Post: #1

I recently stumbled upon acupuncture when trying to relieve my sciatica and it has helped more than anything else I tried.

I have almost no experience with Eastern medicine, except for dabbling with various herbs from Whole Foods over the years to treat mild illness. I was never impressed. (sidenote: I am a huge meditator and I love it, and this comes from the East). When I acquired sciatica from ignoring a chronically tight lower back by not only not treating it but compounding the problem by doing heavy squats and deadlifts regularly, I was in a lot of pain.

My insurance didn't cover Physical Therapy or a Chiropractor so I researched ways to treat it. I started doing yoga almost daily and I did specific physio stretches a few times per day. I also got a few professional massage. All of this helped incrementally but I didn't see complete relief in sight.

I am open-minded and since I have reaped amazing benefits from meditation and yoga, I tried acupuncture. Immediately after my first session, I didn't notice any improvement. I figured hey at least it's not worse. The next morning I woke up with less pain than I'd had since getting sciatica. I was thrilled. The pain gradually subsided over the next 2 days and I was feeling great. It was still there so I went in for another acupuncture session a week later (2 nights ago) and I'm at like 95%.

I'm really happy I gave it a chance. Have any of you tried it? Have any of you overcome sciatica or just a chronically tight back in general? especially athletes

Post: #2

Never tried acupuncture but I've wanted to.

I can't endorse heavy lifting enough. First it's important to understand where your sciatica and lower back pain/stiffness is coming from.

In my case I have subluxation at L4 and in my mid back. I've suffered lower back pain and undergone chiro treatments for the past 10 years. I've tried yoga and been active on some level for the entire time. Yoga helped...some. When my lower back goes out it's absolutely debilitating; shooting pain down the backs and sides of my legs, lower back seizing up, spasms, etc. In the worst instances, I have to lay flat for a full day and pop some ibuprofin. This was all due to poor posture and work habits in the kitchen without proper stretching or exercise.

I was visiting my chiro on average once a month. Some months I'd go twice, other times I could go 2 months without a visit. I started stronglifts exactly a year ago and I haven't gone to the chiropractor in about 6 months. This is the longest I've gone without pain and without seeing a chiro in 10 YEARS. When I first started stronglifts I hurt myself here and there due to poor form, but I pushed through it, corrected my form, and increased my weight accordingly. My posture improved, my entire core and back is 100x stronger and I haven't felt this good in my entire life. I lift completely pain free now and it's completely changed my life.

But again, it's important to understand where your pain is coming from.

Edit: I should have clarified that I was very careful with lifting while recovering from chiropractic adjustments. I wouldn't workout for the 2 days after an adjustment. Your form is absolutely crucial and you can definitely exacerbate a pre-existing problem. Aches and muscle pain is one thing, but joint and nerve pain is another. If you have any sciatica whatsoever, do NOT lift. Keep doing chiro and acupuncture treatments until the pain is cleared and then get back into lifting with proper form, and start light if need be. Stretches is still important but nothing like the hour-long routines I was doing. At least once a day, sometimes twice, I do weightless squats and get my ass as close to the ground as possible, keeping my shins as vertical as possible. Then Child pose. The cat pose. Then hamstring stretch. Then shoulder dislocations with a band. If I have any tight areas I get on the floor with my foam roller and work my entire back, my hips, quads, and sometimes shoulders.

Post: #3

I used acupuncture of all things for stomach issues like bloating and it worked like a charm. It was kind of uncomfortable though, but definitely worth it. Cost me about 100 bucks for one session with a local Chinese practitioner.

Post: #4

Not trolling or trying to be a downer, but do you guys think placebo effect had any role to play?

My personal opinion is that if I was in constant pain and my only options were : 1) hardcore invasive surgery, 2) popping pills and 3) alternative medicine then I would be tempted to try option 3 considering what my other options are so I'm not close minded to these sort of therapies.

I'm always hearing about chiropractic, acupuncture and the like isn't science based and shouldn't be trusted. But I've heard so many testimonies from people I know personally who have benefited from it so I'm kind of on the fence. Maybe it's a your mileage will vary sort of thing.

Post: #5

(11-17-2013 07:40 PM)Wutang Wrote:  Not trolling or trying to be a downer, but do you guys think placebo effect had any role to play?

My personal opinion is that if I was in constant pain and my only options were : 1) hardcore invasive surgery, 2) popping pills and 3) alternative medicine then I would be tempted to try option 3 considering what my other options are so I'm not close minded to these sort of therapies.

I'm always hearing about chiropractic, acupuncture and the like isn't science based and shouldn't be trusted. But I've heard so many testimonies from people I know personally who have benefited from it so I'm kind of on the fence. Maybe it's a your mileage will vary sort of thing.

