Acuppuncture: What criteria to use to choose an Acupuncturist

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AhZo

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Hi. I am having a blip of hope/fight today so I am attempting to address my pain on a number of fronts.
I have had acupuncture in the past, but I no longer live near the people who do it

what criteria do you use to select an acupuncturist?
I have no idea how to make a decision on this
 
Personally, I searched for an acupuncturist on google and decided based on their business reviews. If other folks said the acupuncturist helped them feel comfortable during their visit, that's enough to convince me to give them a try👍
 
i would approach it the same way I chose my chiropractor - ask others for recommendations - friends, family, coworkers, church members, whatever.. ask around.
you can also usually research them online if you have a name - business name or personal - reviews from google, yelp, facebook (even if you dont use it yourself), etc.
 
After 2 bad (9 and 1 session, all painful) and 1 good acupuncturist (32 sessions to date, none painful; but delaying it now):

For my body it's necessary to be able to lie down on a bench, and make myself comfortable with cushions for support, so I don't have too much urge to move for the time. I need to be properly warm, but not too warm, no draught, no stressful background. I need to be able to say what I need and be heard, so I need the acupuncturist to remain nearby so I can say what I need - like more warmth, having to go to the toilet, knowing how long it needs to be, not leaving the needles in too long.
And Chinese acupuncture with thicker needles is what seems to help me better than Western.
 
Didn't you say you don't live near any acupuncturists now?
I go by if I can afford them. I can't afford 130./treatment so I look for community practice acupuncturist who charge about 15. My last one just moved but my old acupuncturist who only charges me 50. just moved close enough for me to get to him.
 
Community practice accupunctureists do charge a lot less where I live. The only difference is that there is one large room with several beds in it and several people getting treatment at once. You talk to the accupuncturist first in private, then enter this room and get the needles inserted, and lie there for a half hour or 45 minutes relaxing. You don't even think about the other people in the room; it's no big deal. And it costs a fraction of what you will pay if you go to one who has a private room for each person. This is the kind of practice I go to. Very reasonable cost, and mine charges on a sliding scale.
 
After 2 bad (9 and 1 session, all painful) and 1 good acupuncturist (32 sessions to date, none painful; but delaying it now):

For my body it's necessary to be able to lie down on a bench, and make myself comfortable with cushions for support, so I don't have too much urge to move for the time. I need to be properly warm, but not too warm, no draught, no stressful background. I need to be able to say what I need and be heard, so I need the acupuncturist to remain nearby so I can say what I need - like more warmth, having to go to the toilet, knowing how long it needs to be, not leaving the needles in too long.
And Chinese acupuncture with thicker needles is what seems to help me better than Western.

I am spoiled that I used to live near friends who practiced acupuncture. I never asked questions, so I am uneducated on the subject, but when it is available, I find it a pleasant experience. POerhaps it is the terror at being stuck with needles.
Note: I have always been extremely freaked out by needles and have tried to deal wit h that with tattoos and piercings. Has not worked.
I get regular B12 injections and have for years and they still *hurt* - I hate being such a wimp with needles but it is like my whole body is reacting to them. Then again, I am uncomfortable leaving the house ("bad things happen when you leave the house" - Ruben & Ed (movie)) so maybe it is terror adrenaline for me
 
find it a pleasant experience. POerhaps it is the terror at being stuck with needles.
Note: I have always been extremely freaked out by needles and have tried to deal wit h that with tattoos
Wow! - Very different to me. Needles and their pricks with or without blood never don't disturb me at all. My severe reactions were more inside me, my whole system in upheaval.
If it were always true that this is a sign it's working well, I should've been cured by it from the first application! That was the reason why I kept on with it so/too long.

(Since it was mainly giving me a cortisol energy boost and my energy is pretty stable at 20% despite the jab, I've decided to discontinue for a while. I'm increasingly sure the energy is better because I managed to identify B2-deficiency and after normal high dose didn't work have now doubled to the max. dose ever used in studies, and that may now be working. Checking bloods, esp. B2 and phosphate again in a week or 2.)
 
Wow! - Very different to me. Needles and their pricks with or without blood never don't disturb me at all. My severe reactions were more inside me, my whole system in upheaval.
If it were always true that this is a sign it's working well, I should've been cured by it from the first application! That was the reason why I kept on with it so/too long.

(Since it was mainly giving me a cortisol energy boost and my energy is pretty stable at 20% despite the jab, I've decided to discontinue for a while. I'm increasingly sure the energy is better because I managed to identify B2-deficiency and after normal high dose didn't work have now doubled to the max. dose ever used in studies, and that may now be working. Checking bloods, esp. B2 and phosphate again in a week or 2.)
B2 deficiency?
I have never looked at that.
I looked at the food sources of riboflavin and it is nearly our regular menu, so there is that.
I started with B12 injections for extra energy, and that worked. Then I discovered it did positive things for my depression. Since it is OTC, I have been doing regular injections with my doctor's approval. (Note: I can not stick myself with needles so the husband does it. I still wince! LOL)
 
(Note: I can not stick myself with needles so the husband does it. I still wince! LOL)
i cant say I get freaked out by needles, but i dont exactly like them, either - and I still wince, too, even when i am not looking when i get poked. Honestly, if you didn't wince i would be more concerned about you, LOL.
Some are better than others with needles (like for IVs and blood draws) but even the best ones can make me wince.
 
