Acupuncture on Point With Injured Athletes

What do Olympians such as Carl Lewis, Bonnie Blair, Morgan Hamm, and Super Bowl champions James Harrison, Jerry Rice, and Steve Young, all have in common? All have reported enormous benefits from incorporating acupuncture into their regular treatment programs.

Acupuncture has been gaining popularity in its reputation to successfully treat musculoskeletal injuries. Participation in physical activities may stress or damage muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints. Numerous Olympic and professional athletes depend on acupuncture as an essential part of their recovery from injuries.

Benefits of Acupuncture include:

• Reduced recovery time
• Decreased pain
• Decreased inflammation
• Reduced swelling
• Reduction of muscle spasms
• Improved blood circulation

Acupuncture is a modality that is part of a healthcare system called Traditional Chinese Medicine. Traditional Chinese Medicine has been established for over five thousand years, and according to the World Health Organization, one quarter of the world's population receives acupuncture on a continual basis.

Acupuncture points are commonly found where motor neurons enter the skeletal muscle. When an acupuncture needle is inserted into these points, neurotransmitters send a message to the central nervous system. This leads to a release of hormones, which decrease inflammation and initiate healing at the intended body areas. A significant advantage that acupuncture has over other medical procedures and drugs used for the same conditions is that the incidence of adverse side effects is substantially lower.

Acupuncture needles are always sterile and packaged to be used only once. They are polished smooth, solid, and scarcely thicker than a hair. The insertion of the needle is usually painless and most patients experience a deep relaxation and often fall asleep during a treatment. The needles are retained between 15 and 45 minutes and significant results are often seen after one to four sessions.

An excellent resource to assist you in locating an acupuncturist in your area is the

National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine .

Michael Kleinert

Michael Kleinert is the owner of Integrative Sports Acupuncture. His private practice is located in Encinitas, California where he specializes in the treatment of musculoskeletal sports injuries.

Acupuncture and Sciatica

Sciatica, rather than being a diagnosis in itself, is actually a set of symptoms that can have other causes, usually a disk injury (herniation, or slipped disk), muscle tension or hip injury. Sciatica refers to the pain one experiences when one ore more of the nerves of the lumbar spine are being pressed on in some way. The nerves exiting from the lower spine make up the Sciatic nerve.

Symptoms of sciatica may be: burning or knife-like pain in the lower back or buttocks, pain that radiates from the lower back into the groin, down the lateral sides of the leg, or the hamstrings. It can be hard to find relief from sciatica, and many people simply take bed rest in hopes that it will go away. Medical doctors will often prescribe anti-inflammatories or suggest over-the-counter pain killers to deal with this often horrendous pain. I feel strongly though, that while pain killers can be a necessity initially, taking them long term is rather like removing the batteries from your smoke detector when your house is on fire! Pain in your body is a clear indication that something is not working. By ignoring it through pain killers, you may be doing more damage to yourself over the long term.

Enter acupuncture. In my experience, sciatica patients almost always find relief through acupuncture, even from the very first treatment. In fact, I love to treat sciatica because acupuncture works so well on it that patients will often feel like it's magic! Acupuncture works by increasing the release of pain-relieving chemicals in your body, such as dopamine. As well, if sciatica is caused by muscle impingement (a common cause), acupuncture can help those muscles to relax, easing the pressure on the nerve.

Obviously, if you have a slipped or herniated disk you should see your doctor and/or chiropractor, and get x-rays so you can be sure of the underlying issues. However, no matter the cause, acupuncture is certainly a therapy you will want to look into.

Jean-Paul Thuot R.Ac

Jean-Paul Thuot R.Ac is an acupuncturist and craniosacral therapist, practicing in Victoria BC, Canada. His clinic is Stillpoint Acupuncture

Acupuncture and the Western Mindset

When you hear the word acupuncture, what do you think of? If you're like most people, probably some kind of voodoo image springs to mind, with pins sticking out of a poor victim. The truth is, acupuncture has an extremely long history and successful track record. While the western mind may have a difficult time understanding or accepting the idea of Qi (life energy), the evidence is all around us. The key to understanding acupuncture is to realize how acupuncture developed, and why it uses the terms it does to describe acupuncture's effects.

