All people I know find accupuncture beneficial for backpain. Over the last 15 years, I tried accupuncture about 4 times and each time my pain got worse after the session (3 sessions were with needles, one session was with an accupuncture machine).
I am now wondering whether being an O-nonsecretor would explain my negative reaction to accupuncture (along the lines of being very senstive to the invasiveness of accupuncture). Has anyone got any similar experience - or is it just my body saying 'no' to accupuncture.  

I have very good benefits with acupuncture.  Have you tried different practitioners to see if one may be better than the other?

Also, for the particular thing you are dealing with, a different modality may be more successful.  For example, your pain might respond more to the work of a skilled physical therapist.

Quoted from Victoria

I have very good benefits with acupuncture.  Have you tried different practitioners to see if one may be better than the other?

Victoria, yes they were all different practitioners. Maybe it is just me who responds badly to accupuncture and it has nothing to do with being a nonnie.

Acupuncture is not effective for everything.  Your situation may not be one of the things that acupuncture is helpful for.  It may be that you would still have good fortune using acupuncture for a different type of health problem.

Hi Curious -

I tried acupuncture for the first to help me quit smoking and it was 100% successful.  My acupuncturist specializes in a particular aspect of going nicotine-free so zeroing in on that was a tremendous help.

I tried it against my frozen shoulder last year, but it made it worse as well then years ago for my very first time, when I tried to stop smoking with needles, they all popped out when the therapist tried to get em in ....that's my inner tension she said ...ahaa...ok....I don't like needles

On the subject of acupuncture, somebody told me that getting your ears pierced somehow negatively affected the acupuncture-related circulation in your ear lobes.  I was considering getting my ears pierced (for the first time) for my upcoming 30th birthday.  Anybody know of any reason not to (as far as acupuncture points go)?

If there is an acupuncture point where the piercing takes place, that spot will no longer contain an active acupuncture point;  Much like a deep surgery scar can block a meridian.  In most cases, it shouldn't make much difference since we have so many other flow lines to work with, but talk with an acupuncturist for exact technical advice on this.

I also had acupuncture on the advice of nearly everyone, for fertility issues. "Everyone" said it would be relaxing, and any discomfort would improve the longer I went. I found that "everyone" was wrong, and I really didn't like it. I would lie there counting the minutes and trying not to think of the needles sticking out of me.

I discovered this morning (but suspected for a while) that I'm a nonnie, and have been reading the threads about hyper-sensitivity. Maybe that's why I didn't like acu....

welcome to the club!

Quoted from Squirrel

I  I found that "everyone" was wrong, and I really didn't like it.
I discovered this morning (but suspected for a while) that I'm a nonnie, and have been reading the threads about hyper-sensitivity. Maybe that's why I didn't like acu....

That is very interesting Squirrel - that makes 2 O-Nonnies who don't like accupuncture!  

Thanks for the welcome!

Curious,
If you don't like the invasiveness of acupuncture, have you tried acupressure instead? The places I've had it are the same places that do acupuncture, or who practise kinesiology. It uses the same points as acupuncture, but instead of piercing them, they either massage the point to stimulate the energy, or press on it to suppress the energy. I think the healing effect is less dramatic than the needles, but it's kinder to us poor sensitive souls!  

Might be worth checking out in your area?

yes much like reflexology on hands and feet.

Quoted from Lola

yes much like reflexology on hands and feet.

That's another thing I couldn't take   ! My husband signed up for a package of reflexology sessions and to use them up I took all my friends and visiting relatives along! Interestingly, once I found a Rubik's cube there, and I was able to tolerate the reflexology session fine when I was twisting that cube.

Brain can't cope with more than one thing at a time I guess  

certain spots can be painful!
glad the cube helped some....

Have you tried chiropractic?  It has been a life-saver for me.  I have a malformed vertebrae in my lower back and an old injury in my neck, and regular visits keep me walking and moving around (almost) pain-free.  There are several different schools of treatment within the field though, so visiting two different chiropractors could be two totally different experiences! Personally, I prefer the more hands-on and aggressive treatment styles like Palmer and Gonstead (activator and electrostim feel nice but don't really do anything for me), but if you are very sensitive maybe a less aggressive approach would be more comfortable for you.  PLUS, chiropractic is NON-INVASIVE!  No, I swear I'm not a chiropractor, I just swear by chiropractors....

Drive, yes I have tried chiropractic, or to be more precise I saw an osteopath. I saw him for shoulder pain which he fixed. But during his treatments, my lower back/leg started to be more and more painful and by the end of the treatment (he said that he can't do anymore for me) I had full-blown sciatica. So, chiropractic is definitely not for me.

can there be something in your diet causing unnecessary inflammation, perhaps?

I had very disturbing sciatica pain before BTD, constantly.....
but it has also become a thing of the past.
I am very compliant though.

I have to join in here, my chiro has also changed my life. I had full on sciatica for 6 years, the most important thing I have ever done after btd is go see my awesomme chiro (gonstead also).

Curious, I also saw an osteo first and as i had no success either, i never went back and thoiught i was totally to be in pain forever.

But my chiro and the exercises he specifically taught me were the key to strengthening and overcoming this hideous ailment. I still have some bad days, but I know how to look after myself now!

