As a traditionally trained physician practicing internal medicine in southwest Georgia, I have long adhered to the established principles of Western medicine. However, over the past six months, I have introduced a modified version of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) into my practice, witnessing remarkable successes and invaluable benefits for my patients.
While I continue to treat my patients as I always have, I now incorporate tapping or acupressure on specific points to alleviate acute discomfort during our visits, provided the circumstances allow. Let me share a compelling story that unfolded within the realm of this intervention.
Bill, a 60-year-old gentleman whom I treat for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, received a routine flu shot administered by my assistant. Initially, there were no apparent issues.
The following morning, however, he contacted me, describing an alarming development—he had begun experiencing throbbing pain and swelling in his left arm, mere hours after receiving the vaccination.
When he arrived at my office, the area of swelling was comparable in size to half a hard-boiled egg. The intensity of the discomfort rendered the touch of his shirt sleeve unbearable, with the affected area on his arm displaying a vivid redness and heightened warmth. Recording his temperature at 100.5, I observed beads of cold sweat on his forehead, known as diaphoresis, further compounding his distress.
I prescribed an antihistamine, pain medication, and a dose of steroids, advising him to have these filled and taken immediately. Furthermore, I urged him to notify us without delay if he encountered any breathing difficulties or felt at risk of losing consciousness.
Just as he was about to depart my office, clutching his prescriptions, an instinct propelled me to do EFT with him, with the goal of alleviating his discomfort until the prescribed medications could be procured.
While the act of tapping on various points provided some relief, it was when I tapped on a specific spot on the inside of his left elbow, an acupuncturist’s reference point known as L5, that a remarkable transformation occurred.
Bill’s exclamation spoke volumes: “Wow! That is helping a lot.” In just the ensuing 30 seconds, as I continued tapping on L5, the inflamed, swollen lump diminished exponentially, down to approximately one-tenth its original size. The vibrant redness faded and he reported his agonizing pain had suddenly subsided. Remarkably, his low-grade fever also dissipated, and the diaphoresis ceased.
Bill even demonstrated the astonishing improvement by bouncing his fist against the previously exquisitely tender spot, now miraculously devoid of discomfort. A grin spread across his face at this abrupt end to his acute distress.
When I reconnected with Bill approximately a month later, he reported that the pain and swelling had never resurfaced, prompting him to forgo filling the prescriptions I had initially prescribed.
This instance stood as one of the most extraordinary demonstrations of the power of acupoint stimulation that I have encountered, further reinforcing the countless daily instances of healing I now bear witness to in my practice when using EFT tapping.
My traditional medical training, encompassing anatomy, physiology, and pathology, provided no framework for the revelations I now see patients experience using this tool. The dramatic improvements unfolding before my eyes testify to the need for important revisions and redirected research in our understanding of the human body and mind.
