Currently getting treatment for sciatica caused by a bulging disc, my physio has suggested acupuncture. I have never had this treatment before, so has anyone had acupuncture. How good is it? Does it work? how many sessions will i need?

Ta.

I had acupuncture in conjunction with soft tissue work by a physio on my shoulder and thigh haematoma. Reckon it really promotes the healing process by waking up the nerve endings.

Only your physio can suggest the number of treatments needed.

It’s not painful, honest!

Good luck.

Cheers cinnamon girl. The pysio wasn’t specific about the number of treatments i’d need, glad it doesn’t hurt tho (being a bloke I hate pain!).

It can be painful (though not always, and more of an ache than a sharp pain), it can also give you that wonderful slightly drunk feeling you get after serious physical exertion.

It works for some, but not for all. Most mainstream doctors reckon it is a real treatment not hocus pocus.

It has worked for some injuries for me, but not all, and wasn’t a magic bullet for any of them.

My other half goes every few weeks to help with her Fibromyalgia – she says it helps, and she can tell when she /hasn’t/ been

I had the very same problem. I was off for a few months on Gabapenitin (?) and that didnt work, lots of exercises and painkillers later and I tried acupuncture. It has not ‘cured’ me. I do not feel like Im 20 again, however I do not take any pain killers now, but I still have to do the stretches. I can thouroughly recommend it. I had 3 session privatly and went from being constantly in pain to feeling pain/uncomfrtable only if Ive been sat down all day.
If they hit a pain receptor on the surface you’ll feel a small prick (no sniggering) but its nothing compared to the pain you’re already in.
Get it done

My OH is a physio who’s just done an acupuncture course, guess who got to be her test patient! I didn’t have any specific ailments for her to treat, it was more a case of making sure she got her technique right. Slightly odd sensation TBH, as mentioned above, it can generate a very deep achey feeling – actually quite unpleasant I thought. At times it did hurt a little, but that may have been down to her being a beginner as much as anything else.

She did also treat a lady with an elbow problem (for whom traditional physio hadn’t really helped) – the treatment really seemed to help her.

In actual tests, it has never been shown to be effective beyond that of a placebo.

Cochrane review here.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001351.pub2/abstract;jsessionid=C717C3D674A80587C465182A461EE59B.f04t03

Rangerbill, all the docs have given me is 400mg ibuprofen. I am ok standing (it just aches) but sat down is terrible. I can manage a car journey of about 5 minutes before i have to stretch out!! The physio exercises have geen ok, loads of stretches, piriformis and lumbar rolls which are ok. Ha, the physio did say i would feel a small prick…. 😆

Monkeysfeet…I went to the Dr for something stronger as Ibruprofen never got anywhere near the Sciatica pain. Good old Paracetoml (or codeine paracetomol mix is good)works at stopping the pain and doesnt knacker your stomach. The problem with Gabapenatin or Vallium is just knocks you out for a couple of months. I found the private acupuncture was better than the NHS acupuncture, but I had more needles in and was wired up to a Tens machine. If you are anywhere near Skipton Ilkely I can highly recomend Angela Pegg

I am in North Wales mate. The physio I have is a private one (i couldn’t wait 8 weeks for NHS)! She was the GB basketball team physio and came highly recommended. I may try codiene for pain relief cheers. Long term is a bit of a concern, over 40 now so i am guessing I won’t be 100% again. Cheers for the advice, much appreciated. 🙂

Lots on here will dismiss acupuncture as quackery and not evidence based etc etc but…..

I’ve had acupuncture as part of more general physio work on my ITB, hip and back issues. It really worked – kind of like very specific sports massage on the trigger points. I hate needles but it was fine, slight prick as they went in, a big ouch as they wiggled the needle to hit the trigger point and then a lovely relaxing feeling as the effects kicked in.

2-3 sessions seemed to do the trick

My mum has also had acupuncture for migraines and it worked for her. Sod peer based review of double blind trials…..

I’m currently in the same place Monkeyfeet.

I’ve had sciatica for ten years or so. At best it’s a dull ache in my arse cheek and hamstring. At worst I can’t move. I had a caudal epidural, saline, cortisone and steroid injection at the beginning of April, I was pain free for three weeks waiting for the physio. Now I’m back to where I was pre-epidural.

When I had the epidural the Doctor also did some acupuncture. It won’t do anything for the bulging disc, only manipulation or gaping exercises will allow it to move back to its correct position. But the acupuncture will help relax the muscles and relieve some pain. It’s not pleasant, but it’s not painful. Actually I found it relaxing because I could feel the difference almost immediately, except for the one position where he bent 2 needles putting them in. That was the trigger point which afterwards has given me the most relief.

I’ve got a MRI next week as the physio treatments to help the disc bulge isn’t working. Either I have a massive bulge or the disc is bonded to the sciatic nerve with scar tissue. So it’s likely to be a nerve root block or an op to separate the scar tissue.

Acupuncture may help you with pain relief, a caudal epidural will certainly be a better option so that you can at least concentrate on some physio to correct you disc bulge. I’ll have a search to find someone suitable in Gogland. 😉

Bigblackshed, blimey, you sound worse than me!!!! I really hope you get sorted mate. It is funny, the pain is quite remarkable. Like you say, at best a horrible dull ache but when it gets bad it makes me a grumpier so and so….
I guess i should resign myself to the pain..

Not what my physio reckons. For most cases at least, his view (yesterday and yes I’m a fellow sufferer) is that it isn’t permanent and it can be treated, but you have to work at it and not over do it. Keep mobile, do your stretches, don’t irritate it by over stretching, build your core strength and posture.
My sports medicine doctor who did the epidural for me was of the same opinion, with the exception that steroid injections can help in the short to medium term.
There are some for whom operations are necessary, but do not assume pain forever.