Throughout China's history up until very recently, dissection and surgery were taboo activities that carried severe punishments. This limited what the physicians of the time could do for their patients, and what they could do to further their understanding of the inner workings of the human body. Thus, they were forced to develop their own terminology for the body's inner workings, which they borrowed from the life and culture around them and based on the external effects that they could measure with their senses. From the canals in the farmlands to the transformation of wood into ash from the effects of a fire, and the understanding gained through meditation and Tai Qi, the doctors of ancient times developed a systematic approach to how the body worked, and how they could be effective in curing it when it stopped working.

Western Science and the Paradigm of Qi

Does Qi really exist? How do you even pronounce that word? Qi is pronounced "chee" and can also be spelled "Ji" or "Ki", in Japanese. Whether Qi is yet measurable by western science is still heavily debated. However, Qi as a metaphor can be amply examined and quantified. The role of Qi in the body is to give it warmth, life, to move the blood, to give awareness, allow for movement, breath and digestion. Thus, if you are having difficulty digesting food, it is correct to say that you may be suffering from a Qi deficiency in the Stomach, Spleen, or lower bowels. This is not mysticism, this is simply a way of describing one's symptoms so that an effective acupuncture treatment can be coordinated. To take another example, Qi is known to flow in channels rather like the canals in a farmland. If there is an excess of Qi in one channel, it will flow into another channel that may not be so overfull, and thus balance is maintained. If there is a blockage in the channel, the Qi will back up and cause pain, and possibly swelling or inflammation. Thus, if you have pain in an area of your body, it could be described as a Qi blockage as easily as saying you've strained something, or you have arthritis.

What I am trying to get at is that, while the terminology of acupuncture and Chinese medicine may seem alien, what it describes is easily understandable and quantifiable. That acupuncture has been around for over 3,000 years is a testament to the effectiveness of the system, whether science is able to prove or disprove the existence of Qi and the location of acupuncture points.

Science Versus 'Intuition'

In the West we have come to accept that "doctor know best" and that the medicine prescribed is safe and based on scientific study. However, the truth is that death caused by doctor care and the interactions of various medicines (iatrogenic deaths) numbers in the tens, or even hundreds, of thousands every year! This is not to say that there isn't a place for so-called Western medicine. Indeed, if you have just been in a car accident and are needing life saving surgery, don't have the ambulance take you to your acupuncturist! The tests, scans and scopes that are at a doctor's disposal are impressive, and give us an immense amount of information about what's going on inside your body, and that should never be discounted. On the other hand, just because a Western doctor is unable to accept or understand the principles of Chinese medicine does not mean that this system of medicine which pre-dates Western science by some 2,500 years is not effective in many cases. Effective, and, I'd like to add: free of side effects.

The Benefits of Both

When dealing with any sort of health issue, it is important to get as complete a picture as possible of what might be going wrong. This certainly should include a visit to your doctor, but might also include acupuncture treatments. I would caution against seeing any healer or doctor who tells you not to fully explore your options. Your health is your own, and taking responsibility for it is something only you can do. Visit your acupuncturist, get a medical diagnosis, and if at all possible try to get both sides working for you together. Doctors these days are encouraged to at least be open to other therapies, even if they themselves do not have training or experience in those therapies. Just remember: you are in charge of your own health. The more open to proven alternatives you are, the faster you will regain your health and well-being.

Jean-Paul Thuot R.Ac

Jean-Paul Thuot R.Ac is an acupuncturist practicing in Victoria BC, Canada.

Acupuncture Chinese Moxibustion - The Chinese Way to Health

Chinese acupuncture moxibustion technique is an ancient Chinese way to good health. It has a long history and has been used by the Chinese for a very long time.

