Pregnancy related insomnia? We can help with that, too.

Anyone that has ever been pregnant can probably relate all too well to pregnancy related-insomnia, and exhaustion.

But according to recent findings published by Nature and Science of Sleep, acupuncture can improve sleep quality in pregnant women. How? By possibly increasing melatonin secretion, this article in Psychiatry Advisor explains.

Explaining the study, the article hilights a study performed by Saeedeh Foroughinia, MD, of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Shiraz University Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, and colleagues. They conducted a, “randomized, parallel, single-blinded, controlled trial on 72 pregnant women with insomnia. “

The women were assigned randomly to receive either 10 sessions of acupuncture over the span of 3 weeks, or the “control” group which instead received sleep education and sham or “fake” acupuncture.

The results?

The 26 patients who received real acupuncture treatment significantly improved in both the PSQI score ( Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ) and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin levels (the main metabolite of melatonin in urine).

We’ve long known how acupuncture can help improve sleep habits, but this is reassuring for anyone experiencing pregnancy insomnia, too!

Researches noted, “Acupuncture efficacy could be attributable to its regulatory effect on various neuroendocrinological pathways.”

They added, “It has been shown that stimulation of certain acupoints resulted in a change in a wide range of neuroendocrinological mediators, such as norepinephrine, melatonin, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and β-endorphin.”

If you’re having trouble sleeping while expecting (or not!) call or click here to book your appointment today!

Having Trouble Going? Acupuncture Can Help

We all know the saying, “When you gotta go, you gotta go”.

But for many among us, having to go can be an unpleasant and painful process. Irritable Bowl Syndrome (IBS is the most common gastrointestinal disorder, affecting nearly 15% of the population. However, IBS is also one of the most underreported disorders in the country, as many people don’t even recognize the symptoms of IBS, or think that they are a problem than can be treated. IBS can cause recurring abdominal pain and discomfort, along with irregular frequency of bowel movements and consistency of stool.

Especially with all that is going on in the world right now, it is not uncommon for stress and anxiety to affect our bowel function and manifest in digestive discomforts. While a number of medical treatments that can help aid the symptoms, thankfully one alternative method has been proven to be most effective against one of the most common forms of IBS.

A recent study performed in China at Yiwu Central Hospital has shown acupuncture to be an effective treatment of IBS-D, the form of the disorder associated with diarrhea. Along with receiving herbal medicines, the test group was administered acupuncture at 7 key points, with the needles remaining in place for 30 minutes. The points were chosen because they’re known to benefit the liver and spleen—in particular, soothing the liver and strengthening the spleen. This helps firm the intestines, which prevents diarrhea from occurring.

The treatment was found to be effective and improve the symptoms in over 90% of the patients; in addition, it was found to completely cure the symptoms in nearly 35% of patients! If you or anyone you know is suffering from the symptoms of IBS, acupuncture could be the solution. Balancing the energy in the body helps in all facets of life, even the ones we don’t talk much about.  

Acupuncture for Migraines

There’s no denying the recent times have been difficult for all. It’s stressful, and anything but normal to be secluded for this long. Unfortunately, with stress can come headaches — and those who suffer from migraines know this all too well.

Anyone who has ever suffered from migraines knows how debilitating they can be. They can last anywhere from a few hours to a multiple days, and often bring along other symptoms like nausea and vomiting.

While stress and diet are believed to potentially contribute to migraines, part of the frustration surrounding them is that the cause can be different in each patient, making them extremely difficult to prevent. And chronic migraines can lead to further issues like anxiety and depression.

Thankfully, there is one treatment that seems to be making a difference.

Florida-based, licensed acupuncturist Renee Sarra has been treating migraine sufferers with acupuncture. The treatment can be effective by managing the changes in the brain that migraines bring on. By doing a full body structure assessment, Sarra tries to identify what is bringing the migraines on, then treating through specific acupuncture points. In conjunction with massage therapy, Sarra says acupuncture helps patients relax. As she puts it, she’s trying to “get this fire, this energy out of the head.”

