Beyond Needles: A Deep Dive into Acupuncture and Related Therapies

The holidays can be a very stressful time of year for anyone. With family gatherings, weather changes, and everything else that goes along during this time of year, it can be overwhelming.  Whether you are male or female, sometimes we forget to take time out for ourselves.
Did you know that your skin is your body’s largest organ and reflects the state of our internal health? It is the only organ that we have to take care of from both the inside and the outside and sometimes we forget about it all together.  In Chinese Medicine, we believe that the state of physical health, emotions, and spirit is reflected on the skin, particularly on the skin of the face.  You look your best when your healthy inside reflects on your face! So how do we take care of our skin without using harsh chemicals or plastic surgery?

Did you know that each year more than 100,000 people are hospitalized due to complications from the flu virus?  Many of us have had a flu or cold virus at least once in our lifetime and we know that when fall hits so do viruses.
So how do you stay healthy this year? It may not be with a flu shot! An easier approach to keeping healthy is by having a strong immune system: get enough rest, eat nutritious foods, you get the picture and by giving acupuncture a try.  Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine have been used for thousands of years to treat the common cold and flu.
Studies have shown acupuncture is effective as a preventative approach to colds and flu helping to reduce upper respiratory tract infection and shorten the length of illness by enhancing the immune system. Acupuncture treatments focus on  treating specific symptoms you are currently experiencing, while supporting the underlying defensive energy of your body. Whether your symptoms include fever, sore throat, congestion, fatigue, muscle and body aches, runny nose, cough, sneezing and watery eyes. Depending on what symptoms you are experiences, we can put together a treatment plan to help you feel better and unblock the energy flow.
The important thing is to seek treatment as soon as you start to feel symptoms. Don’t wait until your fever is too high and you’ve been home sick for two days. Start acupuncture as soon as you start to feel a little off.
Typically you will start to feel better with 1 or 2 acupuncture treatments, which is so much faster than taking cold medicine or antibiotics.
So remember, when you start to get a sore throat and runny nose, it’s time to come in for a treatment.

A car accident can happen without any warning. Not only can it completely damage your car, but it can also leave you in a lot pain. With so many different types of treatment out there to seek after a car accident, it can be hard to decide which one is the best for you and the symptoms you are dealing with.

There are a variety of injuries that can occur after an auto accident. Some of the symptoms may appear immediately and some may take hours or days before they surface.

There are two types of injuries you can experience after an accident: Low Velocity Injuries and High Velocity Injuries.
​
Low Velocity Injuries occur when you are driving 10 mph or under or if you are hit by a car going 10 mph or slower. This type of accident can cause muscle strain or seat belt bruising and you may experience stiffness or pain within 24-36 hours of the accident.

High Velocity Injuries occur when you or the car who hit you are driving over 10 mph. Injuries from High Velocity car accidents usually result in your body hitting objects in the car such as the steering wheel, dashboard, or window. Common injuries are head, shoulder, or knee trauma; fractures, neck sprains, or concussions.

Its important to remember that regardless of how serious the accident was, they are not something to take lightly. You may feel stiff right away and not notice any pain until the next the day.
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries people have. Symptoms may include neck pain and stiffness; headache, dizziness, shoulder and back pain. You may also experience memory loss, fatigue.

When looking for relief from whiplash or other auto accident injuries, most people do not often think of seeing their acupuncturist for help. Seeing someone  soon after the accident can shorten the time it take for your body to heal itself and seeing your acupuncturist can help reduce pain right away.  Acupuncture can reduce joint and muscle pain, inflammation, and help reduce stress and anxiety from the accident.or irritability to name a few.
​
Acupuncture has the ability to be very successful when treating people who are suffering after a car accident because it aids in the healing of soft tissues, helps relax the muscles, and relieves many pain symptoms. It’s also getting treatment of the entire body is what makes acupuncture so unique. We can treat your back and neck pain, while dealing with stress you may be having because of the accident.

​Remember you always have choices for the type of treatment you see after an auto accident. Please contact us with any questions you might have surrounding a recent car accident or even one that happened years ago. 

As we have covered in a few of our blog posts, acupuncture can be a safe and effective treatment for many things; headaches, backaches, stress reduction, stomach trouble- just to name a few. TMJ or Temporomandibular Joint Disease and jaw pain seem to be one thing a lot of people don’t think of when it comes to treating with acupuncture.
Anyone who has suffered from it, knows how awful TMJ can be.  It can range from dull to sharp pain giving you a temporal headache or your whole jaw area can go numb.  You can experience ear and neck pain, as well as not being able to open your mouth completely. Ouch! Makes it kind of hard to function.
Why does TMJ happen? There are several reasons it can happen in certain individuals: Stress can cause grinding of the teeth at night; direct trauma; or bad diet habits can all play a role.
Most people who suffer from TMJ have some sort of dental appliance and take pain medication to help, but does it really go to the root of cause?
Acupuncture is a safe and natural treatment for conditions like TMJ that is drug free and  research shows that the ancient Chinese therapy may promote the release of endorphins, which are brain chemicals known to ease pain.
To do this, acupuncture needles are placed in strategic places in the body that correspond to your TMJ symptoms to help give you much needed relief.
To find out more, contact us today.