Acupuncture Therapy for Spinal Issues?

Posted by cjs4H&GBeare @cjs4handgbear, Jul 28, 2025

A reading of many postings on this site (regarding spine issues), I'm wondering if anyone has had successful Acupuncture treatment(s) from a qualified practitioner, with a prescription from an Interventional Pain Management physician? With some diagnoses, could this be a non-surgical alternative?

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I had very successful electro acupuncture for the spasticity in my neck and shoulders. When I repeated it for low back pain , I saw no difference at all. To my knowledge Medicare only pays for low back pain diagnosis

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Profile picture for laura1970 @laura1970

I had very successful electro acupuncture for the spasticity in my neck and shoulders. When I repeated it for low back pain , I saw no difference at all. To my knowledge Medicare only pays for low back pain diagnosis

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Thanks, Laura, for your response.

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I tried traditional acupuncture for my lumbar stenosis. It didn't help, although I must admit I only did a few sessions.

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Appreciate your response, pyates, as my Pain Management M.D. is recommending I try this "option" (using his Acupuncture Therapy Order) before considering more invasive options for low back pain.

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Profile picture for cjs4H&GBeare @cjs4handgbear

Appreciate your response, pyates, as my Pain Management M.D. is recommending I try this "option" (using his Acupuncture Therapy Order) before considering more invasive options for low back pain.

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Same thing happened to me. My insurance said I didn't qualify for epidural injections until I'd exhausted other pain-control methods.

As for accupuncture, I've been told that the quality of specialists' training fluctuates (sometimes wildly) from one practioner to the next. Allegedly there's a big difference between the best-trained accupuncturists and everyone else in the field. That's anecdotal info, though.

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Profile picture for pyates @pyates

Same thing happened to me. My insurance said I didn't qualify for epidural injections until I'd exhausted other pain-control methods.

As for accupuncture, I've been told that the quality of specialists' training fluctuates (sometimes wildly) from one practioner to the next. Allegedly there's a big difference between the best-trained accupuncturists and everyone else in the field. That's anecdotal info, though.

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Your Second Paragraph (above) "rings" very true with me. In year's past, I used various chiropractors in my immediate area. In hindsight, I learned exactly what you've described.
For my current issues (and in addition to several that my Physician Network suggested), I've researched additional acupuncturists and am leaning towards an Acupuncture Clinic that's part of a major Southern California University's public health practice. I hope that I'm correct in assuming that they only employ highly-skilled practitioners. We'll see.

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Profile picture for cjs4H&GBeare @cjs4handgbear

Your Second Paragraph (above) "rings" very true with me. In year's past, I used various chiropractors in my immediate area. In hindsight, I learned exactly what you've described.
For my current issues (and in addition to several that my Physician Network suggested), I've researched additional acupuncturists and am leaning towards an Acupuncture Clinic that's part of a major Southern California University's public health practice. I hope that I'm correct in assuming that they only employ highly-skilled practitioners. We'll see.

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Be certain to let us know how the upcoming treatment goes. Maybe I'll give acupuncture a second look if people swear it helped them.

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