Author Archives: Helen White

Finding The Right Practitioner For Your Infertility Concerns

If you are interested in trying acupuncture for your fertility concerns and you don’t know anyone who has tried it or anyone who is presently getting acupuncture treatment or if your doctor has no referrals to give, what do you do? Do you begin by looking at the phone book or going online and call the first person who you think might help? What exactly do you have to do to find an acupuncturist whom you can rely on to address your needs?

It is not that easy to find the right practitioner. You may find practitioners who have shining charisma and great personalities but have really pitiful medical skills. Then again, you might find ones who have strong personalities and very bad bed side manners but excel when it comes to medical expertise. Acupuncture just like in any profession, may have practitioners who devote plenty of energy and time to hone their skills constantly and practitioners who feel that what they already know is sufficient enough to provide good healthcare and think that putting much effort into increasing their knowledge is totally unnecessary.

The media has been positive about acupuncture treatment for infertility treatment for the past couple of years and because of that the number of Chinese medicine practitioners who have decided to advertise infertility treatment as part of their practice is growing. It is a fact that in treating infertility, most Chinese medicine practitioners receive very minimal training. Specialties are not offered by Chinese medicine schools, and it does not necessarily imply that when an acupuncturist refers to him/herself a “specialist” in any field of treatment, he/she has actually undergone years of extra training in that particular field. A Chinese medicine specialist is not equal to a “specialist” title in Western medicine that often requires some extra years of medical training.

Clinical doctorates in Chinese medicine are a relatively new offering to practitioners who want to get more training in a special field of interest. There are now a few colleges that offer focused study on geriatric medicine, women’s health, cancer therapies, and more. Those courses do provide a more in depth study in specific areas. There is certainly a lot of interest in making a doctorate degree in a field in Chinese medicine a standard education requirement future incoming students. It may take some time though for that process to take effect since virtually all acupuncture schools operate on a non-profit basis and are small.

You need to be proactive and not be afraid to ask the practitioners questions when you are looking for one who can help you get over your fertility problems. The following are some questions that may help:

Have you received any extra training in treatment of infertility? If yes, how much training, where, and by whom? Since additional training is definitely required in this specific field, I think that these are important pieces of information.

How much of your practice has focused on the treatment of infertility?
If the practitioner has devoted a substantial amount of time in his/her practice addressing infertility, it very likely that that practitioner has wide degree of knowledge in that field. A practitioner who treats infertility issues every now and then may not have the expertise or experience required to provide with you the best available treatment and thus should not be the one who should treat your infertility concerns.

Did you have training in herbal medicine?

Acupuncture programs that do not include herbal training are offered by some colleges. Herbal medicine is the primary mode of treatment for infertility In China for thousands of years. It is acupuncture that’s actually used as an adjunct therapy and is oftentimes not used as a standalone treatment for infertility. At different parts of their menstrual cycle and depending on their specific condition, women commonly need to take various types of herbal remedies. So it’s not uncommon to see women taking four different herbal prescriptions throughout the month.

You need to treat herbal medicine just like any medical treatment. This means understanding your options and treatment plan and to ask questions. The human body, in Chinese medicine, is seen in a different way than western medicine. At times, it is hard to understand the principle behind Chinese medicine and it is the responsibility of the practitioner to explain to you what would be a reasonable prognosis and the steps needed to take to address your condition.

In order to get a clear picture of your condition, your practitioner may recommend that you be examined by a reproductive endocrinologist. If you suffer, for example, from severe obstruction in the fallopian tube Western medicine treatment may be your only option in order to conceive. If that is the case, to prepare you for assisted reproductive therapies such as IVF, Chinese medicine can be utilized as an adjunct modality. But if your practitioner can’t figure out your diagnosis you could be wasting your time getting natural treatment.

