acupuncture causing nerve pain/damage?

[montos]

Hello,

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 and calf (warmth and numbness). The doctor (who is an MD as well as an acupuncturist)said it was nothing to be concerned about.

Has anyone had acupuncture cause 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.

Anyone experience something similar?

thanks

[Paxiled]

Bummer.  Just confirms what I didn't want to say, people should see acupuncturists who study the four year acupuncture program and traditional Chinese medicine.  Doctors and chiropractors and such can get an acupuncture degree in a couple of weekends in special programs for health professionals.  Hope it works out okay.  Try some arnica montana, a homeopathic remedy that speeds healing, and some hypericum, homeopathic St. John's wort -- it helps nerve healing.  

[Maria9uk]

Tried to post this earlier, but not sure what happened. I posted this on another website too.
Over 20 years ago I went to a qualified acupuncturist for help with a sinus condition. During one of the treatments I felt a crawling sensation in my right side and a feeling as if I was being split in two. My life for the next four years became a nightmare and I have never felt well again since. I also experienced all the numbness, crawling and pulling sensations and feeling out of balance, which affected the whole of my right side, from foot to head, and can make it difficult for me to think straight.  People noticed the complete change in me, some saying I lost my zest and vitality overnight. I believe it weakened me and affected other aspects of my health including my digestion and energy, and consequently how I live my life.  The acupuncturist said that it was a reaction to treatment and continued to treat me for almost a year,(for which I paid). I don't want to write too much, but to this day, I still struggle with it. I spent thousands on trying to find a solution ,including an actual chinese acupuncturist, and have also seen doctors and neurologists. I know that it is difficult for others to comprehend, but I was the one on the couch that day when this happened. I was perfectly healthy, fit and strong prior to this. The ironic thing is that i could easily have alleviated the sinus condition through dietary adjustments, but I was ignorant of that at the time. Instead I have been left with a long standing condition, which despite all my efforts I have not been able to correct and have had to try and learn to live with. I am told I have m.e. Perhaps, but I know what I was like immediately before and after that treatment on that day. I have heard of one other case of a woman being left with very similar right side problems. I also read a letter a number of years ago in a magazine from a woman who had developed digestive and energy problems after acupuncture and was still suffering from this reaction, at that time, 18 months later. The reply to her was quite patronising. People who do get severe side effects from treatment are probably in the minority, are not believed and are out on their own. I have also heard of others who have experienced severe pain from treatment. One person I know felt the wrong sensation when having treatment, but thanks to knowing what happened to me, had the insight to tell the acupuncturist, who then withdrew the needles, saying she had placed them to close to a nerve. This makes you wonder!  It was impossible to delve into aspects of my treatment later as my notes went 'missing'. I wish to this day I had never gone to see that Acupuncturist, it was one of the worst things I ever did. It changed my life, but not in a good way. I think there are more people who suffer side effects but these are not reported. I am not saying acupuncture has not benefited people. I am saying that anything that can potentially do good by its very nature has the potential to also do harm. I apologise for offence taken by anyone, but I am only writing the truth.
I hope too that, in the spirit of openness and honesty, that this post will be included on this website.

[falldown]

you said you have low back pain. have you had an mri to see if you have disc problems if you do then see a neurosurgeon and if surgery is the answer
then ask about the axialif procedure

[caregiver222]

Modern accupuncturists in the United States use very thin needles, and although theoretically possible, it is unlikely that an accupuncture treatment will cause permanant damage. In some treatment protocols elicitation of pain is what is intended.

[concerned621]

It's very unlikely it's nerve damage. It got to the nerve and manipulated the needle.  It can cause soreness afterwards. I have fibromyalgia and had to stop accupuncture.  It's a bit to invasive of a therapy for me. But that's me. You might want to try another therapist. I've had 3 fabulous acupuncturists and never had anything like that happen.  It should not be a long term problem though.

[montos]

I thought I would followup on this .  The acupuncturist is also a medical doctor and he refered me to a neurologist.  By the time I got in to see him the symptoms were gone.  It took about 3 and 1/2 weeks for them to resolve.

The neurologist said the needle may have either pierced a nerve or been very close and the electro-stim damaged the nerve.  Fortunately, the needles are very thin and solid unlike a syringe which has a hollow centre and acts like a "shovel".  Thus the nerve fibre damage if it occurs (which is incredibly rare) will generally resolve with no long-term problems.

I continue to see this acupuncturist and do not get the electro-stim anymore.  It seems to really help my back.

Montos

[Jenna7999]

When did it start to get better? It sounds like you had a worsening of symptoms at day 9--- so when did you start to notice it getting better?