My Experience of Trying Acupuncture For My AS

I’ve been receiving care from a chronic pain clinic, and a few months ago they offered me acupuncture. I had a telephone consultation with the acupuncture service to check I was a suitable candidate for the treatment. I talked about my chronic pain from AS and other symptoms from my fibromyalgia. They confirmed I would be booked in for acupuncture and that I would have a session about once a week for ten weeks. This is in line with clinical excellence guidelines where I live in the UK.

My first appointment

It was a couple of months between my telephone consultation and my first acupuncture appointment. I was surprised by how nervous I was when I was on my way there. I’d had acupuncture once before and didn’t find it painful because the needles were so thin that I didn’t feel them go in. However, my chronic pain levels were much lower back then, so I was worried about how my body might react this time.

My acupuncturist was lovely and put my mind at rest by assuring me that I was in control, and if the treatment was too much or I felt uncomfortable, we could stop at any time. She explained that we would start with a few needles and gradually build up how many we used over the ten sessions.

The first time was less than twenty needles. They were spread over my shins, back, shoulders, neck, and arms. It was fairly painless having them put in, and then I was left to relax for about twenty minutes before they were taken out.

My acupuncturist made sure I was comfortable with extra pillows and left some music on for me if I wanted it. She told me I might feel a little flushed and dazed afterward, and to drink lots of water and take an extra painkiller if I needed it.

The impact of the acupuncture over time

I kept going to my acupuncture appointments. It was usually weekly, but sometimes fortnightly. At the beginning of each session, I’d chat with the acupuncturist about how my symptoms had been since the last session, and any side effects I noticed. Sometimes I had spasms and more pain after the session, but sometimes my pain improved. These changes were only lasting for a couple of days.

My acupuncturist suggested adding electric to the treatment, which I agreed I wanted to try. This involved small clips attached to a wire with an electrical current being clipped onto the needles. I was then given the device to control the electrical current to the different needles. It was similar to a tens machine, except my acupuncturist explained it was more targeted because the needle allowed the current to flow down the needle to a specific location. The sensation was strange, but not painful. It felt like the small area of my body around the needles were vibrating.

Deciding to stop acupuncture

We kept monitoring the impact of the treatment. Even after adding the electric, any reduction in pain was sporadic and inconsistent. For three consecutive sessions, I had extremely painful reactions to the needles being inserted. Not every needle, but one or two would cause me to yell out in pain, and they weren’t in the same area each time. At first the acupuncturist thought this could be related to my menstrual cycle, but when it happened three weeks in a row, she decided that wasn’t the case.

At this point I had done seven sessions. I was seeing no lasting or consistent benefits. I had also started getting anxious before each appointment, worrying about the painful needles. I spoke with my acupuncturist about how I was feeling, and she agreed I had given it enough time to see results. I decided to end the treatment.

I felt deflated leaving the hospital. With a new treatment came hope of reduced pain, and something that could help me manage my symptoms. I’m glad I tried acupuncture and overall, I did have a positive experience. My acupuncturist always listened to me and made me comfortable. I advocated for myself when it wasn’t working and made the right decision for me.

Have you ever tried any alternative treatments for your AS symptoms? Did they work out for you?