Acupuncture

[GlowGlow]

Posting in chat for traffic, hope that's okay.

Basically I am suffering very badly with my tinnitus. I also have incredible depression/anxiety which becomes absolutely unbearable in the week or two leading up to my period. My mood swings are also off the chart and it scares me. Does not feel like me at all. So all that plus tinnitus is too much. Unfortunately my psychiatrist just can't do any more for me.

I've seen that acupuncture can help these things. I've tried everything I can think of over the past 6 years for my issues so I'm quite desperate now. Can not bear the impact this is having on my family. Currently can't leave the house as any noise is spiking my tinnitus badly and I can not cope if it remains high.

I'm wondering if anyone has had success with acupuncture for any of the above?

I have read a few promising things online including a study on pubmed which shows effectiveness in treating pms; a 77% rate of effectiveness compared to 5% in the placebo group.

I would also really really appreciate if anyone could recommend an excellent acupuncturist near the Newark area. Willing to travel about an hour in each direction if they are worth it.

I really am desperate and appreciate any help. Thank you.

I used to have terrible PMS , and like you any health problem was really magnified in this time. I started taking Lambert's Premtesse supplement, and it has improved my life hugely. It's on Amazon.

I had acupuncture some 10 years ago for a frozen shoulder. I was sceptical, but it was surprisingly effective. I'd definitely use it again.
Good luck OP.

Thanks pp's. I will ask gp at my next appointment and see what they say, here's hoping. For now I have made an appointment with an acupuncturist for Friday. Not cheap! She does not make wild claims about curing the T, but feels she can help the pms and depression/anxiety, and possibly reduce the severity of the tinnitus.

I will update on how it goes for anyone interested.

The noise is driving me crazy today, so sick of it. It's like living half a life, never truly being free to enjoy anything or relax properly like a normal person. I just hope my dd doesn't get it when she grows up, I couldn't bear that.

6 years of this noise and possibly another 50-70 years of it, if I live to 100 (hope not!) it's scary thinking like that. Anyway, chin up, it's Netflix time soon. 🙂

Forgot to say thanks for the recommendation Ohyesiam I'm glad to hear it has helped you

I have been having it once a week (more or less) for the last eighteen months.

The military sometimes offer acupuncture for injuries. My relative was given it after a nasty carcrash that affected his spine and he said it really worked wonders.

Had the acupuncture. Very strange! I quite enjoyed it. Didn't feel the needles in feet/legs/hands/wrists hardly at all. The ones near my ears were quite painful however! It felt (and sounded) like a cocktail stick going in the left one, I was half expecting to feel blood 😂 Apparently they can hurt around the ear area, so it's quite normal. They felt a bit sore as I lay there too, but I don't think it helped that I didn't stop chatting to the woman throughout it I couldn't help it she was so lovely and we had lots in common. And I really don't get out much since my T got worse. Next time I aim to lay there peacefully.

Afterward it didn't hurt at all. When I left I felt good, I felt a little sedated in fact! I noticed the whole day that I was in a better mood, and also the severity of tinnitus lessened a little. It was its' usual bad self during the night though (I didn't sleep good but I don't think acupuncture was to blame) and it's the same today but I wasn't expecting any miracles, especially after the first session.

Today my entire body has ached and felt sore though, especially my legs and knees and bum. It feels like I spent a week in the gym, honestly! So strange that a few needles can have that effect!? I've had two hot Epsom baths today to ease the pains which really helped. I hope this is a positive sign of healing. From what I've read muscle soreness is normal after so I'm not worried. I used to suffer leg and knee pain anyway so it's no surprise it's worse there.

She's treating both pms and tinnitus by the way.

I may get this thread moved to the health section so it doesn't disappear. I know there will be people in the future searching for similar info on these issues.

Having another session in 2 weeks. Fingers crossed it helps long term. If it doesn't I am still glad I tried it.

Hi again op. Thats great to hear! I am considering acupuncture just for stress. Glad you felt it was worthwhile 😊

That's great that it worked. Acupuncture is cumulative too so the more you have the longer the effects last :-)

Glad you felt it was all positive. I usually natter away to my chiropractor but then he leaves me while he deals with someone else and I relax and sometimes drop off.

That's great to hear Food !

Quick update - yesterday the pains and aches had disappeared about 90%! Overnight! Today I feel normal again.

I also had a great nights sleep the past two nights, and my tinnitus was slightly better than usual - it's usually the worst at night (not just because it's quieter - it actually starts to get worse at tea time and I think it might be cortisol or adrenaline related, not sure.) I still needed the fan and podcast to fall asleep but it was almost pleasant falling asleep instead of depressingly awful.

