Anyone tried acupuncture?
Hi everyone :) I'm the 34 and was diagnosed with OA in my ankle last year after a bad fall when I was 19. I'm having steroid injections but the doctor doesn't want me to have them too often. The pain and limping is getting more frequent. Just been reading about acupuncture and wondered if this has helped anyone in a similar position to me? Any other suggestions will be gratefully received. Thank you!
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Hi @Sophia1986 and welcome to the online community!
You’ve got Osteoarthritis in your ankle and the pain is getting worse despite your steroid injections. You’re asking if there is anything else you could do to help relieve your pain as your doctor doesn’t want to increase the frequency of the steroid injections.
Acupuncture can have a lasting effect - it is something that works really well for some people, but other people don’t find it as helpful or that it works at all. It’s one of those treatments you need to try to see if it works for you. My mother tried it and found it had an improvement for a couple of months, but then she did need to go back to keep the benefits. She was also able to get it on the NHS, so it’s always worth attempting to talk your doctor into prescribing a first try of a complementary therapy.
We have some information on acupuncture you may find helpful here:
And there’s also some information on other complementary therapies and managing your pain more generally here:
There are other people on the forum who should have some more personal experiences who might be able to shed more light on acupuncture. You may find more interesting and helpful discussions ongoing elsewhere as well - do take a look around the community and join in 😊
Nice to meet you and I’m looking forward to seeing you elsewhere in the community.
Shell
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This is something I've often considered.
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I have spent hundreds on a 3 month course of acupuncture for my OA and found it no use whatsoever, I kept going for the 3 months in the hope that it would have some sort of cumulative effect but to no avail. When I used to see a Chiropractor she would also do some acupuncture and that didn't work either. The Chiro did help for a few days but she said that I was so bad that I could do with it weekly but at £60 a time I could not afford it and in any event I cannot get to see her anyway and she has steps up to her clinic. I wouldn't want to put anyone off as it could well work for some people but I would caution spending too much on it.
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Broadly, I agree with Mike. I tried it twice in my earlier years. The first course I had really helped every week for about an hour(!) The second time was some years later. My first practitioner had retired and I could only find a swish, much more expensive clinic. It did nothing at all for me.
For me, physio exercises have always been the best.
If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
Steven Wright1 -
I have been treated by my GP, she was qualified in acupuncture, for quite a few sessions but to no avail, I didn’t feel I could judge until it became fairly obvious that there was no help.
In my early years I tried reflexology (manual manipulation and pressure via vacuum boots) which had a big effect on me, I felt as though I had a large high pressure hose inserted at one end of my body and the hose turned on, I was washed out!
its a grin, honest!
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I had acupuncture from my GP ( he was trained ) but it made my neck worse and on 1 occasion he left a needle in my neck and another time he forgot I was there and I was locked into the building needled up and had to set the alarm off to get help...….Took my mind off the pain for a while. I have had some acupuncture from a sports injury physio along with massage and that has helped a bit for the neck problems I have but no effect on joints damaged by OA or RA. I do physio exercises and physio led pilates and find that helpful though I am a bit shattered at the moment so have reduced from 2 to 1 session a week.
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Wow! I don't think you'll be going to that GP again! :) thank you for you response.
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I think I had acupuncture from my GP - or perhaps he forgot his glasses when giving me some jabs 😂😂
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Yes, I've had it and it does work, but like with everything one has to stay with it....
I even taught myself how to do it at home and don't do it now....it's all on the net and "how to"....
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