I am a qualified veterinary acupuncturist and have been for the last 7 years. The majority of my acupuncture patients are senior pets. There are many benefits to your pet by treating them with acupuncture. It can significantly improve their quality of life particularly when it comes to controlling their pain associated with arthritis without affecting their other organs.
My oldest patient was a 21 year old cat named Misty (pictured above) who bless her soul would hiss and carry on every single time I placed the acupuncture needles and would then drift off to sleep for the next 20 minutes whilst she waited for her treatment to finish. She was being medicated for high blood pressure and kidney failure so traditional Western Medicine treatments were not an option. Fortunately she responded beautifully to acupuncture as she had quite severe arthritis in her hips. So she was a perfect example of using acupuncture for senior pets.
5 reasons to look into acupuncture for senior pets
First do no harm – acupuncture will not harm your pet’s liver, kidneys or gastrointestinal system unlike some medications
After a few “loading” treatments they often only need “top ups” every 3-6 months depending on the severity of the condition
Western medicine has its limits, acupuncture is something else that can help to improve your pet’s quality of life.
Senior pets often have concurrent conditions that can preclude the use of traditional arthritis medications such as anti-inflammatories. By offering acupuncture it gives your pet the opportunity to escape some of their discomfort without further compromising their liver/kidney function
Acupuncture does more than just alleviate the symptoms of arthritis, it can be used to stimulate appetite, help relieve urinary incontinence, control nausea, resolve trigger points (muscle knots) and increase your pet’s general vitality.
So, if you haven’t considered acupuncture for your pet, I hope this might change your mind. Acupuncture is not for all pets. Some pets like people don’t tolerate the needles well. Some get too stressed by the vet visit and any benefit from the treatment is lost due to anxiety taking over. This doesn’t mean it’s not worth a try, you’ll know pretty quickly if acupuncture is or isn’t a good option for your pet. Acupuncture for senior pets to me just makes sense.
For more information about acupuncture why not read my previous blog post here.
Original article and pictures take drbelindathevet.com site
Acupuncture for Pain Management Brilliant Trick Melts Belly Fat Overnight (Do This Tonight!) This Simple Method "Ends" Ear Ringing (Tinnitus) - Try It
When most people think about pain management, they often think about drugs (prescription or over the counter). They picture themselves going to their doctor’s office and undergoing treatment after treatment.
However, acupuncture is an alternative method of pain management that has been around for ages and that a lot of people have used to get relief.
Despite the fact that it has been around for centuries, most people are not familiar with acupuncture, what it is, and how it works. Therefore, what follows are some questions that you may have and the answers to go along with them.
The best patient is an informed one. So, this is your chance to learn as much as you can about acupuncture so that you can decide if it is the pain management option that is right for you.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture itself involves having several very small metal needles inserted into your skin at various points in your body (called meridians).
The goal, according to Chinese medicine, is to get the energy flow within your body (commonly referred to as your “chi” or “qi”) restored so it is balanced as they believe that it is the imbalance that allows certain diseases and conditions to take hold in your body.
Variations with the small needles include introducing other factors, such as heat or electrical current, to get your chi flowing properly.
And, they’re inserted at varying depths, depending on what the practitioner believes is necessary to restore your balance, with their length ranging from 13 to 130 millimeters.
However, some Western doctors view it in a more scientific manner as they believe that this process stimulates your muscles and nerves, thereby getting your body to produce its own natural painkilling endorphins and neurotransmitters. It’s the same process overall, but they hold different beliefs as to why and how it works physiologically.
What is it used for?
According to WebMD, acupuncture is used for a variety of pain related conditions. These include headaches, chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, tennis elbow, menstrual cramps, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
In addition, some people find that this treatment method helps them with temporary pains such as those associated with dental work or birthing labor pains.
It is also considered a viable treatment for asthma and can be used with patients who are rehabilitating from a stroke.
Acupuncture is said to help relieve the nausea and vomiting that is brought about by chemotherapy and some therapists use it to help drug addict’s deal with withdrawal symptoms and/or reduce their chances of relapse.
