I was wondering if any of you have paid a visit to these Chinese medicine practises..and what has your experiences been like?
My old sport injury in my leg has started to give me some grief and normally it sort of wears itself out after while with help from gentle stretches. But this time its not going away and its getting worst. Visit for GP was waste of time.. ::)..load of painkillers that I do not like to eat.
I popped in to our local acu place..and they were talking about 45min-1hour session being £50 or if several sessions are needed for longer term treatment they will do 'bundle' prize. Apparently there might be some improve after first session but usually it takes at least 2 for any improvement to take place ??? I don't have any previous experience to compare with..does this sound reasonable? The 'session' involves massage and acupuncture.
I am a complete an utter skeptic on all things medically alternative but one thing that does seem to have some evidence is that acupuncture can relieve pain BUT even then the evidence is fairly thin and only applies to certain types of pain. Pain relief is also temporary.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acupuncture#Pain
I am sure there will be people who swear blind by it but if the cause of your issues is an old injury I would try to get to the bottom of that - a physiotherapist would be a better place to start IMHO and your local GP should be able to place with one you under the NHS.
When the mrs was preggers with Annabelle 6 years ago, baby was stuck in breach position & wouldn't budge. She went along to the Chinese quack (to get her turned) who said "Come back in 4 weeks". Went back in 4 weeks, "you're too late but I'll see what I can do - if it doesn't work you should have come sooner". She then sold her some dried up mugwort in a tube for loads of money to take home & burn. It didn't work.
Are they happy to smile at you whilst taking your money & selling placebos? Yes. Would I try them again? Yes, if I'd tried everything else.
I am skeptical about acupuncture, but I have met many people who recommend it, one therapist in particular, but he was a fully trained sports therapist.
If you are going to try it, give the Chinese high street shops a miss and find someone with some real qualifications you can check.
Some years ago I had very itchy psoriasis. Tried everything and finally went Chinese. Though I was concerned I did not really know what I was taking.
It was better than nothing, but a week in Egypt was much better.
The normal system for NHS at the moment seems to be to put you off for as long as possible. My advice is to be persistent. Is it keeping you awake at night, if so remember to stress this when you see GP. I know lots of people who have been fobbed off for long periods of time for conditions that turn out to be totally treatable.
Quotefind someone with some real qualifications you can check.
I think this is good advice.
Our doctor sent me to acupuncturist for a 6 week traetment on my sore leg and hip. Mine put the needles in and attached electrodes to them. It helped with the pain, unfortunately, when we worked out my hip pain, it was from irritable bowel and the arthritic pains just came back . I didn't pay for it so can't say if it's value for money :)
Bloody doctors.. :( I did go to my GP who just asked where the pain was and what have I taken for it. He never asked how I've done the damage..how long ago..or how much pain I am..not questions what so ever. I did want him to refer me to physio..but no...just bit lot of strongest co-codamols that one can have. ::)
Suppose he didn't think that I would need to get better to be able to some work... ::) You would have though that after been in in pain for over 5 weeks now popping pain killers are not going to anything to remedy the situation.
OH did had some acupuncture some years ago for pain in a neck..and that wasn't my fault.. ;D...he had only one session and it did improve his condition a lot.
I would love to try some needles..but it just seems a lot of money when you know that one £50 is not going to do it.
I might give another week with tablets that I'm not really taking...and march into doctors again and demand to see different doctor this time.. ::) Perharps sharing the vet with our 'pooch' would bring better result.. ::)
GRRRR....OH I have bloody doctors..heaven help us if they get in charge of the NSH money..then they definitely will be rich. I haven't come across many decent doctors around here for long while, they all just could not care less. I'm sure there is some good ones out there somewhere.
When you go again, ask for a referral to a pain clinic or sports injury specialist. If you don't get one, se ethe practice mamanger and ask for another GP who will refer you to someone who doesn't just want to fob you off. Be polite but firm.
Have you tried bio freeze, I can send you some to try, my physio reccommended it and it works for a while. Strong co codamol causes severe constipation in some people, I was on them for 8 years and ended up with a prolapse , is there another doctor you can see, I saw a locum and he sorted it out for me :)
I swear by biofreeze since manics told me about it. I had to take cocodamol but after 2 days I had to stop I couldn't stand my own irritability
Plus, aren't you supposed to take cocodamol for 3 days maximum? Isn't it addictive?
Someone I worked with years ago once talked about how she'd had ME and how it was Chinese medicine which helped her recover in the end, although she did say that she'd not stuck to it rigidly as she couldn't bear to give up coffee. As someone with a chronic condition myself, though, I'm with Obbelix - take the informed patient approach, polite but firm with your GP.
I was a having a problem a few years ago and if you are in pain or uncomfortable you will try anything, at the time we had a Chinese practice in town and I came out the shop £25.00 lighter and a bag of twigs, acupuncture is good for relief but is not a permanent solution, :)
Quote from: SueK on January 09, 2012, 18:33:27
Plus, aren't you supposed to take cocodamol for 3 days maximum? Isn't it addictive?
Yes it can be, and you should not take it for more than a few days, says on the box how long.
However, doctors will perscribe it for longer periods as a better alternative to per perscription only pain killers that may have worse side effects.
One drug free pain relief you can try a 'tens machine', they send electric impulses to the area of pain that interupt the pain signals.
Never tried or needed one, but have seen one in action and it seems to work, you do have to use it daily, but you only have to buy the machine once.
My last GP used to offer acupuncture - it was very successful for my m-i-l's arthritic knee pain. Unfortunately he has retired, in your place I would look for someone with a recognised medical qualification who does needles on the side.
