Acupuncture and Sciatica

In Feb. 2005 I was hit by a bout of crippling sciatica, on both the left and right sides. The pain was totally debilitating.

At the time I was receiving acupuncture treatments from an acupuncturist for Parkinson's disease. I suspected the acupuncture itself may have actually contributed to the sciatica, but that is hard to say. I do know that all efforts to ease the pain with acupuncture by her only made it worse, so I stopped it.

I was sent by my HMO to have painful nerve root injections, which was successful for the right side and the left side at first. But in July the pain on the left side returned.

Once again I tried acupuncture with a different practitioner but it didn't help.

I dealt with it until March of 2006, hoping it would disappear again on its own but it didn't. At that time my HMO once again sent me for nerve root injections. They didn't help at all. I was then sent to a surgeon, but didn't want to go that route, so he prescribed me some physical therapy and through the HMO I was able to also go to a chiropractor for about 3 months. They did nothing for the sciatica.

So I then turned to a regimen of Motrin, Advil and Neurontin which did help but nothing could eradicate the pain all together. I was already using the motorized wheel chairs in the grocery stores and Target. In August I purchased a one for home so that I could at least go on walks with my husband and our dogs, something I had been missing out on for so long and wanted to do desperately.

Then in November my friend, Lisa Marie Price offered to help with acupuncture and I decided to give it a try one more time.

What took place is nothing short of a miracle. I had my first appointment on November I believe. After about two weeks I was completely pain free, but I proceeded cautiously and didn't really admit it until more time had passed and I was sure it was going to stick.

By Thanksgiving it was pretty clear I had been cured. The motorized wheelchair now sits in the shed unused, and I only use the wheelchairs in the store when I'm particularly tired and my overall back feels tender.

I can't thank Lisa Marie enough for the miracle she performed to heal the sciatica I had dealt with for almost 2 years, and that nothing else helped at all.

Diane Lamas