Tag: acupuncture

Community Acupuncture – Coming Soon!

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I am so excited for this! As of September 27th I will also be offering Community Acupuncture.

What is Community Acupuncture?

Community Acupuncture makes acupuncture much more accessible to everyone.

This treatment takes place in a reclined chair in a room with a five other patients. The patients will all receive treatment at the same time. The treatment consists of feet/hand/head/ear points which means you don’t have to undress for the treatment. The treatment is 30 minutes, where you get to enjoy the relaxing sensations of acupuncture. These acupuncture treatments do not include a full one on one health history intake and I would highly suggest a 90 minute Initial Acupuncture Treatment prior to you taking part in the Community Acupuncture sessions, however, it is not necessary. If you choose not to do the full initial treatment, there will be a short form for you to fill out upon your first Community Acupuncture treatment – so please show up about 5 minutes early.

Who will benefit from Community Acupuncture?

Anyone and everyone! That’s the beauty of it. However, it is important to keep in mind that this is a basic treatment. It is not intended to replace an in-depth one on one acupuncture treatment. Listed below are the people/conditions that would benefit most from a community acupuncture treatment.

  • Stress
  • Anxiety (suggested as a maintenance treatment, not a replacement for a full treatment)
  • Addiction
  • PTSD
  • Irritable
  • Overall wellness
  • People who have lower income – making it financially difficult to have regular full length acupuncture treatments
  • People who have less free time – making it difficult to schedule regular full length acupuncture treatments
  • Want to try out acupuncture but not quite ready for a full treatment – there are six chairs so you and some friends can come!

How much does it cost?

  • $20 per session
  • $30 for the initial if you have not been in for a 90 minute Initial Acupuncture Treatment

When is it?

As of right now, starting off, I will be offering Community Acupuncture once a week. Thursdays at 5:30pm at Roots Yoga.

So, if you’re feeling; tired, stressed, irritable, or are just craving your acupuncture fix – come in on your lunch break to feel recharged. Self care is important in every and any form! And just like all my other services, you can book online to reserve your spot in the comfort of your own home.

I look forward to bringing a more accessible acupuncture option to Stettler!

As always, if you have any questions feel free to text/call/email/Facebook at any time.

Phone: 403-741-8898

Email: info.tsacupuncture@gmail.com

Facebook: TS Acupuncture

Instagram: @tsacupuncture

To book online visit http://www.tsacupuncture.ca

Why we all should eliminate refined sugar from our diets

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Sugar comes in all forms, the most beneficial are those from whole foods. These are the good sugars that are beneficial and necessary to our body – in moderation. It is the refined sugars that, frankly, have no place in our diet.

Refined sugar in your body

1. Increases inflammation in the body. Ingesting refined sugar triggers the release of inflammatory messengers called cytokines.

2. Mineral imbalance. “Refined sugar passes quickly into the bloodstream in large amounts, giving the stomach and pancreas shock. An acid condition forms which consumes the body’s minerals quickly” – Healing with whole foods. An example is a loss of calcium from the system resulting in bone problems.

3. Sugar has been known to compromise the immune system. It lowers the efficiency of white blood cells.

4. Excess sweet foods (or poor quality sweets) promote unhealthy mucus conditions in the body which makes a wonderful living situation for yeast and fungi.

5. Addictive. Dopamine is released in the reward centre of the brain when sugar is consumed. “Consuming sugar produces effects similar to that of cocaine, altering mood, possibly through its ability to induce reward and pleasure, leading to the seeking out of sugar”.

Health issues related to the intake of large amounts of refined sugar include but are not limited to: obesity, hypoglycaemia, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, tooth decay, bone loss, immune deficiency, anemia, male impotence, cancer, PMS, menstrual problems, yeast infections, herpes outbreaks, negative thoughts, loss of memory and concentration, fatty liver disease… to name a few.

