Acupuncture for lower back pain. Pain is worse now.

[PavlovtheCat]

Is that normal? prolapsed disc (s) between L1 &L3 and had acupuncture to manage low level pain, mostly sciatic pain down right leg and buttock at the moment before I have epidural injection in two weeks.

Immediately as I walked out, leg felt stiff and a bit sore. Then for about 2 hours it felt a bit painful, then it cleared more than I have noticed in weeks and weeks, realised how much pain I had been in!

But, today, right Sciatic pain was much worse, and now my back pain itself has returned and muscles feel tight, back generally feels tight. Also now have pain down left leg but different to fit in that it goes right down back of leg almost in a straight line.

Is this normal? Is this because it gets worse before it gets better? Or can Acupuncture make pain worse on occasion? I did not think it would.

Two things spring to mind. First is that the pain on the left side could be due to the extra pressure you placed on that side of your body when your right side was compromised - its sometimes referred to as "compensation pain".

The second thing is that perhaps you are experiencing some kind of healing crisis - where the body feels much worse before it gets better.

But why pain today if due to additional pressure, or could that just be coincidence. Iwas thinking/hoping it would be the second and that this is normal before improvements.

It hurts like any move is going to have me doubled over in pain.

I've had both acupuncture and acupressure on my back. I think it's normal to feel worse immediately after. Have you only had the one session? Was your leg bad before? It's possible you might need more than one session.

I actually prefer acupressure and 3 sessions in a week have got me from being in extreme pain whether sat, stood, walking or lying (I passed out from the pain) to being able to walk and sit with no problems.

pleiades yes had leg pain but mainly in right leg, then in both after acupuncture. That additional pain has eased but back pain is worse, feel very stiff in back now, like it has seized up, and when I bend or sit it is harder to stand up again, or rather takes a few moments.

Physio! I have a prolapsed disc for the last month I have been going to physio (started at twice a week now once a week) with doing my leg and pelvic floor exercises my back is pain free and I am working on the nerve down my leg. Finally since dec I am feeling like things are getting better. Physio is well worth it and she keeps me very positive that things will be back to normal. I had three sessions of acupuncture in the beginning but they said it was only to temp to relieve the pain. Good luck it is a nightmare I know.

I will talk to osteo about physio. Several people have talked about this, but osteo has not!

My physio is a combination of massage, working the disc with pressure, exercises and pressing the nerve in my leg back in place. The sessions are tender but never is meant to hurt. I went from not being able to sit up to walking fine on my own and off pain relief in three weeks. What a horrible experience but hang in there the pain will subside.

Was this Chinese-style wu acupuncture? Or was it performed by a qualified ghp who wasn't trying to channel your yin and yang?
If it was the former, I'd be straight on the phone and demanding my money back.
I've had 'dry needling' from a chiro, which was a waste of money didn't help but certainly didn't make anything worse. I've also had steroid injections by an anaesthetist, which did help a bit but I didn't think it was a good idea to keep repeating.
Physio can help, as can Alexander Technique - the difficult thing is to find what helps you, as there are so many methods out there claiming to be 'the one.'
Good luck with it and let us know if you find anything that works.

It was performed by osteo as temp pain releif before epidural injection.

I'd go back to the osteo - and to the GP - who can also refer you for physio, btw.

Sciatic pain has eased a lot, not gone but much better, but the pain in my back is worse, and still pain in left leg which I did not have before. Only intermittent though, and like a hard bony pain in back nd leg, not sure if that even makes sense.

Overall though, I think a slight improvement.

@PavlovtheCat and how are you now what helped

@PavlovtheCat How are you now