I have acupuncture fairly regularly. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of; it doesn't hurt at all, and it really works extremely well for certain things. One of the most extraordinary experiences I had involved a sprained ankle. I knew to elevate and ice it which I did immediately, and was able to get an appointment with the acupuncturist the very next morning. I was leaving town in 2 days, would be walking a lot, and was desperate. Despite the fact that my ankle was swollen when I got to the DOM the next morning, the acupuncture worked miraculously. I've had a number of sprained ankles in my life and always ended up hopping around in a brace for weeks. With the acupuncture treatment, however, it was 98% healed by the next day, and the following day when I left for my trip it was like I had never sprained my ankle. I really couldn't believe it.
Another thing I used it for was a horrible bout of insomnia. I hadn't slept in about 5 days and was starting to really lose it. This was actually the first time I went to an acupuncturist and it happened to be a school where you could get treated by students for like $10. I slept that night for 10 hours. You could argue "Well of course you did, you were tired and the acupuncture had nothing to do with it!" Not so. As a lifelong insomniac, my pattern has never been to sleep 10 hours after a bad bout. I usually just go back to my regular 4-5 hours and I'm good to go.
Other experiences: rapid recovery from colds and sinus infections. One time I went because I was having a personal crisis and couldn't stop crying: the acupuncture soothed my emotional body so I could think clearly.
Everyone in my office goes to the same DOM and many of my colleagues swear by it for allergies (I don't have them so I can't say). Others have had fantastic results for all kinds of body aches and pains.
I go for 'maintenance' even when I don't have a specific problem.
I really don't know how it would work for tinnitus but you really have nothing to lose but a few bucks perhaps. I have a friend in NYC who swears by his DOM if you need a recommendation.
I should also say that I've had experiences where it simply didn't work. It generally doesn't work well if you're sick, for example, and don't get treated right away. But with tinnitus I really couldn't say.
Also, tinnitus can be related to TMJ. Does your jaw click or hurt when you eat? If so you might just need a jaw adjustment. A bodyworker trained in cranial sacral therapy might be the way to go. One of my dearest friends in NYC could help you there.
which is driving me crazy (thanks Edge) and am considering acupuncture as a remedy.
what, I lie???????
it seems to work in my opinion.
