Monday, June 21, 2004
Acupuncture
In an effort to relieve the numbness and discomfort in my face, I have begun acupuncture treatment. Last week I went to see Dr. Tsao, an acupuncturist to whom I received a referral from a friend. When I met with her and told her my story, she said right off that she could help me. I explained to her that when I applied pressure to my face on the left side, that I could feel pressure as if there is still lingering swelling in the area. She said she could tell the moment I walked in her office that my face was swollen. With acupuncture and with massaging of my face, she explained, we will be able to make the swelling go down and get rid of the toughness/stiffness. The numbness, however, will still take a long time to go away. The first treatment, she applied needles to my face and put me under a heat lamp and had me lay there for 30 minutes. On the subsequent visits she added an electrc current to the needles, providing continuous stimulation. A couple of the needles hurt a little bit when going in. Others I barely feel at all. Once the electricity has been activated, it feels like a face massage. In the past week I have had four treatments. When I am home or at work, I massage the areas on my face that are affected. While there is virtually no change in the numbness, I do feel that the swelling and stiffness is in fact being relieved.
In an effort to relieve the numbness and discomfort in my face, I have begun acupuncture treatment. Last week I went to see Dr. Tsao, an acupuncturist to whom I received a referral from a friend. When I met with her and told her my story, she said right off that she could help me. I explained to her that when I applied pressure to my face on the left side, that I could feel pressure as if there is still lingering swelling in the area. She said she could tell the moment I walked in her office that my face was swollen. With acupuncture and with massaging of my face, she explained, we will be able to make the swelling go down and get rid of the toughness/stiffness. The numbness, however, will still take a long time to go away. The first treatment, she applied needles to my face and put me under a heat lamp and had me lay there for 30 minutes. On the subsequent visits she added an electrc current to the needles, providing continuous stimulation. A couple of the needles hurt a little bit when going in. Others I barely feel at all. Once the electricity has been activated, it feels like a face massage. In the past week I have had four treatments. When I am home or at work, I massage the areas on my face that are affected. While there is virtually no change in the numbness, I do feel that the swelling and stiffness is in fact being relieved.
Monday, June 14, 2004
Getting a New Orthodontist
With Dr. Weston graduating next month, I am getting a new orthodontist at NYU. So my my appointment last week was with both Dr. Weston and my new ortho, Dr. Weinstein. And of course Dr. Han saw me as well, as always. They didn't change anything for me. I am to continue wearing the elastics, the ones on the sides 24/7 and the box elastic in front at night only. Since my top archwire had drifted to the right since my last appointment, making it difficult for me to hook the band into the top right loop, they put some sort of stop on the top wire to prevent it fron slipping again. On the bottom, they took out my lower archwire and powerchain, and gave me a new powerchain, this time underneath the archwire. It is painful when they pop open the brackets on the bottom.
How My Teeth Are Moving
The elastics have helped improve my bite quite significantly in the past five weeks. My lower jaw feels a little sore from time to time. The gap on the bottom where the incisor was pulled has closed considerably, so there is progress there as well. I really wish, however, that the large gap between my two front teeth, the black triangle as Dr. Weston calls it, would close up. Dr. Weinstein mentioned that he wants to reposition one of my front brackets, so perhaps that will help.
Bromelain and Quercetin
With my post-SARPE facial numbness and discomfort continuing and after gettng no help from my dentists and medical doctors, I am going to be pursuing alternative methods of treatment, including possibly acupuncure and/or herbal medicine. I have been researching this on the internet, and my first step is to try bromelain, which is a pineapple plant extract, and quercitin, an antioxidant. Both are supposed to reduce swelling and inflammation, though the former is apparently more effective if taken before surgery not after. I've been taking these for almost a week now, but I can't really tell if they are helping.
With Dr. Weston graduating next month, I am getting a new orthodontist at NYU. So my my appointment last week was with both Dr. Weston and my new ortho, Dr. Weinstein. And of course Dr. Han saw me as well, as always. They didn't change anything for me. I am to continue wearing the elastics, the ones on the sides 24/7 and the box elastic in front at night only. Since my top archwire had drifted to the right since my last appointment, making it difficult for me to hook the band into the top right loop, they put some sort of stop on the top wire to prevent it fron slipping again. On the bottom, they took out my lower archwire and powerchain, and gave me a new powerchain, this time underneath the archwire. It is painful when they pop open the brackets on the bottom.
How My Teeth Are Moving
The elastics have helped improve my bite quite significantly in the past five weeks. My lower jaw feels a little sore from time to time. The gap on the bottom where the incisor was pulled has closed considerably, so there is progress there as well. I really wish, however, that the large gap between my two front teeth, the black triangle as Dr. Weston calls it, would close up. Dr. Weinstein mentioned that he wants to reposition one of my front brackets, so perhaps that will help.
Bromelain and Quercetin
With my post-SARPE facial numbness and discomfort continuing and after gettng no help from my dentists and medical doctors, I am going to be pursuing alternative methods of treatment, including possibly acupuncure and/or herbal medicine. I have been researching this on the internet, and my first step is to try bromelain, which is a pineapple plant extract, and quercitin, an antioxidant. Both are supposed to reduce swelling and inflammation, though the former is apparently more effective if taken before surgery not after. I've been taking these for almost a week now, but I can't really tell if they are helping.