Quoted from Lola

can there be something in your diet causing unnecessary inflammation, perhaps?

Lola, I can't think of anything. I have been very compliant - with the only exceptions being 2 cups of black tea, 1/2 ginger beer and two serves of sheep milk yoghurt when I did not know that I was a nonnie.
Since I found out that I am a nonnie, I have been 100 % compliant. I have experimented with the allowed grains and I have a grain-meal (rice, quinoa, millet or amaranth) every second day. The other meals are all animal protein with vegies. I have reduced my fruit consumption to 2 serves per day and eat dried fruit about once a week (compliant ones). I prepare all my meals from scratch and most of the products are bought organic or from my garden (also organic).
I do feel much better compared with before I started BTD, but I seem to be on a plateau and I'd like the pain to finally go. I am also seeing a psychologist to deal with some of the body/mind issues.
I must be missing something, but I don't know what.
Honeybee, I don't dare to try a chiro after my experience with the osteo. The osteo was highly recommended and he did chiropractic adjustments. I get some Hellerwork sessions and they are really good, but I still have pain - especially in the mornings.

all avoids count!!
Dr D is right on target most of the time.....and also give it the time it needs for your body to heal. patience.
have you read,
"The Mindbody Prescription"?
written by John Sarno and discusses physical symptoms caused by the autonomic nerve system.

I have come to value a good physical therapist more than any chiropractor I have ever been to see.  It took me a couple of years to find a good ph. therapist, but she is worth her weight in gold.  The improvements I get from her are really long lasting and she eliminated some chronic pain that drove me crazy for years.

Quoted from Lola

have you read, "The Mindbody Prescription"? written by John Sarno

Lola, yes I have read the book, also his other one called 'healing back pain'. I found both books extremely interesting and decided to see a psychologist to get some help with the mind/body issues as a consequence.
Maybe I just have to be patient and make sure that I stay 100% compliant.  

Curious,

Just like Victoria said about therapists, you may have to look around to find a good chiro.  If you reconsider that route, look for one that does X-rays.  A lot of chiro's work only by touch, but the more scientific, the better.  Getting an X-ray taken should be a great help to determine if a chiropractor can help you.  If there is no subluxation of the vertebrae, a chiro can't help you.

Back pain is caused by inflammation of the soft tissues in the area, and usually the inflammation is caused by pressure on a nerve.  If you put the vertebrae back where they belong (i.e. fix the subluxation), the pressure on the nerve is relieved, then the nerves stop signaling the muscles, and the muscles can then relax and heal.  But as long as the root cause isn't addressed, no food or drug will fix that pain.

Drive, I have a CT scan which shows a disk prolapse at L4/L5. My doctor (he is very open minded and does adjustments himself) says that chiropractic treatment can be dangerous if someone has a disk prolapse (it could aggravate the prolapse). I think this is what happened when I saw the osteo - because when I first saw him my lower back was quite good, by the end of the treatment it was really bad (and the pain had gone into my leg). I guess that is why I am afraid to try a new chiro - I don't want it to get worse.

Quoted from Curious

Drive, I have a CT scan which shows a disk prolapse at L4/L5. My doctor (he is very open minded and does adjustments himself) says that chiropractic treatment can be dangerous if someone has a disk prolapse (it could aggravate the prolapse).

What is a disk prolapse?  I've never heard of that!  But it sounds like you've done the legwork, and chiro is not a good option for you, so I won't try to sell you on it anymore  

Don't forget a good massage therapist!
No, I can't afford it as much as I'd like to go, either!
But regular massage should 'loosen up' certain areas safely.

Maybe we can have a thread if chiropracy works better or worse for nonnies, also.
Any takers?
Thanks,
Mrs "T"     O+

Quoted from TJ

What is a disk prolapse?

Drive, a disc prolapse is also called 'disc protrusion', 'disc extrusion' or 'disc herniation'. It means that the disc has moved partly out of its normal space. When it does this, it often pinches a nerve, in the case of leg pain, mainly the sciatic nerve.
Mrs T., yes a good massage therapist can be great. I am having regular 'Hellerwork sessions' - which is like a very deep tissue massage combined with structural integration.
I read Lola's post on corn ingredients last night and found out that ascorbic acid and lysine are likely to be made from corn. I have taken these 2 supplements in the first 3 month of my pain (have finished them a few weeks ago). That means I was taking avoids without knowing it. Maybe that stopped my progress.  

great find!

Hi folks,

you might wish to give magnetism a try, especially for a chronic pain condition.  Here is one site - http://www.biomagscience.com/products

John

I’ve tried acupuncture twice and I don’t like it.  Years ago I tried it to quit smoking and it was useless for me.  More recently I tried it for something else and the discomfort of the needles made me stop.  I’ll try almost anything else again before that.

Quoted from Curious

Drive, a disc prolapse is also called 'disc protrusion', 'disc extrusion' or 'disc herniation'. It means that the disc has moved partly out of its normal space. When it does this, it often pinches a nerve, in the case of leg pain, mainly the sciatic nerve.

I have heard of those terms.  My father suffered from a herniated disc years ago!