Not many people are aware of this. Generally, many thought that acupuncture involves only the needles. However, there is another part to Chinese acupuncture, and that is the use of fire. The use of needle and fire helps make acupuncture a more potent force against illnesses.

As you may have guessed, acupuncture Chinese moxibustion has to do with curing illnesses with fire. And it pretty much refers to the Jiu in Zhen Jiu (the Chinese name for acupuncture).

Two extremely famous legends about acupuncture are Huang Di invention of Chinese acupuncture and moxibustion and FuXi creation of the illness curing stone needles. Of course, there are also other lesser known legends.

If you were like me, you may find it hard to believe that the acupuncture Chinese moxibustion method was in a way founded by a housewife. As she was cooking, she found her aches not being as painful as before. The heat from the stove had somehow relief her of her pain. Since this Eolithic age, this method has evolved and herbs with medical properties were added to smoke the body back to normal health.

In moxibustion, the common methods used are moxa cone and cupping. The basic idea is the usage of a glass jar to cover a body part and to allow it to suck the body by putting fire in the jar.

The intricacy of heating the jar is really due to the fire heating up the air. This action forces the air out of the jar. This results in a suction vortex much like a vacuum cleaner which has the jar sticking onto the body. Blood circulation improves and the internal organs of the patient also enjoy a nice massage. The moxa cone also has the same impact.

Do note that the placement of the jar for acupuncture Chinese moxibustion is important. It must target the relevant acupuncture points or meridians of the body so that the targeted illness can be cured.

To enhance the effectiveness of moxibustion, ginger, mashed garlic or even certain herbs are used during treatments. Generally, the treatment of the cupping of the jar over the body will last between fifteen to twenty minutes. In addition, it is important that the treatment be made over a certain time period so that the effect can be felt.

The acupuncture Chinese moxibustion methodologies have improved tremendously over the centuries. It is not uncommon to see new equipment usage that include electronic needle moxibustion, acupoint injection, microwave needle moxibustion and acupoint magnetotherapy, and many others.

G._Peters

To understand further about acupuncture, go to 321 Acupuncture Or, if you want something further intriguing, drop by Acupuncture Fibromyalgia

Acupuncture and Chiropractic Care Can Provide Long-Term Benefits For Back Pain

Acupuncture commonly refers to the technique of inserting needles into specific points on the body to relive pain for therapeutic purposes. It figures among the oldest medical procedures all over the world. While, chiropractic is known as a profession that lay stress on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system particularly the spine. They improve health by eradicating energy discrepancy and obstructions in the body. They are usually used to treat pain, relieve common ailments and promote general health. More and more people are relying on acupuncture especially to treat nausea, dental problems and low back pain. There are several acupuncture and chiropractic centers based in New York, Florida, California, Oklahoma, Texas and Pennsylvania that can help you to attain maximum health potential.

In a recent survey conducted by (pain.com) reveals that four out of every five US citizen suffers from back pain. It has emerged as the most common health related issue and the proximate cause may be damaged muscles. The para-spinals, parallel rows of muscles that run up and down on either side of the spinal column, are the chief muscle group generally involved in lower back injury. With back pain you will find it hard to concentrate on social activities and sleep soundly. Painkillers will ease the pain for a short while but they are addictive and have several side affects.

However, acupuncture offers a simple way to get rid of the back pain. Just suppose you can enjoy your life fully once again. The needles are inserted in the several regions of the back and the location depends upon the severity of the back pain. Therefore if you are suffering from back pain you can get a lease of life with the help of acupuncture. The duration of the treatment depends upon the cause of the pain. If the deficiency is related to the kidney then it will take more time to treat back pain. Wish you a healthy and better life with acupuncture and chiropractic care.

Garret_Lloyd

Elledge Chiropractic & Acupuncture Clinic in South OKC accepts most insurance plans, including health insurance, workers compensation, automobile accident insurance and Medicare.

Malpractice Insurance For Acupuncture

Treatment using traditional Chinese medicine is increasingly becoming popular. This is because it is an excellent way to cure diseases. This treatment involves piercing the body with metal needles. During this form of treatment, there may arise instances where the needles may cause pain, bleeding and discomfort. This is usually as a result of wrong practice.