Other words for sugar

Anhydrous dextrose, brown sugar, cane crystals, cane sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, corn syrup solids, crystal dextrose, evaporated cane juice, fructose sweetener, fruit juice concentrates, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, liquid fructose, malt syrup, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, syrup, white sugar, fructose, lactose, maltose, carbitol, diglycerides, disaccharides, erythritol, fructooligosaccharides, galactose, glucitol, glucoamine, hexitol, inversol, isomalt, maltodextrin, malted barley, malts, mannitol, nectars, pentose, raisin syrup, ribose rice syrup, rice malt, rice syrup solids, sorbitol, sorghum, sucanat, sucanet, xylitol and zylose.

References:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/25/is-sugar-really-as-addictive-as-cocaine-scientists-row-over-effect-on-body-and-brain

Healing with Whole Foods-Paul Pitchford

Endometriosis and Adenomyosis

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‘Endometriosis affects an estimated 176 million women worldwide regardless of their ethnic and social background. Many remain undiagnosed and are therefore not treated.’

There is no exact known cause for endometriosis, the best way it is treated in Western Medicine is with hormone therapy, pain killers, or sometimes even surgery. The general consensus is that endometriosis is worsened by estrogen, so getting estrogen levels under control will help alleviate the symptoms – this is why hormone therapy is so commonly suggested.

Endometriosis is when the endometrial tissue (lining in the uterus) which should only be found in the uterus is found in other parts of the body. It can be found anywhere in the pelvic cavity including but not limited to; the ovaries, fallopian tubes, on the pelvic side-wall (peritoneum), uterosacral ligaments, and the rectal-vaginal septum. Not only can it be found in various places in the pelvic cavity, but also in the bowels, bladder, intestines, rectum, and scar tissue (such as laparoscopy of Caesarian-Section scars). Interestingly enough, there have actually been some rare cases where endometrial tissue is found on the lungs.

When your hormones stimulate ovulation, it causes the walls of the uterus to thicken. Any endometrial tissue will be affected by this hormone signal, even when they are outside of the uterus. As the tissues grows, it can cause pressure on nearby organs or nerves. As the tissue grows/thickens, it also releases blood during menstruation which can trigger the typical pain symptoms and form scar tissue.

Adenomyosis is not as well known as endometriosis. It is the benign invasion of the endometrium into the myometrium. The myometrium is the middle layer of the uterine wall – it consists mainly of uterine smooth muscle cells. Adenomyosis occurs in 15% of endometriosis patients, and the symptoms are quite similar.

Symptoms

  • Pain: before/during/after menstruation, during ovulation,  in the bowel during menstruation, when passing urine, during or after sexual intercourse, in the lower back region
  • Diarrhoea or constipation (in particular in connection with menstruation)
  • Abdominal bloating (in particular in connection with menstruation)
  • Heavy or irregular bleeding
  • Fatigue

Lifestyle changes:

  • Exercise
  • Diet – decrease/eliminate refined sugar, decrease/eliminate alcohol, quit smoking.
  • Relaxation routine
  • Emotion management

I personally have suffered from endometriosis and not wanting/being able to have synthetic hormones in my body or to be dependant on NSAIDS, I chose acupuncture to help with the pain and nausea. I have experienced the following symptoms on a regular basis during menstruation; debilitating pain, severe vomiting, whole body muscle contractions/body shakes, blurred vision, body tingling, fatigue. I have had to cancel my day short notice because of the pain and vomiting that can seem to hit so quickly some days. So, I know how bad it can get. Regular acupuncture treatments and working on regulating hormones in a natural way works for me!

How does acupuncture help?

“Researchers find acupuncture more effective than hormone drug therapy for the treatment of endometriosis.”. At a women’s optimal health, menstruation should be a painless experience. In Chinese Medicine, the Liver and menstruation are closely connected. The Liver, Spleen and Kidney channels all flow through the pelvis and can all have an effect on menstruation. If there is a blockage or stagnation in any of these channels, a patient will likely experience menstrual abnormalities. There are a few different pathologies that can result in menstrual pain in TCM such as; Liver Qi stagnation, Blood Deficiency, Cold Invasion, etc. No matter the pathology, Acupuncture can help. By having regular treatments acupuncture will help decrease inflammation, release endorphins, and bring the body back to homeostasis – whether by promoting proper Blood and/or Qi flow, or warming the lower Jiao.