Practitioners to Avoid

 Those who provide patients with unbelievably high rates of success (“75%-80% of all my patients get pregnant”). You may need to know how many patients are there in their sample size. If the practitioner has only managed to resolve three cases of infertility and all three were successful in achieving pregnancy then the success rate is 100%! Do the success rates of the practitioner involve just counting pregnancies or do they include live births, as well? Does the practitioner include in his/her count patients who have had acupuncture and have undergone IVF? All these questions are essential in determining the usefulness of the success rates of a practitioner.

 Those whose promises are too good to be true (e.g. “in just one month of treatment, I promise that you will get pregnant”). No one knows for sure not even the practitioner if the treatment will be a success or not. But for sure, the length of the treatment takes longer than one month. Usually, it takes at least three months to seem some positive results. Some patients may need one year of treatment for them to get pregnant. But If after a year of treatment, you still aren’t able to conceive it is definitely time move on to other treatment options.

Dry Needling and Acupuncture For The Treatment of Back Pain

People question me every day whether or not acupuncture will work for the relief of their back injury or lower back pain. Some of them think that being pricked with tiny needles will actually cause more pain. I explain to them that acupuncture relieves physical pain because it stimulates the production and release of pain-killing substances within the body to prevent pain signals from reaching the brain. The treatment is a very effective and safe way of alleviating both chronic and acute pain. I have found it especially advantageous in the management and treatment of back pain, back spasms, and back aches after a lower back injury.

What is Acupuncture?

One among the many modalities of an ancient medical system known as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture is a treatment that involves the application of reed-thin acupuncture needles into specific parts of the body called acupuncture points located on the surface of the skin. Underneath these acupuncture points (acupoints) lie energy pathways called meridians wherein vital energy known as qi or chi flows to provide energy and nourishment to all organs and tissues throughout the body in order to heal a condition or maintain health. Besides acupuncture, TCM has other healing procedures that include Chinese herbal medicine and Yin and Yang breathing techniques.

Acupuncture is around 5000 years old and the Chinese were using it for various purposes, not just for the relief of pain. Acupuncture existed before steel was invented which meant the needles used then where made from thin bamboo shoots. The Chinese were using Acupuncture with great success long before they knew what was underneath the ‘needle’ they were placing into the body.

The acupoints and meridians are some of the fundamental principles underlying traditional acupuncture. Practitioners believe that the meridians were channels of energy that were associated with different vessels/organs in our body – the Heart, Large Intestine, Liver, etc. These meridians run all through our body. Traditional acupuncturists believe that for relief of any type of pain, be it back spasms, buttock pain, back aches, and acute or chronic pain, they need to tap into these meridians through the use of a ‘needle’. The needle does not necessarily have to be placed on or near the site of the discomfort.

For back injury and lower back pain, traditional acupuncture has constantly been shown to work in providing pain relief. Besides reducing chronic pain and back spasms, lower back pain acupuncture treatment can also help reduce long term changes in how the brain processes pain.

These past few years has seen the wider acceptance of acupuncture in Western culture particularly when it comes to pain relief from back pain, headaches and even pregnancy-related ailments. With more and more studies being conducted into the actual process of needling and how it works, a form of acupuncture has emerged in the West. It is known as Dry Needling and it especially works in the relief of muscle spasm, providing very fast relief from buttock pain, back spasm, and back aches resulting from muscle spasm after back injury.

Muscle Spasm

When a back injury occurs, the back muscles will spasm to protect the injured part of the body. This leads to really painful back spasms and aches. A lot of the muscles surrounding the pelvis will also spasm after a back injury, causing pain in the buttock oftentimes accompanied by lower back pain and back aches that may not be evident on MRI or x-ray scans.

Trigger points may develop in the muscles when muscle spasm intensifies. Those trigger points are the primary causes of back spasm, buttock pain, and back pain along with a major cause of back aches. The dry needling technique works perfectly in removing these trigger points which leads to total cure of the back spasms, back aches, and lower back pain.

A major cause of back pain after a back injury is usually the trigger points and muscle spasm, as the root underlying issue problem usually tends to heal itself. This is one reason why the MRI or x-ray will show nothing for a lot of sufferers, which causes their doctor to question the real cause of their back pain.

