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blue paradise

Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
26
Reason
DX FIBRO
Diagnosis
00/2010
Country
US
State
CA
There have been a number of previous posts on acupuncture and whether or not these treatments have helped, but unfortunately those threads have been closed. So I guess I’ll just start a new one explaining my own experience. If anyone would like to share their recent experience with acupuncture, please participate in this thread.

After many friends suggested that I give acupuncture a try, I left my skepticism and fears aside for a while, and with an open mind made an appointment to see a local licensed acupuncturist and practitioner of “Traditional Chinese Medicine”.

In a nutshell it has been a very positive experience! On my first visit, the acupuncturist conducted a very lengthy and thorough interview about my medical and mental health. She then suggested treatment with acupuncture and described how it works. She also does moxibustion, cupping, aroma therapy, and herbs, by the way.

She explained that she has had many patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. She was honest and forthright, and said that acupuncture will not cure CFS or Fibro, but for some of her patients, it has helped alleviate the symptoms, including fatigue, pain, and memory and concentration problems. The more chronic the illness of a patient, the more treatments it might take for relief, and not every patient has had improvement. She said that she would also treat my depression, anxiety, insomnia, and adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) with acupuncture. She also pointed out that unlike drugs and some other therapies, there is no negative side-effects with acupuncture.

I’ve been going for treatment twice a week for about a month now, and will reduce treatment to once a week for a few weeks. There after, she usually suggests a once-a-month tune-up, as needed.

The acupuncture sessions are conducted in private rooms. I lie on my back on a normal padded drs. examination bed, fully clothed. She asks me how I’m doing, any significant changes in my condition since the last treatment, and she also checks my pulse on both wrists.

I consider myself one with a very low pain-threshold, but I found the needles to be easily tolerable. The needles are gently inserted in various parts of my body, including my head, ears, arms, legs and feet. There is usually no pain at all, and if there is any on insertion, it only is slight and last for a very brief moment. The acupuncturist told me they are “thinner than cats whiskers”.

About 20-24 needles are used in each session and takes about 5-10 minutes to place. She then turns down the lights in the room and leaves me for 30-45 minutes to rest. The room is softly lit with a lava-lamp apparatus that emits soft glowing colors on the walls and a white smoke. There is also peaceful new-age music softly playing in the background. I am surprisingly very relaxed and often nod off while I rest. I barely feel the needles. She leaves a buzzer/pager in case any needles feel uncomfortable. So far I’ve never had to use the buzzer. I come away after each session, refreshed, calm, and in less pain.

I was very pleasantly surprised after I came home from the first session to feel “something different”. It’s hard to explain, but I believe the acupuncture almost immediately helped with my anxiety and depression. Now with a month of treatments under my belt, I feel that the treatments have also helped to some degree with my pains, brainfog and memory problems. I can’t explain how acupuncture works, but for me, it just does.

Unfortunately, these acupuncture treatment are not covered by Medicare, so I must pay out-of-pocket. The cost does add up, but I think for the level of relief it has brought me, it is well worth the price. I am hopeful that the treatments continue to be effective after I reduce the number of treatments.

Thanks for listening. Peace to all. :)
 
I too am doing some accupuncture along with gentle muscle manipulation. I firmly believe it helps with all symptoms of fibro. I wish insurance paid for it. I live in Missouri and pay $65 per session. I also firmly believe that yoga makes a huge difference in helping with the syndrome. My General practitioner recommended it years ago when symptoms first started because she told me the meds for fibro were often times worse than the disease and I agree after trying cymbalta, which was horrible side effects. I MUST do yoga at least 5 days a week or pain and stiffness is super bad. My accupuncturist suggested especialling doing the yin yoga which I find on youtube and do at home. For those who may not know what that is, it is a type of yoga where stretches are held for a longer length of time, therefore giving the muscles more time to release. I also use a foam roller and the "melt method" to help. If I am dilligent these techniques make my life much more manageable.
 
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Hi Tracyd,

I'm glad to hear that you ar getting relief with acupuncture and muscle manipulation. And thank you for the information about yoga which is something I have been meaning to investigate. Yoga seems like something my body needs. The lack of movement/exercise due to my illnesses may have been the reason for my adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder).

It's a fine line that we walk on. Too little activity is no good, but too much aggravates our Fibro/CFS.
 
I've been going to Chinese acupuncture and I feel that it has been helpful for my pain, headaches, brain fog, and memory/concentration.

Besides regular acupuncture treatment, my acupuncturist also hooks on electrical leads to some needles and does "electro-shock acupuncture" to my arm where I have joint pain from an old injury. She also sticks tiny "ear seeds" on to several spots on my ears so that I can gently rub these areas during the day (acu-pressure). These are to help my body pains and headaches.

The treatments aren't covered by Medicare, but my acupuncturist does give a discount to seniors and does work with some health insurance companies, so it's worth inquiring. I also would like to mention that some acupuncturists work in a "community setting" where all the patients lie on cots in a single large room and the acupuncturist goes from patient to patient. No private rooms, but usually less expensive.
 
Works for me and I, too, don't have med coverage for it so it's out of pocket but I've found it worth the money and I get a senior discount. I have found that if I wait too long between treatments I pay for it so try to stay within a 2-3 month schedule. And, of course, need it more in the winter than summer.
 
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