Recently, research conducted at the 254th Hospital in China seems to back up the effectiveness of acupuncture for not only treating migraines, but potentially preventing them. The study tested 120 total migraine patients between the aged of 18 and 70 who were divided into four groups. One group was treates with electroacupuncture in the projection zone, another was treated with conventional acupuncture applied to eight specific points.

Both groups were treated once per day over the course of 10 days, and in both groups, the treatment was successful when compared to the other groups (non-acupoint group and drug group). The Projection Zone group saw an effective rate of 93.3%, while the conventional acupuncture treatment saw an 86.7% success rate. 

If you or someone you know suffers from chronic migraines and hasn’t yet tried acupuncture, a migraine-free future may be just a treatment away.

Happy Spring! Beat Your Allergies With Acupuncture

Spring has sprung! You know what that means. The arrival of warm weather, new spring threads, trees budding, flowers blooming, the return of baseball season. But unfortunately, for many of us, that also means the return of dry, itchy eyes, sneezing, congestion, runny noses—all that comes with seasonal allergies.

Nothing can be more frustrating than when allergies hit at an unexpected time and interfere with enjoying the newly arrived nice weather and all the opportunity it brings. The good thing is, there’s time to prepare before the worst of allergy season arrives. And we’re not talking about stocking up on the over the counter allergy meds you see in those lame commercials.

This year, prevent and treat your allergies with the holistic approach of acupuncture.

Acupuncture is a reliable and lasting remedy for allergies because it does two concurrent, crucial things. 1) It treats the symptoms brought on by allergies (those runny noses and itchy throats, etc.) and, 2) it addresses the imbalances in the body’s energy that lead the body to be susceptible to seasonal allergies in the first place. Diet, exercise, pollutants, stress and more can effect the Wei Qi in our body, which is our cellular and molecular defense system. As Dr. Maureen Lamerdin writes: “Wei Qi's function is to protect and defend the body against foreign substances. When the supply of Wei Qi becomes inadequate attacks from bacteria, viruses and allergens get through our Wei Qi's defense system thereby producing symptoms.”

So this year, make sure your Wei Qi’s defense system is operating at its optimal level. An acupuncture regimen will ensure that it is, and that you can enjoy all this coming spring has to offer free from allergies.

Desk Neck? It's a Thing.

Chances are that during this COVID-19 pandemic, you’ve been self-isolating for nearly two weeks now. This means most of us are working from home which, unfortunately, probably means more time being sedentary and on screens which. Unless you have perfect posture, this can result in what we like to call “tech-neck” or “desk-neck.”

Neck pain is not fun, and it has a way of radiating throughout the body and affecting every facet of your daily life, even causing headaches, immobility, and even difficulty sleeping and relaxing. (And many of us are having trouble sleeping and relaxing right now as is!)

Thankfully, acupuncture and acupressure can help.

In many ways, acupressure massage can offer prompt relief of pain and increases mobility.

Here are three spots you can gently try to massage to find some relief.

Fengchi, GB20: this is located along the ear bone nestled in the groove back to where your neck muscles attach to your skull.

Hegu, LI4: this point is located on your hand, in between your thumb and pointer finger.

Jiaji (on the affected side): located along the vertebrae.

Pressing firmly but comfortably along the Fengchi and Hegu points for ten seconds, releasing for five, and repeating again for a series of 5 or 6 times can be an effective at-home exercise to practice.

Don’t let neck pain be, well, a pain in the neck. We’re here to help.

Acupuncture and Depression

Recently, Bustle explored something very near and dear to our hearts — the relationship between acupuncture and mental health. Specifically, the relationship between acupuncture and depression.

Speaking to various doctors and practitioners, it spoke of what we already know to be true, but love to hear it time and time again — that acupuncture can, and does help those struggling with a depressed mood.

We know that maintaining a balanced flow of qi can work wonders for mental health, and can release positive-feeling endorphins as well as a calming effect, too.