The best part? Yesterday my T went so low for a few hours (whilst I was watching Netflix with the fan on) it was almost like I didn't have it!!! (I definitely did still have it as whenever I left the room I could hear it plain as day) It was the best few hours of my recent life, I can't even describe. It did increase later on but hey ho. I was just so blooming happy, can't explain. It seems to have swapped ears though - the left is higher than before but the right ear is much much quieter - my right is usually the one that is roaring with the rings! Very odd. Not sure what to think about that actually. 🤔

To think that 2 weeks ago I was going insane after a spike, both ears louder than a double decker bus roaring past, and yesterday I had hours of almost peace like quiet is unreal. I was so happy.

Today it's not quiet but it's still less annoying than before. Just regular annoying instead of drive you up the walls insane annoying. I have been at suicidal annoying many times so I know how lucky I am right now. (Though I would just prefer to not have tinnitus at all of course.)

Mood wise I felt fantastic yesterday! Laughing all day. That was probably my elation over the T though. My small dd saw her mummy very happy. Instead of just 'coping' or a total mess for once.

Today feel good, though I'm about to ovulate so I'm becoming slightly teary (cried for thirty seconds over a sad story in news type thing) and slightly anxious. But still feeling good.

Obviously the real test for mood will be better evaluated over time, and particularly in the week or two before my period which is hell on earth.

I will update after my next appointment in a week and a half.

We're just moving this thread over to general health at the OP's request.

Sounds so good! Really pleased for you. I get slight tinnitus - high pitched ringing. I must try acupuncture for mine. I might ring for an appointment this week.

I used to cry or laugh sometimes during my sessions.

Hope the sessions continue to help.

I highly recommend it so far Cider

I honestly thought if it would help at all then it would take weeks!

Yes it does seem to release emotions. I felt very happy as I was chatting during it, then super relaxed, good mood and sedated after.

Thank you for moving this MN.

I'm so pleased to catch up on this thread and see you had a positive experience @GlowGlow!

Here's to more of the same!

I thought I’d update this. The acupuncture seemed to help my pms for a while, I had a cycle where I didn’t even notice my period coming, however unfortunately I had a major setback with my tinnitus so it’s overriding all my normal emotions now. I had a very bad spike from another loud noise (had slight hearing damage - it was just an accident couldn’t be avoided) and 3 months later my tinnitus is still the worst it’s ever been, around level 8-10 depending on time of day/night.

I’ve had it many years but can not believe it has gotten worse and stayed this worse, I always thought it would stay at a moderate level so I could still think like a normal person, how wrong I was. I’ve been suicidal most days for a few months now listening to this noise. I was struggling before (couldn’t work since it went to moderate T) but now it feels ridiculous at this level. I finally decided to quit acupuncture as it was making little difference and we couldn’t afford it anymore. I can’t even function now it’s louder than everything. I feel so sorry for my family having to put up with me and my dh hearing I don’t want to live in my darkest moments where o truly mean it as I just can’t take the noise anymore. Severe tinnitus is excruciating to live with. Sometimes I try to laugh and pretend I’m alright for half an hour then suddenly I think how I can’t do another day at this torturous level. I can’t even hear sometimes in my right ear because the noise is so loud. I don’t think I can habituated to this level, it was bad enough before.

I would still recommend acupuncture if you can afford it as it is very calming but if you’ve suffered an incident which has caused any amount of hearing loss I don’t think it is going to do much for noise induced tinnitus. Maybe just the stress kind. I can certainly see why it would help migraines as it does release some tension. As for pms it’s worth a shot if you’ve tried increasing your minerals first without luck.

Just wanting to let you know that acupuncture hangovers are normal. I look like the fourth day of a 3 day pass when I weave out of there.

DP goes for accupunture at least once a month for general body circulation. To keep the meridian open and flowing.
He’s a great believer.

The lady he sees is Chinese. Been here many years.

I’d defo research and get recommendations if possible
Also look at qualifications and how long they’ve praticed.

My Gp did it on me for plantar fasciitis, nothing like Chinese accupunture lady, she was looking in book to see where to place needles in meridians!! So free isn’t necessary as good.

When I saw accupunture I kept bra and knickers on, and she leaves large towel for you to put over yourself.
I’d just try accupunture first, as they try to get you to buy tablets etc
But stand your ground and say I’ll just try this first.( unless you want both) but I don’t know how they go with ad’s.

I’m going to see her again, she’s in China at mo on urgent family business
I’ll be going for anxiety and depression, I’m on venlafaxine

Let’s know if you find one, and how it’s going

Didn’t refresh just saw your update

Sorry to hear your going through the mill still

Anxiety/depression alone is battling but with tinnitus that level aghhhhh

I used to speak to a guy on forum who had tinnitus he was on AD’s
That made it worse, had to come off them

Thanks Haribogirl

I’ve tried many anti depressants over the years too and they’ve all made it worse in some way. That’s the trouble with tinnitus, there’s no cure or anything that helps when it’s chronic/severe and you’re sensitive to meds.

I’ve heard similar anecdotes about Chinese practitioners being more effective. The one I saw was a lovely English woman. I had thought about trying the Chinese clinic close by but ran out of funds. Apparently some use thicker, longer needles too. If anyone with T ends up here maybe see if you have a Chinese practitioner locally first.