Dry Needling

Dry Needling is a very effective and safe way to eliminate these trigger points through fast needling of the area. Dry Needling, unlike Acupuncture, is performed for just five to ten seconds; a typical acupuncture procedure usually lasts for fifteen to twenty minutes. This technique I have found to work extremely well in the cure of spine pain, buttock pain, back spasms, lower back pain, and back aches. Pain relief can be felt almost instantaneously when the trigger point is removed since it’s the main cause for back pain after back injury.

Acupressure is a Great Natural Treatment for Kids with ADHD

There is no magic bullet that can universally cure ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) no matter what medical doctors say about prescription medications being the best treatment for it. ADHD is a condition that has so many facets that each sufferer experiences a unique set of rather elaborate symptoms. In my opinion, standard medicine’s biggest shortfall is that it does not employ the many non-pharmacological, natural modalities that have been proven to work in the management ADHD.

Regarding ADHD, Chinese medicine has a very interesting perspective towards it. It believes that each individual has a shen or spirit that is housed in the heart. When the shen of a child is too active and too restless, his or her heart becomes overheated causing the child to experience chronic impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattention. To cool down the heart, and treat the condition, practitioners need to stimulate specific acupoints. This treatment is known as acupressure, and it’s used to return balance within the body’s energy system, rejuvenate the spirit, calm down emotions, and treat illnesses.

The idea behind acupressure is that mental and physical health comes about when there is a harmonious flow of life energy or Chi within the body. An obstacle to this flow causes sickness in the person. To resolve the illness, the practitioner administers acupressure on the patient’s elbows and/or hands to stimulate the movement of Chi. The practitioner may also need to use other devices to apply pressure to the important acupoints. This leads to relief by bringing back balance to the energy systems and to the flow of Chi. The same principles are used in acupuncture but unlike acupressure, acupuncture uses needles instead of manual pressure. Acupressure is a much preferred treatment for ADHD in children since children are generally afraid of needles.

The use of acupressure ear magnet seeds or beads is one very effective acupressure technique used for ADHD treatment. The round metallic bead which is coated with gold is taped to the surface of the ear. When the beads are attached, there is no need to apply pressure on them in order to stimulate the flow of Chi. After the first week of bead attachment, most ADHD kids respond well to the treatment. They continue to progress well throughout the succeeding weeks.

In the United States, there are now more than 2,000 licensed medical physicians who have integrated acupressure and acupuncture treatments into their medical practice. Because of the extreme effectiveness of Chinese medicine in treating a lot of health conditions, more and more insurance companies are now providing partial full coverage of treatment sessions with an acupuncturist.

Natural Alternative Remedies for Psoriasis and Severe Dandruff

Flaky scalp or dandruff is a condition in which excessive scaling of the dead skin on the scalp occurs. It is marked by white and small to yellow, greasy and large flakes of skin that may arise around the hairline, on the eyebrows, scalp, nose, or ears. Dandruff develops when skin cells are created and die off rapidly. It has no known cause. Certain individuals are born with overactive sebaceous glands while others inherently have an excess amount of fungus that plays a huge role in the development of dandruff. Other factors that may contribute to dandruff include the time of the year, stress, yeast infections, use of strong shampoos, profuse sweating, food allergies, and hereditary factors.

Conventional treatments revolve around medicated shampoos that stabilize the growth of dandruff. However, if you want a more natural approach, there are some alternative approaches that may help. They include:

