Stress & Acupuncture

One of the many benefits people feel from their very first acupuncture treatment is a feeling of relaxation and a heightened sense of well-being. In my experience there is no doubt that Acupuncture is a wonderful stress reducer and thus a wonderful form of preventative medicine.

Stress, in and of itself, is not counter-productive to our health. Assuming we have the health to handle physical or emotional stress the saying ‘that which doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ describes well the importance of stress in our lives to help us grow and achieve.

When stress is short-lived we generally recover quickly. That said however, we can have acute episodes of great stress which have the potential to overwhelm us, or suffer from a state of chronic stress which wears us down gradually, leading to poor health and illness.

Our (sympathetic) nervous system is what helps us deal with stress. Our nervous system is involved in the ‘fight or flight’ response to acute emotional or physical stress. At times of stress, the nervous system secrets a protein, neuropeptide (NPY), which results in constriction of blood flow to all parts of the body except to the heart, lungs and brain. In cases of chronic stress this can cause physical symptoms such as:

• Headaches
• Upset stomach and changes in appetite
• Tense muscles
• Chest pains
• Shortness of breath
• Frequent colds and infections
• Insomnia
• Teeth grinding

There are many emotional and behavioral symptoms associated with stress also:

• Being easily agitated, irritable or moody
• Constant worrying
• Finding it impossible to relax
• Low self-esteem
• Forgetfulness
• Increased use of alcohol and smoking
• Avoidance of others and social situations
• Chronic stress symptoms can lead to elevated blood pressure and cardiac disease.

Studies have found that acupuncture treatment reduces the levels of the NPY protein that is linked to stress. This falls very much in line with my experience of dealing with the various symptoms of stress I see in my clinic. If you’re feeling stressed and are exhibiting any or all of the symptoms listed, please don’t hesitate to call and get yourself back on track to a less stressful and healthier life.

Pregnancy & Acupuncture

Many conditions which routinely crop up during pregnancy are eminently treatable using Acupuncture. In my clinic, I treat woman regularly for pregnancy related symptoms such as morning sickness, back pain, pelvic pain, headaches, tiredness, heartburn, constipation, depression and anxiety as well as high or low blood-pressure. Acupuncture has also been shown to be particularly good at stopping bleeding or spotting in the early months of pregnancy.

Acupuncture is a safe treatment for both you and your baby throughout your pregnancy. Even when there are no problems associated with your pregnancy, intermittent sessions of acupuncture can do wonders for energy levels as well as keeping you and baby well and healthy as your pregnancy progresses. A healthy mother-to-be is better for baby and means uncomfortable symptoms are far less likely to occur.

Moxibustion (a form of gentle heat treatment) is an adjunct to Acupuncture and is very successful treatment for turning breech babies. Often times I have found that just 1 or 2 treatments are all that is needed.

Acupuncture has also been proven effective in clinical trials in helping induce labor after baby’s due date has passed. There are several considerations here in terms of the health of mother and baby and I only use such treatments in consultation with a client’s obstetrician. Treatment is very mild and, when successful, usually results in the beginnings of labor 24 to 48 hours after treatment.

If you are experiencing morning sickness or other difficulties at any time during your pregnancy, please don’t hesitate to call for more information and make an appointment.

Pain & Acupuncture

In my clinic, pain is perhaps the most common complaint that I treat and is one of the main reasons that people seek Acupuncture or Massage treatment. It’s rare for a client not to present without some form of pain, be it an acute pain from a recent injury, or a chronic pain that has persisted periodically over months and years.

Acupuncture is an excellent analgesic and can treat many types and severities of pain almost anywhere in the body. It has been proven effective by the WHO in the treatment of a wide range of pain related ailments including lower back pain, sciatica, rheumatoid arthritis, headache, period pains, facial pain and tennis elbow.

In cases of acute pain (sports or occupational injury, knee pain, whiplash etc.), or a particular strong episode in a chronic condition (migraine, period pains, arthritis, fibromyalgia etc.), I treat clients regularly (sometimes daily) in order to bring relief and the pain under control. In chronic pain problems, a less intense treatment strategy is devised which can last over several weeks or months.

Acupuncture is safe to use while taking over the counter medicines such Tylenol or Ibuprofen, or prescription pain killers such as Narcotics and Corticosteroids.

Pain can be both physically and emotionally debilitating. Restrictive or loss of movement due to pain can have serious consequences on your ability to earn, enjoy family time and lead an active, fulfilling life. Living with chronic pain can lead to drug dependency, anxiety and depression. Although treatment is not required for every little ache and pain we may feel, persistent or periodical bouts of pain should never be ignored. Starting Acupuncture treatment or massage earlier is ideal, but at no matter what stage you may find yourself when dealing with a pain issue, it’s never too late to get started.

If you suffer pain from an injury or as part of a medical condition and you’d like to find out more about the effectiveness of Acupuncture in dealing with a whole range of painful disorders, please don’t hesitate to call and make an appointment.

Lower Back Pain & Acupuncture

Lower back pain (lumbago) is such a common complaint that not a day goes by in my clinic where I don’t treat it. It’s estimated that as many as 80%- 85% of us will have some sort of back pain at one time or another in our lifetime.

There are many types and causes to lower back pain. The vast majority of the types of back pain I treat are muscle pain and stiffness through injury, over exercise or trauma, trapped nerves, sciatica, pain due to herniated discs, post-surgical pain and pain that comes from age, being over weight, menstrual problems and women in late pregnancy.

Relief from back pain can be very quick. In acute, intense cases such as from sciatic pain or herniated discs, Acupuncture treatment is necessarily frequent, usually involving a course over several days. Chronic back pain is also incredibly common and in these cases a more medium to long term course of treatment is more appropriate to help eliminate pain and bring about in many cases, a long lasting recovery.

Here at Wisdom for Health we endeavor to provide you with the best treatment possible for your complaint. In some cases of back pain, Acupuncture is most effective. At other times, Massage, and at other times a combination of both provides the best results. We will always advise you as to what is the best course of treatment to take.

If you suffer from lumbago, lower back pain, or sciatic pain, please don’t hesitate to call us for more information and to make an appointment.

Headaches & Acupuncture

Headaches are sometimes a self-inflicted nuisance, the result of a boozy night out celebrating. By and large these odd (they should be rare!) excesses should have no lasting effects on our general health & well being. That said however, strong, persistent or regular headaches should never be ignored.

I have had many years treating many types of headache with Acupuncture either as a primary complaint or as a symptom of another underlying illness. The main types of headache I have treated successfully over the years are:

Tension headaches (also called chronic daily headaches)
Migraine headache (One-sided headaches with nausea and light sensitivity)
Sinus headaches (Pain in area of cheeks and brow with other sinus symptoms such as nasal discharge)
Combination headaches (Symptoms of several types of headaches with varying characteristics such as intense, sharp, dull and throbbing)
Cluster headaches (frequent intense, hot painful headaches, usually situated behind the eye)Headaches can be a sign of very serious ailments such as a tumor so if you have been suffering frequent headaches like any of the ones described please don’t hesitate to call and make an appointment.