Acupuncture Gives Woman Her Life Back
Life in general was becoming a real pain in the. . .back and the hips and the knees for a 73-year-old British woman. The discomfort had been going on for some time, but it really hit home one Christmas Day.
“My youngest grandchild was 4 years old and he couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t play with him on the floor on Christmas Day,” said Maureen Vine. It was just too painful. The terrible pain in my ankle spread to my foot and I could barely walk.”
Acupuncture was something she’d never really considered during her 30-odd years of suffering through a painful condition diagnosed as osteoarthritis. The symptoms that mainly affected her back, hips and knees over the years were now spreading to her right ankle. This caused pain and limping, greatly reducing her ability to move or even to continue with short walks in the park she cherished.
Over the years she had tried physiotherapy, but with little relief. A stomach condition prohibited most types of medication. Most recently, her doctor had prescribed CodydramoVTM, a pain reducer she was able to tolerate, but even 8 tablets a day brought little to no relief.
Finally, almost completely housebound, Maureen decided to give Acupuncture a try. “My son had recently tried Acupuncture for his arthritic shoulder and he said that it had worked wonders. Although I knew nothing about it and was a bit skeptical, I was willing to try anything. So I asked my doctor for a referral.”
Maureen’s acupuncturist evaluated her condition and decided on a whole body approach to treatment. A total of 15 needles were used in both limbs for a total of 15 minutes each. “It felt a little strange at first, but once you realize it doesn’t hurt, you get used to it,” she said.
Her acupuncturist was so pleased with her response to treatment and her improved condition that short walks were prescribed after just 3 weeks. By this time the pain in her ankle and knee was almost completely gone. After just 6 sessions, Maureen was pain free throughout her body and her Acupuncture treatments were over.
“Nothing has alleviated the pain of my arthritis like this,” she says. “These days, there’s no pain in my ankle or foot or my knees. I only get the occasional twinge in my hip when I turn in bed. I still can’t quite believe it, but I’m an absolute convert to the benefits of Acupuncture.”