• Herbal Medicine – Before shampooing, aloe vera combined with rosemary oil and nettle tea may be rubbed on the scalp to prevent infection and flaking. Tea tree oil may also be used produce the same results. Use olive oil to lubricate your scalp if you have a dry scalp. Use apple cider vinegar, cedarwood or diluted lemon juice and massage it on your scalp if it is oily. If you have a greasy scalp, you can try to blend 2 drops of sandalwood oil, 4 drops of geranium oil, and 4 drops of lavender oil into a carrier oil and apply and massage it your scalp a few times a week.
• Exercise – Dandruff can be aggravated by stress. To relieve stress, you need to exercise at least once a day.
• Diet – One of the side effects of food allergies is dandruff. If other remedies are not working for you, try excluding seafood, spicy foods, too much sugar, dairy products, and fatty foods from you meal. Slowly reintroduce them in order to identify the foods that trigger your allergy. You can also control dandruff by taking vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B12, dandelion extract, evening primrose oil, vitamin B3 (niacin) and other vitamin supplements. They all help cure dandruff by facilitating the ability of the body to break down fatty acids. Vital to dandruff cure are essential fatty acids as they help with the oil balance of the scalp. Also eat lots of fresh vegetable and fruits and foods that are rich in zinc and vitamin B.

Psoriasis That Occurs in the Hair

People with this kind of problem may think that they have a severe case of dandruff. Dandruff and psoriasis in the hair are two different things. In the latter, there may be severe itching or scaling that comes with soreness, tightness, or dryness. Around the affected site, the hair may thin around a bit. Psoriasis shows signs that include several red patches with sharp margins and silvery scales that are obvious. Never attempt to pick the scabs or scratch the scalp as this can damage the hair follicles and result in irreversible hair loss. Do not use chemical treatments and hair dyes. For psoriasis, lots of medications are available but so do effective natural remedies that are as effective. They can include:

Homeopathy:

• Chrysarobimum – for scaly and dry scaly eruptions, particularly around the ears and eyes.
• Berberis aquifolium – scaly, tough, and pimply skin that has eruptions on the scalp extending to the neck and face.
• Arsenicum iodatum – for itchy, scaly, dry with easily peeled off scales.
• Borax – For psoriasis that does not worsen in cold weather and unhealthy skin.
• Arsenicum album – for psoriasis accompanied with burning and itching, and aggravates when scratched or during cold weather.
• Petroleum – for thickened, rough skin that can crack, and for psoriasis that’s aggravated in winter.

Neem Oil – Has more than 140 essential ingredients. It moisturizes and softens cracked, dry skin and treats itchiness and irritation. It has a steroid-like effect that directly soothes and irritations. Neem oil stimulates and strongly supports the natural immunity and health of the skin. It has powerful antibacterial properties that can help prevent or treat infections. It also stimulates and supports the immune system. It is often sold in the form of neem lotion, shampoo, or soap.

Herbal medicine – This type of treatment uses natural diuretics and blood-cleansing remedies such as yellow dock, red clover, burdock, nettles, cleavers, and figwort. The process of detoxification can be enhanced with herbs for the liver like Oregon grape root. To alleviate itching, chickweed and other remedies can be used.

Diet

Recommended foods for dandruff

• Foods rich in zinc and vitamin E
• Linseed oil
• Lecithin
• Cod liver oil

Your meals should include poultry, lamb, fish, and low fat dairy products. Omega- 3 fatty acids that essential for healthy scalp and skin can be found in high amounts in fish. The only red meat that can be allowed when you have psoriasis is lamb as it can be easily digested and is good source of protein. Psoriasis sufferers can also get their protein from lean poultry.

If you suffer from severe dandruff, you should avoid alcohol at all times. Avoid foods belonging to the nightshade family (such as paprika, white potatoes, eggplant, tobacco, and tomatoes). Too much body acidity can cause psoriasis so it’s important to drink lots of pure water and eat alkaline foods.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for IBS

There are now a growing number of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) sufferers seeking symptomatic relief via acupuncture treatment. While allopathic doctors use IBS diagnosis as a “one size fits all” system, Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM practitioners approach the condition on a symptom-by-symptom or case-to-case, individual basis. Veering away from the use of a conventional IBS diagnosis helps to avoid a blanket type of treatment. Based on Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, what is often known as IBS is primarily the result of an infection in the gastrointestinal (GI) system. And infection, from the viewpoint of TCM, is often deemed to be due to pathogenic factors such as heat and dampness, either generated internally (i.e., internal injury from certain foods) or derived externally (i.e., from the weather).

