degenerative discs c5 and c6 (very stiff neck)

[ilovemarkb]

next thursday im having accupuncture (through nhs) to treat my stiff neck, she has also recommended me taken glucosamine. Does anyone have similar problems and if so what is the best treatment. My neck is so stiff on the left that i struggle to reverse the car (safely) thanks julie

[ilovemarkb]

forgot to say that i also get lots of headaches too!

[jackthehat]

I have had problems with lumbar discs and undergone acupuncture on NHS. The relief was immediate and profound :o)
I am a convert to acupuncture and would certainly recommend it as form of pain management/relief.
Mrs JtH takes glucosamine for her joint pain and swears by it.
I hope that both systems will provide you with relief..............let us know how you get on with the acupuncture.

[ilovemarkb]

sounds promising JtH ! hope it helps me too. can the needles be felt when they are inserted?

[jackthehat]

Yes, but as they are so fine, the sensation is not the same as sticking a pin in your finger or having an injection.
When my acupunturist inserted the 'final' needle in the system, I felt a sort of *bang* in my upper back teeth !! Not painful, just a distinct, quick as a flash sensation. I remarked on this to her, and she laughed and said it is not unusual to get some sort of response in a part of the body completely unrelated to the traetment area......
The session lasted about 10 minutes..........she came back to twiddle the needles about 5 minutes in...........and that's it !
I was seriously considering have the sites for the needles tattooed (just a very small dot) and then no matter where I went, if I got an attack of pain, I could seek out an acupuncturist and get them to stick the needles in 'where indicated'.............:o)

[ilovemarkb]

thanks for taking the time and trouble to explain all of that to me X julieX

[icemaiden]

I have Disc degenerative disease, I had acupuncture also on the NHS, but unfortunately it was unsuccessful. I think I was too far gone! Ended up having a two level Spinal fusion and having a disc replaced with a metal one. My other discs are not that great so further ops are inevitable.

I found that some insertion of the needles caused shooting pains through my legs which I found painful. I guess it depends on the peson who is doing it and the severity of your problem.
Good luck.

[ilovemarkb]

thanks once again for all answers julie