Has anyone tried Acupuncture?
 

My mother is on a tangent again. She heard from some lady at church that acupuncture works for treating MS symptoms...so she calls and books me an appointment and is telling me she is willing to pay for this if I go. Which is sweet of her but it's a lot of money. And I am not sure that I like the idea of it. I know some people swear by it, unfortunately, I do not happen to know any of these people.

I am wondering if anyone has tried it and if it had any effects...good or bad.

I don't have MS but if somebody paid for me to try it I would do it LOL!!:D

A friend of my parents has had acupuncture for her arthritis and has felt better with having it.

I've never had it, but I would also try it for free..:)

I think it's a temporary fix at best....sort of like message and chiro.

I hope it helps you.:hug:

I looked into this in 1992 or 1993. There were 2 people on the Prodigy MS message board who swore by it so I talked with a chiropractor about it. There's several needle "layouts" as I recall specifically for MS.

Since I'm a needle wheenie, I chickened out.

Tom

I did it and if someone paid for me to do it, I would do it again. I don't care if the pain relief is temporary or not.

I was so skeptical about it but one of the doctor's at the hospital I worked at was telling me about it as apparently the pain I was in was all over my face. At the time, we didn't know that I had MS. I had the lesions but no "clinical" symptoms - just periodic intense pain in my rib cage and stomach. The pain was so intense, as those who get the hug will attest to, I got desperate and decided to fork over the $40 to get it done. Even while I was in the room with needles stuck all over me I was still skeptical and kept thinking how ridiculous this was and why am I even here, etc. Afterwards, I was sold. I had 3 pain free days in a row!!! Of course, I am not sure but I think you release endorphins during the process and that endorphin high is pretty cool. LOL.

As luck would have it, I just couldn't afford to continue and thus, started taking Neurontin.

I say go for it. See what happens as it really can't hurt. We want a full report when you get back.;)

I actually want to try it. I just need to find a reputable place here in town that isnt in a scary part of town.

I'm a big believer in acupuncture! When I lived in Hawaii I tried it and it really helped with my chronic lower back pain and migraines. I don't even have that kind of pain any more. For me acupuncture is very relaxing and I felt like I was able to move better. I wouldn't use it as a "cure" for anything from a cold to MS but for symptomatic relief of muscle spasms and pain it's great! Sadly the cost keeps me from doing it now (my insurance covered it in Hawaii) but I do miss it.

Try it you might like it!
Karen

I've just completed a course of acupuncture, and although I was very dubious at first, I'm extremely pleased with the results.

Mine was for sciatica and pain from tendonitis in one hip, not anything MS related, but the treatment completely removed the nerve pain I had so I can't see why it wouldn't work for pain caused by MS.

You should not feel the needles at all, and if you have the opportunity to trial the treatment for free, then my advice would be to go for it.

Thanks you guys. I am going to try it, I mean it can't hurt. But it's $200 for the first visit and $125 each time after that. Which is a LOT of money! But mom insists, she says it's my birthday and christmas gift.

Gosh, that is a lot of money! :eek:

My treatments only cost me $7 each because Medicare paid the rest, thank goodness.

Seriously!?!?:eek: Mine was only $40. The acupuncturist that I went to was actually a dr who did practiced Chinese medicine as well. I felt the $40 was reasonable and the relief I got was worth it.

Sorry, I should have said that although my own outlay was $7, the total price for each visit was only $55. I think the first visit was $58, so I can't understand why you'd have to pay those high prices.

Maybe you should shop around a bit. :rolleyes:

Actually my first acupuncture appointment was on Saturday (10/3) and I had a second appointment on Monday. I found a link to an Acupuncture clinic/academy that is close to my job and discovered that they have a specialty MS Clinic too! It is called American Academy for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and you have the option to visit the Student Clinic or the Faculty Clinic for your treatment. Here is the link:

http://www.aaaom.edu/index.php?optio...d=14&Itemid=27

Want to know a SUPER cool benefit of going here? If you are an MS patient.... the cost of a treatment session is only $15.00!!

My reason for trying acupuncture is to get relief for my chronic TMJ pain and then MS symptom management. I can tell you that since my first appointment, it is very obvious to me that the nagging, throbbing "hot" pain in my neck is now down to a dull roar, which is fabulous, but I have also been blessed with MAJOR and instant relief in my constipation "issues"! It wasn't even one hour after my initial appointment that my stomach started to rumble, grumble and roll and for the first time in months and a short time later I was blessed with a very stress free "movement"! I felt so great after, that I darn near "skipped" around the block on my evening walk!! :Dancing-Chilli:

If any of you live near St. Paul I highly recommend checking this place out! I have been going in for monthly massages for about a year now ($80 a pop!) and I plan to cancel my future appointments. I have felt such a reduction in my neck and shoulder pain in my first two acupuncture sessions, that I can't imagine paying for any more $80 massages when any relief I may get only lasts for a few hours.

**Also, if you refer someone to the clinic, you will get your next session for free too! You can tell them that Amy Anderson sent you ! :Grin-Nod:

I will post an update in a couple of weeks to let you know if I have noticed any other improvements from these sessions. So far, I am extremely pleased! Good luck!

Accupuncture works for me!
 

My most frequent symptom is a vibration in my brain that can cause pressure, headache and nausea. My hubby is a massage therapist and he suggested accupuncture a few years ago. I was a needle weenie and promptly forgot that suggestion. Last year the vibration was really bad and I became desparate for relief. A friend suggest accupunture and I was more than willing, especially since I'm not a needle weenie any more.

The yellow pages had a whole bunch of listings and I didn't know where to start. My hubby called around for me and scheduled the first available appointment he found at a reasonable rate, which was $60. I laid on my back and the needles were placed along the frontal meridians with about 10 in my head alone. I didn't feel any better at first but I had the best nights sleep! The next day I felt so refreshed and energized. I went all day and didn't want to go to bed that night. It was like I had been infused with caffeine, but without any jitters. I had relief for about 3-4 months.

The next time I went, I laid on my stomach and the needles were placed along the back meridians. The knots in my back and neck were almost dissolved but it didn't do much for the brain vibrations. Now I tell him that I want the head and frontal meridians treated. And a treatment still lasts about 3-4 months.

I highly recommend MS'ers try accupuncture, and several times. You never know which meridians will help with which symptoms. And at $60 every 3 months, I think thats an affordable solution that doesn't add any chemicals (Rx's) to my body.

They are not *real* needles - they are super fine, like EMG needles. You barely feel them. I had it for smking - my company was paying, so what the heck? I was skeptical, but a day off? Sure...

:)

I walked out of the doc's office and did not smoke for a few weeks - from a pack a day. And this wasn't even a specialist - just my PCP.


:eek:

So not a cure, but a help.

Can't say what it would do for pain or other symptoms, but it can't hurt. I'd go. In fact, I should see if my ins would pay. I'd try it.

You guys are right! That guy is a quackjob. And 50 miles from my house. I started looking into the doctors in my area. Most of them are around $75 for the first visit and between 40-60 thereafter. Which is a LOT better than the $200 and then 125 the other guy wanted to charge. Good lookin out!

Actually, this guy may do more than just the acupuncture. A friend of mine was telling me about some guy in town she goes to. He does all sorts of things along with the acupuncture - counseling, massage, cold laser therapy, nutritional counseling and "balancing", etc. She said he is really expensive - about $120 a visit. The guy your mom told you about may be more like the guy my friend goes to.

I still say go for it. Go get your qui in balance.:p

Ironically the new doc I chose does a lot of the other things...Like the hot glas jar suction thing...looks cool. Also adds a half hour hot stone massage for $28 if you want it. :D