Acupuncture for a slipped disc?

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

I've mentioned on here a while back about my bad back which then turned out to be a crushed disc (sciatica, loss of feeling in my thighs, foot pain as if its been hit with a sledgehammer etc).

Some mentioned an osteopath, which i did try but found to be quite brutal with their treatment, & i later found out that osteopathy involves forcing your body into its natural position which can lead to more problems later on.

I haven't tried a chiropractor as of yet but its a possibility & have thought about the possibility of using acupuncture too due to someone i know having used it for his back (this,was when he was in the usa).

So i was wondering if anyone here has used acupuncture in any way & what were the results?

Thanks in advance

[ETC]

Go and see a very good physiotherapist first, if you find a good one they may be able to help. I would go for one of them first

[briareos_kerensky]

A co-worker had a similar problem caused by a sport accident, probably not as serious but it still caused him serious back pains. He went to an osteopath as well, but found his method ineffective, until he found a doctor specialised in treating sport injuries, and now he's fine. I think that that doctor act on my coworker's muscle, not really sure about it though. I'll ask him about the doctor's "real" specialisation, it might help you finding a similar healer...I'm kinda far away from the English lands

[Asura]

Go and see a very good physiotherapist first, if you find a good one they may be able to help. I would go for one of them first

This, go see an actual doctor, as opposed to an osteopath or a chiropractor - i.e. not doctors.

I'm assuming you've already seen one though and are looking to try something else, in which case, I'd still get a good doctor's opinion.

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

Thanks for the replies so far thanks in advance to briareos for picking his mates brains about his doc .

I've had this problem for over 5 yrs now. Thought it was just leg pain for about a yr then couldn't move my leg as it was completely dead.
Doc explained it was a crushed disc & booked me to see an nhs physio but after 5 wks the physio had to move on to another practise so there was no one, & that's when i started paying to see an osteopath.

Its really constricted what i do & even the smallest amount of exercise is painful so my skating has practically vanished from my life which was my one passion

Maybe I'll go back & pay the doc a visit

[ETC]

Nhs physios have different levels of tier nowadays the first ones you see are level 1 (general physio and recovery) ask for a referral to one if they can't help you ask them to refer you up to the muscular sceletal specialists (level 2) that's what I did when I bust my neck alternatively go see a private physio they vary wildly in quality but some have these very amaze kit one I saw had what could only be described as a death ray (it was pretty much an ultrasound machine crossed with some sort of deep tissue laser was mental, hurt like a **** but it worked) but expect to pay around ?40-50 a session for a decent private physio (20-30 min sessions) you may be able to self refer for physio at your local GP's depending on where you live

[eastyy]

This, go see an actual doctor, as opposed to an osteopath or a chiropractor - i.e. not doctors.

I'm assuming you've already seen one though and are looking to try something else, in which case, I'd still get a good doctor's opinion.

would DEFINITELY skip chiropractors i went to one with a bad back was ok to begin with but after two weeks i had the worse shoulder pain i ever had in my life and still to this day my shoulder still has a dull ache.Should have noticed something up when i asked shouldnt i have a x-ray before i am adjusted and they said no .Physiotherapist was good really helped me a lot will go back as soon as i can afford to

[EJG1980]

This, go see an actual doctor

This this. There's no scientific evidence that acupuncture does any good apart from possibly making you feel better temporarily via the placebo effect.

I remember reading about a large study where people received acupuncture done by professionals, while others had the needles stuck in in all the "wrong" places and both groups reported feeling equally better afterwards.

[dvdx2]

would DEFINITELY skip chiropractors i went to one with a bad back was ok to begin with but after two weeks i had the worse shoulder pain i ever had in my life and still to this day my shoulder still has a dull ache.Should have noticed something up when i asked shouldnt i have a x-ray before i am adjusted and they said no .Physiotherapist was good really helped me a lot will go back as soon as i can afford to

The opposite for me - physio did nothing to help with discs pressing on nerves; in fact the nhs were not that good and very slow with results! Basically told just to live with it. (Not the first time i'd been told this too). Private physio didnt help either.

A year of chiropractic adjustment has made me pretty much pain free. Yes sore to begin with but after about 2 mths with exercise i started to notice an improvement.

[dvdx2]

This this. There's no scientific evidence that acupuncture does any good apart from possibly making you feel better temporarily via the placebo effect.

I remember reading about a large study where people received acupuncture done by professionals, while others had the needles stuck in in all the "wrong" places and both groups reported feeling equally better afterwards.

I'd agree with this. Did about 10 sessions for tendonitis and relief was temporary. I found the whole experience alittle uncomfortable too.

[charlesr]

What back exercises can you do? E.g. can you do a superman (lie on floor in a free fall position and raise opposite arm / leg)? What about pull-ups?

[EDDIE M0NS00N]

What back exercises can you do? E.g. can you do a superman (lie on floor in a free fall position and raise opposite arm / leg)? What about pull-ups?

I do a few back stretches before bed & in the morning e.g. lie on back raise knees & turn them 1 way & head opposite way, the cobra, superman & a few more, & could probably do some pull ups (with some pain in my elbows due to tennis elbow in both elbows - yeah I'm a wreck i know!!)

[VR46]

EDDIE what did you do in the end?

I have frozen shoulder in both my shoulders now, and four weeks of cream and tablets hasn't really helped at all.
Acupuncture/Steroid injections/Surgery are my next options by the sounds of it, back to the Docs next week.