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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Dummies for Self-Acupuncture
        
(Message started by: toader on Mar 16^th, 2004, 10:33am)

Title: Dummies for Self-Acupuncture
Post by toader on Mar 16^th, 2004, 10:33am

Okay this post is for those who are wondering the howtos of using acupuncture at home for treating your clusters. I used this method myself with mixed success for several weeks during the worst bout of my cluster attacks when I was having 8+ attacks a day.

Personally, I only recommened it for those who are going through similiarly "rough episodes" with limited access to tried and true abortives like O2 and Imitrix.

I had never done acupuncture before my cluster headaches and I don't claim to be an expert (thus the title of my post).

Here goes. . .

1) Yes, you can do it yourself. Or if you're scared of needles (like me) - have a loved one do it.

Obviously, get the right kind of needles. Don't go jabbing yourself with knitting needles. Go buy some real acupuncture needles. The smallest guage will do. And you go see a real acupuncturist who is willing to show you how to do it yourself. To my knowledge, there is no voodoo involved. But just in case, better to go on a full moon and sacrifice a chicken before you begin.

The needles come in a tube. You simply give the end of the needle a twist which will break the seal at the top of the tube. Press the end of the tube to the skin and then tap the end of the needle - pull tube away - voila - it's in!

2) The needles don't hurt. That's right folks. You can't feel them. Not a dang thing. It's true!! Unless you hit a nerve (very rare) then it hurts like a som-bitach and you take it out (course I didn't know this at the time and left it in once, but that's another story). The needles we are talkin about here are tiny - baby small

Stop yer dang whining - it didn't hurt! Even if you try really hard to feel them, compared to the pain of clusters this is KIP UNO so you fears of needles are totally ... well, in your HEAD!!!!'

3) Now the fun part. Heh heh heh.

The spot you are after is in the hand between the index finger and the thumb. If you were to draw a line down your index finger and stop next to the meaty part near the thumb - thats the magic line you're after.

After the needle goes in, you "wiggle it" around to get the desired effect - an involuntary twinge will occur, sort of like tapping your knee with a hammer (i know, sounds sadistic - cuz it is). If this doesn't happen, take it out and put it in a new spot to get the ache effect.

This WILL hurt a little bit, but it will be like "an ache" type pain. Most acupuncture doesn't involve "needle wiggling" - this is a strong treatment. Once the "ache" wears off - wiggle more for more fun. I usually got 20 minutes worth of ache per needle.

The idea here is that the nerve area in the hand is somehow related to the nerve area in the brain. I leave the rest up to your imagination.

Well, that's it. Rinse and repeat as needed.

Title: Re: Dummies for Self-Acupuncture
Post by t_h_b on Mar 16^th, 2004, 7:09pm

I have a hard enough time drawing up some Imitrex and sticking that ONE needle in me when I'm having an attack. (And it comes with a big handle--)

Title: Re: Dummies for Self-Acupuncture
Post by fubar on Mar 17^th, 2004, 3:57am

I read your post with shock and horror. You can tell me a thousand times it won't hurt AND it's in my head. I agree. That doesn't make it less scary. I kid you not, my heart rate when up about 20 bpm reading that post. You have got to be kidding me. Ah canna doit laddy.

Doing the shot of Imitrex was about the most I could handle, and I still freak a bit almost every time. Good thing Imitrex was near 100% effective since there's no way I would have stabbed myself for a 50-50 chance of relief. I know it's mental. I'm mental.

-Fu

Title: Re: Dummies for Self-Acupuncture
Post by BobG on Mar 17^th, 2004, 5:45am

on 03/17/04 at 03:57:08, fubar wrote:

I read your post with shock and horror.

LMAO [smiley=laugh.gif]
I read it with giggles and gawfas.
I especially liked the "you "wiggle it" around to get the desired effect " part.

Thanks toader.

Title: Re: Dummies for Self-Acupuncture
Post by Edski_1 on Mar 17^th, 2004, 2:34pm

Shouldn't the thread be titled "Self-Acupuncture for Dummies"? :) And did you see this in a Garfield cartoon? :P

All kidding aside, several people have asked me about accupunture, and I've read a few posts about it...if it works, and you can self administer it, well, go for it. And I'll trust you on the fact that hitting a nerve can't be as bad as a Kip 8 or 9...

Just that a lot of people will find descriptions of this sort somewhat distasteful, like having a dentist describe how they self extracted that bothersome abscessed molar with a pair of vise-grips and cleaned it out with a good gargle of Listerine! :)

Glad it works for you Toader! ;;D