Has anyone found acupuncture helps with the aches and pains of PMR?

[Lilly-Gee]

I’m booked in for an acupuncture session on Friday as I am so sick of the aches in my sit bones. I’m still on Pred and tapering …at 9.5 atm but the whole time I’ve been on Pred I’ve had a sore bum…well just under it actually basically at the top of my legs. It feels like someone has hit me, like I am bruised. I thought acupuncture might relieve some of the pain. What do you think?

[Seacat30]

I have nothing helpful to add but that is one of my problems too. I didn't notice it while undiagnosed with PMR. It seemed to spring into life with the pred. Following with interest.

[Karenjaninaz in reply to Seacat30]

I had that problem and it drove me crazy. I went for physiotherapy and it really helped. I did the exercises at home and I still do them because they really help in general. I no longer have any of that pain.

[jinasc]

If it is like my pain was, I found it that it was the Piris Formis syndrome and the acupuncture helped and after about 4 sessions I was then practically pain free and it lasted for about just under a years, so back for 4 sessions and it is just beginning to nag again.

Sam also did cupping which I had never heard of, later found out it was older than acupuncture. The hamstrings were released and that was bliss.

I do so hope it works for you.

PMRpro did an article on some Add Ons. You can have a copy by giving me your email address via a PM.

[Lilly-Gee in reply to jinasc]

Thanks jinasc, after reading your post I started looking through the previous posts on here and found some interesting discussion. Some say yes it worked others say no it’s rubbish…I’ll have to give it a go and see if it helps me. I am glad it helped you, that gives me some hope. I am feeling positive! Thanks again. Stay well 😊

[123-go in reply to Lilly-Gee]

Positivity is good and nothing ventured, nothing gained. Good luck!

[piglette]

I feel as if I am sitting on stones and think it is the fault of the chairs, but obviously not! I found acupuncture a total waste of time in my case. You never know it may work for you.

[Lilly-Gee in reply to piglette]

Yes sitting on stones is exactly how I feel too. It is the annoying pains just at the top of my legs under my buttocks that pulls me up. Every time I bend over or stand up it hurts. I often blame the chairs too but this only started happening a few months ago and I’ve been using chairs for years 😋. My overall PMR pain is hiding at the moment just this annoying bit. I’ll let you know how I go. 😃

[PMRpro Ambassador]

It is probably piriformis syndrome - that causes pain just there. Will acupuncture help? You will have to try it and see I suspect. It helps some people, it doesn't work for others.

But there are also physio exercises to stretch that muscle and that also helps

[diana1998]

It helped me enormously when I had hip bursitis so it's good to try it.

[Thezillionthsue]

I think it depends a lot on the expertise of the person doing the acupuncture!

It is a very precise thing and they need to put the needles in exactly the right place.

[Blossom20]

I think it will depend on the acupuncturist's skill and your reaction to the treatment. Go for it - you have nothing to lose except money! I always favour osteopaths for this kind of thing, they are brilliant. But many people swear by acupuncture too!

[Avadip12]

I had acupuncture and went on to do my own in the feet , taught by the physio department. After some time I realised it wasn’t benefiting and stopped . However during the needling process I realised I had lack of sensation in my toes and on examination by CT scan it was found I had a ruptured disc. No wonder my lower back had been in such pain.

[Whitner]

I tried acupuncture before I went on prednisone and really didn't see any benefit.

[cycli]

Try my exercise routine . Numcer 3 could work for you and cheaper than acupuncture. You didn;t report back on success or otherwise.

[Lilly-Gee in reply to cycli]

Hi Cycli I did 10 sessions of acupuncture and it worked for me. Got rid of the pain in my buttocks and some in my wrist too. I am down to 6.5 mg of Pred now and was going well until I injured myself waterskiing 2 weeks ago so I’m sitting on that dose while I get some treatment for a pulled hamstring. Was going to go to an osteopath who has helped before but maybe I’ll go back to acupuncture. I continue walking heaps plus gentle stretching and just added some easy weights too but not on the legs. I will go back and check out your number 3 though and give it a go 👍

[cycli]

sounds like you are doing fine. Keep it up and good luck. Envious of your drop in dose. You are close to adrenal function restarting so hope you have a good passage through that phase. I can only dream of getting that close.

[MrsNails]

I have found acupuncture very helpful over the years for several conditions & recently damaged my shoulder which radiated down my arm & into my fingers, diagnosed as Brachial Neuralgia & Acupuncture has certainly dealt with that & l was in agony!

A good Acupuncturist can be invaluable so worth giving it a shot - let us know how you get on.

[cycli in reply to MrsNails]

reminds me of an occasion several years ago when seriously cycling. My longissimus muscles in back were badly contracted and tried acupuncture. He had a student observing as he located the trigger points and inserted his needles. Unfortunately he was too successful in releasing the tension and I almost doubled back in immediate reaction. It was extremely painful and he shooed his student out, rapidly removed the needles and spent a frantic half hour massaging me back into shape and out of pain. Was extremely funny in retrospect but haven't had an acupuncture session since.

[MrsNails in reply to cycli]

Oh Dear 😣 that doesn’t sound good!

[cycli in reply to MrsNails]

I was a funny shape for a bit. Cyclists are a different breed and somewhat masochistic. We are used to more pain than most people would countenance so not really a problem. It was the way he didn't want his student to see his flapping around to correct the situation I found funny.

[cycli in reply to MrsNails]

If you want an example of a pro. cyclists toughness there is an incident a few years back on the tour de France where an official car swerved into the front cyclists and catapulted them into a barbed wire fence. Whilst seriously lacerated and needing medical attention they returned to the race and finished the days course. They also finished the full tour. youtube.com/watch?v=pJbHd9y...(Not working as expected?)