B2 deficiency? I have never looked at that. I looked at the food sources of riboflavin and it is nearly our regular menu, so there is that.
I started with B12 injections for extra energy, and that worked. Then I discovered it did positive things for my depression. Since it is OTC, I have been doing regular injections with my doctor's approval. (Note: I can not stick myself with needles so the husband does it. I still wince! LOL)
B2 is a rare one, not usually done, but I asked to make sure. Like phosphate I've got tons of it in my regular diet, but like it it doesn't get thru, so I've been severely deficient in it, and both have a lot to do with energy. Phosphate can't really be supplemented and it's a struggle to increase it via diet, e.g. I already eat lots of pumpkin seeds anyway, but now I have to soak them. B2 I was taking the an enormous dose to no avail, so after loads of research I've doubled even that to the max. dose used in studies.

B2 and phosphate are connected, as one B2 form is riboflavin-5-phosphate. You'd think - and one pharmacist suggested it - that w'd've been good for phosphate, but it is the form I am already taking, and actually a supp-expert online (in a 3h podcast just on riboflavin) offered the thought that if it's not getting thru, then maybe the regular form will work better....

I've also restarted by B12 inj. as methylcobalamin to stop it from getting lower, but it's never done anything for energy.
My docs knew nothing about the injections or actually hardly anything I'm taking, and when I asked if they think it's OK to take B3 as nicotinic acid high dose for my triglycerides they sheepishly smiled 'no'. I'll try to remember next time to ask the other way round if they know any problems about high dose B3 as nicotinic acid, so they lose face less... In the meantime I've researched further and found people saying it can be dangerous for liver, and TMG needs to be supplemented in the same amount, so I'm doing that and getting those bloods checked soon.

I don't ever wince with those, but I do prefer my wife jabbing me! I've only occasionally winced like from spine injections and a spinal tap whilst sitting may have started with wincing, I can't remember, but I ended up shouting out several times... (the first one didn't work, so in it went again...) but still no anxiety after, thankfully, I bet thanks to a nurse holding my hand. 🤪
If my wife weren't there I sposed I'd have to practice it by jabbing in oranges...
 
My mom has vitB deficiency, well hers is called pernicious anemia. So yes she has injections once a week.
I can watch needles going in , even when getting blood tests.
I get dry needling done by my osteopath. Normally at the base of my skull. For me it is very helpful when I have migraines.
 
POerhaps it is the terror at being stuck with needles.
Note: I have always been extremely freaked out by needles and have tried to deal wit h that with tattoos and piercings. Has not worked.
I get regular B12 injections and have for years and they still *hurt* - I hate being such a wimp with needles but it is like my whole body is reacting to them. Then again, I am uncomfortable leaving the house ("bad things happen when you leave the house" - Ruben & Ed (movie)) so maybe it is terror adrenaline for me
Unfortunately we all have a few deep ingrained fears and that is completely normal, to me(and i could be completely off base so apologise if i am) my experience is that certain pain stimuli for us fibromites can far exceed what is warranted from whatever the stimuli is, myself for example i often misjudge door frames and scrape my upper arms(backs and sides of arm) and it can hurt like hell for 45mins even though i know the pain shouldn't persist for that long. But also b12 injections in general are more painful due to the viscosity of the fluid so when injected in to the muscle the muscle essentially shows a greater displeasure as the fluid being injected is quite thick

i cant say I get freaked out by needles, but i dont exactly like them, either - and I still wince, too, even when i am not looking when i get poked. Honestly, if you didn't wince i would be more concerned about you, LOL.
Some are better than others with needles (like for IVs and blood draws) but even the best ones can make me wince.
This is such an interesting one for me as i have surface sensation issues in my lower back, hips and thighs so for me i get the luxury or being able to inject in an area that has reduced sensation so i dont really feel it, as for blood tests these dont particularly bother me either but it 100% depends on the phlebotomist i came across one at the hospital(i was working in admin at my district hospital so it was easier to get my blood tests done there) who i nicknamed 'the butcher' the worst blood tests ive ever had my entire inner elbow area bruised horrendously, she would often flick blood on my arm and elsewhere when removing the needle.
And i also have quite large easily accessible veins in my inner arm and one on each arm thats nice and close to the surface so its not as though ive got hard veins to get at
 
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phlebotomist .... who i nicknamed 'the butcher'
Wow, was this really an expert for taking blood?
My GPs are not particularly good at it, but my cardio / angiologist (vessel doc) is. The other day it hurt from her for a change tho. She had to readjust to get the blood and asked after if it was OK - I said such pain is not in the least a problem. But interestingly, I had not the least bruise after, as opposed to my GPs....
 
Wow, was this really an expert for taking blood?
My GPs are not particularly good at it, but my cardio / angiologist (vessel doc) is. The other day it hurt from her for a change tho. She had to readjust to get the blood and asked after if it was OK - I said such pain is not in the least a problem. But interestingly, I had not the least bruise after, as opposed to my GPs....
She sure was, had been drawing blood for 15+ years, i was horrified!!!!!! Im really lucky i dont find needles a bother but i actively avoided going to the blood testing place while she was on, to the point id ring ahead to see when she was on lunch and go then so id get someone different
 
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