Anyone know a really good local acupuncturist?

[salsabike]

I am having a major, deep muscle pain fibromyalgia flare-up. Haven't had one of these in quite a long time. The standard ice bag/stretch stuff doesn't seem to be having any effect. Does anyone know a really well-qualified acupuncturist in the Seattle/north Seattle area? Thanks.

[Wahine]

Salsa - that's crummy news. Unfortunately I don't have any names in your area and I don't have anyone that I can ask easily. I'll try to dig around a bit though.

Take care. Here's a few tips: avoid raw and hard to digest foods. Eat rice. Drink water with lemon squeezed into it or lemon ginger tea. No sweets or simple sugars (that includes alcohol but dark chocolate is OK). No mangos or bananas. Try to be restful between 7 and 11 AM and try to avoid stress. Easier said than done.

Thinking about you.

[Wahine]

I read through this lady's bio and it looks good. She speaks chinese which means she should understand the theory better. She also uses a wide variety of modalities.

http://kurtzacupuncture.com/index.htm

[Eden]

There's a school the Greenlake area - Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine. They have both student and pratcitioner clinics I believe. http://www.siom.edu/clinic The newer the student the cheaper the price

I've been to the student Tuina (massage) clinics - they do a good job and $20 for an hour of massage can't be beat. hmmmm its back on Tuesdays.... that's one of my non-work days... I think I'll have to go again

If the idea of observation or students sounds too freaky, I'll bet they can refer you to some of their graduates too.

[kjay]

Sorry not to be able to answer your specific question, but just wanted to share my experience with fibromyalgia when first diagnosed many years ago. I went to a pain clinic because I could barely walk or move anymore. The doctor suggested taking a specific antidepressant, but I was against it. He explained that studies had shown how it suppressed/cured fibromyalgia. I took it and it was a miracle for me . . . no more pain. I'm not endorsing its use, but just wanted to tell you I was helped immensely. I'm not even sure if it's still used as a treatment today.

[trickytiger]

I know one- he and his wife are both PTs as well. I'll pm you the info.

[salsabike]

Thank you so much for the recs. I will follow them up.

Kjay, I too was diagnosed many years ago. At the time, I was a very serious non-pro ballet dancer, taking 6-12 hours of class a week, in great shape. During the first decade when the pain was very severe and unremitting, I did find a low dose of amitriptyline, and later nortriptlyine, to be incredibly effective--and both made me gain an absolutely breathtaking amount of weight, which I am still trying to get rid of. So I can't take those even though they work very well. I am sure fibromyalgia is a central nervous system-mediated change in how pain signals are processed.

I have tried all the usual stuff, including an intensive outpatient PT program through the UW Pain Clinic. Much swimming. Biofeedback. TENS. Nothing has been very effective. I have never been able to discern any pattern at all. I've felt fine during periods of high stress, and have had big flare-ups during very happy times. It doesn't vary predictably with weather. Some things can set it off, including upper-body twisting and pushing muscle groups against one another (e.g, arabesque work. I am sure that the furious ivy-pulling I did last weekend has NOTHING to do with this current flare-up ). Massage (except for a myofascial, stretching massage) and heat can also make it worse (so sad!). Trying to stay in good shape helps, but it does not prevent the flare-ups. Luckily, the severe chronic stage seems mostly to have burned itself out, but I do get the occasional serious flare-up and then get pretty concerned about making it cool down before it DOES become chronic again. Interrupting the pain spiral is really important for me.

The few things that have worked for me include ice bags, CAREFUL stretching, and acupuncture. Neither work perfectly or for long, but they're the best non-chem approach I've been able to find so far.

Thanks again, you all.

Funny, Wahine, I've been craving rice in the last day. Think I will have some for dinner.