10/13/2025
Thumbs Arthritis, Sciatica
male, age 72
Complaints:
MRI showed severe arthritis in the joints of both right and left thumbs. Cortisone shot is not providing relief anymore.
Acupuncture: Right side yin horary points of Wood-Fire sequence LR1, HT8, SP3, LU8, KD10.
Treatment Process:
The patient received 11 acupuncture treatments so far at twice a week visit in the first 6 visits and then once a week. After the first visit, the patient reported some relief in the thumbs and was given a daily acupressure technique to do at home. Although the intensity of pain is as severe as prior to starting acupuncture, he saw increased periods of relief. The second week was overall better than the first week. On the fourth visit, the patient had expressed that the right sciatic pain had considerably reduced in intensity and frequency. Prior to initial treatment, the leg was quite painful sitting for a length of time, especially when driving. By the ninth visit, the thumbs were about 50% relieved and the sciatic pain has mostly not been present for at least one and half months.
Discussion: Although his thumb joints are bone-on-bone, some relief is a huge welcome since he is aging and desires an active lifestyle. He does not want to have surgery due to the prolonged recovery period and no guarantee of a successful result. Acupuncture is not a replacement to surgery, but it is a viable option. Even the sciatic pain that was not mentioned has significantly reduced. Acupuncture is truly a multiple benefit therapy, therefore rightly called holistic. Acupressure is an additional help that the patient can do at home without relying solely upon the practitioner.
