I mentioned the other day that I was "losing my grip". This wasn't just a figure of speech. Though there isn't a great deal to be done for tennis elbow, the doctor did recommend that I try some physiotherapy, so that's what I went to do this morning. When the physio tested the strength of my grip it became clear that my right (problem) arm is now considerably weaker than my left.
She made me do various exercises, some of which hurt more than others. She did some ultrasound treatment on my elbow, and wrapped it in a hot pad for a while. All of this may or may not have done some good, I don't know yet.
But there was one truly magical treatment (and I may mean that literally). She had me try to grip something, and I couldn't do it well. Then she said "Now I will point this low-level laser at your elbow, and when I've finished you will be able to grip easily..." And it was true! I could, and - for that instant - with no pain at all.
The thing is, when she spoke she sounded like a hypnotist (and I know about this because I once underwent a course of hypnotherapy - on the NHS, can you believe it? - to try and cure my lifelong haemophobia). So was the laser actually achieving anything? Or was it just the power of suggestion? In which case I'm more suggestible than I used to be, because despite all that hypnosis I still faint at the sight of blood.
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