Acupuncture?

[Corbeau]

I've had acupressure, which follows the same principles as acupuncture but without the use of needles. It's interesting that both practices talk about pain being blocked energy in your body. While that's not scientifically proven, there are research papers out there saying that acupuncture does work.

I agree with the others in that you should see a dedicated acupuncturist. For it to be effective, you need someone who is dedicated to acupuncture. Also, if someone inserts the needle incorrectly, it can cause some physical damage and a lot of pain.

 

[Solarmist]

I've had a pinched nerve in my neck causing extreme pain in my left arm/shoulder since January. My doctor gave me pain meds, but then decided to make me go to an acupuncturist for pain control rather than keeping me on the much cheaper pain meds that worked great for the most part until a real solution was reached. Maybe acupuncture works for light pain, but for me it was a total waste of time, and money. So was manipulation. After the MRI - I tried Epidermal Steroid Injections right into my spinal cord cavity which worked great for about a week, but was not considered a success. That stuff makes you feel real good for a couple days! After I saw a Neurologist he said I was in pretty bad shape and performed an Anterior Cervical Discectomy w/Fusion and Plate procedure a month ago. It’s healing slowly, but I’m still in a considerable amount of pain – thankfully the Neurologist gave me a supply of pain meds unlike my stingy doctor.

If your pain is as bad as mine - you might need an operation as well.

I hope you find a solution soon – nobody needs that kind of pain where you can’t even play your bass you hurt so badly.

-David Lee

 

[MadMan118]

I saw both a chiropractor and a acupuncturist for neck injuries after a car accident. They both helped tons where pain meds did not. Years later and the pain has not returned to its peak level. Though every so often I go back to the chiropractor to get my neck re-aligned. I would really recommend looking into acupuncture for your condition .

 

[acubass]

It is reassuring to know so many of my musical brethren have been helped with acupuncture. I got into acupuncture and decided to get my masters in it after having pain from playing 4 hour gigs. Ironically, my arm pain hasn't really gone away with acupuncture. It does hold it in check though but my bass playing is limited. When I was a kid I almost chopped the tip index finger off causing nerve damage that runs up my arm. I don't think it will ever go away but hopefully it will.

Which brings up a point about Chiro/Acupuncture. Both are scientific and ancient and with both it doesn't matter how much treatment you get if a person (like me) doesn't stop the things that cause the pain it will be very hard to cure it. For example, typing this now will make my arm hurt a little later but alas I'm a bass/computer nerd and just cant give them up.

Another thing to point out about TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine as it is know today) is a system that includes meditation, herbs, exercises like Tai Qi and Qi Gong as well as cupping therapy and Moxa to fight disease. A DOM or doctor of oriental medicine should provide counseling in all these areas to help you get rid of pain/stress/depression/obesity/ED you name it.

My parents knew nothing of acupuncture before I started school and are slowly coming around. The best way I describe to them what acupuncture is good for is to say "Any disease a Chinese person has gotten over the last 2,000 years is treatable by TCM" Which is to say most if not all things are treatable through TCM.

The things TCM is not good for or better to say the things that should be left to western medicine are surgery, serious infections such as appendicitis, initial trauma and threatened pregnancies.

The Acupuncture program I am in is 4 years and I'm finally almost done, it is really grueling and very expensive but well worth it. I am very ready to be licensed and working so I can help other musicians in pain. Bassist get 20% off!!

 

[kesh]

You guys with back/neck issues should check out Dr John Sarno's thoughts about it.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

On the NHS, it isn't a 4 year course, but it is also more than a few days of seminar.

It's also free treatment for the patients, medical professionals trained through reputable sources and you have someone with legit medical training. The same cannot be said for all accupuncture schools.

Either way, seen many positive results with people getting it on the NHS.

(*things may be different in the US, just talking of experiences and understanding of it here)

 

[bassteban]

I appreciate all the info- thanks. I also would want someone VERY well-trained in traditional Chinese methods, w/a long record. Lastly, I won't do anything until I've researched it quite a bit.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

You guys with back/neck issues should check out Dr John Sarno's thoughts about it.

While I agree that a lot of it is mind over matter (so to speak), heck, it's why the placebo effect is so strong, a unidirectional approach isn't going to be a catch all for everyone. You also run the risk of people avoiding conventional treatments, with a proven track record, for something which may not have any impact on their condition.

For me, treatments such as manipulation will give short term relief, but it's soft tissue damage which is the source of my back problems, so it's a longer process of rehabilitation and building up muscle groups to try and compensate for dody ligaments.

 

[Etienned]

FWIW, I've also had nerves "killed," though with catheterized injections of liquid nitrogen. The procedure worked okay, but the nerves grew back, and the pain returned. I had it done a second time, and they grew back again.

Nerves grow back ?

I had back/neck chronic pain and fatigue for a couple of years. I went to an osteopath, while the technique (manipulation) she did helped a lot in short and medium term, the tips she gave me about my posture really helped in a more permanent way.

But the decisive change came from putting more physical activities in my schedule. Being heathly concerns the whole body, not just making local pain go away.