Bustle spoke with Dr. Josh Klapow Ph.D, a clinical psychologist, who also explained how acupuncture can be a helpful treatment for depression because it can reduce muscle tension, soothe the central nervous system, and improve your mood. It's also an excellent way to take time out of your day for yourself.

Though, Dr. Klapow said that studies have found that acupuncture isn't an effective primary treatment for depression, but rather is most effective when used in conjunction with other options as well. (Like therapy, exercise, dietary changes, etc.)

The article also explored research that has been performed looking into the matter — some positive and some less so.

Some of the more affirming studies included a review study published in the British Journal of Midwifery in 2018 which, “looked at 1,592 studies of depression and acupuncture to see if there was evidence that acupuncture might help postpartum depression." Only three studies fit the bill, and only one of those three showed that acupuncture might be as effective as the antidepressant fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac) for treating PPD. The other two studies didn't show much difference, but it certainly didn't seem as if acupuncture did any harm.”

We believe that giving acupuncture a try is ALWAYS worth it — as it quite literally can’t hurt, and can only help.

Medicare Will Now Cover Acupuncture for Low Back Pain

As of January 21st, the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) announced that acupuncture to treat low back pain will now be a covered benefit under section 1862(a)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act. 

The benefit will encompass up to 12 visits within 90 days for covered Medicare beneficiaries if they meet the following criteria. Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is defined in their terms as pain that:

• Lasts 12 weeks or longer;

• Is nonspecific, meaning that there is no diagnosis of a metastatic, inflammatory, infectious, etc. disease)

• Is not associated or resulted from from surgery or pregnancy

On top of the initial 12 visits within 90 days, a patient may also be eligible for eight more sessions for those patients who are demonstrating a marked improvement in their symptoms. However, a maximum of 20 treatments may be administered a covered benefit per year.

And, if a patient is not showing signs of improvement or worse, is somehow regressing, their treatment must be discontinued.

The treatment must also only be performed by a qualified provider CSA defines qualified providers as: “Physician assistants, nurse practitioners/clinical nurse specialists (as identified in 1861(aa)(5)), and auxiliary personnel” that meet all applicable state requirements and have:

• Masters or doctoral-level degree in acupuncture or Oriental Medicine from a school accredited by the Accreditation Commission on Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM); and

• current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia.

Finally, the announcement states, “Auxiliary personnel furnishing acupuncture must be under the appropriate level of supervision of a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner/clinical nurse specialist required by our regulations at 42 CFR §§ 410.26 and 410.27.”

To find out exactly what this means for you, call us today to see what benefits you may have under your insurance and if acupuncture is considered a covered benefit for you. If not, don’t fret! We also offer affordable cash rate options for those without coverage — so that healthy healing is accessible to all.

NBA Star Gives Eye Acupuncture a Try

Basketball fans were given a special “treat” this week when NBA player Bismack Biyombo of the Charlotte Hornets shared a boomerang on Instagram of himself receiving eye-acupuncture.

👀👀👀🧐🧐 pic.twitter.com/od9Tk8woVK

— Bismack Biyombo (@bismackbiyombo) January 13, 2020

Well, not actually in his eyes of course — but within the surrounding eye area that is home to many sensitive acupuncture points.

In the video, you can see tears streaming down his face, a common reaction to acupuncture around this area — and that is a good thing! It means it’s working.

Why on earth would he receive acupuncture around his eyes, you may ask? Let us explain…

Anyone who is suffering from an eye condition including vision problems, light sensitivity, floaters, dried eyes, excessive tearing or swelling, and pain can benefit from this treatment. (When provided by a licensed acupuncturist only, of course.)

As Verywell Health explains, the following acupuncture points aim at treating a variety of eye ailments:

The following areas are focused on during acupuncture for eye health.