References:
http://endometriosis.org/endometriosis/
http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1770-acupuncture-beats-drug-for-endometriosis-relief
https://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2015/02/26/tcm-treat-endometriosis-symptoms
Handbook of Obstetrics & Gynecology in Chinese Medicine, An Integrated Approach – Yu Jin, M.D.

Trauma – Part 4: Therapies other than Acupuncture

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I have compiled a list of some other therapies that can help someone heal from a traumatic event in their life. At the bottom of the page, there is a list of practitioners in Stettler.

  • Talk Therapy
    • “Talk therapy may be somewhat underrated as other forms of therapy, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) most often take the forefront. Still, the benefits from talk therapy are vast and said to last even after therapy has ended. This type of therapy allows us to process events and/or situations while also learning more about ourselves. Gaining an understanding of ourselves as well as being able to work through difficult experiences or situations allows us to take what we have learnt into the future where we feel more equipped to deal and cope with difficult issues.” – Cally Strandquist, Student of Psychology.
  • Reiki/Energetic Healing
    • Reiki works quite similar to Acupuncture in healing trauma because they are both energy based. Reiki can sometimes be a nice alternative because it has a tendency to be a hands off therapy.
    • “Reiki, very simply stated, calms and stills the spirit of the person. It promotes relaxation from the outside in and reminds the body how it feels to be calm again. Reiki promotes inner peace and quiets the mind, only when that happens can the body begin its healing process. The physical/emotional/spiritual body can not heal while adrenalin is actively and consistently moving through the body. When we keep the energetic pathways open, the energy that no longer serves us has an avenue for release. When energetic pathways are closed or slow moving, the frenetic energy created by the Adrenalin is trapped within.” Antoinette Laughlin – Reiki Master
  • Chiropractic
    • “Misalignment of the vertebrae don’t only happen from physical trauma, but also chemical exposure and emotional stresses. The nervous system perceives these non-physical stresses as threat, and this causes muscle guarding- often presenting in muscle tension- in an act to protect the body. This normally does not happen symmetrically, and leads to imbalances in the spine. These imbalances can be corrected with a specific adjustment to the dysfunction spinal unit.” – Dr. Rae Roberts. DC
    • “Because of the anatomy within our spinal cord, chiropractic can help balance the nervous system within our spinal cord, chiropractic can help balance the autonomic nervous system.” – Dr. Rae Roberts. DC
  • Essential Oils
    • Bergamot
    • Juniper
    • Rose
    • Frankincense
    • Hops
    • Peace and Calming
    • Lavender
    • Helichrysum
  • Flower Essence
    • Rock Rose
    • Cherry Plum
    • Cerato
    • Trumpet Vine
    • Self-Heal
    • Star of Bethlehem
    • Bach Rescue Remedy
  • Meditation/Yoga
    • Meditation and yoga can help someone who has been through a trauma by calming the mind. Yoga can be a gentle activity to help with any physical pain you may be experiencing.
    • “In fact, brain scans confirm that mindfulness meditation is correlated with an increase in gray matter in the hippocampus, a decrease of gray matter in the amygdala, and neuroimaging studies have found that mindfulness meditation also helps to activate the PFC.” – https://www.mindful.org/the-science-of-trauma-mindfulness-ptsd/
  • Exercise
    • When a person exercises, the body releases endorphins. Exercise will not only help you feel in control of your body; it will also leave you in a better mood and able to sleep better.
  • Having a Strong Support System
    • Studies have shown that people who have experienced a trauma have a healthier/ full recovery with a strong support system .This system should include people who love you for who you are. It needs to be a safe space without abuse, being used, or boundaries being crossed.

Some Resources in Stettler:

Talk Therapy: https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/results.aspx?type=service&id=25&locationCity=Stettler&radius=50#contentStart

Reiki/Energetic Healing: Goodsense Health and Happiness

Chiropractic: Country Chiropractic (Dr. Zondag), Family Chiropractic (Dr.Smith), Lynes Chiropractic (Dr. Lynes)

Yoga: Roots Yoga, Yoga with Andrea

Exercise: Thirve 360, CrossFit Stettler

Essential Oils: Nadine Primrose (Young Living), Elm Tree

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Additional Blog posts in Trauma Series

Trauma – Part 1: What is Trauma?

