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Accupuncture for spinal pain and update

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 12/22/2015 8:06 PM (GMT -5)
Greetings friends!
First off I want to wish my CP friends a Mery Christmas! I know this is a hard time for us. Daily living is hard enough, extra demands on time and energy make things very hard. But I hope we can all savor the good moments.

As an update for those that remember me, I just got approved for disability retirement. Bittersweet......since I loved my job but just can't do it. I continue to have a lot of chronic pain in my neck, upper back, low back and nerve pain down my legs. A recent epidural did help with my leg pain quite a bit.

So my question is, those of you that have facet arthrosis and degenerative disks (ruptured etc) have you had any success with acupuncture treatments? Have you had it make you worse? If it helped, did it take more than one visit? Any suggestions?

I went today and when she stuck a needle in my ankle it made my low back go into spasm and later the area around my ankle was red and tender. I had to go to the grocery store afterwards and my pain is high from that outing so I can't tell if it has helped or not. But I keep getting that spasm even now. I have not experienced this specific pain before.

Any input is helpful.
Posted 12/22/2015 10:22 PM (GMT -5)
TallerNow, back when I did it for my neck the needs were stuck along the sides of my spine & shoulders. They tried it years later for low back issues & the needs were stuck along the spine. Not sure what their theory is putting a needle in your ankle, but everyone does things differently too.

I did go to a massage therapist for many years for migraines, neck & back pain. Millie would work on an area around my ankle & could tell if I was having back spasms & she could get them to nearly stop. She was really old school, knew the dermatone patterns & incorporated some reflexology.

How many treatments does this person say you will need before knowing if its helping or not? The dr that did my acupuncture was an MD, who was trained to do the Chinese method. He always said if I could not tell a difference by the 3rd treatment it was not going to work. It was new back then & insurance did not pay for treatments, it was out of pocket.

I hope you can get some relief.
Posted 12/23/2015 11:53 AM (GMT -5)
Hi Susie,
I had needles from head to toes and it was done by my MD. She said if I get no benefit from even the first treatment that there is no reason to get another. And the way I feel this morning, there is no benefit.

I was told by several medical people including my PT that I should not have massage because I have hyper mobility syndrome and it will make me worse.

So I keep trying different things hoping that something aside from Norco and my recliner will ease my pain.

Wishing you and others a Merry Christmas!
TN
Posted 12/23/2015 2:36 PM (GMT -5)
Hi TN Many Many years ago after my first fusion at C6/7 I had acupuncture with electrical stimulus with it, and within a few minutes all my back muscles were in spasms, and I was contorted like a pretzel!! I pressed the emergency button and they came running in. It took them more than an hour to work the spasms out of my back, and I never had it done again!

I cannot tolerate massage or vibration on my back. One year my then wife brought me a back massage thing that goes on the back of a chair, I tried it once and then immediately took it back! Just couldn't tolerate it! I have massage built into my adjustable bed, but I never use it, it just causes me to have charley horses and spasms and I found it is just not worth using! So it your not alone with this type of condition! Ha

Anyway Good to hear from you, and hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

White Beard
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