Acupuncture for Post-Op Chiari surgery?

[heatonkn]

Has anyone else tried Acupuncture for Chiari symtoms? I have been going to acupuncture since 2007, a year after my Chiari surgery. I still tend to have headaches and muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders and do not have to take any pain medications to cope. I was wondering if anyone else has tried it and if you think it might help you. I love it and could not live without it.

[selmaS]

  Hi, I have a friend also with chiari and she had great success with acupuncture....but did say she tried a few b4 she found a good one...not all seem to be able to offer the same amount of relief.

Sleep can  be elusive no matter how early u go to bed...many with Chiari just have sleep disturbances. I do agree more sleep would be a great help : )

[heatonkn]

Stress and a heavy work load will send my head, neck, and shoulders in great pain but acupuncture seems to help along with sleep and rest.

[selmaS]

  Hi....muscle spasms....where do they occur? I get them too, and some can be low levels of Vit D, B12, magnesium, Potassium and calcium.

I do have related issues, that have yet to be dealt with for many reasons, cervio cranial instability,bulging disks, I also have EDS, tethered cord....so I do have pain and symptoms from these conditions and some r similar to those I had with chiari.

As a result of the instability, and disk issues I do not drive......I still have vision issues and many times it does seem weather related, but my depth perception and night vision is not...so it is safer that I do not drive for now.,

I have not had ne more drop attacks and I am getting stronger each yr post op....it is the one thing I see as a constant positive, each yr I can look back and notice oh yeah I don't get that symptom ne more either...and I do feel stronger...

Stress will still knock me down, as will over doing it....but chiari is life altering, so I did learn to stop and smell the flowers more often : )

[heatonkn]

Most of my pain is just muscle spams and scar tissue. My MRIs look great as far as Chiari goes. Do you still have any issues after your surgery?

[selmaS]

  ...Ehlers-danlos, cerviocranial instability, scar tissue, ICP.......there is even failure of the surgery that it may be the cause of the issues u r dealing with....

It all depends on what ur pain is and what u r dealing with .....

[Viva001]

I had acupuncture years & years before the Chiari Dx.  I declined over the last 2 yr after he moved away, which led to having surgery.  I'm just 3 wk post op, but if I feel a need, I'll probably seek another acupuncturist.

My NS was astounded that I hadn't seen him earlier, and I told him that acupuncture kept me going--albeit limping along.

[irislita]

hi...i made a lot of acupuncture and it really helped, but it gets really expensive over a while as i had to go about twice a week. have u been checked on flexion-extension xrays for craniocervical instability??? i do have it and i have horrible ha. just a thougt

[heatonkn]

Like?

[selmaS]

  Hi, I do know of others with chiari that have used Acupuncture as a means to help with pain...and like with nething there r good ones and not so good ones out there so do ur research on them to find a reputable one.

Have u considered that some of ur post op issues could be from related issues and or conditions?