I went into the acupuncture session expecting it NOT to work, so not sure if the placebo theory is valid in that case. Acupuncture has stood the test of history and traveled across cultures and countries. That doesn't in itself validate it, but it gives it some credibility. Western medicine isn't interested in the Eastern approach. There are many things that work that aren't "scientific" by our standards.

Post: #6

My mom had massive migraines for years and went to at least 5 different doctors and could never get them to go away. She gave up trying conventional methods and tried acupuncture and in under a month they were completely gone.

Post: #7

My experience with patients with low back problems is that they often end up with chronic muscle spasm and end up with myofascial pain syndrome. The only real treatment for that is to stick a needle in.

Interesting side note: sticking in needles in random spots (sham acupuncture) appears to be as effective as putting in needles at points described in Chinese medical textbooks. In other words, something about acupuncture works, but the Chinese have developed an erroneous way of approaching/interpreting it.

It follows the pareto principle, I suspect - when acupuncture works, 80% of the effect is probably due to 20% of the technique, and the rest (chi energy, etc) is just oriental fluff.

Post: #8

Bad tinnitus for years. Western medicine said they could do nothing. I am getting acupuncture now and am surprised to find it working.

Post: #9

I had my first treatment of acupuncture this afternoon. I went for nagging wrist pain I've had for years as well as insomnia, anxiety and stress.

I was surprised to hear that my insurance covered most of the treatment, although my co-pay is $60 per session. I first thought acupuncture was looked at as a pseudo-science but the more I researched it the more credibility it seemed to have.

The building was in a nice area in a New York suburb. The building was large and clean, very neat and spacious. The staff was mostly Chinese women. The doctor I consulted with was a Chinese woman in her 50's and she had a second Chinese female doctor in her 30's actually treat me.

I lied down on a soft table like at the doctor's office and was instructed to take my shoes and socks off and unbutton my pants. I did so and after lying down the doctors re-entered and put a towel under my pants waistband. She dabbed a few spots on my forearms, head, legs and feets with alcohol swabs and began the insertion of needles.

Having been tattooed I wasn't concerned about a few small needles. The insertions were like tiny little pricks and once inserted I didn't feel them there. I thought they would hurt going into the feet but that too was painless.

She then attached a wire or something to the needles in my stomach. She told me to tell her when I felt a pulsing feeling. I waited, and she turned a dial up, up and up until finally I felt a slight pulsing in the stomach area. She then brought a lamp over and close to my injured wrist and put a small wireless button in my hand to hold and press if I needed anything. The lights were dimmed and she left the room.

I lied there for about 30 minutes in the dark while relaxing Chinese music played, as if in a spa. I felt myself becoming more and more relaxed and anxiety sort of washed off of me. I fell asleep after a few minutes and then an assistant came in when the time was over to remove the needles.

The doctor recommended treatments 3x/week to knock out my issues as fast as possible. Leaving the office I was feeling more energetic and generally chilled out. I've had massages before from Asians and Americans but this was way more relaxing.

Obviously having just one treatment a few hours ago isn't enough to make a declaration one way or another for acupuncture's efficacy. Interested in hearing any other forum members' experiences with acupuncture or other Eastern medicinal practices.

I'll update as the treatments progress with results.

Post: #10

I had sciatica as well. I believe it was 5 years ago.

Lifting a mini air-compressor into the back seat of my car. Used all back and almost no legs.

For the next 3 days, I couldn't sleep, sit or even stand in a comfortable position, without this excruciating pain in my lower back. The doctor noted my paleness and sweat, all due to myself enduring this constant explosion of pain. I got some T3's and the pain subsided over the span of 2 weeks. But for the following 6 months, I developed a limp, due to the sciatic nerve running down my left leg getting pinched, causing my left leg to be semi-paralyzed.

It took me 2 years to fully get rid of the limp. To this day the flexibility of my left leg is slightly less than my right. I couldn't lift anything for the first 6 months so lost tons of gains. My left leg, especially around the calf area, began to lose muscle. I wasn't even aware of the acupuncture option. Just thought i'd have to endure, then deal with what's left.

After 6 months, I went on SS as my program at the gym, since it's a very leg-intensive program. I replaced power cleans with bent-over rows as per the program. On the very first set at the gym, I started at the lightest weight possible (i.e. just the bar for squat, deadlift, bench), then progressively overloaded, 2.5 lbs at a time. I also made sure to do cardio at least twice a week to rework the muscles I hadn't used in those 6 months. Nowadays the functionality of my left leg is almost at par to my right. If i don't hit the gym regularly the difference in functionality between both legs becomes greater. Just another reason to hit the gym.

I believe my health insurance covers acupunctures, so I may give this a shot.

Post: #11

I regularly see a Chinese MD who is an Acupuncture specialist. The appointments are $100, they ask for no tip, and they last from 60-90 minutes. Every appointment is the acupuncture treatment, a short intense massage on the affected area and cupping. I go for a herniated disc.