  • Online February 1, 2018

Trauma – Part 2: Physical Symptoms of Trauma.

  • Online February 8, 2018

Trauma – Part 3: Trauma in Chinese Medicine.

  • Online February 15, 2018

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https://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/results.aspx?type=service&id=25&locationCity=Stettler&radius=50#contentStart

Trauma – Part 3: Trauma in Chinese Medicine

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Now that we have learnt about trauma in the last two posts. I am going to dive in a bit deeper to the Traditional Chinese Medicine side of things and explain how acupuncture can help someone who has been through a traumatic event.

There is actually a very significant overlap between Western and Eastern Medicine. Western psychologists call it ‘PTSD’ or ‘dissociative states’. Eastern practitioners call it ‘Shen disturbance’. But it doesn’t matter whether its diagnosed in Western Medicine or Eastern Medicine, the symptoms are the same.

  • Disconnected from Here and Now
  • Spacing out
  • Lack of connection to ones self
  • Memory distortions
  • Unclear mind
  • Dream disturbed sleep/ nightmares
  • Insomnia
  • Over/under reactions

In Chinese Medicine, trauma is stored in the ‘Lower Spirits’ this is the body and emotions as well as our instincts and autonomic nervous system (ANS). Many people don’t even remember a trauma, but acupuncture can help bring those memories up in a safe and healthy way. Emotions are not a bad thing, in moderation they are great – but it becomes a trauma when your body can no longer return to center by itself.

There are five spirits, each is connected to one Yin organ. They include the Heart(Shen), Spleen(Yi), Liver(Hun), Kidney(Zhi), and Lung(Po). You can think of the spirits as people; if the spirits experience fright/fear, they will scatter. And that is when a stressful event becomes a traumatic event in Chinese Medicine. Shen is the monarch of the spirits – I imagine it like a person strutting around, making sure everything is in place. When you experience a trauma, Shen leaves the Heart and then pretty much all chaos ensues. The other Spirits no longer have a guide so they don’t know what to do. They are kind of like sheep in that sense – they are comfortable following their leader, once their leader is gone no one knows what’s going on or what to do, so they go in all different directions. Once the Monarch (Shen) has left and the other four spirits have scattered, we have no sense of self and can not return to equilibrium – this is trauma in Chinese Medicine. Simply said, Shock scatters the Qi. The goal is the bring Shen back to the Heart and to return the body to equilibrium.

Acupuncture treatments can help someone work through a traumatic event in a variety of ways.

  • It “Bypasses the frontal lobes to open a direct link to cellular memory…”.
  • Balances the Autonomic Nervous System (for patients in hyperarousal).
  • Supports Adrenals.
  • Calms the Amygdalae.
  • Releases endorphins.
  • Allows energetic communication with the body through needles, sometimes talk therapy doesn’t help because the patient can’t/doesn’t’ want to recall the traumatic event. The needles can help a patient remember the event.
  • Helps patients become more aware of self care and mindful self awareness.
  • Helps patients develop positive relationship to body and touch.
  • Helps with physical symptoms resulting in trauma such as; digestive disorders, anxiety, depression, muscle tension, insomnia, etc.

I am not going to go into the different possible treatments, because it is different for each patient. But if you have more questions about what a treatment would look like for you; please call or text me at 403-741-8898 or book a complimentary 15 minute consultation to find out more information.

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Additional Blog posts in Trauma Series

Trauma – Part 1: What is Trauma?

  • Online February 1, 2018

Trauma – Part 2: Physical Symptoms of Trauma.

  • Online February 8, 2018

Trauma – Part 4: Therapies other than Acupuncture.

