Hello, I tried finding a topic with this subject, but have yet to (if anyone could direct me to more answers that would be great!). I tried acupuncture yesterday and wound up having more pain after than what I came in with! My whole right side is throbbing and constant shocks - this can’t be normal for acupuncture can it? In a lot of pain…
I have had acupuncture for almost 2 yrs now and have never experienced what you describe. Once, my practitioner nicked a nerve in my foot and it hurt sharply for a few days. Did you just have needles or did they also do cupping?
Perhaps it's the Doctor.. When first started acupuncture a month a a half ago, I chose my Doctor very carefully, reputation, experience etc.. My goal was to get off my medication completely, terrible side affects. Prior I had already weaned myself off Tegretol from 400mg per day to 250mg, but could not decrease anymore as the pain was too severe. In the 1 1/2 months I've been going I have weaned to 150mg per day with no pain at all. It's weird. I have the sensation that normally precedes the pain, but the pain does not come, (and I do a lot of praying too!) and I fully believe I will be off completely. My plan is to cut back 50mg every three weeks. It's not cheap, but how can you put a price tag on being medication and pain free.
My facial pain started 14 months ago. I've been to countless Doctors, came real close to getting the Gamma knife, and then one day I read that acupuncture can be very effective on facial pain, so decided to give it a try. I think everyone living with TN should give acupuncture a real try.
God Bless!
Todd
Hi, I tried acupuncture several times and I too had a increase in my pain after the treatments. The acupuncture did relax me but had to stop due to increase in pain. Kristie
Hello Tatsy:
I go to acupunture and my doctor told me if the treatment is too aggresive the pain will become worse. I was pain free for 4.5 years with acupuncture and off triliptal. The TN pain return recently. Now going to acupucture 2 times a week and feeling better after 6 visistss. You might want to tell your acupuncture about your experience or try someone else. My Dr was recommended to me by a friend and is Chinese and trained there for acupuncture. Finding the right DR is essential.
Good luck.
AV
Can anyone recommend a acupuncturist in NYC or Brooklyn, NY.
I too tried acupuncture a few years ago and it had no effect on me at all, so I stopepd going. I do know someone who swore by it, I figured it couldn't hurt to give it a try (but I guess in your case it did). Feel better :)
Fran, unfortunately my insurance like most will only cover acupuncture if administered by an MD, which most are not. I was fortunate to find one on Long Island who is an MD and fully covered. I used him for other ailments and recommended him to many friends who think he's amazing. Such a shame that you are just a little too far away.
What part of Long Island, I shop at Roosevelt Field. If it is not too far, maybe he will give it a try.
I tried acupuncture for several treatments, even though my insurance didn't cover. I had the regular and also the cupping tecnique. The regular did nothing and the cupping made me worse. My doctor is well respected and even teaches a few days a week at a chiropractic college. Guess, like everything else, it helps some and not others. In desperation, I will, would and have tried almost anything. Anyone for witchcraft? LOL LOL
acupuncture is the only thing that significantly helped my atypical TN when this nightmare started. but it seems like so many other things: some people it helps, some it hurts, & others. I effect! keep trying…
He has 2 offices - the closest to you would be Rt 110 in Melville - His name is Dr Wu - hey we can meet for lunch LOL
Fran said:
What part of Long Island, I shop at Roosevelt Field. If it is not too far, maybe he will give it a try.
Acupuncture helped the constant headaches that go with TN. In fact, I usually can tell when I have gone too long without acupuncture. My headaches have been coming back despite my increase in medication. I haven't been to see my girl in a month now and probably won't for another month. She mentioned last visit that she would be able to get me off of medication (I still do not believe that, lol). When I questioned her on the statement she told me that she has had several TN patients who have been able to get off of meds.
I am having Acupuncture treatment evrey week for a past three month. I have not experienced any pain or discomfort from it. The guy I got to is a very caring and gentle person. May be you should change the Doctor or the acupncture therapist. That would be my advice. I am still taking my meds. I am on Neuroltin 600 mg per day. My pain is worst when it is cold.
Hi, when I was diagnosed with TN, my doctor prescribed gabapentine. I didn’t like the side effects. So then they wanted to give tegrotol, I was like heck no! My wife gave me the idea of acupuncture (didn’t care if my insurance covered or not). So i went in, and low an behold, after my second time i was beginning to feel relief. After my third time, pain free for about 5 months. Pain came back, and I went in for another treatment. It worked again, I’ve pain free for about 2 months now. The doctor put needles from foot to head and on the area where I had the pain (forehead area, left side of my face ) and used electrodes. Highly recommend giving it a try. Good luck and I wish you pain free days. Oh yes! And don’t forget to pray.
Tony said:
Hi, when I was diagnosed with TN, my doctor prescribed gabapentine. I didn't like the side effects. So then they wanted to give tegrotol, I was like heck no! My wife gave me the idea of acupuncture (didn't care if my insurance covered or not). So i went in, and low an behold, after my second time i was beginning to feel relief. After my third time, pain free for about 5 months. Pain came back, and I went in for another treatment. It worked again, I've pain free for about 2 months now. The doctor put needles from foot to head and on the area where I had the pain (forehead area, left side of my face ) and used electrodes. Highly recommend giving it a try. Good luck and I wish you pain free days. Oh yes! And don't forget to pray.
Thanks everyone for your input! So nice to be able to hear other peoples opinion and get advice 
The physiotherapist I went to is quite experienced so I do not think that was the issue. The pain has calmed down somewhat - the doctor I saw yesterday gave me a script for indomethacin which is in addition to the Lyrica and Percocet I take. I found it did help to reduce the pain. As much as it was excruciating to be in that much pain, I’m glad I did try acupuncture because now my physiotherapist believes it is TN in my right side and that is another opinion I can give to my doctor who still believes it’s TMJ disorder, as well as the on-call doctor I saw last night who believed it to be TN as well. Both their opinions get me a step closer in being correctly diagnosed!! Bad or good, everything happens for a reason and even though everyone is experiencing a lot of pain and learning to deal with it, just be sure to find the positives in everything that happens in your journey as well, don’t just focus on the negative! I have to remind myself of this everyday!
Hi, This happened to my husband after acupuncture in his arm for a shoulder problem. The acupuncturist said she'd never heard of this happening. The good thing is that it was not long lasting. We seem to remember it eased within a hours or by the next day, at least. He did not have any more acupuncture after this! (He's had successful surgery). Hope yours has cleared by now. Dove (Oh! Just read your reply, glad to hear it).
Hi Dove! Still not feeling the greatest on my right side of face but the doc gave me a new med called indomethacin in addition to Lyrica and Percocet that I had been taking and that seems to be doing the trick now. A lot of meds, but at least it’s easing the pain!
Dove said:
Hi, This happened to my husband after acupuncture in his arm for a shoulder problem. The acupuncturist said she’d never heard of this happening. The good thing is that it was not long lasting. We seem to remember it eased within a hours or by the next day, at least. He did not have any more acupuncture after this! (He’s had successful surgery). Hope yours has cleared by now. Dove (Oh! Just read your reply, glad to hear it).
I have had TN spasms get worse after acupuncture, but it took time to develop a routine with the acupuncturist to find methods that helped. I recovered the results of a study done on TN patients with acupuncture where the methods resulted in overall improvement. After forwarding the paper to my acupuncturist, we took these results and made some modifications like trying longer needles, eventually I think he applied up to 23 needles.
I went to the acupuncturist up to 8 times inside a 4 to 5 week period. In time I felt better overall, it helped the MS symptoms, the TN, and even sexual rigor, but it requires working with the provider..