Malpractice insurance for acupuncture, has become necessary as a result of the wrong or negligent practices of some acupuncturists. Whenever such occasions arise, the patients do suffer a lot of discomfort and damages. These may be bodily or financial. It has therefore proved necessary that patients cushion themselves against such incidents.

When choosing malpractice insurance for acupuncture, one should be careful to purchase the policies that will suit their specific needs. Some companies offering this kind of cover will give their own list of practitioners whom one has to visit if they are to benefit from that cover. It is therefore necessary that one is comfortable with the practitioners listed. Covers of this type may not ease the mental stress a person may undergo in case of wrong practice by the acupuncturist. The financial support will be sufficient.

Before one indulges in malpractice insurance for acupuncture, they should make enough inquiries and be certain that the cover they take is what they need. Some agents selling these covers may not be fully aware of this type of cover. It is therefore prudent to inquire about all the covers available so that one can choose what suits them. These kind of cover will be able to compensate the patients and their family in case of wrong practice or any undesired incidences that may occur as one undergoes this form of ancient Chinese therapy.

Peter Gitundu

Peter Gitundu Researches And Reports On Massage. For More Information On massage therapy benefits, Visit His Site At MASSAGE THERAPY BENEFITS. You Can Also Post Your Views About massage therapy benefits On My Blog Here MASSAGE THERAPY BENEFITS

Treating Horses With Acupuncture

Acupuncture is an ancient healing art originated by the Chinese. It has gained a wide range of users through the years to prevent diseases, to cure ailments and to maintain good health. But is acupuncture only for humans?

Acupuncture for animals is being practiced by an increasing number of veterinarians. They use it to treat different diseases and disorders of animals. It was used initially on horses then later on, it was tried on other farm animals. Now it is also being used on cats, dogs and birds.

Veterinary acupuncture is very much similar to that of humans because they are both based on the premise that energy (called qi) flows in the body through channels called meridians. The meridians work in harmony with the internal organs, muscles and bones, and the nervous system. The energy flow has to be balanced for the human or animal to function properly. When there is imbalance in the flow or there is blockage in energy, an organ or a system will be affected.

Just like acupuncture for humans, equine acupuncture or acupuncture for horses also employ the use of needles. These needles are very thin. They must be sterilized and must be used only once. The needles are inserted in specific points to target specific concerns. It aims to restore balance in the energy. It also triggers the release of endorphins which is considered as the body's natural pain reliever. Since these needles are very thin, pain is seldom felt. If there is pain, it usually goes away easily. Just like most treatments, effect is seen after several applications. Follow-ups are also recommended to ensure prolonged effect.

Problems of horses that can be addressed by acupuncture are musculoskeletal, respiratory, digestive, reproductive, dermatological, visual and neurological.

• Musculoskeletal problems are the most commonly treated equine problem. These problems include arthritis, rheumatism, laminitis, muscle atrophy and tendon problems. Horses used in competitions are the usual recipients of acupuncture. The same goes true with horses used in farms.
  Respiratory problems include chronic cough, nasal discharges and allergies.
• Digestive problems may range from simple diarrhea to, colic and ulcerations. For cases of colic, a more extensive examination is needed to know if surgery is needed because acupuncture can only be done for non-surgical colic.
• Most reproductive concerns of both male and female horses respond well with acupuncture. Female reproductive conditions include irregular cycles, anestrus, mastitis, and retained placenta. Male concerns include impotence, epididymitis and loss of libido.
• Dermatological concerns include allergies and wounds that take a long time to heal. Visual concerns include cataracts and ulcers in the cornea.
• Horses also have neurological and psychological disorders like humans. These include anxiety, epilepsy and behavior disorders. These conditions respond well to acupuncture.
• Horses used in competitions and races benefit greatly in acupuncture. Acupuncture gives horses vitality and it boosts their general well-being. Competitions are sources of stress for horses. To abate negative effects of stress, acupuncture is employed. Physical trauma can also be addressed by acupuncture.
• There are various methods of acupuncture being used by veterinarians to treat horses aside from the traditional way. These include use of laser, introduction of low electric current and injection of water.
• Just as caution is needed in selecting acupuncturists for humans, caution must also be exercised in selecting the veterinarian for horses. Only properly trained vets must perform acupuncture to ensure effectiveness and safety.