• Jingming (UB-1) - Jingming means "bright eyes" and is located in the inner corner of the eye. This point is thought to bring Qi and blood to the eyes and to help eye problems such as cataracts, glaucoma, night blindness, conjunctivitis and blurry vision.6

• Zanzhu (UB-2) - The Zanzhu point is in the crease at the inner end of the eyebrow. This point is the focus when patients complain of a headache, blurred vision, pain, tearing, redness, eye twitching, and glaucoma.7

• Yuyao - Yuyao is the in the middle of the eyebrow right above the pupil. This point is used for treating eye strain, eyelid twitching, ptosis (upper eyelid that hangs low), cloudiness of the cornea, redness, and swelling.8

• Sizhukong (SJ 23) - The Sizhukog area is located in the hollow area at the outside part of the eyebrow. It is thought to be a point where acupuncture can be performed to help eye and facial pain including headaches, redness, eye pain, blurred vision, eye toothache and facial paralysis.9

• Tongzilia (GB 1) - The Tongzilia is located on the outside corner of the eye. This point is thought to brighten the eyes. Manipulation of this point also helps treat headache, redness, eye

If you are suffering from eye issues and would like to give acupuncture a try, please contact our office to schedule your free consultation and first appointment.

How Acupuncture Can Improve Your Sex Drive

Having a low sex drive can be a difficult thing to deal with. It can affect not only individuals but those who they are in relationships with, too. And because it can often be misconstrued or feel embarrassing, many opt to not share their difficulties with low libido and rather keep their struggle to themselves.

Low sex drive is actually a lot more common that we’d like to believe. About 1 in 3 women between the age of 30 and 70 say they have low sexual desire, and men can also be similarly affected, particularly as they age.

One might not think of low sex drive as a condition or a disorder, or anything that can be “cured”. That is partially true—there may be no one thing that acts as a cure. But acupuncture can definitely help.

Knowing what we know about acupuncture and its efficacy at regulating and balancing certain imbalances in the body, and what contributes to low sex drive, we can determine how acupuncture can help those who are looking for a way to increase their sex drive.

One of the key causes of low sex drive is stress. Stress and libido have an inverse relationship; as stress increases, libido decreases. Depression, fatigue, anxiety and more can all cause high levels of stress, with knock-on effects that can be a detriment to one’s sex drive. The good thing is that acupuncture is one of the most efficient, natural remedies for reducing both mental and physical stress.

In addition, low sex drive can also be a result of hormonal imbalances. Acupuncture is also an effective treatment for re-balancing hormones, in particular, estrogen, progesterone and estradiol, which can all contribute to throwing a woman’s sex drive out of whack. And to show that, again, this isn’t solely a women’s issue, research shows that acupuncture can be an affective and holistic treatment for men'‘s libido issues, too.

Feeling like you have a low sex drive isn’t anything to be embarrassed about. And there are avenues for help that are safe, holistic and effective. Acupuncture is one of them, so don’t hesitate to try it if you think it can help.

How Acupuncture Can Help You Through Those Short Winter Days

Daylight Savings Time was created to help early agrarian societies take better advantage of daytime and sunlight in order to produce crops and complete other work tasks more efficiently. There is lots of debate over whether our modern society needs Daylight Savings Time anymore, with many areas of the world have never utilized it, and even some states abandoning it. The days get shorter in the winter here in the US regardless, but Daylight Savings often results in busy folks barely getting outside in the daytime at all.

It can affect our health, both mental and physical. Seasonal depression is perhaps the most extreme result, but many among us feel a general malaise during the winter months, highlighted by a lack of energy and increased fatigue. Often times, are diets in the winter are more filling, which lead to feels of bloat and contribute these negative feelings.

“During the winter months, it is important to nurture and nourish our Kidney Qi; it is the time where this energy can be most easily depleted,” writes Diane Joswick, L. Ac. “Our bodies are instinctively expressing the fundamental principles of winter – rest, reflection, conservation and storage.”

During a visit for general fatigue and energy issues, an acupuncturist will likely target the kidney, as Diane writes. The kidney is a key part of the body’s regulatory ability. A healthy and optimal kidney helps increase vitality and boost energy, while also increasing the immune system which during the cold winter months is put to the test.

This winter, don’t let the short days and long periods of darkness and cold get you down. Making acupuncture part of your general wellness routine, along with proper diet and exercise, can help prepare your body to naturally stay vibrant and avoid fatigue, as well as the many negative emotions that they can cause.