There is also some belief that clearing the chi flow will increase fertility. Thus, some women may use acupuncture in an effort to get pregnant.
How does it work?
Although every acupuncturist is different, most follow some basic procedural steps. First, they will likely do an assessment to ascertain your overall health (prepare for approximately one hour for a complete evaluation).
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They’re going to question you as they want to know what you’re having problems with as this may hold the key to where your chi is most disrupted.
It’s very important to be extremely honest with any questions asked of you so that the acupuncturist can easily pinpoint your problem areas.
Put thought into your answers and bring up any issues you are suffering with, regardless of how minor they may seem to you.
It may be the simplest piece of information that holds the most important clue for the acupuncturist and helps him or her treat you with more accuracy and success.
The physical examination they conduct may consist of visual inspection of the parts of your body that are causing you pain, noting the condition and shape of your tongue (as it may hold many clues in relation to organs such as your heart or liver), appraising the smell of your breath, listening to the sound of your voice, and considering the coloring of your skin. He or she may also check your pulse for strength and rhythm.
Next, they will place the needles at the precise points in your skin that are related with the areas that will get you some much needed pain relief. Generally, this involves using 5-10 needles (contrary to the images that often portray hundreds of needles emanating from a person’s body)and they typically use a plastic tube for guidance.
They are tapped in relatively quickly and, as stated previously, they may be placed at various depths depending on what the practitioner believes is required for the issues that you’re contending with.
If necessary, the needles may need to be manipulated to help you even more. This could involve moving them around or twirling them.
And, as stated above, some practitioners choose to add heat or electrical impulses to them for an added healing effect.
After 10-20 minutes, the needles are removed. Usually the entire session lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Some require ongoing visits (like 6-12 or more) to find relief, so you need to be prepared for this possibility if this is what the practitioner feels you need to achieve pain management success.
Does it hurt?
This is probably the biggest concern that people have when it comes to acupuncture. After all, the idea of several needles being placed into your body can be quite disconcerting to say the least.
However, you’ll be pleased to know that most people report absolutely no pain whatsoever in their acupuncture treatments.
You may feel pressure, tingling or a little discomfort, but that is about it. Some people do feel soreness or have some bleeding at the sites where the needles were placed and you may also notice some bruising. This is all completely natural.
Is it safe?
A lot of jurisdictions require that acupuncturists be certified, which helps to ease your mind as you know that your practitioner has been properly trained. And, you may ask to see your acupuncturist’s credentials if you’re concerned about their legitimacy.
Most licensed practitioners discard their needles after every use, but some use disposable needles and sterilize them between uses. Each jurisdiction has different regulations on whether or not this re-use is allowed but, if this is of concern to you, you may choose to stick to an acupuncturist that only uses the disposable options.
There are certain individuals though that should not have acupuncture. According to the Mayo Clinic, if you are pregnant, you don’t want to undergo this alternative treatment as it may induce early labor.
Also, if you are on blood thinners or have a blood disorder, acupuncture may not be the best option for you.
Finally, if you have a pacemaker, you’ll want to avoid any treatments with electrical stimulation. They may cause your pacemaker to malfunction as the electrical current can interfere with its ability to work properly.
Will insurance cover it?
Some insurance policies will pay all or some of the cost of acupuncture, so you’ll need to check with your individual provider to know for sure.
It is possible that all you would have to pay is a deductible, which would certainly ease your financial considerations with this form of treatment.
Also, ask your practitioner if he or she has a fee scale for people that pay out of pocket. You may be able to save yourself some cash just by asking this one simple question.
Do I have to do anything to prepare for the treatment?
Some treatments and tests that you endure medically require you to fast, not wear certain items, skip deodorant, and more. However, with acupuncture there is nothing you need to do in preparation for your treatment session.
Simply show up and be willing to let the practitioner work his or her “magic” to get you as pain free as you can possibly be.
You may be asked to disrobe either partially or fully though so that they can access the proper points with the needles, so that is something to keep in mind when choosing what type of clothing you choose to wear for your acupuncture sessions.
How do I know if it is working?