Tim_Fischer

Tim is a writer for Acupuncturist Portal, a free resource for anyone interested in the ancient Chinese alternative medicine practice: Acupuncture. Acupuncturist Portal also contains a US national directory of qualified acupuncturists for people who are ready to give acupuncture a try.

Acupuncture Pain Relief Management - 10 Tips For Pain That Will Not Go Away

Acupuncture has been shown to be very good at relieving pain. It is also good for the management of aches that will not go away.

Although it is nature's peculiar way of telling us that we are in danger or we are hurt, you would expect that once we are healed, the soreness should clear up. But in some cases, it will just not go away.

So what can we do to help ourselves manage, control or relieve the ache?

First of all, medical attention is necessary. In addition, there are other things you can do to help yourself. These will also help doctors formulate a treatment plan to suit you. Below are 10 things you can do to help yourself.

1. Be more attentive to the character of the soreness, where it hurts exactly or how you are affected.
2. Know what makes the affected area better or worse.
3. Identify the things that could be lowering your pain threshold or making your condition worse. For example, your condition worsens when you are cold, tired or when under stress. So limiting these stressors will help you cope.
4. Identify accurately the type of ache, whether it is a sharp stabbing pain, whether it is aching, throbbing, burning or crushing.
5. Take note of the day and time soreness starts, whether it is there all the time, what sets if off and how it affects your daily life.
6. Most importantly, you must inform your doctor, whether s/he is a Chinese medicine doctor or Western medicine doctor, all the medications, herbs or remedies you are taking.
7. Get plentiful sleep, which is usually interfered with, so sometimes it is difficult to get a good night's rest which makes the following day just as bad. This is important because sleep allows painful body parts to rest, it allows damaged tissues to heal and it restores your ability to cope with discomfort. A cat-nap, which a short rest of about 30 minutes during the day can be helpful.
8. Reduce stress -- stress from work, family, relationship or even household duties can all increase the severity of the illness. Stress reduction techniques such as tai chi, dao yin, chi kung, yoga, meditation, relaxation or breathing exercises will help. Our moods does affect the way we perceive discomfort or our pain threshold. On the other hand, constant ache does affect our moods, making us irritable, or depressed.
9. Improve your diet -- balance your diet with a wide range of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. If you have noticed that your soreness is worse with some foods, then you should try to avoid them. For example, some arthritis sufferers have reported exacerbation in discomfort levels after having eaten common foods such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplant or have been exposed to tobacco smoke. Drink at least 8 glasses of pure water each day. Don't dull the soreness with alcohol.
10. Get some gentle exercise -- some people say exercise or gentle stretching helps them manage their condition and others say exercise worsens it. The key is to do gentle movements that stretches the body, for example tai chi or dao yin, and combine the exercise with breathing to help ease soreness. We know that endorphins, the natural chemicals that make us feel good, are released with exercise so that helps to reduce pain levels.

If you have muscles or joints that have been weakened by disease, illness or arthritis, consider exercises that will strengthen the body part affected as well as the surrounding structures. Again, go easy. Slowly and steadily wins the race.

Pier Tsui-Po

Pier Tsui-Po is a registered acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine practitioner. More information on pain relief or arthritis is available at http://www.acupuncture-and-you.com

Acupuncture For Sciatica - The Best Way Without Side Effects

With the increase of people experiencing sciatica, patients have resorted to various forms of treatments. Acupuncture for sciatica is a new solution that people are exploring. And its effects on relieving nerve pain are promising.

