Bugs receives possible benefit from repeated zapping and stabbing

I enjoy reading about the bedside treatments of past presidents as death approached them (probably more than they would).  George Washington came down with what his doctors determined was “inflammatory quincy” and underwent (with their recommendation) four rounds of bloodletting after “procuring a bleeder in the neighborhood”. He was also given vapors of vinegar and water (which must have felt wonderful on his infected epiglottis) , and ten grains of calomel succeeded by repeated doses of emetic tartar, all “with no other effect than a copious discharge from the bowels”.   Things didn’t improve much over the next 40 years as William Harrison was given similar treatment with the additional remedies of castor oil, leaches, snakeweed, and opium for his pneumonia.   Another 40 years brings us to the death bed of another short term president – James Garfield – who had a bullet lodged in his abdomen. At least in his case some actual science was applied, first by Alexander Bell who construed a metal detector to find the lodged bullet and by a few engineers who assembled a primitive air conditioning machine. No sign of science on the medical side as the doctors continued to use their unwashed hands to dig around for the bullet.   After 100 some years of modern medicine we are appalled at the idea of using bloodletting and blisters. However, there are other practices which elude evidence based science but are thriving today.  These eastern treatments include for example acupuncture (which apparently had origins in bloodletting).  I am not sure how it is supposed to work but all that may matter is that people believe it works because the mind is extremely important to the recovery process (even if the immune system is actually responsible).  Thus, even if the mechanism is not as claimed, it still works and that is all that is important.

I note this because Bugs now suffers from an idiopathic vestibular disorder.  Essentially some part of the system used to maintain balance and perceive and predict motion has malfunctioned.  The source of the problem is either the amazing 3-axis accelerometers on the lateral sides of his skull or in the portion of of his nervous system that processes input from these and other sensors (eyes, ears).  Whatever it is, his body is sensing constant acceleration where there is none, not dissimilar to when you get the spins after getting a bit too tipsy.  He has really adjusted well. His spontaneous vestibular-ocular reflex has all but disappeared and he has methods for getting down the stairs and onto the bed.  He no longer jumps up or down but otherwise is doing well.  Our vet tested for everything he could and we decided to forgo dragging him to Angell for a PET scan.  The vet finally suggested, with a bit of hesitation, acupuncture.  He said he had seen improvement in previous cases after a few rounds. Cristin took him in and he had a session followed by laser light therapy (also used to regrow hair, cure carpal tunnel, and help people to quit smoking). When Bugs came home Cristin concluded that he had greatly improved from the session.  I was not completely convinced but found myself agreeing there were some positive changes.  Perhaps Bugs was simply determined to appear as if he was better so that we would never take him back to the vet to get stabbed in the head with tiny needles and shot at with lasers.  If this was his strategy, then it failed because he went back for his second session today with two more to go.  We don’t have a control cat so we will never know if it is really working but I have decided to believe that it is, well the acupuncture is, the laser light therapy is a total sham.