People have different responses to acupuncture treatments. Some feel relaxed and others feel invigorated and full of energy.
However, generally speaking, the symptoms that originally sent you to the acupuncturist should start to ease up after a couple of weeks.
If they don’t or you aren’t experiencing the relief you expected, discuss it with your provider. It is possible that acupuncture isn’t going to work for you.Or, they may modify their methods to find you more relief.
What can I do to improve the results?
When it comes to dealing with pain, anything you can do that will minimize the sensations and let you live a normal life is a bonus.
With that in mind, there are some lifestyle changes you could make that could potentially make your situation more tolerable.
They include:
Eating a healthy diet. The better fuel you put into your body, the stronger your immune system and the more capable it is to responding to the pain that you feel on an everyday basis.
Choose foods that are high in nutritional value, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins and complex carbohydrates.
Drink a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated and limit your consumption of processed foods, alcohol, sugar and white flour products.
Stay active.You don’t have to join a gym and work out for hours at a time to enjoy the benefits of staying physically fit. You can do just as well by taking daily walks to ease your pain and yoga is great too as it isn’t high impact and it focuses on the energy in your body, similar to what acupuncture does.
Keep warm.When you are cold, your body tenses up. So, the more comfortable you can keep the temperature in your environment, the better you’ll likely feel.
This doesn’t mean that you have to move to a warm climate or pay an outrageous heating bill; just make sure you dress appropriately for the conditions and you’ll feel much better in the long run.
How is acupuncture different than acupressure?
Although both methods of healing deal with the same premise (that you need to clear the meridians in your body to allow your chi to flow properly), they are each handled slightly differently.
Acupuncture involves using needles to restore your balance, whereas acupressure involves applying pressure without being as invasive.
When performing acupressure, the practitioner uses his or her hands, elbows, feet or special devices to apply pressure to the specific areas of your body that they deem as blocked. It’s similar to a massage, but they focus more on your chi points than they do trying to loosen your tight muscles.
Some common points they typically focus on include the web between your forefinger and thumb (which affects your large intestines), the skin between your big and second toe (your liver), and the area above your ankle bone (your spleen).
However, there are several hundred, so your treatment could involve any number of areas depending on what issues you’re trying to resolve.
Does acupuncture really work?
This is one question that is repeatedly asked. Does acupuncture actually work or is it some sort of hocus pocus that is more in your mind versus something that is truly beneficial to your body? The best way to answer that question is to consult what research has found.
In one article published by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), they spotlight research that was conducted on almost 18,000 people who used acupuncture for various chronic pains (such as back pain, headaches and osteoarthritis).
Their study concluded that “acupuncture is more than just a placebo and a reasonable referral option for patients with chronic pain” as a majority of the participants were afforded some sort of pain relief when undergoing acupuncture therapy.
The British Acupuncture Council concurs with this statement and points to several other studies which have similar findings.
They seem to take the Western approach and indicate that it is the stimulation of the nerves and muscles that help chronic pain sufferers find relief with this method of treatment.
It is also suggested that the more you believe in it, the better your results. Perhaps this is true with most any method of treatment, as researchers have proven time and time again with placebo based trials.
So, if you want to be on the safe side and increase the likelihood that this pain management method will work for you, choose to believe that it will work.
Let your mind direct your body to receive the benefits. What do you have to lose, other than the pain?
How can I find an acupuncturist?
There are several ways to go about locating an acupuncturist to help you with managing your chronic pain. One of the simplest is to ask friends and family who they have used.
That way you’ll be able to talk to someone that has used the particular practitioner and can get a feel for whether or not they are the one for you.
You can also do a search online. One place to start is Acufinder.com. This is an online acupuncture referral site that lists over 30,000 different professionals in over 65 different countries.
Whether you live in the United Kingdom, United States, Austria or Venezuela, they can connect you with a practitioner in your area to help you with your acupuncture needs.
Each professional on their site has a profile in which you can learn about the business as well as the practitioner who operates it.
They share any additional memberships that the person holds as well as their treatment techniques, areas of expertise and styles of acupuncture.