  • Online February 22, 2018

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Resources:

Trauma and Recovery in The Context of Chinese Medicine – Darren Tellier

Healing Trauma: A Five Spirit Approach – Lorie Eve Dechar

The Psyche in Chinese Medicine – Maciocia

When the Body Says No – Gabor Mate

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https://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/results.aspx?type=service&id=25&locationCity=Stettler&radius=50#contentStart

Trauma – Part 2: Physical Symptoms of Trauma

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Let’s talk a little about the connection between our physical bodies and trauma.

It took me a long time to make the connection between my low back pain and trauma that I experienced as a child. I was never physically harmed to cause back pain. But a series of events – mostly emotional – that made me feel unsafe are what triggered my low back pain. It wasn’t until just a few years ago that I really started to dive into the emotional healing aspect of my physical body. I had been feeling like I wasn’t able to reach the underlying issue of my back, the best way I can describe it is a glass barrier between me and the emotional trauma – I just couldn’t reach it to work through it on my own. So then, I started doing more acupuncture and energy work to help.

Too often it is thought that our mind and body are separate entities. Sometimes in the Western Medical world, if a patient has pain but there is no known pathology it can be suggested that they are ‘making up’ the pain or that ‘its all in your head’. Fortunately, this in not the case in Chinese Medicine. The mind, body, and spirit are interconnected; in order to heal one you need to be aware of all three.

Some common physical manifestations of latent trauma include:

  • Digestive Disturbances
  • IBS
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Chronic Pain
  • Muscle Tension
  • Emotional Stress
  • Hyper-vigilance

Example: I have a patient who came in for acupuncture because she was experiencing severe muscle tension. As we went through her health history I discovered that she experiences anxiety as well. So I started to dig a bit deeper about when the anxiety started, it started at a very specific time in her life. I asked if she could remember any traumatic events that happened around her teen years. And not surprisingly, she did. She was assaulted by a man when she was in her teens. So even though muscle tension was her chief complaint, it and the anxiety were merely a manifestation of a significant trauma in her life. She had suffered from anxiety for years and was only prescribed medication – it was masking the real issue. Latent Trauma.

This example is unfortunately so common in patients that come in. Now, not all physical pain is trauma related. But for that stubborn pathology that you are experiencing and having no luck healing, it might be beneficial to look back over your past and figure out when it might have started and why. Sometimes it takes a trained professional or another set of eyes to make that connection.

It is also important to make sure you remember that if you do think your physical pain is trauma related, it isn’t your fault. You didn’t create this pain. It is simply your body’s way of coping. It is common for some people to not even know/remember they experienced a traumatic event because our brain blocks it out in order to survive. So please know that you did not do this to yourself.

Acupuncture can help decrease physical symptoms related to trauma in a few ways. It depends on the pathology – chronic pain and digestive issues are treated differently – but all the treatments will include some acupuncture points to help release the trauma and calm the mind, as well as the physical issue you are experiencing. When you come in for a treatment, I will discuss with you further what the treatment plan will look like specific to you. I will dive into it a bit more next week.

Additional Blog posts in Trauma Series

Trauma – Part 1: What is Trauma?

  • Online February 1, 2018

Trauma – Part 3: Trauma in Chinese Medicine.

  • Online February 15, 2018

Trauma – Part 4: Therapies other than Acupuncture.

  • Online February 22, 2018

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Resources:

Healing Trauma: A Five Spirit Approach – Lorie Eve Dechar

Trauma and Recovery in the Context of Chinese Medicine; Interpretations of current Neuro-biological and Psychotherapy Models of the Traumatized Mind – Darren Tellier

The Psyche in Chinese Medicine – Maciocia

Broken Brain – Mark Hyman

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https://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/results.aspx?type=service&id=25&locationCity=Stettler&radius=50#contentStart

Trauma – Part 1: What is Trauma?

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Trauma.

What an intense word.

I have always been drawn to the psycho emotional aspect of people. I tend to find myself constantly asking “What situation from their past triggered this..?” I started really thinking about trauma a few years ago, and then took a couple courses related to TCM and trauma this past year. This, and the next three blogs, will be solely dedicated to trauma and everything triggered by/related to it (physical pain, PTSD, etc).

