Accupuncture

[derby42]

hi everyone. Ive not been around much lately cos of trying to enjoy my family time but right now i feel utterly dreadful. Two days ago i met my new physio who is going to be dealing with the pain management in addition to my back issues as in whats is causing me so much bother. She said that she thinks there are a few different problems but she hasnt examined me fully cos we ran out of time. She actually made me feel like she listened to me which was great and she told me that her gran had had ms too. She said that she would also like to do a course of accupuncture for my pain. Anyhow. . After the appt i went for a bit of a massage and some accupuncture elsewhere with a lady ive been to before for it but not for some months. I told her about my nerve test results and also that my surgeon suspected pirformis syndrome. Well she needled accordingly and that was that. 2 hours later my partial footdrop was total and has only slightly improved since so im nearly falling over now. I called her tonight and she cant really explain it but did say that when she put a needle into my piriformis muscle it was in spasm so she wondered if being so tight for so long had actually been keeping my foot up whereas if its now been released its not doing that. Im now wondering 2 things, can accupuncture have such a huge effect and can it also worsen ms symptoms? A long post i know but this is dreadful. Thanks.

[Christina]

Hi Derby

 

I'm glad your absence was because you were enjoying some family time, but am sorry to hear you have some problems with foot drop following acupuncture. I don't think I could answer your question whether it can make symptoms worse. I guess it does change things, which is why many people use it. The MS Trust has this on its website:

 

'The most impressive results in the treatment of MS using acupuncture appear to be with the relapsing remitting type. Experience suggests that acupuncture can pull a patient out of a relapse regardless of the presenting symptoms. However, as a general rule, the longer the symptoms have been present the more difficult they may be to resolve.

 

Symptoms that GENERALLY respond well to acupuncture include:

 

Muscular weakness

Spasticity

Pain

Vision problems

Tremor

Balance/co-ordination

Dizziness

Bladder infections

Fatigue

Mental/emotional problems

 

 

 

It may be that it's relaxed some muscles causing your foot drop to be worse, but I really don't know. It certainly seems to be having an effect. Maybe wait and see how things go for a few days and try not to panic, as it could change back in a bit or ask advice from your new physio.

 

Chris x

[Scully]

Hello Derby,

 

Good to hear you have been able to continue to spend time with your family.

 

I don't know the answer to the acupuncture question. I had a course of acupuncture a few years ago for what was thought to be migraine, it did improve that for a while.

 

I was warned by the therapist at the time, that initially things may get worse before they get better once some new channels have been opened. But it was only a vague recollection. May be worth asking the question though.

 

Only your physio or acupuncturist can really tell whether the treatment can worsen your foot drop or not so definitely worth advising your physio about this one and see what they say.

 

Scully

X

[derby42]

thanks for your replies ladies. Its been a little better today but im gonna speak to my new physio in the morning. My hubby also found something odd in my back last night. I felt a hard lump around my sacroiliac area and asked him to feel it both sides. He said it was only on one side and was rather freaked by it cos he said it was bone but there wasnt one the other side. In bed last night i was in so much pain where my hubby had been prodding it. . today though he said that it had moved! I dont know whats going on . I dont know if bones can move around like that or if ms can cause it.

[Scully]

Hello Derby.

 

No I don't think bones can pop up and vanish like that? Could it have been a really hard knot of muscle that he felt?

 

Muscle spasm can be very acute, and very painful.

 

Have a chat with your physio as planned and let us know?

 

Scully

x

[derby42]

Lol will do scully. . Vanishing bones. . Made me chuckle. Its not vanished. . Just moved. Probably why ive felt so twisted. I suspect this may have something to do with having 5 babies and 2 in the last 18 months. Too old for it. My grandma had about 14 of them. . Dont know how they did it in those days. Im wrecked after 5!

[Christina]

Bones do take some time to settle after childbirth. I remember I had a real problem with my coccyx sticking out like a ledge for ages. I needed to be careful not to catch it on hard surfaces - it was quite unnerving and bizarre

 

Chris x