Hello all-
Well, the last 2 weeks have been interesting ones for me. First, my shoulder flared up. It was very painful and I couldn't sleep. Went to the doc and to my rheumy. The doc gave me "Michael Jackson" drugs for the pain and my rheumy put me on Lyrica. As if I am not taking enough stuff already!!! I decided to try a chiropractor.Never been to one before but she helped some but hard to tell if it was her or just time working for me. In the meantime by compensating for the shoulder, my hip began to act up. More pain...more sleepless nights. I pretty much had a heating pad or ice on my body every minute for the last 2 weeks. Thank goodness I am a guy and have a high pain threshold! (<----He must be kidding, right?:-)
My wife got me to try a 2nd chiropractor and he has really helped. He used a different technique and seemed more knowledgeable about what to do. I guess like in everything else, some are better than others. Now I am feeling better and thinking about other alternative therapies. What about acupuncture or massage therapy? Have any of you had success with these? I am curious to give them a try down the road. Massage therapy sounds like it would be wonderful.
Steve
PS: I am feeling much better now. What a relief to not be in constant chronic pain which totally wears you out!
Hey Steve,
I hope that you continue to feel better. I have an appointment with an acupuncturist tomorrow. The main reason is for my shot neck & shoulder - "thank you, osteoarthritis". I have had previous experience with acupuncture that was not positive, so I'll keep you posted.
Karen
Hi Steve,
I go for acupuncture periodically and find it usually helps to some degree. I don't know that it changes the condition so much as kind of 'discharge' the nerve energy so the pain diminishes. It can also help me with tension release/relaxation (ironic, isn't it?) and she can do specific things for sleep, so that indirectly can help with healing, I would say. I believe there are different schools of acupuncture (my person uses traditional Chinese acupuncture) just as there are different varieties of massage therapy, and I'm sure the practitioners may also be more effective with one person than another. It helps to tell them exactly how you are feeling and what the problems are. The more specific you can be, the more they may be able to target the problem.
I have a friend who goes to the same acupuncturist now BEFORE she goes to the doctor, because she feels it's more effective for her, and no drugs are used.
You may be told it can take a couple of treatments and you may feel worse before you feel better. This can vary from patient to patient. I'm fortunate in that I respond fast, but more recently I find that, at first, I may not think it helped (immediately after), but after a day or so, there seems to be a definite 'clearing out' of the troubling symptom(s). So - for me it is very helpful, but I don't use it as a first-line treatment. It's especially good for me when I'm just worn-down, tired and discouraged - it gives me a definite boost.
Good luck!
Thanks karen! Please do keep me posted. I would like to try it at some point.
-S-
Ellen- Thanks for your thoughtful reply. Hey, is acupuncture covered by health insurance?
Steve
It is not generally covered, as far as I know. However, there are sometimes ways to get around that. If you have a "flex" plan - where you have money withheld to be used for medical expenses and then apply for reimbursement, you can sometimes get reimbursement that way. I have done that on a couple of occasions. Some doctors are also willing to give you a prescription for acupuncture on a limited basis. If it's in a 'script' that may help it get covered, but not guaranteed. (Works better in flex plan.) In addition, there is sometimes a licensed MD who has been trained in acupuncture and other 'complementary therapies' and this may also be a possibility (I have not done this myself - I don't know of one around where I live).
An acupuncture appointment where I live costs $50-$60 per session. Not cheap, but a lot cheaper than a specialist of some other variety, and worth a try if you're really hurting!