal proximity but in the lower leg only, from the knee to the ankle. The acupuncture treatment lasted for forty minutes. The wound was already cleaned prior to arrival and myrrh essential oil was placed on the ulcer and a clean bandage applied. A few minutes of healing was also given but patient not too open to healing at the moment. I encouraged C. to start to take three ten-minute walks a day to encourage circulation, to take 1–3 cups a day of ginger tea and to ensure when sitting that her legs were raised.
Session 2: Duration 1 Hour
On arrival C. complained of having more pain than usual that morning and also said she had been feeling extremely grumpy that day. I explained that that is what I expected due to the sudden movement of trapped and stagnant qi and blood.
This session, I used five 30×30 needles and five 18×30 needles as I wanted to continue the stimulation. The needles were used in close and distal proximity but in the lower leg only, from the knee to the ankle. The acupuncture treatment lasted for forty minutes. The wound was already cleaned prior to arrival and myrrh essential oil was placed on the ulcer and a clean bandage applied. About ten minutes of healing was also given. C. was encouraged to try the three ten-minute walks as she hadn’t done them and to continue taking the ginger tea.
Session 3: 1 ½ Hours
This session I had C. lay front down on the couch so that I could commence with a basic light massage of the entire leg as well as her back. The needles were placed in the ankle area after I had finished massaging the leg. I used only four needles in the ankle, two 18×30 and two 30×30. I massaged the back and shoulders briefly and placed sixteen 30×30 needles between the shoulders and coccyx.
The acupuncture treatment lasted for forty minutes. The wound was already cleaned prior to arrival and myrrh essential oil was placed on the ulcer and a clean bandage applied. C. was encouraged to try and complete the three ten-minute walks as she had only managed one and to continue taking the ginger tea.
Following on from the last appointment, C. cancelled any future appointments, when I asked her why, she said that she could see that her ulcer was healing, and after thinking about it, she decided she didn’t want it healed because family would stop giving her the help she needed on a daily basis with everyday chores.
We are The Quantum Warrior, The Master Architect of our life – Braveheart