Irritable Bowel Syndrome According to Western Medicine

Irritable Bowel Syndrome also referred to as “spastic colon,” is a functional bowel disorder. In this condition, both the large and small intestines do not function normally, even though diagnostic testing will confirm no occurrence of any structural damage. IBS is marked by changes in bowel habits and pain in the abdomen not related to any abnormalities shown on routine clinical testing. IBS is a fairly common condition and is responsible for 20% to 50% of consultations to gastroenterologists. It usually occurs between the ages of 20 and 40 and women are three times more likely to develop it than men.

IBS has two types: Non-Ulcer Dyspepsia and Lower Abdominal Pain IBS. The latter is often depicted as either IBS-C (constipation-predominant) or IBS-D (diarrhea-predominant). IBS-C or spastic colon presents with periodic constipation and pain over one or more region of the colon. This pain may be intermittent or continuous and is usually eased by bowel movement. The main symptom of IBS-D is diarrhea immediately after eating or right after waking combined with urinary incontinence, urgency, bloating and pain. IBS-A is a subtype of IBS that presents with alternating stool pattern (either constipation alternating with diarrhea or constipation alternating with normal stools). Mucus often accompanies the stools. Related symptoms include dyspepsia, nausea, gas, and bloating. These symptoms are often triggered by eating.

A new IBS subtype known as IBS-PI or post-infectious IBS is drawing much clinical research. Symptoms are usually set off by various factors including certain mental disorders, fibromyalgia, chronic pelvic pain, certain foods, emotional factors, and stress. Having no valid reason why this phenomenon occurs, it does fortify the belief that a psychological and neurological basis to IBS exists.

In an IBS condition, the role of hormones is not yet completely understood. The symptoms are usually triggered or exacerbated by menstruation, while pregnancy and menopause can either improve or aggravate symptoms. HRT (hormone replacement therapy) has been connected to a significant likelihood of developing IBS. The modalities used by Western medicine for IBS include stress reduction techniques, dietary changes, and anti-diarrhea or anti-spasmodic drugs.

Tips to Control or Avoid IBS

IBS sufferers should develop a regular toilet schedule, stick to a regular eating habit composed of high fiber, avoid smoking, drink copious amounts of water every day, and avoid large and heavy meals that are high in fat. To relieve stress regular exercise is recommended. Stress is a factor that appears to worsen the disorder.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment of IBS

For IBS, Traditional Chinese Medicine or TCM uses acupuncture to eliminate heat and dampness from within the system. Specific acupuncture points are selected along the energy channels of the large intestine and stomach. A majority of these points are found along the lateral side of the arms and legs and help clear the symptoms. Simultaneously, reinforcement methods to strengthen the immune system can be used, while stress-reducing procedures can alleviate stress that stops any future aggravation of the condition.

One other indispensable part of treatment is the use of Chinese herbs. In TCM, selected herbs are used alongside acupuncture to specifically address the unique constitution and symptoms of the patient. TCM therapy is individualized and addresses the specific needs of the patient. A licensed master herbalist will not prescribe the same exact herbal remedies to two or more patients. A “classical formula” is always used a as a foundation. Some of these formulas were written up more than 2,500 years ago and are still being used today.

Combatting High Blood Pressure Using the TCM or Traditional Chinese Medicine Techniques of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine

Using different treatment options like alternative and natural remedies and drugs, high blood pressure can be dealt with in a most effective way. One of the most widely used alternative remedy options for high blood pressure is acupuncture.

These days, high blood pressure, sometimes called hypertension is probably the biggest health problem in America and the world. It is usually the result of a stressful and unhealthy lifestyle. High blood pressure is also related to smoking, alcoholism, aging, obesity and diseases such as kidney diseases and diabetes. High blood pressure sufferers may manifest symptoms such as blurred eyesight, fatigue, restlessness, nausea, headache, and shortness of breath. Unregulated high blood pressure can lead to complications such as blindness, metabolic syndrome, renal failure, stroke, and heart attack.