They also give you their physical location, telephone number and a link to their website if you want to learn more.
Putting it all together
Although acupuncture has been around for centuries, it is just now emerging as a valid form of chronic pain management.
The last 10-20 years have brought forth a tremendous amount of research that proves that this is a viable option that should be considered if you live with pain day in and day out and want some relief.
Admittedly, it isn’t for everyone. But, in fairness, the same can be said about any form of treatment. What works for one person does not necessarily work for another.
It is a matter of finding a method of pain management that your body responds to. With that being said, you won’t know if acupuncture is right for you until you try it and give it a chance.
At least be open to it as an alternative. If it works, then you’ve found a way to live a life that doesn’t involve a tremendous amount of pain from sun up until sun down. If it doesn’t, then you move on to finding another alternative that may.
Living in pain is bad enough. But, living in pain when there is a viable solution is just unnecessary.
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Polycystic ovarian syndrome is the number one reproductive disease in women. This disease disrupts normal ovulatory cycles which can result in heartbreaking infertility for millions of women. Known hormonal changes in PCOS include excess androgens (ie: testosterone), and insulin resistance. Most thought now is leaning towards insulin resistance being the primary cause of PCOS, with genetic factors playing a role, but once the cycle of anovulation begins it feeds back on itself, causing the condition to remain in a vicious cycle. Women with PCOS have not only insulin resistance, but also have neuroendocrine imbalances, resulting in elevated LH (lutenizing hormone) levels. Having a high LH to FSH ratio is one of the hallmarks of polycystic ovarian syndrome or persistent anovulation. In response to a combination of high LH and insulin resistance, the follicles in the ovary will begin to secrete too many male hormones (androgens) which then inhibit the hormonal pathways that are needed to stimulate ovulation.
Various medications are traditionally used to induce ovulation in women with PCOS. A growing body of evidence now exists indicating that low-frequency electroacupuncture is as effective as commonly used medications in inducing ovulation. Furthermore, this form of acupuncture can benefit many of the hormonal imbalances seen in polycystic ovarian syndrome. Thousands of women worldwide use acupuncture therapy for PCOS and so I’d like to discuss how it works, and why it is so beneficial to induce ovulation.
General principles of how electroacupuncture stimulates the ovaries through the nervous system
Electroacupuncture has been found to profoundly effect the reproductive organs, through mechanisms in the sympathetic nervous system, endocrine system, and neuroendocrine system. When needles are inserted into certain points and stimulated in a specific manner, this produces a neurological reflex transmitted to the organ correlated with that nerve pathway. For example, needles inserted into the leg muscles below the knee, lower back, or abdomen in specific regions cause a response which measurably affects the ovary. In addition, the nervous system will transmit a signal to the brain, and the brain then emits a response which affects the organ from a central mechanism. These effects have been investigated through measurements of hormones, neuropeptides, and circulatory changes on both animals and humans receiving this specific type of electroacupuncture.
Nervous system alterations in PCOS
Evidence indicates that women with pcos have abnormal circulating levels of a neurohormone called ß-endorphin. ß-endorphin is known to increase insulin production and reduce insulin excretion by the liver, which is very much implicated in PCOS. It has also been found that women with PCOS have unusually high amounts of sympathetic nerve fibres in their ovaries. These nerve fibres cause unusual stimulation of the ovary by the sympathetic nervous system (the part of the nervous system associated with “flight or fight” responses in the body, among other processes). Stimulation of these nerve fibres can cause the ovaries to produce androgens, which then impair normal ovulation. Women with PCOS have also been found to have high amounts of nerve growth factors in their ovaries, something which is associated with high levels of sympathetic nervous system activity. Disturbances in central and peripheral ß-endorphin release, high androgens, insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, and cardiovascular disease are associated with increased sympathetic nervous system activity, and all of these are also associated with the pathology of PCOS. In a recent study by Elizabet Stener-Vitorin in Sweden, direct intraneural testing found a strong correlation between levels of sympathetic nervous system activity and testosterone levels in women with PCOS. Those who had the highest amounts of sympathetic nervous system activity were found to have the highest testosterone levels and the most severe PCOS conditions.
