Tailbone Injury from a fall: acute pain
Modalities used: Combo: Bowen , Colorpuncture, Microcurrent and Chinese Auricular Therapies
First Treatment:
Anna, (not her real name) in her mid thirties, came in for severe pain after slipping and falling, injuring her tailbone. Pain was present not only at the tailbone-sacrum area, but also aggravated her ongoing neck pain. Her headaches became worse also.
Prior to this, Anna had been receiving acupuncture (with needles) for extreme premenstrual symptoms of anger and chronic neck pain. It was going well since she had gotten to the point where it no longer lasted two weeks out of the month. But because of her extreme fatigue and stress level of handling four very young children, more time was needed. When this accident happened, it was recommended for her to temporarily discontinue these treatments in order to focus on this immediate problem.
From our experience, tailbone injuries left unattended will cause the entire spine to have problems later, as it forms the support of the entire vertebra. We often find a past tailbone injury, perhaps many years ago, had allowed a seemingly untreatable chronic back or neck pain to develop. Then when the tailbone was targeted as a last resort, even though it was long forgotten and no longer hurting, it would allow the back or neck to finally respond to treatment.
In Anna’s case, the first treatment utilized Bowen Therapy "moves", which are precise crossfiber rolls over a muscle. The areas targeted were the lower and upper back, hamstrings, neck and shoulder. This was to release the tension from the entire body first before going directly to the tailbone, which was still highly reactive.
Instead, Esogetic Colorpuncture was utilized, owing to Anna’s past history of emotional stress and fatigue. It was important not to drain her energies. Too much Bowen therapy, although extremely gentle, can be too much in some situations. Reactions from increased blood flow will often cause strong achiness the next day. Therefore for Anna, the colorpuncture enables different frequencies of information to go directly into the acupuncture meridians to soothe and balance the body to help her pain. Colorpuncture theory according to Peter Mandel, a German naturopath and acupuncturist, is a very thorough, extremely detailed and precise science. It treats every disorder and pain imaginable.
The colors of red, infrared, and green were used on the ear points according to the Chinese auricular system. The tailbone and knee auricular points were chosen to send the signals of communication quickly to activate the body’s healing response, again calling upon the innate intelligence of the body.
Anna also received some small metal beads, affixed by tape, onto her auricular coccyx point. She was told to press on the beads, one in each ear, several times a day to stimulate the point.
2nd treatment: 5 days later
Anna’s tailbone pain was no longer a constant pain. It would come and go, which shows the body is gaining control and in the process of healing. The neck pain was much improved also.
Now that the pain was less acute, it was time to do a Bowen move directly on the tailbone. But first, the upper and lower back was again released. After the tailbone procedure, Anna was left alone in order for her nervous system to process the instructions and to begin to correct the flow. People often vary in what they can feel during this time of rest. Some people feel nothing but deep relaxation and fall asleep. But often people will describe sensations of warmth, electricity, tingling, heaviness or indescribable subtle movements.
Again, colorpuncture was used. This time the colors were directed to the forehead, where the specific tailbone area was able to be targeted according to a specific protocol unique to esogetic colorpuncture theory.
Also, beads were again taped onto the auricular coccyx point and instructions given to press them several times a day for a minute each time.
3rd treatment: 1 week later
Anna’s tailbone pain was, in her words, "100% better". She said she was "aware of it" when sitting, but really no more pain. The neck was also a lot better.
In this third treatment, the purpose was to consolidate the gain by continuing to increase circulation and to send signals of repair to the body. Again, Bowen moves on the upper and lower back helped to relax and release tension in the body. When the lower back was done, Anna felt a strong throbbing directly in her tailbone. That confirmed there was still more stagnation in that area, otherwise the tailbone area would not feel the increased movement from those Bowen moves. The throbbing comes from the resistance of the energetic block still in this area, slowing the flow of Qi/energy through this area. Temporarily, there is excess energy here and the body translates it as throbbing, achiness or even increased pain.
Because of this, it was decided to use microcurrent therapy to move the energy through. The interferential method was used, where two lines of microcurrent at very different frequencies and waveforms crisscross each other. Microcurrent is also a good choice for Anna since it can restore the bioelectric potential in this area. Remember that she is already always stressed and tired from her day-to-day responsibilities and a traumatized area is always left undercharged. Therefore, she would have a more difficult time, or at least a slower time as her energies are tapped out daily. Microcurrent is different from a Tens Unit or regular electrical current often used in clinical settings that have been dampened down to a "microcurrent". There is no substitute for true microcurrent, as this is much more biocompatible to the body.
The microcurrent probes also targeted her neck areas as well as two points of Master Tung’s Points, which are very effective and clinically proven points discovered by Master Tung. They are not the classical acupuncture points. Many acupuncturists add these points to their protocol. The effectiveness of them depend on locating them accurately.
Summary
By the end of 3 treatments, the main problem was resolved. More work, as mentioned, needs to be done in resolving her responsibilities and emotional conflicts.