Current medical science studies have recommended certain treatment approaches to reduce high blood pressure. High blood pressure drugs can cause the occurrence of certain side effects in the long term. Hence, a patient can select certain safer alternative therapies. Various therapies and natural remedies such as relaxation techniques and aromatherapy can also assist in lowering blood pressure in a natural and safe way.

High Blood Pressure Acupuncture Treatment

With its origins dating back as far back as 4,500 years old, acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of treatment used all over the world. There are 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body that are related to various bodily organs and various bodily functions. In an acupuncture procedure, hair-thin needles are stuck into certain points of the skin at varying degrees of depth. in TCM (traditional Chinese medicine), this treatment is a highly effective alternative option, and can be used to treat a slew of disorders including hypertension, asthma, migraine, diabetes, osteoarthritis, joint pain, stress, headaches, and insomnia.

Based on the findings of the most recent scientific studies, acupuncture reduces blood pressure by obstructing the beta-acceptor of sympathetic nerves, and by activating the angiotensin-adrenaline system. Electro-acupuncture combines electrical stimulation with traditional acupuncture and can be used to also address high blood pressure. During an electro-acupuncture procedure, fine, sharp needles are stuck into trigger points or key points on the wrists, forearms, and legs. This treatment uses low-frequency currents passed through normal acupuncture needles. The needles are attached to a gadget that keeps on generating mild pulses of electricity. Two needles are used in order for the electrical impulses to pass one needle to the other. Multiple pairs of needles are then applied resulting in the activation of certain chemicals in the brain. These chemicals lead to the production of neurotransmitters that, in turn, help allay the excitatory responses of the cardiovascular system. This aids in the lowering of the activity of the heart and the need for more oxygen that, in turn, lowers high blood pressure in a significant manner. The needles need to be applied for 30 minutes, at most. The procedure should only be performed by a qualified and experienced acupuncturist. Several clinical studies have been published, that validate the efficacy of this treatment. The studies used the acupuncture points Li10, P5, P6, Li 11, LV3, Li 4, Sp9, K3, HT 7, and SP6.

When this technique is applied in treating high blood pressure, it is usually accompanied by herbal treatment. Using the herbs Prunella (Hsia Ku Cao), Shan Zha, and Tian Ma (Gastrodia Rhizome), the method usually leads to amazing results. Tian Ma can be effective in alleviating hypertension symptoms such as numbness of extremities, dizziness, and headaches. The chrysanthemum flower or herb Ye Ju Hwa helps alleviate hypertension via dilation of the peripheral vessels. You can take these herbs in the form of dietary supplements, herbal teas, or powders.

Acupuncture is natural and very safe way of helping you regulate the overall functioning of your body resulting in the lowering of blood pressure to healthy levels. It also helps relieve stress and brings about a relaxing and calming effect. Therefore, this healing technique is an effective and safe way to decrease the symptoms of hypertension, and stop its potentially deadly complications.

Acupuncture is Also a Drug-free, Natural, and Safe Way to Relieve Headache

Today, alternative remedies and cures are usually considered when prescribed or typical regimes or therapies fail to live up to their expectations. For thousands of years, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine have been practiced for thousands of years and is widely known as a way to manage pain and a wide range of illnesses effectively and safely. Moreover, acupuncture can be used as an alternative and complementary therapy for illnesses that are usually hard to address with conventional drugs.

A classification system for headache and migraine has been developed by the International Headache Society. It defines migraine as one of the common forms of primary headaches. The organization estimates that around 29 million Americans suffer from migraines on an ongoing basis.

A migraine can come with physical symptoms like throbbing and severe pain on one side of the head. Its other symptoms include nausea, sensitivity to sound and light, and sometimes vomiting. There are people who report of other symptoms such as a need to lie down, appetite loss, fatigue, low back pain, tinnitus, insomnia, irritability, and dizziness. A migraine episode can be triggered by various factors such as a sudden change in the weather, menstrual cycle, longs hours of work with little rest, stress, emotional problems, unhealthy diet, food intolerance and allergies, and many others.

