Acupuncture / Dry needling experiences/queries.

[suzannehorne]

Has anyone tried acupuncture (sp?) for back pain in relation to hypermobility syndrome. I have a curve in my spine (8 degrees), has so much bsck pain, along with numbness and pins and needles. My GP has suggested acupuncture but I am scared of needles etc, and would not like to put my self through it unless it would be beneficial.

Modnote: Please use this existing topic to discuss Acupuncture. You can search within the topic (top left) for particular treatments/joints/symptoms and so on.

[Sez]

Yes - I loved it!

I'm a big fan of alternative medicine: meditation, acupuncture, reiki, etc, and am training on my Reiki level one atm.

I found acupuncture to be really helpful during the sessions, and I chilled out and relaxed a lot. Am somewhat phobic of needles, but this was actually very helpful in overcoming my fear. I also loved the heat techniques that were used, such as incense sticks being held against the end of the needles so that the metal conducted the heat into my body - what an incredible feeling.

However, I found that after the sessions, after maybe a day or two, the pain would be a lot worse, and would continue to be really bad until the next session, so eventually I stopped going. However, different people react in different ways, so you may get on with this better than I did.

[Rachel1985]

Hi,

I have had accupuncture on my arm/hand/shoulder area recently by a private physio that I see fo rmy HMS.

Whether or not you respond to it is pretty much an individual thing as far as i'm aware. I didn't particularly notice any great improvements, but i'm still glad i tried it, otherwise i'd be wondering what if all of the time.

As for being scared of needles, if you're really in that much pain surely it's worth trying it - you've got nothing to lose and maybe lots to gain. Also as it's your back, the needles will probably be in that area & so you won't see them anyway.

I can honestly say it really does not hurt in any way. I got a slight tingley feeling in one of the points on my hand and a felt a bit achey afterwards but that was it.

Give it a go - it's nothign like the needles used in injections etc, they'er so fine you won't feel them go in & even if you do feel a slight sensation it doesn't hurt!

good luck

[LianneS]

Im also into alternative treatments, hate taking tablets etc for pain so avoid as much as possible.... I started another thread about reflexology as Im training to become a reflexologist, am also hoping to do Reiki Sez!!

As for acupuncture, I have a great friend who has always suffered badly with hayfever, she is absolutely petrified of needles but wanted to go for acupuncture,it took a while for her to pluck up the courage because of her needle fear but all I can say now is she cannot stop raving about it. She had no hayfever this year at all (ok I know its not hayfever youre suffering with but still). Id say go for it and give it a go, if you find it doesnt help you havent really lost much (apart from money!!) but it could make a huge difference to you.

Good luck and let us know how you get on with it (if you do it)

Lianne

[Retro]

As Rachael said it seems to differ from person to person, I had it years ago for the pain I was having in my wrist and ended up worse off! According to the GP that did it I had an unusually bad reaction to it, my whole arm from shoulder to fingers swelled up.

[flyingfairy]

I have to say it isn't a bad as you think it will be. I am scared stiff of needles i am that bad if someone came anywhere near me with a needle i would punch em and trust me i did when i was younger. But when i was really nad with my shoulders and there weren't many options left i tryed it. I have to say you don't feel most of the em. I have to say i didn't get much relief from them. My physio always tryed to make me relax but i found it very difficult. But if you are in that much pain i would give it a go. It is better than being in pain. I personally find a really rough message from my osteopath works well.

[Hayley]

When I saw my GP on Wednesday, I told her my tales of woe regarding Tramadol etc she offered me acupuncture. I've decided to try it because I feel I have nothing to lose since I'm not taking painkillers at the moment and am in severe pain. Fingers crossed!

Hayley

[Retro]

A word of caution...you can have an allergic reaction to acupuncture

I tried acupuncture about 13/14 years ago for my wrist pain and my arm from my shoulder down swelled up.

edit: Didn't realise I'd already posted about my horrible experience.

[nonyanomemory]

i have had both success and failure with acupuncture, years ago for a particularly bad episode of drooping eyelid which was really beneficial; then a very poor experience a few years back which has put me off i am afraid. I had a similar experience to Retro but this was for lower back pain and the physio who did it felt that maybe he should have been more cautious as I have thin skin and that maybe my nerve endings are nearer the surface or some such thing.

Make sure the acupuncturist is good if you know what I mean, make sure they understand the condition and procede with caution - what works for some may not work for another. I am sure my experience was just one of those 'odd' things but certainly wouldn't want anyone else to have it.

For the time it worked I would definately say it was fine - that time!
nonya

[mindsquatter]

Thought I'd tag this on the end, rather than start a new post.
There was a programme on BBC2 last night about acupuncture, where they did a (wholly scientific) experiment which appears to show that, during acupuncture, the area of the brain believed to form part of the pain matrix, is deactivated, or at least is less active than normal.

There was another study mentioned which appeared to show accupuncture works for sufferers of osteoarthritis of the knee, although the man who did it wouldn't comment on whether it would work for other types of pain.

For anyone interested, click here to see the programme's website

[kayadlington]

Thanks for the link Michelle.

I missed the show, and wondered what it was about. I'm going to have a quick look at it now.

Kay

[Mari]

Hello,
I saw the show and thought it was very interesting. As you say, Michelle, it was a scientific experiment and I had the impression the Professor who presented the show wasn't very convinced at the beginning but was excited by the results.

It made me wonder about giving it another go for the sake of pain relief.

Any success yet Hayley?

Mari

[sanguine_emma]

My one and only experience of acupuncture was a disaster. It was by a chiropracter and I don't think she really knew what she was doing. She stuck needles in my arm, and managed to go straight through a biggish vein (my skin is translucent so they are really easy to spot as well). Needless to say I had a gigantic bruise, and absolutely no pain relief effect. It did put me off rather.

[Guest]

acupuncture literally changed my life. Due to hypermobility I lived my entire life in a haze through lack of sleep, diazepam and dyhydracodeine. I had 3 months worth and the pain has practically gone and I am off ALL tablets for the pain.

I was completely cynical before I went, did not expect it to work in the slightest.....

i think it literally stopped me ending it all!

[Green Thistle]

loulou, I'm very interested in your post as I'm having major probs with my back and ribs popping out and have tried lots of things. Did acupuncture help to make you less hypermobile and increase stability or was it mainly pain relief (which is also good of course!)?

Thanks, Heather.