So many people experience a trauma in their life, some of which we can’t even remember. There are a variety of reasons why we might experience a trauma in our life. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t traumatic to the person next to you, if it is traumatic to you then it is a trauma. “Trauma is one of the most ignored and denied cases of human suffering, it can be masked by many things”. But let’s start with the absolute basics of trauma.

What is Trauma?

We have all heard of the fight or flight response our body automatically goes into during a stressful situation. But there is actually another response called the ‘Freeze Response’. The Freeze response is a response to a traumatic stress opposed to everyday stress which triggers the Fight or Flight Response. “When the fight or flight systems cannot be activated, escape is physically or relationally impossible, fight is not an option, or traumatic threat is prolonged…” this is when the Freeze Response comes into play. One thing I find quite interesting, is that during the Freeze Response, the victim can have a decreased sensation of fear or pain – it is almost as if our mind leaves our body at this traumatic time in ones life. Once the traumatic event is over, there may be some imprints left on the brain related to the trauma.

Essentially, the nervous system is unable to return to equilibrium after a threat. Interestingly enough, brain imaging has shown that changes have occurred in the amygdala along with other parts of the brain, body and nervous system after a traumatic event. The amygdala will actually grow new neurons, this will result in it becoming more sensitive to subtle cues that remind the person of the traumatic event they have experienced. From this, the person can experience an inability to decide on safe or unsafe situations, and even everyday decisions can become challenging. Once this change has occurred in someone’s brain, it can be difficult for them to distinguish between the event that happened in the past and an event that is separate but might trigger the past event. Simply, they are always living in a state of trauma because, to their brain, there is no differentiation in time between the traumatic event and present time. Have you ever noticed someone (or yourself) seemingly ‘overreact’ to an otherwise stress less situation – this could be a trigger for them/you and they/you are instantly back in the traumatic event.

A stressful event is most likely to be traumatic if:

  1. It happened unexpectedly
  2. You were unprepared
  3. You felt powerless to prevent it
  4. You were unable to move or do something to protect yourself
  5. It happened repeatedly
  6. Someone was intentionally cruel
  7. It happened in childhood

Some common sources of trauma are the following:

  • Physical Assault
  • Rape
  • Combat
  • Sudden, unexpected death of loved one
  • Domestic Abuse (physical/emotional/financial/psychological)
  • Childhood Abuse (physical/emotional/financial/psychological)
  • Motor Vehicle Accident

When it comes to trauma, it is important to keep in mind that the event does not have to happen to you directly in order for it to be traumatic. It can still be traumatic if you witnessed it or even learned about a traumatic event that happened to a loved one.

This is a heavy post, I know. It is a heavy subject. But the important thing to remember is that there are things you can do to help in your recovery.

Can Acupuncture help?

Yes. Very simply, Acupuncture can help. Not only can acupuncture help with the many physical symptoms of trauma but also with the actual trauma. Sometimes people experience a trauma that they don’t or can’t remember, acupuncture can help bring that trauma forward in order to work through it in a healthy way. Acupuncture can help by “bypassing the frontal lobes to open direct link to cellular memory – the wisdom and knowing of the body”.

If you have been through a traumatic event, or are recently dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic event – help is available.

Red Flags – Seek help from a mental health professional if you experience the following.

  • Serious addiction (sex/drugs/shopping, etc)
  • Eating disorders
  • Persistent severe marital and/or sexual problems (more than 5 months)
  • Severe/Chronic depression (more than 5 months)
  • Grief of loosing a loved one that affects persons capacity to function (more than 1 year)
  • Severe Insomnia/nightmares (more than 3 months)
  • Flooding of traumatic memories
  • Any Suicidal thoughts/impulses or other self destructive wishes/behaviour.

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.Additional Blog posts in Trauma Series

Trauma – Part 2: Physical Symptoms of Trauma?

  • Online February 8, 2018

Trauma – Part 3: Trauma in Chinese Medicine.

  • Online February 15, 2018

Trauma – Part 4: Therapies other than Acupuncture.

