The worst thing about having back problems is that everyone knows someone who has a back problem and they want to tell you all about it, how the person got relief, etc. Of course these well-meaning frienRAB have no idea that some people have a very simple problem and others' problems are very complicated.
I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but it is my layman's opinion that your back problems are too severe to be helped much by accupuncture. It will give you short-term relief from the pain but it will not be able to do more than that.
I have a grade I spondy, with stenosis and have been trying to avoid a fusion for the last 3 years. I tried almost every treatment, alternative and otherwise. I have used accupuncture for other issues and definitely feel there is a place for it in our healthcare. But I think you will find a small amount of relief from your pain, but it will in no way take care of all of it and it will not last more than a short time.
I think the best way to find a good accupuncturist is by word of mouth. Ask around among your frienRAB, maybe a health club. When you have names, look at their aRAB on the internet or in the phone book. They should be licensed by the state in which you live. I think licensing varies from state to state, but in general, there are no federal standarRAB and you have no guarantee how well trained the one you pick will be.
The most important advice I would have is to watch out for how they bill. Some accupuncturists will insist that you sign up for a series of treatments. They may have you come for one session, but then once you're there they will insist that you must come back ten times...or something like that.
The other thing to bear in mind is that accupuncture works very slowly and usually does require a whole string of treatments. The problem I had with it was that I never knew if I had given up before the length of time it might have taken to complete the treatment. It left me wondering if I'd just had a few more treatments would it have fixed the problem?
I'm guessing with your diagnosis there must be very little room for the sciatic nerves to pass through and that as a result, you have radiculapathy in your hip, leg or foot. You have a biomechanical problem and I don't believe there is any way that accupuncture would help you long term. It could be good for a muscle sprain or tear, but I can't imagine that it would help for something a bit more complex.
