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Acupuncture

Batfink

Hi,

I've started some treatment for my neck/shoulder with a physiotherapist. This has commenced with some acupuncture.

I was prone on the bench that they use with my face in the designed 'hole' in the bench thing, 4 needles were inserted into my trap muscles and the physio left me for about 20'minutes.

The strange thing is, that after about 5 minutes, my mind was clear. For the first time that I can recall, my mind wasn't spinning and I felt truly at peace. It was very strange afterwards when I realised this.

Has anybody else experienced this? I can't wait for the next session!

Batfink

  • I also experienced severe shoulder pain, starting about a year ago. It was sharp and persistent, affecting my daily activities. I tried both acupuncture and physiotherapy. While acupuncture provided temporary relief and a sense of mental peace, physiotherapy had a more lasting impact on my pain.

    I worked with Andrew Convery, a physiotherapist who used a combination of manual therapy and exercises tailored to my condition. His approach not only reduced my pain but also improved my shoulder's mobility and strength.

  • Hello Batfink

    I'm recently diagnosed autistic. And I'm in my late 40s. But having had a career in bodies - therapeutic movement rehab exercise. I felt that I could chip in. I've been having regular acupuncture for years possibly decades. Sometimes for a strain or pain, but mostly for calmness.

    I see a traditional Chinese medicine acupuncturist about twice a month. It helps me sleep. It helps me restore it helps me be more able to cope with life. And now with autism awareness, I can see how it has been a crutch for me to be able to live and work. It helps reduce my sense of overwhelm and be okay with the heightened sensitivities I have to everything.

    I cannot recommend it enough and I've never found it painful, but having trust and honesty with your acupuncturist I feel is vital. If you have any questions, I'm more than happy to answer.

    N

  • in reply to Caelus

    In my experience it usually doesn't hurt, the needles are very fine and you don't feel them go in. 

    In theory acupuncture works on an energetic level, so it moves energy blocks, simply put. As we all have small electrical currents passing through our bodies at all times, I find the idea plausible. 

    People report feeling a bit weird during treatment sometimes, in theory as the energy moves. 

    The first time I had it my body hurt and I was dizzy and had to lie down, it was quite dramatic. I had been expecting no effect since I didn't believe it would work. 

    It fixed my chronic pain though, after a few sessions. 

  • in reply to Martin

    I hadn't thought of that perspective. Sounds very plausible!

  • I had acupuncture, following physiotherapy for a repetitive strain induced, rotator cuff injury to my right shoulder, to help with some residual pain. It worked very well. I suspect that there are two major impacts of acupuncture on mental state, first is the enforced total cessation from physical movement, while in a relaxed position: second is the concentration of the mind on the area of the body that has the needles in. I think that these factors could induce a trance-like state.

  • in reply to Caelus

    Hi,

    The physio used 4 needles, 1 of them was a little sore but nothing too major and I felt the benefit straight after. 

    It was the 'clear mind' feeling that took me aback!

  • never been to acupuncture, never had reason to as i keep all my muscles stretched and flexible.

    does it hurt? do you feel the needle go in?

    i often wonder how this works anyway but im going to guess that the micro hole tear the needle makes in the muscle likely targets a tension holding spot and the tear there creates a weakness which perhaps hakes the tension dissipate and the muscle to drop as the tension holding spot can no longer hold the muscle due to the weakness created by the hole from the needle perhaps? thats my guess on how it may work.

  • I am sure that acupuncture can help people. Years ago I knew a person training to be an acupuncturist and they convinced me to try as I had suffered from chronic pain for years. To be honest, I didn't believe for a moment that acupuncture could help me, I went to stop this person going on about it every time I saw them. 

    But to my amazement, my pain began to lessen after the first treatment and in two months it was gone, never to return. Acupuncture worked for me where doctors had not.

    Since that time, I have heard and read accounts of many who have found acupuncture works for them for all sorts of things. It's a whole body approach. A former colleague who dances semi-professionally has regular acupuncture to help arthritis in her toes. 

    Acupuncture is a very ancient medical practice, also recommended by many GPs now. It's definitely become more mainstream in the UK over the years.