  • Online February 22, 2018

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References:

Healing Trauma: A Five Spirit Approach – Lorie Eve Dechar

Trauma and Recovery in the Context of Chinese Medicine; Interpretations of current Neuro-biological and Psychotherapy Models of the Traumatized Mind – Darren Tellier

The Psyche in Chinese Medicine – Maciocia

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https://suicideprevention.ca/need-help/

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/findhealth/results.aspx?type=service&id=25&locationCity=Stettler&radius=50#contentStart

-Herniated Disc-

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I’m sure we all know someone who has a herniated disc or perhaps you have herniated a disc yourself. Unfortunately, in our society with the lifestyle we lead, disc issues are far too common.  I will focus primarily on herniated disc syndrome in the low back.

What is a Herniated Disc?

A herniated disc can sometimes be referred to as a slipped disc or a ruptured disc. But really they all mean the same thing. A disc is the rubbery cushion between the vertebrae, it’s there to help with impact from our day-to-day lives as well as make it so we can easily move without having our vertebra grinding on each other as we move. If you imagine the disc as a jelly donut, the outside (annulus) is harder than the inside (nucleus). With repetitive strain and impact the jelly from the donut will eventually protrude out one side of the donut. This is the same for a disc. There is not one specific direction in which a disc jajawill herniate.

Once the disc has herniated, it can irritate near by nerves, and that is when you will have numbness or tingling sensations. Fortunately, not all people who have a herniated disc will experience numbness and tingling. “A study showed that as many as 1/3 to 1/2 of healthy asymptomatic young men consisted of having a disc bulge or herniation”.

Where does it happen? 

You can herniate a disc anywhere along the spine. There are 23 discs in the human spine: 6dddd in the neck (cervical region), 12 in the middle back (thoracic region), and 5 in the lower back (lumbar region). Although neither the Sacrum nor the connection between the skull-C1 and C1-C2 have discs.

Are you at a higher risk?

  • People who spend a lot of time sitting and leaning forward. Studies show, the highest amount of pressure measured within the intervertebral disc occurs while sitting.
  • Years of repetitive motion can gradually break down the annulus fibrosis, which will make it more vulnerable. Unfortunately, at that point any minor stress can induce a disc herniation or bulge.
  • If you are over weight your chances of a herniated disc can increase. In the body, the discs are partially supported by the pressure created by the abdominal muscles and organs; this pressure helps to keep the discs in place. Carrying around extra weight constantly strains your back— you’re practically doing heavy lifting all the time!

Can Acupuncture Help?

Acupuncture has been known to help alleviate pain, numbness, or tingling associated with herniated discs. The beauty of acupuncture is that the way the meridians flow, there are points that can actually help with back pain on your feet and hands. So for a severely acute case, the distal (hand and feet) points would be predominantly used to help alleviate pain.

In order for a disc to become herniated, there tend to be an imbalance between specific muscles. By addressing the motor points of the anterior and posterior muscles, it will help realign the spine. By properly realigning the spine, it will take any unnecessary pressure of your disc. Also, when you do come in for acupuncture, it is extremely important to let me know if you have a herniated and if you know which way it has herniated. This lets me know if I am able to needle along the spine as well.

 

Seeing your doctor, diligent acupuncture treatments and specific exercises can help you recover much quicker than if you were to just lie around. So, I have put together a little video of exercises to help with a herniated disc. Enjoy!

 

Resources:
Sports Medicine Acupuncture Manual
SpineUniverse.com
The Acupuncture Handbook of Sports Injuries and Pain
Yoga Body

 

What is the Meridian System?

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If you have been in my treatment room, you have seen my model on the counter with the meridians all over it. A lot of the time people will think that the meridians are actually the

14184457_1084516381603174_4199950645155325084_n

Nervous System

nervous system, and thats why I get the common question ‘so you are hitting the nerve, right?’. Actually no, not at all. If I hit the nerve with an acupuncture needle it would be quite uncomfortable. I needle along the meridian system.

But what exactly are meridians?

