AboutR. Scott Malone L.Ac. Expertise I can answer questions on Acupuncture and Chinese medicine.
I specialize in women's issues, mental-emotional issues and headache.
Experience I have been in practice for 10 years.
Organizations I am certified and state liscensed.
Education/Credentials Graduated from the T'ai Institute of Oriental Medicine with certificates in acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine.
I've been getting acupuncture to treat my lower back pain. At my last treatment the doctor placed a needles at several locations on my legs and back.
The needle behind my right knee caused pain upon insertion and a lot of pain when he manipulated it. He took the needle out and replaced it and it appeared to be fine. Also the needle in my right ankle caused discomfort.
Shortly after the treatment I experianced pain at both sites and some odd sensations in my right foot (warmth and numbness). The doctor (who is an MD as well as an acupuncturist)said it was nothing to be concerned about.
Can acupuncture cause permanant nerve damage in such a way? The literature says it can cause "nerve damage" but no specifics are mentioned as to symptoms or location of needles.
Can I expect these symptoms to resolve? How long would you expect?
ANSWER: Hey Montos,
Sometimes the needles can cause some discomfort. I have never ever heard of any nerve damage, let alone permanent nerve damage from acupuncture. Now if the needle was ridiculously thick, I guess that could happen. You only need the qi sensation, it doesn't take a railroad spike to do that.
In my practice, I use very fine needles for point acupuncture on the channels, and something a little more robust for musculo-skeletal acupuncture.
Sometimes a point is uncomfortable and you move it slightly and everything is fine. Sometimes there are strange sensations in the points or in the channels after treatment and I tend to see that as a good sign. The sensation should go away after a day or two, but usually in a matter of hours.
One major thing to take into consideration.
Is your MD from China, or is your doctor some MD that thought it would be neat to try acupuncture in their clinic?
I would recommend making sure you are seeing a real acupuncturist.
The vast majority of MD's, (unless they are from China), know enough about acupuncture to barely fill a thimble.
Do not bother going to anyone who purports to be an acupuncturist unless they are a licensed, state certified acupuncturist.
If your doctor is not from China, ask him how long his/her training was.
Chiropractors can take a 200 hour course and start needling people.
Would you go see an acupuncturist with 200 hours of chiropractic to adjust your neck? Of course not.
In many states MDs can needle with little or even no training.
Tell me that's not ridiculous and creepy.
Most MDs and chiropractors do cookbook acupuncture, they don't really have the knowledge or skill to be practicing but they do anyway, because they are allowed to. Some have actually gone for the full training, but they tend to be pretty rare.
Don't go to a jack of all trades. You want medical advice, go see an MD, they are skilled in the western model.
You need someone to work on your skeleton and help you adjust your bones, chiropractic is the way to go.
If you want someone to do acupuncture, find someone that ONLY does that. Your odds of getting someone competent are much much greater.
Hope that answers your question, please forgive the soapbox. :-)
Have a good one, and feel free to ask if you have more questions.
R. Scott Malone L.Ac.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks for the promt amswer.
No, my doctor is a real acupuncturist. In fact, he is THE acupuncturist to see around here. Highly respected, lectures at university here and abroad, is president of various acupuncture societies and foundations.
Still my foot and calf feel odd and kind of achey. Have you ever seen anything like is persist for a few days?
When the needle went in, there was a shock-like sensation in my leg. Can the needles someimes create this sensation if they're too close to a nerve?
It seems a little better today, how long before I should be concerned?
Thanks for the advice.
Montos
Answer Hey Montos,
I wouldn't worry about it. I'm sure it'll be gone soon. One thing you can do is put a plaster on it or some sort of tiger balm.
Some spot massage will help move it along as well.
Glad to know you've got a good one. Very smart to go to the best one around. Sometimes you get a sensation that last from hours to a couple of days, but it always goes away. Not to worry.
Sometimes the next session helps the sensation to clear as well.
You're in good hands, trust your doctor.
Take care, and please, please send some cool weather from the
Great White North to us in Colorado. ;-)
