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Can acupuncture fix a protrusion disc in low back? Why or why not?
I am 30 years old. I have had a protrusion disc for 16 months. I have been to 5 different doctors. Everything they tell me to do either makes it worse or does nothing. I tried physical therapy, and epidural steroid injection. Both of those made it worse. I tried seeing a chiropractor every week for 8 months. At first back adjustments were helping but then it stopped working. My Physiatrist is now telling me i should try acupuncture. Will this heal my protrusion disc? If not then what should i do instead. My protusion disc is considered too small to get surgery. I have been told by multiple doctors that it should be able to heal without surgery and that i shouldn't get surgery. Its been 16 months and it has not gotten better.
Why do you think he sounds like an idiot? And who else can i possibly see?
The protusion disc causes both back and leg pain for me.
I mostly feel pain in the bottom left of my back( thats where the herniated disc is) but sometimes i feel pain in the bottom right or top of my back. I have also been experiencing erectile dysfunction since my back pain started.
4 Answers
- Nicey8Lv 52 months ago
Hi, I am an Asian. Acupuncture does not help in this case. It only deals with pain and improving blood flow. It does not help with bone anatomical issue.
- David BLv 72 months ago
You have not mentioned if your disc issue resulted in back pain, or leg pain.
A good physical exam will tell if a nerve is being affected by a disc herniation.
Back pain comes from degenerative disc disease , (common in smokers) and is not helped with adjustments, injections, braces or surgery.
A herniated disc will NOT go back into the annulus of the disc. It gets repaired/scarred in by your healing process.
The last thing you need is a big surgery you do not need!
If a surgeon suggests a discectomy and fusion, run away as fast as you can!
There is a procedure to see if the tear in the outer ring of the disc, called the annulus, is the source of your pain. It is called a discogram. You also can get some arthritis in the facet joints that can cause pain. There are diagnostic/theraputic injections into these joints to see if they are the cause of your low back pain symptoms. There can be irritation to the nerves that pass nearby, but only those with 100% leg pain, with confirming physical exam findings, would benefit with surgery. The goal is relief of leg pain, not back pain.
Source(s): Worked as 1st surgical assist with spine surgeon. - ?Lv 42 months ago
There is no data confirming acupuncture does anything other than provide the placebo effect. So it might make you feel better but it won't help the issue in any proper fashion.
Go see a proper medical professional, because you physio sounds like an idiot.