First, Acupuncture treatment for sciatica is natural. It does not involve medications or surgical methods. It is simply done with needles inserted into certain points that let the Chi flow through the body. The flow of Chi has helped a lot of people ease their body pain. This is not just a speculation. It has actually been proven by patients who have tried acupuncture for sciatica in the past. That is the reason why experts today have considered the use of this method to provide relief for their patients.

Sciatica pain is when the lower back aches. The pain usually goes from the top of the buttocks to the legs. This is caused by muscle spasms near the sciatic nerve that is brought about by the lack of exercise or aging. Some patients even felt numbness at times. This is because some degenerative diseases such as the herniated disk may lead to sciatica. Luckily, there is a good solution for this. Acupuncture for sciatica pain has been proven by patients to remove spasms and to provide immediate relief.

Acupuncture for a sciatica nerve has a lot of benefits. Acupuncture can improve blood circulation in the lumbar region and the spinal cord which does a lot of benefits to the body than remove pain. It relaxes muscles and provides flexibility and strength to the bones. It can even increase energy which can push a person to be more active. With these, one can count on it to reduce symptoms. Of course, the effects of sciatica acupuncture are not always immediate. It may vary depending on the person's body.

A basic understanding of sciatica can help a person understand how acupuncture is very effective in treating it. It is a form of pain caused by a pressure on the sciatic nerve and other several factors. Pain may be from muscle spasms through which the nerve is directly connected. It may also be caused by the inflammation of the nerve itself. Degenerative joint diseases may also be a cause if it's located around the spine which affects the concerned nerve.

However, acupuncture for sciatica is not effective if degenerative diseases are involved. Acupuncture may provide temporary relief but not remove the disease entirely. When the disc of the spine starts to press on the sensitive nerves, muscles tighten and cause pain. You cannot expect the method to reverse the location of the disc. Of course, it can alleviate mere muscle spasms and inflammation but it can't change the condition of the disc.

On the bright side, acupuncture is still the safest and most natural way to cure sciatica. It does not require you to take in medications that may produce some side effects. It does not put your sensitive nerves under the surgical knife. Truly, acupuncture remains to be the best method to relieve the nerve pain without the side effects.

Murali_V

For effective result do some more simple and best exercises to relieve sciatic nerve pain and take natural treatment for sciatica.

Acupuncture Websites - What Works and What Doesn't

As an acupuncturist, I consider it to be absolutely crucial that you have an acupuncture website for your practice. In this day and age, most people are turning to the internet to get the solutions they need for their various problems and issues. This trend will only continue. As an acupuncturist, you can market your practice in cost-effective and creative ways with your website. Without a practice website, you will be very limited in your ability to reach out and connect with you target market.

In my own acupuncture practice, I have consistently brought in 2-3 new acupuncture patients per week through my acupuncture website.

This website has continued to work very well for me year in and year out, largely because of a few factors:

• It has been search engine optimized-- You want to have a very qualified SEO expert do the search engine optimization on your practice website. This will help you rank higher in the search engines like Google and Yahoo. Because of the excellent SEO job my web person did, I can say with confidence that Google has been a primary influence in building a successful acupuncture practice. You want these search engines to help you as much as possible, but you have to get your website optimized or else noone will be able to find you.
• It has a lot of content-- This site has tons of health articles on various conditions acupuncture treats. All of this content helps move the site further up the search engines.
• The home page is organized, uncluttered, and provides a clear call to action-- The home page of your acupuncture website is the most important page on the whole site. If someone likes the home page, they will likely get more information or even call your office.

Honestly, there are many details that go into making your home page really effective, not to mention your entire site. I understand that as an acupuncturist, you may have very little interest in internet marketing or website development. Frankly, I don't blame you. It is a vast world that requires some specialized knowledge.

This is why I recommend that you delegate this project to experts who do this all day long. You should find someone who has some experience in the alternative health field, as building a practice website requires specialized knowledge.

It really is a beautiful thing when it is set up well. After all, you now have an automated marketing system working on your behalf 24/7 that will constantly promote your acupuncture practice. What could be better than that?

