both my mother and i have had acupuncture and we've had mixed results.
she started treatments about 18 months ago for her extreme arthritis that was practically crippling her .. after about six months of treatments she dramatically improved and now with minimal sessions she is as limbar as she was 5 years ago. i'm so happy that this was able to help her, and that can lift up her grandchildren again.
as for me, a few months ago i had treatments on my neck and back for car accident injuries, about two times a week for six weeks. by that 12th session i noticed minimal improvement and an increase in tension headaches over the duration of treatments. i haven't given up on acupuncture yet, just will find a more qualified specialist that will incorprate herbal medications before i go somewhere again.
enduring the treatments was only mildy uncomfortable. i'm very squemish of needles and was really freaked out before my appointment, but found that the needles are so tiny that i couldn't even tell i was being poked in my neck, back, hands or ankles .. and even though i tollerated the sessions i wouldn't let him put any in my head .. that's going to far.
during some of the treatments i received electric stimulation on a few of the needles and found that felt great on the tense muscles. along with treatments my doctor also performed a 'chinese fire-cupping' technique that was great for streching my muscles but left a really akward bruise from the suction.
if you are expiriencing any pain and are also sick of having to take manufactured meciation, then i think it would be great for you to try an alternative medicine that just may help you manage the arthritis pain. just remember that reducing your discomfort is definitely worth any attempt .. the sessions are no more than an hour .. you can endure.
But good luck. You just never know what will work for you until you try it. And I would also recommend trying more than one acupuncturist if you don't get the results you'd like, just like you would with an MD. So much depends on the skill of the DOM. If that sounds expensive, see if there are any acupuncture schools in your area. At the one here students give treatments under the DOM's supervision for something like $15. In fact, one of the best treatments I ever had was from a student.
