acupuncture plus aspirin, brace and time, helped me a LOT
I use trad Chinese medic, along with also using Western medicine. That guy is EXPENSIVE! My acu gal doc is about $60 a visit, and that includes the first visit. I had some luck with acu. She puts in the needles, they don’t hurt. Then she hooks up an electronic device that sends pulses of juice to the needles. Interesting!
She couldn’t do a thing for my arthritic knee, though she certainly tried. She referred me t an herb doc. He was the head of a hospital in Shanghai before he emigrated. Very experienced guy, and now a good friend. He gave me a bag of various herbs to make tea with. First visit, no luck. Second visit he made the mix stronger as I’m much bigger than his usual Chinese patients. It helped! Third visit, no more knee problems. 15 years ago I walked with a cane, now I don’t even know where my cane is! Oh! $40 a visit.
He’s in Cleveland. Nothing could really help my back though. “Too much damage” he said.
It helps some, not all. It’s IMO worth pursuing because it is so much less intrusive than surgery. That’s the simple calculus.
If acupuncture works at all it is probably due to inflammation caused by the intrusion of the needle. Not likely to have any long term curative benefits I would think.
They’ve been using it for thousands of year so yes it has its uses. It will take time and won’t help in all cases.
Acupuncture does not work for about 15% of people. For the rest, for some it sort of helps, for others it helps a lot.
First, a few questions.
Did he recommend any herbal medicine to go with the acupuncture? In the case of tendonitis, herbs are typically suggested to reduce inflammation as well as to help strengthen the tendon itself.
Did you have any medicines in your system when getting your acupuncture, especially analgesics or pain relievers, or anti-inflammatory drugs?
Which tendons? These three give me calf stiffness and calf cramps:
http://www.rad.washington.edu/academics/academic-sections/msk/muscle-atlas/lower-body/flexor-hallucis-longus
I’ve figured how to tape them to get rig of the problem
https://m.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=813601268684882&id=100001050484690&set=a.539414272770251.128192.100001050484690&source=48
My boss’s chronic tendonitis was “cured” 10 years ago by buying and wearing SAS shoes. Expensive, but worth it.
I put “cured” in quotes because recently he stupidly sprinted across the sand on the beach, twisted something, and it came back really bad.
If I were to pay $150 for an acupuncture treatement, I would convince myself it worked.........
For later. Thanks.
I've never experienced acupuncture, I've never considered acupuncture, and I'm not planning to.
However, if your first experience was "so-so" I would consider that a success and continue. Perfection is the enemy of good enough and so-so is not that far behind good enough.
Arch supports cured my foot pain. Completely cured it!
Tip: Get blood tests and check your thyroid level and your B-12 level (anemia). This what was the root cause for me of some of the same ailments you describe.
As we age we don’t have as much intrinsic factor to absorb vitamin B-12. For me even absorption under the tongue didn’t work. I went for a B-12 shot and oila!
There is a company that now for the first time produces a Vitamin B-12 supplement with intrinsic factor. It’s called Trinfac-B. Try it or a B-12 shot as an experiment and see what happens. I have no conflict of interest in the company that makes the product but thus far it also seems to be helping.
It isn’t always tendonitus or other problems that are the cause, they can also just be symptoms.
All I got was another pain in the ass.
So much for self medicating.
Tendons do not have a good blood supply. For that reason any inflammation further hinders blood flow and recovery. Bromelain is a natural anti-inflammatory. It’s strength should be measured in GDUs, gelatin digesting units. Take it several times a day on an empty stomach, between meals. Worked for me to get rid of a painful elbow a doctor said I’d have for life.
I had a headache and while walking to get asprins stepped on a needle....it took my mind off the headache
I agree with the people below who recommended investing in excellent shoes that provide the best support for your needs - it makes all the difference in the world. I had extreme tendonitis in my shoulder and lower arm due to overuse with the mouse on the computer. Tried everything to get out of pain, and nothing worked (including acupuncture) until one simple change: Trackball ! (this all preceded wireless stuff). I was out of pain almost immediately. There are also full body pillows designed for nursing mothers to take the pressure off when holding the wee one. Better football helmets let you really bang your head against the wall longer, too, whenever you read news on FR ;)
Hot tub, Epsom salts and massage coupled with a targeted physical therapy regiment prescribed by your doctor, under supervision of a therapist.
Went through some severe tendon problems 16 months ago, but was back to hiking in wild country within 6 months with supervised treatment. Cheers and good luck!
Try inserts in your shoes... I had the surgery for heel spurs and within two years the spurs grew back. I started with custom inserts then talked to the local shoe repair shop. He set me up with some inserts that cost $40 instead of $400 for custom.
Avoid surgery if at all possible.