alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Anyone had a/p?

Reason I ask is that my damaged nerve is getting no better, doctor/specialist is at a loss and can't do any more and the pain from it is getting to be a nightmare.

For those who don't know, I damaged a disc in my lower neck around Christmas 2008, resulting in a trapped nerve. They operated in June of that year, but the nerve has been damaged and so far hasn't got any better......if amything, it's worse.

I have constant pins and needles and numbness in the little and ring fingers and outer edge of my left hand, plus the upper muscle on my left forearm. Night-time is worse when the pain results in cramps and hot/cold, plus pain all up my arm and into the shoulder.

I'm at a loss as to what to do. Does anyone think a/p might work and would the NHS pay for it, since it's THEIR fault I can no longer have the only painkillers that helped me.

EddScott

Wife had some accupuncture after a car accident. She had 4 sessions and said that it did reduce the tightness in the damaged muscles.

chocolate_o_brian

iTrader: (22)

I would say go for it Jeff as you don't really have anything to lose. I considered it once when I had a reflash of my old whiplash injury across my shoulders. Gave me pretty intense pins and needles down my left upper and lower arm. Bit like yours but obviously not as severe

Depends if your doctor is competant and/or sympathetic to your issues.

Failing that, class A's

hodgy0_2

my father in law had something similiar, to the point walking was very difficult and painfull

He has just had an epidural -- and his now fine

andys

Had a similar thing with a trapped nevre in my shoulder, although nowhere near as bad as yours a 6 week course of physio and needles did sort it out

stilover

I've just had a couple sessions due to aching legs.

Been to doctors for it, and came up blank. Talked to a physio and decided to give accupuncture a go. Had a couple sessions and nothing improved. They did say it works for some, but not for others.

greenonedave

Back in 1995 I came off my motorcycle, broke my collerbone, upper arm and shoulder blade in 4 places, It did hurt,I was on some serious pain killersbut, I did not sleep much more than 3 hrs at a time because of the pain.The only thing that seemed to help it was a course of accupuncture, it helped with the pain and seemed to help lessen the time it took to get the movement back in my shoulder.At the hospital the physio even commented how quickly it seemed to recover.
A few years later I fell off another motorbike, I broke my Knee and my leg, I tried out the accupuncture again and it made no differrence at all.
Just try it you just may be lucky, it cant do any harm.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

I use accupuncture for facial pain (my patients that is) ....... always worth a try and many get help

Available on NHS via Physio, Neurologist or Pain Consultant.


Shaun

Snazy

I had acupuncture a few years back for an impingement of the rotator cuff. Worked a treat.. Few sessions later I was feeling much better.

Oilburner

I suffered from sciatica and the accupuncture helped a lot go for it!

Leslie

I have never tried it, but can't see how it could do any harm. You must be suffering with all that and I would certainly give it a try.

Les

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

I think I'll approach my doctor again.

I'm SUPPOSED to have been referred to a pain clinic, but have heard nowt.

Stephb1986

I've had accupuncture for loads of things it does work

Steph xx

TingTongPJ

iTrader: (24)

i had medical accupuncture for nerve damage in my neck/back (following a procedure to put steriod in my spinal column and physio , i had twice weekly half hour sessions around 25 in total.

i can honestly say it was extremely painfull especially the pins in the sholder/neck and in-between the thumb and first finger. it helped a little but not as much as i expected it too.

according to my pain specalist at the time, he explained that the brain remembers where you have pain, medical accupuncture makes the brain re-visit problem hence sometimes removing pain.

i think their is a big difference in herbal and medical accupuncture.

you can have specific electrical impulse treatment direct to your nerves possibly another option.

markjmd

iTrader: (11)

[spelling-police]It's a-C-upuncture with one c, FFS
(Latin n. acus=needle, not adj. accuratus=prepared with care).
[/spelling-police]

Heard great things about it but never had it myself, can't do any harm to try.

Dingdongler

Pretty sure it won't work for something like your condition. I'd like to see the double blinded randomised controlled study that says otherwise.

Alcazar, which drug did work for you?

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Co-proxamol

MY doc wanted to carry on prescribing it, the rest of the practise forbade him and he's junior.
They were apparently frightened off by the BMA.

Midlife......

iTrader: (2)

Alcazar.. see my post number 8

If pain is your problem which can't be sorted in primary/secondary care then the next port of call is a specialised pain clinic.

Dr Shanks runs our local pain clinic here in Carlisle and is always very helpful



My advice on Pain and Palliative care is shakey but they might be able to prescribe medications (Co Proxamol) that your GP or specialist can't........because of the special nature of pain relief.

Shaun

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

Cheers, midlife, when I get to see my doc, I'll ask him again about the pain clinic. He was SUPPOSED to be going to refer me, but was reluctant to do so.

ukjesters

iTrader: (3)

Hi,
I had various back pain for years culminating in severe back spasms which were not very nice to say the least. Tried chiropractor/ice packs etc etc. Ended up getting acupuncture as a last resort really. I was told that i'd need 12 sessions at £50 each which i told them that i simply couldn't afford and so they agreed 6 sessions??? The actual service that they gave was good, i felt like i was getting value for money in "customer care" but i still had my back pain!

Long and short of it was that as this "last resort" wasn't working i arranged an mri scan via my GP which showed up a herniated disc and tumours on my spinal cord. No matter how many sessions of acupuncture i would've received they would never ever have fixed this problem. So my advice would be (unless you already know for certain) ascertain exactly what/where the problem is within your neck (scans etc), is there no way that they can simply cut the nerve, yes you'll lose feeling in that area but surely it will remove the pain?

I had surgery in June and i'm still recovering but the tumours were removed and found to be benign (i still have some tumours higher up my back but we're gonna keep an eye on them with regular scans) and my herniated disc was sorted at the same time. All my pain has gone and although i've lost feeling in certain places due to them having to cut nerves to get the tumours out, relatively speaking, it has been an absolute success and if i were you i would be looking at further surgery if at all possible.

Hope you get it sorted soon,
Regards
Rick

Camoscooby

iTrader: (5)

Mrs Camoscooby has acupuncture regularly for a bad back.......she swears by it.....

chiroman

iTrader: (1)

If your symptoms are getting worse since your surgery it is probably advisable to see GP and assertively ask him to refer you to a Consultant Neurologist for a re assessment of your case. This would mean having MRI scan, NHS, for Consultant info. and reveal any nerve root pressure in your lower cervical region.

Alternatively see Chiropractor for neurological assessment, possible gentle manipulation to realign the vertebra as required and soft tissue work to release muscles around the area.
Hope this helps.