Acupuncture
In Acupuncture, every patient in considered unique, which means every treatment is customized to the needs of the patient. The goal of each treatment is not to just address the symptoms, but to correct the imbalance system as a whole. This way, the optimal treatment can be created, using the least amount of needles. My specialties in acupuncture are:
Acupuncture for Pain Management:
From arthritis pain to acute strains and sprains, and everything in between...there's a needle for that:
Acupuncture can inactivate the source of pain by adjusting endorphin levels, meaning that acupuncture can alleviate the awareness of pain.
Acupuncture has been shown to have a lower risk of adverse effects than some drugs or other medical interventions.
Acupuncture can effectively relieve myofascial pain, and numb pain signals.
Acupuncture improves circulation of blood through the body, which oxygenates the tissues and relaxes the muscles.
Acupuncture can affect the neurotransmitters, immune system, or hormone levels
Acupuncture for Anxiety and Stress:
Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide. Those that suffer can no longer manage stressful situations, and the mind can become overloaded, and fail to develop ways of coping. Acupuncture can be safely combined with conventional treatments, to enhance their beneficial effects and reduce unwanted side-effects.
External circumstances beyond a person’s control can set off anxiety. Acupuncture allows a person’s body to take back control, by balancing the body's biochemical homeostatic mechanisms.
Acupuncture can slow the body's production of stress hormones, by releasing natural pain-killing chemicals in the brain (endorphins), which can help decrease the heart rate and lower blood pressure.
Acupuncture acts in the areas of the brain that reduce sensitivity to stress and pain, it helps to deactivate the "analytical" brain (responsible for anxiety and worry) and promotes relaxation.
Acupuncture regulates the levels of neurotransmitters and hormones such as dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and noradrenaline. This alters the brain's mood chemistry and helps to combat negative affective states.
Acupuncture and Depression:
It's estimated that approximately 1 in 5 people will experience clinical depression at least once in their lifetime. Clinical depression differs in that, it is a long-lasting and intense emotional, physical, and cognitive state greatly affecting day to day life. Acupuncture can be safely combined with conventional medical treatments to help enhance beneficial effects while reducing the side effects.
Acupuncture is similar in effectiveness to anti-depressant medications, without having the side-effects of those medications.
Acupuncture can increase productions of serotonin and endorphins, and acts through neurochemical pathways including dopamine, cortisol, and noradrenaline.
Acupuncture can reverse stress-induced changes in biochemistry and behavior.
Acupuncture can help resolve physical ailments, like chronic pain, which can be a contributing cause of depression.
Acupuncture and Addiction:
Acupuncture is NOT a stand alone treatment for substance addiction. When combined with other recovery strategies (psychotherapy, 12-step programs, group counseling, etc.), it can enhance the healing and recovery of the patient. Acupuncture for Addiction recovery is done primarily with Auricular Acupuncture (meaning the needles are inserted into the ears). Some points along the arms and legs are added to help reduce stress and anxiety.
Auricular Acupuncture helps to:
Reduce cravings.
Ease withdrawal symptoms and pain.
Regulate sleep and emotions.
Decrease anxiety and stress.
Acupuncture affects the dopaminergic system in the brain to help decrease positive reinforcement of addiction, and help reduce drug use.
During recovery, Acupuncture inhibits GABA neurons to decrease withdrawal and stimulates dopamine to improve mood, further alleviating withdrawal symptoms.
Five specific points are used in Auricular Acupuncture for Addiction Recovery:
Kidney Point: repairs function and ease fear.
Liver Point: removes toxins from the liver and blood, curbs aggression.
Lung Point improves lung function, alleviates feelings of grief.
Shen Men: decreases anxiety.
Sympathetic Point: promotes relaxation, soothes the nervous system.
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