What evidence exists for acupuncture inducing ovulation?
Several studies exist on low frequency electroacupuncture and ovulation induction. In one trial, the effect of a series of 14 electroacupuncture treatments on 24 anovulatory women with pcos was investigated. In 38% of these women, regular ovulation was induced. Three months after the last treatment, LH/FSH ratios and testosterone levels were significantly decreased, a sign of improvement in PCOS pathology. In another study done on a group of women given human menopausal gonadotrophin (a commonly used drug in the treatment of infertility), acupuncture was compared to hCG injections in order to assess its effect on ovulation. Traditionally hCG is given to stimulate ovulation during medicated cycles at fertility clinics. It was found that a single acupuncture treatment induced ovulation as effectively as the as the hCG injection and reduced the incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a painful side effect of medicated cycles. Other studies have also indicated enhanced ovarian response when acupuncture is added to medicated cycles. Female rats with PCOS induced by chronic exposure to DHT (a form of testosterone) were given low frequency electroacupuncture and physical exercise. The treatment increased the amount of healthy follicles in the ovaries, and significantly normalized cycles.
Effects of electroacupuncture on nervous system changes in PCOS
It has also been found that electro-acupuncture can regulate parts of the central nervous system related to dysfunction in PCOS. Specifically, beneficial effects on neurohormones such as GnRH(Gonadotropin releasing hormone) and androgen receptor proteins, indicate that electro-acupuncture significantly benefits the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and through this can help to restore normal cycling. Electroacupuncture was also found in 3 recent studies to increase ovarian blood flow through effects on sympathetic nervous system pathways. In addition, it has been found in two studies to reduce high peripheral circulating ß-endorphins in women with PCOS, and thereby improve insulin resistance. As sympathetic nerve activity appears to contribute to the development and maintenance of PCOS, the beneficial effects of electroacupuncture, and also exercise, may be mediated by nervous system modulation to the ovaries.
Electro-acupuncture appears to work through multiple pathways to disrupt the “vicious cycle” of PCOS. Even though much more research needs to be done to determine all of the mechanisms involved, its safety and low incidence of side effects makes it an excellent therapy to stimulate ovulation naturally for the many women who suffer with this disease.
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Acupuncture for Menopausal Symptoms The changes in hormone levels can cause a variety of symptoms, such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances and night sweats. Vaginal dryness, mood changes, and weight gain are also common.
Natural Ways to Cope with Perimenopause and Menopausal Symptoms
Menopause is the cessation of menses, or when a woman no longer has a period (when a woman has gone 12 months without a menstrual period). The years leading up to menopause are often referred to as perimenopause. During their childbearing years, women produce hormones including estrogen and progesterone. As a woman approaches the end of her fertility, her hormone levels decline. It is the result of loss of ovarian follicular function. That is, when a woman gets older, the body no longer induces ovulation of eggs from the ovaries. Production of the reproductive hormones declines and a number of symptoms can appear.
Perimenopause can last for years. In fact, hormone levels often start to decline in your 30s. But it can take years for menopause to occur. In the United States, the average age for menopause is 51, however early or premature menopause can result from surgery, chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer, and certain medications. About one third of Canadian women have experienced menopause. With today’s greater life expectancies, women on average can expect to live about one-third of their lives in postmenopause.
It’s important to understand premenopausal and menopausal symptoms can vary in severity. All women are different. Some women sail through menopause and don’t have many symptoms. For others, it turns their life upside down.
The number, type and severity of symptoms a woman experiences can depend on a number of factors including overall health, the availability of support from family and friends, and financial stability, for example. They are not, however, dependent on race, class, the birth control pill, pregnancy, or the age of a woman’s first period. Symptoms can last anywhere from 6 months to over two years. Approximately 10-15% of women will not experience any symptoms of menopause. However, another 10-15% will experience symptoms so severe they are intolerable.
