Acupuncture

I've been battling hip pain for the last 4 months or so. Well, actually longer than that. About a year ago, I had nagging pain in my right hip. I had just finished my very first half marathon and I had pretty much quit running. The pain would get worse if I stood for a long time and I was due for a follow-up with my orthopedist (for IT band issues), so instead of cancelling the appointment, I went in with my list of complaints. Turns out the pain in my hip was due to cartilage damage and not a stress fracture as my doc originally thought. I wasn't willing to go for the second MRI to assess the extent of the damage, nor was I willing to commit to physical therapy. Instead, I put myself of a regimen on glucosamine and hoped for the best.

The new hip pain that struck me in October was an altogether different feel than that of the cartilage damage. This pain is more of a strained muscle pain. It hurts when I walk, run, stretch to one side or another. And it both hips hurt. I attempted to research it on the internet, but wasn't able to diagnose myself. I've tried massage, heat, ice, rest, nothing has helped alleviate the pain at all. And on Thursday, when I almost couldn't get out of the car after a short run at the gym, I was at my wit's end. My husband suggested acupuncture, and I agreed.

We found a doctor (PhD, not MD) that could get me in on Saturday morning. I had 12 or so needles placed in each hip with electrodes attached. I lay still for 25 minutes for the painless electro-shock therapy. And then I was done. It didn't hurt, but did feel a little weird. The insertion of the needles wasn't comfortable, but there was no pain. I can see most of the spots where the needles went in still today. I don't know if it was psychosomatic or if I really did have some relief, but yesterday I felt 30-40% less pain in my hips. Today, about 25%.

Supposedly acupuncture should be a series of treatments, so I will be going again on Tuesday and Friday to see if we can heal my hips once and for all! The Hot Chocolate 15k is on Saturday, so I am really hoping for a cure!

Miles: 10 on the elliptical, which doesn't actually count