Skip to content

Acupuncture

Acupuncture Can Help With Fibromyalgia Pain

The ancient Chinese alternative healing method called acupuncture is now a popular and widely accepted alternative pain relief method in the United States. An estimated 15 million Americans have tried this “unconventional” therapy. It is offered in many chronic pain clinics and is covered by some insurers and managed health organizations.

 

The Chinese therapy of acupuncture has been used for millions of years to treat a range of ailments. Now it looks like Western medicine is getting the point. The intent of acupuncture therapy is to promote health and alleviate pain and suffering. The method by which this is accomplished, though it may seem strange and mysterious to many, has been tested over thousands of years and continues to be validated today.The perspective from which an acupuncturist views health and sickness hinges on concepts of “vital energy,” “energy balance” and “energy imbalance.” Just as the Western medical doctor monitors the blood flowing through blood vessels and the messages traveling via the nervous system, the acupuncturist assesses the flow and distribution of this “vital energy” within its pathways, known as “meridians and channels.”The World Health Organization recommends acupuncture as an alternative pain relief for more than 40 conditions as diverse as asthma and chronic pain.

The Food and Drug Administration regulates acupuncture needles as medical devices, the same as it does surgical tools. And in 1997, a National Institutes of Health panel found acupuncture to be an acceptable treatment for many pain conditions, including fibromyalgia and general musculoskeletal pain. Modern studies have revealed that acupuncture stimulates one or more of the signaling systems, which under certain circumstances, can increase the rate of healing response. This may be sufficient to cure a disease, or it might only reduce its impact (alleviate some symptoms). These findings can explain most of the clinical effects of acupuncture therapy.It is also no surprise that some rheumatologists recommend acupuncture to be used alongside more conventional treatments. There are a few patients who even perform the acupuncture treatments on themselves.  When performed by a properly trained and licensed practitioner, acupuncture is safe and effective, free from adverse or addictive side effects. Quite often, a sense of relaxation and well-being occurs during and after treatments.

 

While undergoing therapy for one ailment, other problems may resolve concurrently. This is a common side benefit that again demonstrates the value of balancing the quality and quantity of “vital energy” within the entire person. Licensed acupuncturists know the human anatomy well, and insert needles in a safe fashion. The instruments used to penetrate the skin are either pre-sterilized and disposable after a single use, or disinfected and sterilized in an autoclave, as surgical and dental instruments are, after each use.

A Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach to Bell’s Palsy

Effecting about 40,000 people in the United States every year, Bell’s Palsy is a neurological disorder that manifests as a paralysis of the face. This disorder often affects only one side of the face. Bell’s Palsy is thought to be a result of damage to the facial nerve that controls the muscles on one side of the face, which then causes those muscles to droop. The facial nerve damage that affects the facial muscles can also impact a person’s taste, saliva, or ability to cry. Bell’s Palsy is most common in young adults, the elderly, diabetics, and pregnant women, but it can affect anyone.

This condition is often a shock, as it comes on overnight. The majority of patients wake with the facial muscles in paralysis. Most patients either have no symptoms beforehand, or they miss the warning signs, which are subtle and can include neck pain, pain behind the ear, or pain in the back of the head. People with Bell’s Palsy can experience difficulty with multiple facial functions including closing their eyes, eating, smiling, and their speech can also become slurred. Often, people jump to the conclusion that a stroke has occurred, but thankfully, Bell’s Palsy is not the result of a stroke, and is also a temporary affliction. While the condition comes on suddenly, it usually passes or gets better on its own within three weeks.

While the patient is waiting for signs of the condition to alleviate, there are several natural remedies that can quicken the recovery process. In traditional Chinese medicine, herbal remedies may be used to promote effective functioning of the nervous system, prevent stress (which is thought to exacerbate Bell’s Palsy), and offer a therapeutic effect. Herbs like St. John’s Wort, Avena Sativa, and Valerian, as well as carefully prepared Causticum, Dulcamara, and Aconite can be used to treat conditions relating to the nervous system. Taking supplements of vitamins B12 and B6, as well as zinc can promote nerve growth and may help quicken the recovery of the damaged facial nerve.

Massage can also help ease the symptoms of Bell’s Palsy. Gently massaging the afflicted areas of the face, or practicing daily facial exercises can help the condition. Additionally, a full body massage on areas that are unaffected by the condition can help. Stress can worsen the condition, and is often thought to be a precipitating factor that may bring on an episode, so receiving a relaxing, full body massage can help soothe a patient and lead to a quicker recovery.

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the diagnosis for Bell’s Palsy is termed “External Wind-Cold attacking the channels of the face”. According to TCM principles, one of the main implications of this condition is an underlying qi (a person’s inherent energy) deficiency. In China, acupuncture has been used for thousands of years to assist in Bell’s Palsy recovery, and the initial treatment goal according to TCM would be to expel Wind and resolve Damp, as well as to invigorate qi and promote blood circulation to the face. Consistent acupuncture treatments (usually recommended once or twice per week), can help soothe a patient, expedite the paralysis from dissipating, and enhance nerve function.

Patients with Bell’s Palsy can have several weeks of recovery time in which they may choose to stay at home and take some time off from their normally rigorous daily routines. Traditional Chinese medicine and holistic healing has several options, from herbal remedies to massage and acupuncture, to vitamin supplements, that patients may wish to investigate during their recovery period.

 

Source:

http://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2015/02/20/traditional-chinese-medicine-approach-bells-palsy

 

Acupuncture in News – More and More Americans Turn to Acupuncture

Wonderful Video – How an Acupuncturist Can Help

Cupping Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Cupping Therapy in Traditional Chinese Medicine June 8, 2016

Deer Park, Babylon

How Cupping Therapy Works

Cupping therapy creates suction in certain areas of the body. This suction causes negative pressure, which draws the skin away from the body. Traditional medicine experts state that this causes muscle tissue to loosen, increases blood flow and has a sedative effect on the nervous system. Experts believe cupping therapy can affect tissue as deep as four inches from the skin, making it an ideal option when a malady calls for deep-tissue treatment.

During a cupping treatment, the practitioner leaves the cups in place for up to 10 minutes, depending on the area of the body and the type of cupping. This allows time for the suction to work, and gives the recipient time to relax and enjoy the sensation of negative pressure.

 

Equipment Used in Cupping Therapy

While acupuncture calls for acupuncture needles, the thought of which may make you queasy, cupping therapy does not involve breaking the skin. In fact, most people who have tried cupping therapy say it is not painful at all. Cupping therapy involves the use of small cups or jars. In traditional cupping therapy, these cups are glass, bamboo, or pottery. Do-it-yourself cupping sets sometimes include glass cups, although plastic and silicone are much more common materials. Typically, cupping therapy sets include cups in several different sizes as well as two or more cups of the same size so you can use more than one at the same time.

What are the conditions Cupping Therapy can be used for?

 

Cupping therapy is applied on different areas of the body to treat a variety of conditions such as :

  • cough, common cold
  • chronic fatigue
  • detoxification
  • sport/auto injuries
  • orthopedic condition
  • neuro muscular dysfunction
  • asthma (Both Adult and Children)

Visit Lifetime Acupuncture at 21013 Deer Park Avenue, Deer Park, NY, 11729 to consult with Hatice Daspinar, L.A.c for your customized healing plan or visit our website to get more information about conditions treated at Lifetime Acupuncture and Weight Loss Clinic.