Kevin Doherty, L.Ac., MS

Kevin Doherty, L.Ac., MS is a licensed acupuncturist and business development consultant who specializes in helping acupuncturists build thriving private practices using internet-based technologies. You can check out his website package for acupuncturists at http://www.buildyourdreampractice.net/webpackage

It's Official, Acupuncture Works to Treat Migraine Headaches

Everyone knows, migraines are terrible. The pounding and pressure really can be very severe and greatly impact your life.

But, there is hope, acupuncture can help by relieving the pain from migraines. And recently, the research is supporting this idea.

The Metanalysis: A recent metanalysis of 31 studies, in the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia, showed that acupuncture was more effective than both medication and placebo acupuncture for headache relief. For those who do not know, a metanalysis is a more definitive study which examines many many previously performed studies. The studies showed that acupuncture was stronger than placebo acupuncture for reducing headaches, and even stronger than medication for reducing headache frequency, intensity, and overall physical function.

Top five reasons acupuncture works to treat migraines.

Acupuncture is quite amazing at treating migraines, but it is not magic. The practice is rooted in a clinical history of over 2000 years, in which physicians and scholars wrote and discussed the best way to heal their patients. There are also many physiological reasons acupuncture regulates the nervous system to relieve pain.

1. Correcting the root imbalance:

The body is amazing at healing itself. When there is an imbalance, it can cause long term illnesses and pain. Acupuncture and Chinese medicine work by correcting these imbalances in the body. Once the imbalance is corrected, the body can then works to heal itself. Each person’s imbalance is different and the diagnosis must be based on your specific symptoms.Healing can only happen when the body is in balance.

Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment is individualized to your specific symptoms. For example, in women, migraines are often associated with your period. So characteristics of your period, such as bloating, breast tenderness, and abdominal pain will factor into the diagnosis.

Correcting the root imbalance is certainly the most powerful reason that acupuncture works for migraines. But there are compelling physiological reasons as well.

2. Regulate areas of brain for pain-

Studies of acupuncture show that acupuncture works to regulate pain centers of the brain. In one study of acupuncture and carpel tunnel syndrome pain, an fMRI scan of the brain showed that acupuncture actually changed the way the brain perceived pain and regulates parts of the brain that are in charge of controlling pain. So in fact it changes the way we perceive the pain.

3. Release of Neurotransmitters that relieve pain-

Acupuncture also stimulates the release of neurotransmitters which relax the body and decrease pain.

4. Relax the body-

In migraine headaches, there is a terrible cycle of tension and pain. The muscles tense up in reaction to the pain and then the pain causes the muscles to tense up more. This cycle of pain further exasperates the decreased blood flow to and from the skull, which is one of the causes of migraines. Acupuncture cuts off this cycle of tension and pain by relaxing the muscles and relieving tension.

5. Relax the mind-

Acupuncture is a very relaxing experience. Most people feel very calm during the treatment and this lasts for a period of time afterwards. Over time, treatment helps influence you to be a calmer person and increase your ability to deal with stress. This is because Chinese medicine does not separate the body and the mind. The mind influences the body, and the body influences the mind. So in treating the body we also relax the mind.

What is treatment like?

An effective acupuncture treatment is based upon a specific and accurate diagnosis. It is important to find the precise root imbalance of the condition and by asking in depth questions, taking your pulse, and examining your body. Combining acupressure, Chinese medicine massage, with the acupuncture to create greater results and a stronger sense of relaxation. Usually people will feel relief after only a few weekly visits.

Joseph Alban, L.Ac.

Joseph Alban, L.Ac. is a New York State licensed acupuncturist and Chinese medicine practitioner. He helps people with chronic pain and illness through individualized diagnosis and treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine-acupuncture, herbs and tui na (acupressure). He specializes in pain reduction such as back pain, shoulder pain, migraine headaches, chronic prostatitis, and chronic pelvic pain syndrome. For more information, please go to http://www.AlbanAcupuncture.com or call 917.887.4946.