Symptoms of Menopause
Hot flashes
Nausea
Poor concentration
Vaginal dryness
Frequent urination
Decreased sexual interest
Mood swings
Depression
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Bloating
Reduction in bone density
Skin clamminess
Side Effects of Conventional Treatment
For years conventional treatment for menopausal symptoms was hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The HRT involves replacing estrogen and in some cases progesterone. Although hormone replacement therapy can curb menopausal side effects, it does have risks. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a long-term use of hormone therapy may slightly increase a woman’s risk of a stroke, heart attack and deep vein thrombosis. There is also an increased risk of breast cancer.
In addition to the risks, some women also have side effects from the hormones including breast tenderness, bloating and headaches. In some cases, it may seem that you’re trading menopausal symptoms for side effects from HRT.
A Natural Approach to Menopause
Menopause is not a disease. Instead, it is a natural biological process that does not require treatment. But for some women, the side effects from hormonal changes interfere with their quality of life. Sleep problems, night sweats and fatigue can greatly affect your day to day life. Fortunately, there are plenty of natural ways to decrease menopausal symptoms without taking hormone replacement therapy.
Lifestyle Changes
Making lifestyle changes can go a long way in improving symptoms of menopause. Plus, the changes you make can improve your overall health. Consider some of the following natural solutions for menopausal symptoms:
Exercise: Researches have long known that exercise can be a great way to decrease stress. But it can also be beneficial for menopausal symptoms for a variety of reasons. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise can prevent weight gain, improve mood and strengthen your bones. Consider doing some type of cardio exercise for at least a half hour on most days of the week. Also, include strength training two days a week to prevent the loss of lean muscle.
Sleep: Getting enough sleep is important for overall health. It’s especially crucial in the years leading up to menopause when hormones may be fluctuating. Sleep deprivation can make menopausal symptoms worse. Make sleep a priority. Set up your bedroom so it’s conducive for sleeping. Invest in blackout curtains to keep sunlight out. Consider ways to minimize noise and allow yourself a little time to unwind before going to bed.
Dietary changes: Making certain dietary changes can decrease some menopausal symptoms. For example, limiting caffeine may decrease anxiety. Cutting out spicy foods might reduce hot flashes. Also, be sure to get plenty of calcium to protect bone health. Include foods rich in omega-3 fats and vitamin B. Both nutrients may play a role in fighting mood swings. Pay attention to the portion size to prevent your weight from creeping up. Since individual nutritional needs vary, a nutritional consultation with a dietician or nutritionist can be useful to help you plan your meals.
Stress reduction techniques: Mood changes, such as anxiety and depression, can occur during menopause. Stress only intensifies those symptoms. The years leading up to menopause may also coincide with children leaving the nest and a woman’s parents becoming elderly and possibly dying. That is a lot for anyone to handle. Add changing hormone levels to the mix and it’s no wonder it can be a stressful time. Find healthy ways to relax, such as deep breathing exercises, yoga and meditation.
Herbs for Menopause
Although the FDA has not approved any specific herbs for treating menopausal symptoms, they may help some women. For example, according to the North American Menopausal Society, black cohosh may decrease the severity of hot flashes in some women.
Ginseng may decrease mood swings and anxiety. Additional herbs, such as evening primrose oil and red clover, may also reduce hot flashes. As always, talk to your doctor before taking any herbal supplements.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years, and it is used to treat a variety of health issues. Some studies indicate it may help decrease certain symptoms associated with menopause. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, a study conducted by Duke University Medical School indicated that acupuncture significantly reduced hot flashes and insomnia in menopausal women.
If you are wondering how acupuncture and alternative medicine practices can help you cope with the symptoms of menopause, contact the acupuncture professionals at the Pacific Wellness Institute. They will help enlighten you as to what options are available.
Original article and pictures take www.acupuncture-treatment.com site
Acupuncture has been touted as the Traditional Chinese Method treatment that works to solve every type of problem: health, old injuries and fertility — but can it help you lose weight after having a baby? Some women and experts swear it works wonders. What’s the theory behind it and when should you go to see an acupuncturist?