Tens machine - excellent for pain originating in trapped nerve type injuries, but I've found it useless for arthritic pain. I had some excellent physio through my GP practice for neck and shoulder pain due to arthritis - I agree that you need to be a little more upfront with your GP about what you want.
The GP's diagnosis is only as good as the information you give her/him so it pays off to take some notes before your GP appointment and to make sure that s/he has the info s/he needs.
Acupuncture isn't about cure, it's about treatment and as long as you go for acupuncture it works. The effect diminishes once you stop, however.
Quote from: grawrc on January 09, 2012, 20:07:55
Acupuncture isn't about cure, it's about treatment and as long as you go for acupuncture it works. The effect diminishes once you stop, however.
As does the tens machine, I've been using mine today or I wouldn't have been able to walk. I was told you mustn't use it and do too much as it only masks the pain and it's easy to overuse your joints . Hydrotherapy worked while I was going but they only give you a course . Go shout at your doctor ;D
hi Goodlife,
I have a sports injury too which was absolutely excruciating a few years ago, I went through the usual rubbish doctors procedure of 6 weeks on ibroprofen and ice packs and then I had to insist on physiotherapy,which did nothing discernible then I went to a chiropractor for a few months privately, still no improvement, I went back to the doctors and he sent me for more physio this time a course of acupressure was extremely pleasant at the time and quite a pain reliever at the time but not a cure. I then got referred again for acupuncture which again felt heavenly at the time, I am not completely sure if the effects were long lasting but I really enjoyed the pain relief on the days that I had it. Time was the healer in the end and the exercises I was given by the physio.
I am not sure if this is any help to you, I did really enjoy the acupuncture but I am not convinced it cured me. maybe a trip to a sports physio might be good, a fresh diagnosis and maybe some new exercises?
I hope you sort it out soon though as pain, especially pain that interferes with gardening is frustrating!
Found acu puncture very good after a car accident in the late 80s. I no longer live in that area or I would have gone to see if she still practices.
I no longer have any faith in our NHS. Last year had a nasty fall at work through no fault of my own. Took 7 months to get my op to put the damage right. Small amount of discomfort, but usable now.
Go back to your practise and insist on seeing someone else, don't put up with being fobbed off. At the end of the day its our taxes that pay their wages.
I've just remembered about tiger balm, chinese medecine that works, not good if you rub it in then eat a sandwich but relieves the pain for a while ;D
I had to stop I couldn't stand my own irritability..gosh..I wonder if that's what it is bothering me..OH asked if I have 'woman's troubles' as I've been so 'touchy' this week... ::)
I'm always telling more to doctors than what they want to know.. ;D...I can be rather pushy. But this new doctor was totally taking mickey..he wasn't interested.
And as for co-codamol for being only short term... ::)...I got 200 of them prescribed for me.. ::)
Thanks for you all for your advise..I knew I can get some feedback here.. ;)
I've lived with my dodgy leg 20 yrs now and coping just fine..well normally..it is only troubling me about once year for few weeks and then the aggravation wears out. It is the increased amount of gardening after a long winter for not doing much bending down and weeding that brings it on. This time I came 'wrong time of the year' and its going on far longer than usual and its more painful too. I just don't know what brought it on.
Well..I'm going to go back to GP soon and then I shall tell him what we are going to do about this time rather than waiting him to be the 'holy doctor'.. ::) It just doesn't 'pay' being polite..back to my old self again...I shall tell him..
In mean while I carry on with my debate..purchasing garden stuff vs. acupuncture...I let you guess which way the scale may tip on.. ;D
Goodlife, I'd look for a decent sports physio. Local football/rugby clubs are usually good sources of info :)
My local Physiotherapy Department at our local Hospital will offer acupuncture if needed.
Try your local physio department, your GP practice will have the telephone number.
Peter
It sounds like you may need some manipulation of some kind (you don't say what the injury is) but as we "stiffen up" over time, tendons etc become more rigid and it may be lack of flexibility causing the pain, sounds like physio could be on the cards, and i have not tried acupuncture but I think for the pain you might find it helps. Do get a reliable practitioner via word of mouth though. People talk about practitioners that help them - here in my town there is an osteopath who is blind and many people swear by him, he has helped a number of people which various neck/back/pain problems.
Hope you feel better soon.
you don't say what the injury is When I was in my 20's I used to do some heavy weights in gym and as warm up I did LOTS of stretching so I would not bulk up too much for being laady..(can't help it but saying that brings little brittain ladies to my mind..I'm not that bad.. ;D) Well..one day my warm up routine wasn't enough and I could hear/feel this almost like ripping noise on back of leg and I dropped last couple of inches down on floor when doing split...OUCH :-X
So its muscular.. I never did go to doctors when I did it but gave it good rest and after 6 months that it took to 'heal' carried on training again. But..I'm not anymore in my 20's and I'm starting to pay for it now.. ::)
I suspect it is eventually going to wear itself out again...but taking much longer this time. Doing tai chi helps a lot, but I can't be doing that all day long.. ::)
We have wonderful NSH fysio people here..I had physio last year for something else..but to be able to get access you need to convince bloody GP first.. >:( I feel like knocking our GH's head asking if there is anybody there..he is so wooden and untalkative.. ::) Suppose if I tell him I feel like drinking for my problems..or drugs..I'm sure that will open every possible 'door' for help.. ::) Or do I need to be properly alcoholic first.. ::) HUH...That sounds like a hard work...gulping my way to physio.