I have a herniated disc in my neck that sometimes pinches my C6 nerve. It runs from mid-centre-neck, one side of the shoulder blade to the other, across the back of the shoulder, and then down the arm and terminating at the tip of the thumb. It crops up every few years since 2010 or 2011.
The first time I was living in China and got a one hour therapeutic massage which seemed to fix it up. The next time was a year later and it took 4 or 5 physiotherapy sessions including spinal traction, electo-massage, and various stretches and exercises to strengthen the surrounding neck muscles. The third time I was back in China and I went to a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) hospital and they used electo-accupuncture and cupping.
Massage generally provided temporary relief. Physio seemed to work the best. The acupuncture didn't seem to do anything, and the cupping left me looking like I had been attacked by a school of lampreys. Time and the stretching and exercise let it self-resolve.
It just cropped up again recently but not too severe. I get a bit of pain as well as "pin stands needles" in my thumb. I am stretching and exercising again.
[b]TLDR: Acupuncture can be hit or miss. It did nothing to help a herniated disc and pinched nerve.[]
I am still open to trying it again for some other issues.
The first time I was living in China and got a one hour therapeutic massage which seemed to fix it up. The next time was a year later and it took 4 or 5 physiotherapy sessions including spinal traction, electo-massage, and various stretches and exercises to strengthen the surrounding neck muscles. The third time I was back in China and I went to a TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) hospital and they used electo-accupuncture and cupping.
Massage generally provided temporary relief. Physio seemed to work the best. The acupuncture didn't seem to do anything, and the cupping left me looking like I had been attacked by a school of lampreys. Time and the stretching and exercise let it self-resolve.
It just cropped up again recently but not too severe. I get a bit of pain as well as "pin stands needles" in my thumb. I am stretching and exercising again.
[b]TLDR: Acupuncture can be hit or miss. It did nothing to help a herniated disc and pinched nerve.[]
I am still open to trying it again for some other issues.