We promise, you can get through this winter with your energy and vibrancy in tact. And although it feels far away, eventually the days will be long once again!

Sniffle Season? Let Acupuncture Boost Your Immune System

In many parts of the country, November marks the season where temperatures really start to change, when the winter coats and hats and gloves get dusted off and put to use. But bundling up alone won’t shield you from catching the runny noses, sore throats, and sniffles that so many fo us deal with over the cold weather months. While getting enough rest and eating properly can help keep you well, there’s one natural way to boost your immune system so that it’s at peak performance at the right time of year: acupuncture.

Our body’s ability to fight infections and viruses is a result of many different parts of the body that work together. When any of those parts of the body are not operating at their peak, the immune system is weakened. One of the most important parts of the immune system is the spleen. Located near the stomach, the spleen holds many responsibilities, but from an immune system, standpoint, the spleen filters our blood, recycling old red blood cells and and storing platelets and white blood cells which are both responsible for fighting off infections, bacteria, and viruses. Acupuncture regulates our body’s internal system and important organs like the spleen—instead of relying on medications, acupuncture allows the body to perform its functions at close to their peak efficiency and effectiveness.

A study also found that targeted acupuncture is effective at cytokines and helper T cells. Cytokines are proteins that are secreted by cells that help cells interact and communicate with others, and helper T cells are active in the body’s fight against microbes.

Making acupuncture part of your usual Wellness routine is a great idea in general, but especially during this time of the year when many of us fall prey to runny noses, sore throats and the common cold. Help boost your immune system today by coming in for a visit!

Whiplash Is a Common Injury from Car Accidents, Here's How Acupuncture Can Help

Unfortunately, automobile accidents are all too common in our society. And the most common injury from auto accidents is whiplash. Whiplash occurs when the head is jerked forward and/or backward abruptly. It often doesn’t take much; whiplash can occur even in fender benders or thankfully minor accidents. And oftentimes, folks think that they’re okay, only to start experiencing symptoms a day or two after the accident. Of those symptoms? Headaches, dizziness, pain in the neck, numbness in the arms or the hands, difficulty concentrating or remembering, and difficult sleeping and overall fatigue.

There isn’t much that western medicine can do to treat whiplash. Most often doctors will tell a patient to take non steroidal anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen and naproxen, and otherwise urge patience to wait it out until the symptoms go away. That’s not a very reassuring plan, particularly when symptoms of whiplash can be severe.

Whiplash is an injury primarily to the spine and neck, which makes it a great candidate for treatment via acupuncture. A traumatic injury like whiplash ultimately results in the blockage of meridians and the stagnation of the body’s naturally healing energy, qi. Acupuncture is able to holistically regulate the body’s energy by opening up the meridians and getting the qi to flow again, particularly to the spine and neck area that are affected by whiplash. That results in a natural anti-inflammation process that helps reduce pain and swelling, as well as the knock-on effects of whiplash that affect other parts of the body.

If seeking acupuncture treatment for whiplash, it’s important to note how long ago the traumatic event was from the beginning of the treatment. Ideally, seeking treatment as soon after the event is helpful—with many injuries like whiplash, the earlier the treatment can begin the better, since this can help keep swelling to a minimum. If the injury occurred a while ago, you can and should still seek acupuncture treatment—the only difference is that the acupuncturist will likely target different meridians, as well as additional parts of the body that have been affected in the meantime.

Ideally, we would never have to treat anyone for whiplash. But accidents happen. Thankfully, we are here to help in case they do.

How Acupuncture Can Help Arthritis

Arthritis is a painful, often life-altering condition that is suffered by far too many.

According to The Arthritis Foundation (Arthritis.org), conservative estimates say that about 54 million adults have doctor-diagnosed arthritis. Of these, 300,000 are babies or children with arthritis or rheumatic condition, babies and children have arthritis or a rheumatic condition, and the most common type of arthritis — osteoarthritis, affects an estimated 31 million Americans.

