Has anyone tried acupuncture and did it help with the pain?
I have used acupuncture and it has helped with the dull jaw pain, doesn't do much for the shocks. Everyone is different and reacts differently to treatments. I would advise that you really research the doctor that you would considered using. ask questions about their experience with TN and even ask for references. good luck
Scott
I had acupunture for about a year and it was thr best thing I have done so far about 21\2 years without any pain. Had to quit because of insurance not paying and it was 100.00 a treatment. Tryto find a Chinese dr. If you can.
I am doing acupuncture for a neck problem I am having. It is helping a lot with everything. I recommend trying it
Tried it twice with no luck
Hello Cara,
I use acupuncture faithfully and follow the Traditional Chinese Medicine diet recommended to me by my acupuncturist. I find that my immune system is stronger and I am healthier overall. It has not helped me with pain.
Rissmal
I tried it, and yes it helped. They acupuncture tech even taught me how to do it at home since I couldn't come in every few hours. Problem is, I developed scar tissue from so many insertions of the hair-fine needle, so then it didn't work anymore, but it helped for about a year.
Everyone is different, of course, but no harm trying it.
It seemed to work for me, I would go into remission for three or four months at a time.
I have relief from dull aching type 2 with acuPRESSURE. Just have to find the right spot. My best one is my earlobe, but there are several. Info can be found in book by Robert Kopf called Trigeminal Neuralgia - treatment with Homeopathy, Schuessler salts, and acupressure. SO easy! Hope it works for any sufferers here willing to try. Best of luck!
Glad you mentioned acupressure wadams. I use it constantly, for all pain, often without even thinking about it. It does help but not 100% for the TN pain.
Thanks also for mentioning that book! There have not been many good books about TN!
I've been trying acupuncture for about 2 months now. I went twice a week for a few weeks and now going once a week. At first, it stirred up the pain. The doctor compared it to stirring up a bee's nest. Then after a few days, the nerves settled down. It's giving me my life back to the point where I don't even think about the pain. I have some stinging nerve pain but not the constant burning and stabbing. It's expensive at $75 a treatment but if I can get relief and start going less often to get these results, it's worth it. If you do try it, give it a chance to work. Going a few times and quitting probably won't help. It's a treatment that needs to be repeated several times to even know if it'll work for you. For me, it's better than the alternative invasive procedures that permantly damage nerves. Once you do those, you can't undo that damage. I'm doing whatever I can to get my life back. TN2 pain sucks. Good luck!
I have tried two courses of 8 treatments with two different therapists. Did not change anything, but did force me to relax for 30 mins.
The first couple of treatments also brought on TN pain for me but then that stopped happening and it has helped, especially with the migraine type of pain that I was getting around my left eye. You really do need to give it at least a few treatments to notice any difference.
And like Tineline it forced me to relax too. I love any excuse to lay still for a half an hour. I really found that it helps with the anxiety, tension and stress that having chronic pain has given me. My whole body is all tensed up sometimes.
Same here, Tineline,
When I was at my lowest point in the beginning, sleeping 3 hours a night, in pain all the time, my 45 minutes on the table with needles and lovely indian music playing in the background would sometimes relax me so much I'd fall asleep. I still believe it is helping me overall, but (for me) does not help or change the pain. I have also had to cut back to once a month, since (as others have said) it is not covered by insurance.
Rissmal
Tineline said:
I have tried two courses of 8 treatments with two different therapists. Did not change anything, but did force me to relax for 30 mins.
Hi Megan4,
I’ve been considering trying acupuncture again (tried it for 3 sessions a year ago and got exactly the “bee’s nest” reaction you mentioned and quit). You’ve given me real hope, so I’ll try it again, but with a different practitioner (previous was massively overcharging my insurance). I’ll try to remember to post here when I’ve gotten several sessions under my belt. Thank you for the encouragement and I am thrilled that you are getting relief!
I have acupuncture every week, but it only provides short-term relief. But I figure that’s one day that I don’t have to take opiates or as many Tylenol. It’s also the one day of the week I go shopping or run errands. I have good insurance, but it only covers 24 visits a year. I got my case escalated to “case management” and talked to them at length about the nation’s opioid epidemic and will wonders never cease, they approved an additional 24 visits!!! They only pay about 40 percent of the cost, and I am now trying to go twice a week so the out-of-pocket is still high ($40
per visit), but it’s worth it to me. Be patiently, persistently assertive and continue to ask that your case be reviewed by highers up, and you would be surprised how often you win.
I’ve been meaning to reply to your message. How’s it going? Have you been able to find a good acupuncturist? I quit going a few months ago because of the cost. While it went, it helped tremendously but I was never able to stop medication. It wasn’t the magic cure I was hoping it would be. So now I’m basically taking a cocktail of anticonvulsants and antidepressants (along with stress reduction) which makes the TN2 manageable. I hope you’re getting relief too!