Relief!

Finally went to a sinseh, after a night of intermitten sleep, no thanks to waking up whenever I turned over in my sleep and a really painful moment when I did my usual morning-wakeup rollover to check the time . A colleague recommended a "神医" (in her words), who took care of her back problems. It was as well that the clinic is at Telok Blangah, which is just at turn around the office (actually there was another, but was a bit further away in town).

The sinseh's popularity is well seen..as I had to wait for at least 1 hour before it was my turn. By the time it was my turn, I was bored stiff staring at the (empty) pavement outside the clinic. As I limped in, the sinseh asked: “什么事？” “拉到背” and told me to sit with my back facing him. He started from the shoulders and then the shoulder blades. He then tapped my right shoulder blade ,“哪， 这里有问题.."

O_o But...It's actually my left back? And he hasn't even reach there.

“你们年轻人哈，以为这边痛，就是这边有问题。什么x-ray, painkillers, 怎么医都不会好。 等一下我做给你看”

And told me to lay flat on the bed facing down, and pressed my right shoulder blade

“啊～！”

And pressed the inside of my right knee

“啊～!!！”

“痛对吗?”

(I can feel the sadistic snigger in his comment..)

A few seconds later I can feel A NEEDLE on the top of my spine. The sinseh said something about the right side of the brain to the left side of the body and left side of the brain to right side of the body but the only thing that was running my through my mind was "ohmygodpleasemakesurethattheneedledonthitthewrongspot.."

I think it lasted a few seconds, and then he said "来，吸气..." and just as I was still breathing in he pressed down the whole back (those who went under the sports council physios would have known what that is for and how it felt - it would be you in between the concrete ground and the physios, who so far have all been quite weighty people, and they lean their weight against you . It feels like your rib cage is going to crash under the weight of that physios, ..the mental image can be quite worrying but it was a joy to have that after training every time).

I can hear all the bones cracking off and "hahhhh...". Instantaneous relief.

“来，转身”. And I flipped myself. And it took me one second to realise that I can turn painlessly.

And then he did the lower back crack with the left leg across the body while pressing the left shoulder down. Another series of cracks. And he showed me some stretching exercises for the lower back (feels like I am back in SCC).

“ok..来， 坐这边" and pointed to a stool. When I was seated, he did the most amazing contortionistic manouever that I can ever imagine, by grabbing my legs, twisted my torso, and up to now I didn't know what/how it happened. But my shoulders and back went cracking like firecrackers within that few seconds. Did the other direction. and then my head and shoulders.

I wonder if the persons waiting outside the sinseh's room can hear them.

But I can walk!

After a few reminders (“你们不要每次只会吃painkillers!你们哈.." I really wonder who is the "你们" and he taught me some exercise to balance the back muscles), he gave me some med and I was on my way out...walking properly. While in the car, I sms-ed my colleague "He's really very good". She replied," ya, is he quite fierce? did he scold you?". Basket..never warn me in advance..but it's worth the visit!

Now the back is a bit sore, since it must have been a while that the back was so knotted up. But at least I think I can flip over in my sleep more comfortably tonight!