Chinese medicine, which includes acupuncture and herbal therapies, can treat a variety of conditions. Below are some of the most common conditions treated. If you have questions about whether Chinese medicine can be useful for a specific condition please call us.
PAIN
In my opinion acupuncture is unequaled in the treatment of pain syndromes. The insertion of very fine needles mainly on the limbs sends signals up the spinal column to areas of the brain such as the brain stem and prefrontal cortex to do two very important things.
- Command the central nervous system and pituitary to release endorphins to reduce pain
- Summon the body to increase circulation to the injured site to improve healing.
The pain should diminish over time as the repeated signaling from the acupuncture treatments has a cumulative effect. Acupuncture actually allows the body to heal itself without additional drugs and their side effects. How wonderful is that! Below are some typical pain conditions that may be helped with acupuncture.
Muscular Pain – Acute or chronic pain associated with strains, sprains, spasms including tics, accidents, plantar fasciitis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, post-operative pain, upper and lower back pain and bursitis.
Skeletal Pain – Acute or chronic pain from injury, joint pain, osteoarthritis, disc disease, post-operative pain and rheumatoid arthritis.
Chronic Headache and Migraine Pain -Yes, acupuncture can treat that also.
Neurological Pain and symptoms – including neuropathy of the legs and feet, sciatica, trigeminal neuralgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, Bell’s Palsy, and shingles.
Stress and Anxiety
With 24/7 demands on our time and resources, it is no small wonder that so many of us feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and anxious. Acupuncture treatments provide a moment in one’s hectic life to allow the body and mind to harmonize and relax. It does this by calming the sympathetic nervous system (the fight and flight response that is ramped up due to the pressures of our modern lifestyles). In return it balances the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls homeostasis and restores the body to state of calm. Less stress and more calm on the nervous system is a good thing for health and vitality.
Infertility (female and male)
Acupuncture and Chinese traditional herbal formulas work wonders at improving chances for pregnancy for those struggling to conceive. Chinese medicine can help to normalize menstrual cycles, improve egg quality, and reduce miscarriages for women and can increase sperm count and motility for men. To improve outcomes, Chinese medicine should be considered when contemplating IVF or other enhanced means of conception; as well as for those that wish to continue to try naturally, but for one reason or another are having difficulty getting or maintaining pregnancy.
Allergies
Seasonal allergies can be annoying and uncomfortable at its least and debilitating at its worst. Acupuncture can be quite effective in the treatment of allergies; often minimizing symptoms of sneezing, running nose, itchy and watery eyes, and fatigue season after season. I often recommend that one should begin treatments 2-3 weeks before the beginning of one’s particular allergy season and continue for a few more weeks into the season. Usually only 4-6 weeks of treatments are needed. If someone has year round allergies, then treatments could start anytime.
Respiratory Problems
Sometimes a cold or flu will turn into something worse like sinus infections, bronchitis, or pneumonia. For these acute conditions that may not be responding to antibiotics, a bottle or two of specially prepared herbal formulas can help immeasurably by destroying the infection and opening up the respiratory passageways. For more chronic respiratory conditions like asthma and chronic cough, Chinese medicine and lifestyle changes can help one to breathe more easily.
Gastro-Intestinal disorders
Many of us suffer from chronic digestion issues in part from the adulterated foods with artificial ingredients and residual pesticides that we digest, our penchant for fast and convenient foods, and a diet high in grains and sugar. Couple such a diet with stress and it is a recipe for an aggravated digestive tract causing nausea and bloating, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic diarrhea or constipation, gastroparesis, Crohn’s, diverticulitis, and even colitis. Chinese medicine along side lifestyle changes can help the digestive tract to recover by reducing inflammation and facilitating digestion.
Menopausal Symptoms
Acupuncture and herbs have the ability to modulate the endocrine system through modulation of the hypothalamus to improve symptoms such as night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep difficulties.
Menstrual cycle irregularities
Irregular cycle, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), painful periods, and scanty or heavy menstrual bleeding can often be brought back to normalcy with the correct combination of Chinese herbs and acupuncture.
Insomnia
Through the regulation of the sympathetic nervous system, Chinese medicine aids in calming the mind and body to enhance sleep. Maybe this time you can say goodbye to your sleeping pills and wake naturally refreshed.
Resources:
Evidence Based Acupuncture. I highly recommend this site for medical information on acupuncture.