I have used massage and chiropractors, but nothing relieves the pain as quickly as acupuncture.

I have never tried it for mood, or emotional treatment, but I want to try it for relaxation.

Post: #12

I've had acupuncture work and acupuncture not work and from the same practitioner. She said from the start that she would prefer not to use acupuncture on me except for a last resort but would prefer I alter my general lifestyle first - things like sleep patterns etc. She has also had no qualms about saying "go and see a doctor at a hospital for that", 5 minutes into a session and not charging me.

Post: #13

If I had money to burn, I would be doing acupuncture on the regular. It had a tremendous affect on my energy levels and mood.

During the treatment some of my muscles started twitching (mostly on the side of my right arm and hand) and I felt some knots in my back become relaxed. It was slightly uncomfortable but I liked it.

Upon leaving the office, I had an incredibly elevated mood. I went out that night and was killing it with the ladies.

My energy levels were very high for the following few days and I just felt 'good'.

The sessions do get expensive though, the only reason I don't do them on the regular.

Post: #14

It worked wonders for my uncle's foot pain.

Try it out.

Post: #15

(06-16-2014 06:21 PM)Checkmat Wrote:  I had my first treatment of acupuncture this afternoon. I went for nagging wrist pain I've had for years as well as insomnia, anxiety and stress.

I was surprised to hear that my insurance covered most of the treatment, although my co-pay is $60 per session. I first thought acupuncture was looked at as a pseudo-science but the more I researched it the more credibility it seemed to have.

The building was in a nice area in a New York suburb. The building was large and clean, very neat and spacious. The staff was mostly Chinese women. The doctor I consulted with was a Chinese woman in her 50's and she had a second Chinese female doctor in her 30's actually treat me.

I lied down on a soft table like at the doctor's office and was instructed to take my shoes and socks off and unbutton my pants. I did so and after lying down the doctors re-entered and put a towel under my pants waistband. She dabbed a few spots on my forearms, head, legs and feets with alcohol swabs and began the insertion of needles.

Having been tattooed I wasn't concerned about a few small needles. The insertions were like tiny little pricks and once inserted I didn't feel them there. I thought they would hurt going into the feet but that too was painless.

She then attached a wire or something to the needles in my stomach. She told me to tell her when I felt a pulsing feeling. I waited, and she turned a dial up, up and up until finally I felt a slight pulsing in the stomach area. She then brought a lamp over and close to my injured wrist and put a small wireless button in my hand to hold and press if I needed anything. The lights were dimmed and she left the room.

I lied there for about 30 minutes in the dark while relaxing Chinese music played, as if in a spa. I felt myself becoming more and more relaxed and anxiety sort of washed off of me. I fell asleep after a few minutes and then an assistant came in when the time was over to remove the needles.

The doctor recommended treatments 3x/week to knock out my issues as fast as possible. Leaving the office I was feeling more energetic and generally chilled out. I've had massages before from Asians and Americans but this was way more relaxing.

Obviously having just one treatment a few hours ago isn't enough to make a declaration one way or another for acupuncture's efficacy. Interested in hearing any other forum members' experiences with acupuncture or other Eastern medicinal practices.

I'll update as the treatments progress with results.

Bump

Did you have any developments with the acupuncture for the wrist?

I'm in the same boat. Chronic inflammation in the wrist. I had a Cortisone shot last year had didn't last longer than a few days.

Very curious to give it a try.

Post: #16

I had success with acupuncture treating blood pressure, of all things.

I am a huge sceptic, but the blood pressure meter doesn't lie, it reads cold hard numbers.

I had 2-3 treatments in the first week, then 1 a week for 6 months, and my blood pressure went and stayed down.

I stopped after six months, and it rose up again over the next year.

Post: #17

I have a herniated disc in my neck that sometimes pinches my C6 nerve. It runs from mid-centre-neck, one side of the shoulder blade to the other, across the back of the shoulder, and then down the arm and terminating at the tip of the thumb. It crops up every few years since 2010 or 2011.

The first time I was living in China and got a one hour therapeutic massage which seemed to fix it up. The next time was a year later and it took 4 or 5 physiotherapy sessions including spinal traction, electo-massage, and various stretches and exercises to strengthen the surrounding neck muscles. The third time I was back in China and I went to a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) hospital and they used electo-accupuncture and cupping.

Massage generally provided temporary relief. Physio seemed to work the best. The acupuncture didn't seem to do anything, and the cupping left me looking like I had been attacked by a school of lampreys. Time and the stretching and exercise let it self-resolve.

It just cropped up again recently but not too severe. I get a bit of pain as well as "pin stands needles" in my thumb. I am stretching and exercising again.

[b]TLDR: Acupuncture can be hit or miss. It did nothing to help a herniated disc and pinched nerve.[\b]

I am still open to trying it again for some other issues.