Acupuncture is recognized by both the World Health Organization and the National Institutes of Health as a valid form of treatment of more than 40 medical symptoms, disorders, and conditions including migraine headache. Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine is an effective and safe alternative treatment that can be to treat migraine pain. It stimulates the natural healing potential of the body by addressing the underlying causes that have brought about the disease or problem in the first place. Studies reveal that acupuncture sets off the body’s own mechanisms for producing and releasing its own pain alleviating chemicals known as dopamine and endorphins, opioid-like compounds that quell pain and generate the feeling of well-being.

No two people are alike. Individually and holistically, acupuncture considers each person unique. Each cell in a person’s body is interconnected with one another and works as a component of an integrated whole. In short, acupuncture addresses the whole individual, not just pieces and parts. The underlying reasons of a symptom that two or more individuals experience can be entirely different.

Acupuncture has no adverse side effects, only positive ones. It is a potent preventative treatment and is completely natural that directly works with the natural processes of the body, not against them. There are no medications in an acupuncture treatment. Medications and invasive procedures that Western treatment uses may lead to an accumulation of toxins and unwanted side effects in the body. These side effects acupuncture does not have. In truth, a feeling of relaxation or revitalization is the most commonly reported outcomes.

Acupuncture is effective and affordable compared to some expensive Western medical medications, treatments, and therapies and when it’s used as an adjunct therapy or a primary plan of treatment, it can help one avoid further medical complications and expenses down the road. It also can prevent future illness and facilitate healthy changes.

An efficacious effective form of medical therapy, acupuncture is also a drug-free, natural, and safe way to wellness and in maintaining wellness.

How Acupuncture and Chinese Herbs Completely Cure Acne

Every type of acne basically starts with one basic lesion: the comedo. This is a hair follicle that has been enlarged and filled with bacteria, dead skin cells, and oil. Chinese medicine typically views acne as the result of the environmental force of heat. In Chinese medicine, acne is termed “lesion of the lung wind” or “fei feng fen hsi.”

According to Chinese medicine, the skin is intimately associated with the lung organ. It relies on the lungs to furnish the “essential substances of grains and water.” In turn, the skin can affect the normal process of respiration, as can be evidenced when cold and evil wind (feng) gain access into the body via the sweat-pores.

Basically, Chinese medicine classifies acne into three types: the phlegm-accumulation type, the toxic-heat type, and the blood-heat type. The primary signs and symptoms of the phlegm-accumulation type are: a slippery pulse, a tongue with greasy and white coating, and cystic and indurative acne. For the toxic heat type, the foremost signs and symptoms are: a rapid pulse, red tongue with yellow coating, furuncles and abscesses on the face, acne, scattered inflammatory nodules and malar flush. The primary signs and symptoms of the blood-heat-type are: a rapid pulse, tongue with reddish tip and yellow and thin coating, and acnes, tubercules, and red papules with inflammatory infiltration around them, accompanied by a burning sensation.

Specific Chinese herbs can cure acne when given at the earliest stages of the disease. A Chinese herbal formula known as the Acne Formula is made up of two parts: preparation and prescription of ingredients. According to the prescription, preparations refer to the types of herbs prepared. They may include pillets, jelly, powder, pills, soup, etc. Through the application of a well prepared treatment plan, acne can be completely cured.

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine Can Resolve the Symptoms and Underlying Causes of Arthritis and Bursitis

The pain generated by arthritis and bursitis often feels the same. In arthritis, the joints all over the body are affected resulting in stiffness, swelling, and pain. With bursitis, the bursa or fluid-filled sac inside the joint is inflamed. The sac is meant to help cushion the joint, but when the area is inflamed, movement becomes painful. Bursitis often arises in the areas of the elbow, knee, hip or shoulder. Both arthritis and bursitis sufferers have experienced pain alleviation through acupuncture. This treatment may also reduce the associated inflammation and swelling of both conditions.

