anyone ever try acupuncture?

im asking cause i've got this KILLER pain in my forearm from exercising. (no jokes please ;) - ) and i think its caused by a flexor muscle under too much stress,
maybe accupuncture could help?

serious answers only please

thanks

SkaerE:

Acupunture, (from my wife's experience) is good for relieving muscle tension, but I have no experience with using it to reduce pain induced from excercise.  Is the pain injury/strain related or simply a buildup of lactic acid from anaerobic respiration (lack of oxygen to the muscle as it works)?  Acupuncture may be able to help you heal an injury/strain, but the acid will just take time.

Let me know.

(Not a doctor, but I play one in the bedroom sometimes.)  -ryan

When I lived in Maryland and worked as a raft guide, I did acupuncture on a regular basis...

Due to the shocks to our backs, necks and shoulders, massage therapy and accupuncture worked better than anything.

While "most" punctures are painless, the toes and back of your thighs hurt like hell during the initial insertion process...

Minor pain and discomfort aside ([i]all very temporary[/i]), it is quite relaxing and invigorating!

My mother suffers from transverse myelytis (sp?) a very degeneterive spinal condition, similar to MS but not exactely the same. She has received thousands of hours of therapy at the Mao clinic in AZ, a research hospital in Cleaveland (don't remember the name,) and several hospitals here in Baltimore. The only thing other than medication that gave her any relief was acupuncture. Some people say that it is an unproven treatment, but in her case it helps a lot.

It's proven enough for Asia. I've used it, my friends use it. Thumbs up.

I just got it from mother in law (ya ya I know...) and she went to a training course for it with other mother in laws...anyways, it does help me.

I also got it in South Korea when I was there for a knee injury when I had no insurance for trational western medicine.

I have listened to Dr. Dean Edell (Radio Doctor) who said something witty about the evolution of medicine. It went something like...

In 500 B.C. the medicine man said "here, chew this root."

In 250 A.D. the medicine man said "Here, take this dried herb."

In 500 A.D. the medicine man said "Here, drink this potion."

In 1700 A.D. the medicine man said "Here, let me apply these leeches."

In 1800 A.D. the medicine man said "Here, take this pill."

In 1900 A.D.the medicine man said "Here, let me give you this shot."

In 1970 A.D. the medicine man said "Here, stand under this radiation."

In 2000 A.D. the medicine man said "Here, chew this root."

But directly to your point, I don't know beans about eastern medicine. Some people say it's the new math, some people say it's the old math.

positive its not just lactic acid.  i'm used to that feeling.  i had it diagnosed one time, doc said one of my inner muscles in my forearm stressed too much and was pulling on the tendion funny.  anyhow, if accupuncture could help, id be willing to give it a go.

I'm really glad to see this post because I'm on the hairy edge of going to my Dr. and asking for another Cortisone shot in my elbow.

Last year I started feeling soreness in my arm after taking an LFI Advanced Handgun Skills course (1400 rounds of full power .45 ACP ball in two days).  I went to my Dr. and he shot me up (ouch - by the way), and the pain went away.  He also gave me a Tennis Elbow band to wear around my fore arm.  I've been wearing the thing almost religiously for 7 months and I've come to the conclusion that the thing is pretty much useless.

[b]My big question is[/b] how did you guys find your acupuncturist? And how does one find a good one?

now what i really want to know is...laugh if you will...is there a home accupuncture kit?  a book on it or anything?  i doubt that my medical insurance will cover it

A home acupuncture kit...
Now THAT'S really something I need...