Acupuncture for weight loss
The whole premise behind acupuncture is that the needles help to stimulate the body’s meridians to release energy flow, improving the Qi and balancing the forces in your body. If you’ve received TCM and acupuncture treatment for fertility, you will have an understanding of how it regulates hormones. Similarly, weight gain and obesity are controlled by hormones, which is why it is reasonable to think that acupuncture can help you lose weight.
By stimulating your meridians, acupuncture can complement your diet and work out regime by increasing your metabolism and energy levels, regulating your hormones and improving your digestion and organ function.
Which points are stimulated?
The best acupuncture points for weight loss are located on four points on the body. They are as follows:
The Shen Men point on the ear which controls appetite
The stomach point, which stimulate muscles and reduce hunger
The mouth point, which is calming and reduces hyperactivity
The endocrine point, which improves Qi in the liver and increases metabolism
Treatment can be also accompanied by consuming Chinese herbs.
Find out when you can go for acupuncture on the next page…
When can I go for acupuncture?
First of all, you should not run to your acupuncturist the instant you’ve given birth. TCM practitioners believe very strongly in the practice of confinement, which is why you should be staying home to recuperate for at least a month, if not more.
Next, you should give yourself another couple of months to see if you are naturally losing the weight. There is no need to compete with Hollywood stars who are under pressure to regain their figures immediately. Breastfeeding mums often burn a lot of calories and lose weight quickly. Your genetics also play a part in weight loss. If you are losing weight at a healthy pace already, there’s no need to go for acupuncture since you don’t need the stimulation.
However, if the weight isn’t budging despite working out and eating healthily, and you feel sluggish, acupuncture may be a good solution. Consult your acupuncturist for a solution that is good for you. You may want to start with just acupuncture and skip the Chinese herbs, especially if you are breastfeeding, since they may be quite strong.
Although acupuncture is the most effective way to stimulate your meridiens, you can also achieve some of the same effects with Chinese Tui Na massage. You can also get electronic stimulation kits that send pulses into the meridian spots. Just remember though that the point is not to lose weight fast quickly but safely! Slow weight loss is much more permanent than rapid weight loss. As a new mum, you need a lot of energy, so don’t put yourself in harm’s way with extreme dieting and exercise.
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Acupuncture has surprising advantages for kids with health problems. One of the biggest? Few side effects. “A lot of kids are medication-sensitive, and acupuncture doesn’t have the side effects of medication,” explains Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist
Another advantage is fewer doctor visits. “We can address multiple symptoms in a single treatment just by different point selection,” says Dr. Katholi.
More than a pain reliever
Acupuncture’s use in children and adolescents has mirrored the technique’s rising popularity among adults. A study of 450 children from birth to age 17 who had acupuncture found the technique to be safe in the hands of well-trained practitioners.
Many think acupuncture is just for pain. It can encourage the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. But acupuncture helps children and teens with a wide range of issues, including:
Sleep problems
Anxiety
Fatigue
Headaches
Reflux, nausea and stomach pain
Bone and joint pain
ADHD
Asthma and allergies
Bedwetting
Drooling
Getting to the point
In acupuncture, local, regional or global (body-wide) points are selected to achieve different effects. “You can stimulate some of these points or you can calm them in order to reduce certain symptoms,” says Dr. Katholi.
This is done by:
Gently inserting needles
Using laser stimulation
Electrical stimulation
Acupressure (gentle massage of points)
One step at a time
If children are reluctant to try needles, Dr. Katholi is careful to explain that acupuncture needles are different from the needles used to draw blood. They are hair-thin and nearly painless.
“We can introduce acupressure as the first option for things that might be too painful or anxiety-provoking,” he says. Dr. Katholi actually teaches kids acupressure therapies they can use on themselves at home.
Laser acupuncture can help children who are extremely sensitive to needles. “When things calm down a little bit, we can introduce needles for greater effect,” Dr. Katholi says.
A complementary treatment
Acupuncture doesn’t replace traditional medical treatment, says Dr. Katholi. “Acupuncture can’t treat everything; if you have diabetes, you still need insulin. If you have seizures, you still need epilepsy medications. So there’s a place for both.”
