Banu Fotocan, who lives in Istanbul and describes herself as a complete "cat lover, animal lover", had decreased her quality of life due to neck and back pain due to fibromyalgia and started to have difficulty moving. Her pain, which had become a part of her life for about a year, came to an end after acupuncture treatment.

Banu Fotocan, who worked at a very intense pace in theater, cinema, and series sets for many years, was diagnosed with a herniated disc in 2017 and a cervical disc hernia in 2020. After the examinations, she started physical therapy after it was stated that surgery was not required. Stating that her pain is not limited to the neck, especially due to his severity in the back and scapula region, she cannot move, she cannot lift anything, Fotocan said that she lived with these pains for about a year. Stating that the declining quality of life also affects her psychology, Fotocan explained her experiences with the following sentences:

“I was told that there was no need for surgical intervention for my neck and lumbar hernia. I started with physical therapy, but my pain did not go away. I was a person who was constantly in pain. So, I was more angry and unhappy. I was living with a hot water bag to relieve the pain, and I was acting by turning left and right throughout the day. It was horrible to sleep in bed. In addition, I could not get definitive results from physical therapy. I was like a squeaking machine all the time. As a result of my friends saying that the reason for this experience may be due to fibromyalgia and that I should investigate this, I found Yeditepe University Complementary Medicine Center Supervisor Dr.  Berna Atay . ”

“I Was Patient During The Treatment”

“My constant pains with acupuncture for fibromyalgia are over,” Banu Fotocan said about this treatment, which she started believing even though she did not have such information before:
“This is the first time I have experienced acupuncture. Miss Berna told me about the treatment. My back was so contracted that although electric acupuncture was performed, the needles were used in the first 2 sessions of treatment. After the second session, I said, “Yes, something is going on.” I think I am a person who likes to show continuity in life, in my profession, and in people. So, I knew it was a healing process. I cannot say it did not work. I could not feel what was happening and the pain was still there. But I knew I had to keep it steady. Already after the third and fourth sessions, my pain began to decrease. After 11 sessions, I no longer felt pain. Sometimes I am afraid the pain comes back after the wrong moves I made. But I do not even need relaxation methods like hot water or muscle relaxants.”

“Having Busy and Stressful Period is A Significant Factor”

Yeditepe University Complementary Medicine Center Supervisor Dr. Berna Ataygave the following information about the treatment applied to Banu Fotocan:
“When Ms. Banu consult us, she was going through a very stressful period. She was so much in pain, her sleep quality was poor, and she could not get up rested. After examining both the MRI results and other tests, we made examinations with the help of the detector we used in the diagnosis and diagnosis method in ear acupuncture. When we scanned the ears with the detector, we determined which vertebrae had a shortage of density time. They already had ready-made MRIs. We saw the hernias there, too. After identifying the painful places, we started acupuncture treatment two days a week.” 

“We Started to Get Results After the First Sessions” 

Stating that she started to receive the first positive feedback from Ms. Banu after the 3rd and 4th sessions, Dr. Berna Atay said, “We are also happy that her sleep is much better and even her face is now smiling. We performed a total of 13 sessions of treatment from April 2021 to November 2021. With the relaxation of the blocked musculature, the circulation was also relieved. With the increase in oxygenation, their pain decreased.”

“We Also Did Stress Control.”

Reminding that stress control is also very important for fibromyalgia, Dr. Berna Atay, “We worked for stress management at the same time to make it easier to cope with the stress brought by life. In this way, while relaxing the muscles on the one hand, we also intervened in the stress that can cause the muscles to stretch on the other.”

“My Sleep Cycle Is Much Better Now”

Stating that all her problems were solved by the middle of 2021, Ms. Banu said, “I can now move very easily, and my night sleep has improved. It felt like a miracle for me to go back to normal because I thought my pain would last a lifetime. ”

Continuity of Treatment is Required!

Explaining that the patient's belief and compliance are very significant in acupuncture treatment as well as appropriate treatment, Dr. Berna Atay continued her words as follows: 
“Of course, sometimes we may encounter patients who are resistant due to not knowing the treatment and sometimes due to personal prejudices. Sometimes it is necessary to try and be patient because there is no guarantee that a method really works 100% for everyone. Banu handled that continuity very well. In a way, the result was gratifying. ”

Caution is a must after treatment

Explaining that the process in and after treatment varies according to the patient, Yeditepe University Complementary Medicine Center Supervisor Dr. Berna Atay, “In the treatment of fibromyalgia with acupuncture, controls should definitely continue every few months after the end of the main treatment. However, patients must not carry a burden and stay away from non-ergonomic posture disorders, especially during treatment.

“WHO Says Acupuncture Can Be Used in These Problems!

According to the World Health Organization criteria, the acupuncture method can be used for many problems today. Berna Atay gave the following information: "It is a safe method that can be used in all patients with acute and chronic pain that does not require surgery, in muscle, skeletal system diseases, in otolaryngology diseases, especially in vertigo, tinnitus, in all types of migraines, which is also a neurological disease, and in trigeminal neuralgia, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract system, i.e., allergies such as allergic asthma."

Press Coverage: media | cnnturk | hastane.com | sondakika | dha