rappeports: July 7, 2020, 3:00am
I’m curious how everyone is managing as we reopen our acupuncture practices with reading facial expressions
after the needles are inserted since patients are wearing masks. I put the needles in and return after 5 minutes to
check in to see if my diagnosis is on target and pre-COVID I was developing a pretty good feel for noticing the
desired change in facial expression most of the time. I’m having some difficulty with this now and find myself
resorting to asking the patient how they’re doing and trying to read their voice, more than their eyes. I realize now
that the relaxation around the jaw and mouth is super important. I’m curious how others are managing this. I’m
assuming everyone has their patients keep their masks on during treatment. I’m even thinking about turning my
tables around so I can see the eyes and foreheads more easily when I open the door. Also, the light in my room is
quite dim so it’s tricky to see the way the room is set up.
KristinWisgirda: July 7, 2020, 2:01pm
Yes! Masks are a challenge. I am relying on eyes, hands, shoulders, and breathing. As well, I am training more
patients to help me differentiate between deeply settled and not quite right. Certain patients, usually SJ excesses,
can do a good impression of relaxation because they think that is what they are supposed to do to help the
treatment work. Good thing that these are the patients are the easiest to train.
Until Sa’am, my treatment rooms were dimly lit. Now they are much brighter thanks to a variety of lamps that let
me fine tune the lighting. Judging changes on the face of same patients can be hard enough in a well lit room. I still
catch myself wanting to dim the lights but remind myself that no amount of mood lighting is going to counteract a
treatment that is not spot on. I dim the lights only when I see the patient is for sure where I want her to be.
Most of the time, I stay with the patient until I am sure the treatment is right. Only occasionally, when I am really
in the fence or suspect the cold or damp nature of the condition is slowing the response down, will I step out and
return to check again.
Looking forward to mask free days.
I still look at tongues in the office and am surprised at how many women are wearing lipstick under their masks.
Extra K excess points!
michaelmax: July 9, 2020, 11:47am
@rappeports I am having the same issue. With only eyes and forehead showing it is really hard.
So I’m going more with pulse now. And I’ve done some EV training, so spending more time with that kind of
subtle palpation. Covid is forcing me to use my other senses. Sometimes I put the needles in and it just does not
feel right in the room. I’m learning to listen and sense from… hummm… interesting… as I write this I think I’m23/01/2024, 11:58Checking the face while wearing a mask – Sa’am Clinical Questions – Qiological Community
https://forum.qiological.com/t/checking-the-face-while-wearing-a-mask/1128/print2/2
attending to how my solar plexus feels. I’m not sure about this, but as I strive to put words to what I’m doing in
clinic and working with this exact challenge, this is what is bubbling up.
I’ll have to attend more to this later today when I see patients.
I suspect this mask and covid situation will invite us into using other ways of sensing and might in the long run be
helpful for us as practitioners.