Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group expense of treatments

I'm embarrased to ask because financials are kinda personal, but how do you good folks pay for accupuncture and accupressure and hydro therapy and all the other stuff besides the standard PT that insurance doesn't pay for when AS can or is leaving the working person on dissablity? My husband and I are a family of 6 (including a baby) and on a very tight budget. I sure would like to do all these therapies, but we have to eat too. Any suggestions?

Karen

Hi Karen,
First Off let me Welcome you to KickAS.org.

As for finances...I figure everyone has their own secret way of getting some of these items paid for. For me it is a very good relationship with my doctors and my CPA. Each year I get a prescription for hydro therapy, since there is no place that offers this in my area, I am able to use that 'script to write off the upkeep on my swimming pool and hot tub.

As for accupuncture/pressure I would try getting a referral from your doctor to use these alternatives as therapy. Might Work?!

Keep Kickin'AS
Chris

The Hydrotherapy for me came about from beeing throwen in Hospital from my Rhuemy. Have a talk to your Rhuemy or GP and see what is available. A number of people have posted that Hospitals with Hydrotherapy pool, have free sessions once or twice a week. This I would definitely recommend investigating. From your description this would be of the greatest benefit. Once you know the routine, you can do it yourself, ie search your local public swimming pools for a heated indoor pool, but a few floats, and walaa.

As to the alternate treatments (ie Chinese), I normally pay for them myself. Sometimes they have an open day (to drum up new business), where treatments are free, keep an eye out in the news papers and local news letters and local bulletin boards. Normally one or two treatments will tell if it is going to work. Out of the treatments I would recommend Massage Therapy, and is well worth the money to try.
As Kathy the Earthwoman said, after one treatment you will want more. I had one done here in Bangkok, it was a massage done with Nature music (ie birds singing, water falls) and aroma therapy all in the one session, the it was 1.5 hours, and man that was good. But, it was also expensive.

Have a talk with your GP and Rhuemy and see what they can do. It does not hurt.

Take Care
Wayne

Our Provincial and Canadian Federal governments do pay a lot for our medical care and expenses. Anything above that is taken care of by the extremely good medical plan I had during my working days and was still there for me when I retured just before I was 63 years old.

The costs of medical care in Canada are not as big an issue as it is in other parts of the world.

George

Karen,

Train hubby! I used to do heaps of alternatives when I was working, but nowadays it's impossible!

Heat lamps or massagers with them built in can helpl but you need soft and hard settings.

I also bought a cheap TENS unit and put that on muscle twitch/joint movement it works really well.For $70.00 it has saved alot in meds etc and unactually helped unfuse shoulders etc.

I have n't found accupuncture useful the effects last 2-3 days but actually stir up the nerve pain and only use on a particular problem out of sheer desparation. TENS is better!

You can hire them to see f they help to, not all find them good!

train hubby, train hubby!

David