The word ‘meridian’, as used in Chinese Medicine, is roughly translated to “to go through”, “a net”, or “something that connects or attaches”. Meridians are channels or pathways that carry Qi (Energy) and Blood through the body. It is important to keep in mind that even though meridians carry Blood, they are not vessels. They are an invisible system that links the body together. The simplest way to visualize the meridian system in the body is like a highway,

meridian-system

Meridian System

and the cars are Qi. So now that you see a highway on your body, we can move a little bit deeper.

“The Meridians move the Qi and Blood, regulate Yin and Yang, moisten the tendons and bones, benefit joints” Nei Jing.

Meridians connect the exterior of the body to the interior, this is the basis of acupuncture theory.

There are twelve regular meridians in the body. Six of them travel up and down from your toes to your head. Then the other six travel between your fingers and torso/head. The meridians are located all over the body – anterior, posterior, medial and lateral. Meridians flow deep within the body, not just superficially on your skin.

From the twelve regular meridians, there are six yin and six yang meridians. They are divided even further by three of each on each arm or leg. From those six, they are paired with each other. I know this might seem a little tricky so here is an example.

The Large Intestine meridian  is yang in nature,  it runs from the pointer finger up the arm and neck and ends at the nose. Its paired meridian, the Lung meridian, is yin in nature and runs from the chest to the thumb. So you can see that they travel similar pathways but begin and terminate at opposite sides.

So this is why if someone has back pain, there will likely be needles in your hands and feet along with your back. The points along specific meridians are indicated to help with back pain.

Unfortunately the understanding of the interconnections between fundamental connections, organs and meridians is a couple text books longer than this blog. But hopefully now you have a little bit of insight into what exactly meridians are. Feel free to ask me further questions.

Each meridian is a certain element, but we will dive into elements in the next blog. So stay tuned!

 

Resources: The Web That Has No Weaver, The Foundations of Chinese Medicine

PMS…

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“Premenstrual syndrome” (PMS) is the cyclic recurrence of a group of symptoms that peak 7 to 10 days before menstruation and disappear a few hours after the onset of the menstrual flow. It is occurrent with an imbalance of estrogen and progesterone levels.

This condition is characterized by multiple and diverse symptoms including, but not limited to: breast tenderness, transient weight gain, bloating, constipation, insomnia, acne, headache, pelvic pain, irritability, depression, mood swings, poor concentration, confusion, social withdrawal, impulsiveness and appetite changes. In all there are about 150 symptoms that fall into the PMS category. While many women experience mild symptoms of short duration, other women have more severe symptoms that last for many days and temporarily disturb their every day life.

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It is so very common when I am chatting with a new patients, to hear them say “yeah..” to the following questions; bloating? cramping? moodiness? cravings?, etc. We are taught that women just have to deal with menstruation as an unpleasant time of the month (for both women and men), when in actuality, menstruation shouldn’t be that bad…. Thats right, I said it!

“One study found that acupuncture quelled symptoms in 78 percent of women.”

In Chinese Medicine, there are a few pathologies and organs that might be the culprit to your PMS symptoms. Today, I am going to discuss the most common – the Liver. The Liver (not your physical organ) is in charge of free flow of energy in the body, it is also very important in holding Blood, hence the link to menstruation. The Liver is also connected quite closely to stress and agitation. So when the Liver fails to move the Qi properly throughout the body during menstruation, this is where the moodiness comes from.

Acupuncture not only improves the circulation of Qi, it also elevates endorphins in the body which leads to a better mood and decreased pain. Acupuncture can help alleviate bloating and regulates bowels as well.

Exercise is important to alleviate PMS symptoms, as is diet. Regulating emotions and Energetic-Person_1.jpgstress on a regular basis can also help decrease PMS symptoms.

So instead of covering up the symptoms with Birth Control or medication, come in for an acupuncture treatment to see a decrease in PMS symptoms.

It is important to remember that there are about six different pathologies in Chinese Medicine that lead to PMS, so not every treatment will be the same between people. And that it may take a few cycles to notice a difference, but don’t give up hope ladies. You can have a cycle that has a decrease in moodiness, cravings and bloating!

 

Resources: yinyanghouse.com, http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/exam/specialties_womenpms_treatment_acupunture.html, foundations of TCM.