can acupuncture help Osteoporosis?

[Josh E]

My mother has been diagnosed with Osteoporosis in her spine and I was wondering if acupuncture could be used to help relieve some of her pain as she seems to have a lot of problems with standard pain killers issued by the doctor.

I am an aromatherapist but her doctor will not give permission for any massage treatment due to pressure on the back. Would acupuncture be suitable?

 

[waylon]

Hi Izzig

I've treated osteoporosis several times. The pain can be helped enormously with treatment, though in my experience, it can take a longer time to start having an effect.

As a rough guide, with acupuncture I'd say effects are pretty much tangible after 3 treatments, and I'd bump this up to 6 for osteoporosis. The relief it can bring is worth the wait!

This week I am seeing 2 patients with osteoporosis. The first has gone from 4 types of very strong painkiller daily to just 1 daily (co-codamol) after 8 treatments (he also suffers from osteoarthritis). The second has gone from 8 painkillers a day (the maximum) to 3 per week, after 3 treatments.

So there is hope! It is really important to find a professional acupuncturist. You can make a search online, or phone the British Acupuncture Council for a local list to be sent to you.

Hope that helps
Aragorn

 

[etejuncintalt]

I would definitly give acupuncture a try.
I know that there is now a medication against ostheoporosis that even, in some cases, allows bone density to increase again. Sorry, forgot the name. And of course I do not know if your mum would be among those who would benefit from it.

Artemis

 

[dahabiyapseeml]

Thanks for those replys. I felt it was worth a try (there is a practicioner attached to my mums drs so would probably use them although will check credentials) and it is good to have a time scale for benefit as my mum would probably loose patience if she felt no better after 2 or 3 treatments , so this is a good guide.

 

[***GabbiBabe***]

You're looking for the letters MBaCC in all cases, along with one or more of LicAc, DipAc, ClinAc, or possibly something that looks more like a degree e.g. BSc(Hons) (TCM)

Aragorn

 

[*June Bug* (MC)]

Thanks for that.

Unfortuneatly a "friend" has a book about it and has shown her pictures of the long needles and now she won't have anything to do with it! []

May have a go at trying her with reflexology - no nasty needles!!!!![sm=sad-smiley-047.gif]

Thanks for all the info anyway.

Izzig

 

[Tosh]

Izzig
Aaarrrgghh! Replied in Reflexology section.

A

 

[KRanifxa]

definitly acupuncture can relieve the pain of Osteoporosis , many patients come for this .But one thing i must mention, no pain is only no pain , Osteoporosis still is there . To cure that , chinese medicine is recommended .

wishes

Dr. TCM

 

[hellokittylove]

Hi Dr TCM

Not sure where you are coming from with this.

Firstly acupuncture is chinese medicine. Presumably you are refering to Chinese herbal medicine?
Secondly, I do not treat any condition to provide just pain relief. Where is the sense in that?
Acupuncture treatments that are given by qualified practitioners in the UK would tend to treat the underlying causes.

Acupuncture in the UK tends to be a very different thing to the acupuncture that is currently used and taught in China, where treatments intended just to alleviate symptoms are more common, I believe.

Best wishes
Aragorn

 

[Colbert Nation]

hi Aragorn

Yes, you are right .What you learned must be quite different , I suppose you should better learn more about chinese medicine ,then you will find a wider world .Back to see acupuncture , more easily and intelligibly ! Its absolutely true , changing a little bit thinking way to get more you have never found .
In china we have to learn both chinese medicine and western medicine in university , even combining these two sides is quite hard ,but no doubt its very useful .Different education system makes it different , isnt it ?

regards

DR. TCM

 

[Scarlett-811]

Hello Dr TCM
I suspect you may have misunderstood me.

TCM acupuncture is just one part of the acupuncture medicine I practice. What is currently practiced in China has been greatly influenced by western medicine, and a great deal has been lost.

All professionally trained acupuncturists in the UK have a sound education in western medicine as a part of their acupuncture education.

Aragorn

 

[Henifridera]

hiya
very interesting ...
but one thing you should know is in the clinic i can use both acupuncture/chinese medicine and western medicine , its legal to use western medicine as I am tcm a doctor.

regards
DR. TCM