Reliever of Pain

Needles are the main tools of an acupuncturist. They are applied to the injured part of the body to stimulate the healing mechanisms of energy. They can be stuck in other parts of the body as well to activate the flow of energy. According to acupuncturists, this method leads to a significant reduction of the pain due to the needles’ ability to deactivate the area of the brain that governs pain. Certain pressure points are needled to amplify the flow of vital energy along the energy channels , known as meridians.

Herbs

Acupuncturists and practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine often combine the use of herbal preparations with acupuncture for the treatment of bursitis and arthritis. According to the Medical Center of the University of Maryland, evening primrose oil, white willow, and turmeric are some of the more important herbs, used along with acupuncture that can really help reduce swelling and inflammation.

A Very Safe Procedure

According to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), acupuncture treatment or even a placebo effect can pain brought about by osteoarthritis of the knee, be relieved. Early clinical trials revealed that patients felt a reduction in pain with acupuncture than those who were treated with conventional remedies. It has also been shown, however, that when the wrong points are inserted with needles or if no needles have been inserted, the patients still experienced pain relief. The ACR notes that this medical phenomenon is known as the placebo effect. Acupuncture is widely known as a very safe treatment for arthritis. According to the NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine), in certain reviews, acupuncture has been proven to enhance function; some studies however, are not yet definite about this conclusion.

Acupuncture Helps Restore Function

With the appropriate treatment, bursitis may go away within a few weeks, although possible flare ups can still recur. Instead of being treated with anti-inflammatory injections or medications, patients can opt for safer and more effective acupuncture treatments. Treating bursitis by means of acupuncture leads to a reduction in pain and in the restoration of function to the joint. As with any acupuncture treatment, the objective of acupuncture arthritis or bursitis treatment is to address the underlying energy imbalance in the body that have caused the condition as well as the treatment of their symptoms.

Joint Pain

The NCCAM states that joint pain is the second most popular reason for using acupuncture; the first reason is back pain. Before anyone undergoes treatment, they should discuss their problem with the acupuncturist. After that, patients may need to go through several sessions of acupuncture treatment. They may also need to follow herbal and dietary advice along with the acupuncture treatment.

Think of Acupuncture First When You Plan to Eradicate Bodily Pain

Like it or not, bodily pain will be experienced by every person at some point in their life. Whether it’s from a serious health condition, a sports injury, or from gardening, your next plan of action can mean a significant reduction of your pain and a faster length of recovery.

In the case of back pain, for example, around 83% of people will suffer from back pain at some point. The question is, has anyone ever considered acupuncture as treatment?

A lot of individuals are just contented to learn to deal with the pain or mask it with prescription pain killers or over-the-counter drugs such as analgesics or ibuprofen. From time to time, these drugs can qualitatively quell acute pain; over time however, negative side effects or addiction can develop.

Only as a last resort do people consider acupuncture. At the end of the day, they are still living in pain despite having had cortisone shots, an abundance of medications, physical therapy, MRI, and even surgery.

When you start to realize that you don’t have to live in pain, that’s when your real treatment for bodily pain really begins.

Looking for help from medical professionals that can treat you is your next step of action. This means searching for and visiting a reputable and qualified acupuncturist preferably one practicing near your location. These health professionals can determine if MRIs are needed, perform exams, and address the underlying cause of the problem instead of metaphorically covering the symptoms with a band-aid.

From your acupuncturist, certain acupoints are inserted with needles and small dietary changes need to be done in order for you to enjoy life free of pain. Did you know that the inflammatory response in your body is increased and your immune system is suppressed by eating a high amount of sugar? More inflammation means more pain!

Moreover, more stress is created in your body when you suffer from bodily pain and stress actually creates more pain. With acupuncture this vicious cycle is immediately stopped as this treatment can help you get longer and high quality sleep, remove inflammation, and reduce stress –things the body needs in order to reduce pain.

So then, think of acupuncture first in your next plan of action to eradicate bodily pain.