He finds acupuncture especially helpful in treating children and teens with complex conditions such as brain injuries or chronic pain. “Using acupuncture has been very rewarding,” says Dr. Katholi.
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Acupuncture for Issues with Insomnia, Anxiety and Attention
By Saima Anto, R.Ac, R.TCMP
Fall is coming, and with it, the beginning of a new school year. Whether anticipated with fresh hopes or attended by memories, our thoughts turn to learning:
Reading books and articles, composing essays — and sleepless nights preparing for tests and exams. So this is a good time to note that issues with insomnia, memory and cognition, anxiety and performance stress, are not restricted to students!
Most of us would benefit from better sleep, and as we leave our student days behind, the complexity of our lives (and potential sources of anxiety) tends to increase, rather than decrease. And we often dismiss absentmindedness or forgetfulness as something we just have to put up with, as the price of getting older.
But you don’t have to put up with insomnia, anxiety, ‘brain fog’, restlessness, or poor memory/concentration. Acupuncture can help manage all of these symptoms, while steadily and gently correcting their underlying systemic causes.
Anxiety, insomnia, palpitations and even panic attacks are all related to the traditional concept of the Heart in Chinese Medicine. The cognitive functions (such as memory, focus, and concentration), which Western science assigns to the brain and nervous system, also belong to your Heart system according to Chinese Medicine. This means we can address a lot of seemingly unrelated symptoms with a single coherent and comprehensive treatment plan, informed by over two millennia of cumulative clinical experience.
Treating anxiety with Acupuncture
Acupuncture treatments are customized for each patient; we don’t offer one-size-fits-all ‘solutions’. Someone with a pale complexion, who typically experiences milder anxiety, difficulty falling asleep, busy dreams, palpitations, easy startlement, and poor memory, would be treated very differently than someone with a flushed face, more severe anxiety and insomnia, restless dreams, palpitations, thirst, and (possibly) mouth or tongue sores. Both patients have insomnia, anxiety, palpitations, and poor memory, but the causes are quite different — and the treatment approach must also be different.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognizes and treats many types of anxiety, from mild to severe. Absent-mindedness, indecisiveness, timidity, or even just a vague sense of lacking direction, can all be part of a straightforward clinical picture, with a clear diagnosis and treatment plan. But even severe anxiety, agitation, confusion, restless and manic behaviour can be successfully managed with acupuncture based on Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Treating ‘brain fog’, poor memory and difficulty concentrating with Acupuncture
If you are experiencing poor memory, insomnia, and palpitations, your practitioner may ask you seemingly unrelated questions: Do you also experience tinnitus? Loose stools and scanty periods? Any backache? Headaches? Prickling, numbness or tingling sensation anywhere? Do you find you feel restless?
If you have trouble concentrating, do you also have loose stools and a sense of fatigue? Or a tendency to constipation? Is there any dizziness? Does your head feel heavy, or empty? Are you easily startled? Do you feel listless or apathetic, and somehow ‘dull’? Is there a tendency to irritability?
Exploring these kinds of questions enables your provider to differentiate between the various causes of poor memory and other cognitive-functional issues. That way, we can treat the root cause of the problem, instead of just managing an apparent mish-mash of symptoms.
Treating hyperactivity with Acupuncture
Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes at least six common types of hyperactivity, each caused by a different systemic imbalance. Hyperactivity, poor concentration, and insomnia can be accompanied by numbness and tingling, dizziness, blurred vision and dry eyes, irritability, and tendency to thinness. Clearly, such a case requires a different approach than if the hyperactive patient instead experiences tendency to gain weight, speech impairment, lassitude and fatigue, and loose stools, for example.
Whatever the mix of symptoms you experience, and whether they are severe or mild, your acupuncturist can pinpoint the specific systemic imbalances causing them, and explain what to expect from a course of treatment based on a plan tailored to your needs.
Saima Anto, R.Ac, R.TCMP provides acupuncture services at Pacific Wellness and is available for appointments four days a week. If you would like to explore how acupuncture could help your health concerns please call us at 416-929-6958. Acupuncture treatments are covered by most employee benefits.
Original article and pictures take www.pacificwellness.ca site