Thankfully, like many other conditions, acupuncture can help.

By reducing swelling, restoring blood flow, balancing qi and releasing pain-relieving hormones called endorphins, regular acupuncture treatment can help to reduce pain and increase mobility. Research supports this, too.

A 2012 study sought to provide supportive research, as acupuncture is often a bit controversial among eastern medical professionals — unfortunately. Researchers said, “We aimed to determine the effect size of acupuncture for four chronic pain conditions: back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, chronic headache, and shoulder pain.”

The results? Exactly what we’d predict. Acupuncture was, “superior to both sham and no acupuncture control for each pain condition.”

Researchers added, “We believe that our findings are both clinically and scientifically important.”

We also know that acupuncture and herbs is actually more effective than prescribed pharmaceuticals in treating spinal arthritis, and how it helped Bubba the Komodo Dragon restore mobility and reduce pain, too!

(Yes, acupuncture really does help animals just as much as humans!)

Acupuncture is a minimally invasive procedure that is certainly worth trying for anyone suffering from an arthritic condition.

One of the Best Treatments for Knee Pain? You Guessed It — Acupuncture.

Knee pain plagues millions of Americans, and it can seriously effect mobility and quality of life.

Regardless of the cause — arthritis, aging, or injury — acupuncture, especially when paired with chiropractic care, can truly help relieve pain and increase mobility.

Those with chronic, debilitating knee pain may struggle with aspects of daily life, and be prescribed pain relievers and/or anti-inflammatory medications to help. Though, the Journal-Advocate explains, “when the medication wears off, the individual’s only option is to take another pill — and another, and another.”

But instead of traditional pharmaceuticals, acupuncture and chiropractic care can help and can serve as a holistic option to heal.

The Journal-Advocate says, “a chiropractic acupuncturist is an excellent choice for those suffering from chronic, debilitating, degenerative knee pain. The type of care you’ll receive will go beyond hoping something works to relieve your pain. They will consider your whole body and how it is functioning — not just your knee.”

In fact, acupuncture and chiropractic care will also target hybrid issues that often occur in conjunction with knee issues including back or hip issues, and even emotional health disorders that may arise from being in a state of constant pain.

“When each area of the body that is failing to function properly is addressed, the patient can begin to heal and experience real relief from pain,” the article explains.

With acupuncture combined with chiropractic treatment, “mobility can be maximized. The ability to function normally in everyday life can be dramatically improved.”

Here at NJ Acupuncture Center, we are happy to help.

Arizona Acupuncture Board Tackles Opioid Crisis

We’ve previously talked about how acupuncture can help on the fight against opioid addiction by providing holistic pain relief and helping the symptoms many addicts face, too.

But now, Arizona is doing something about it.

According to TheSentinel.com the State of Arizona Acupuncture Board of Examiners has approving chemical dependency programs for a form of acupuncture that involves the outer ear, also known as auricular acupuncture.

This type of acupuncture is known in traditional Chinese medicine to help break the chains of addiction.

A supporter, Dr. Mario Fontes who is the clinic director of Natural Medicine & Detox in Phoenix says, “I don’t think (auricular acupuncture is) the complete answer, but I think it can really help change the tide.”

In Arizona alone, opioids are responsible for more than 3,000 deaths in only the past two years, with over 21,000 overdoses happening concurrently. (This according to dataf rom the Arizona Department of Health Services.)

Auricular acupuncture, also called “acu-detox:” works by using needles in one of 5 points located along the outer ear and is believed to help reduce pain, stress, and PTSD along with opiate withdrawals.

To help make this available to more who are struggling, the Arizona Acupuncture Board is trying to make it easier for auricular acupuncturists to gain certification.

The director of the board is quoted as saying, ““We are hoping that by providing chemical dependency programs, auricular acupuncture will become more accessible to more people and more parts of the state, especially in rural areas.”

With the program approved last year, certified auricular acupuncturists can now apply to work in approved chemical dependency programs as long as they are supervised by a licensed acupuncturist.

*If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid dependency, it’s important to seek treatment right away.

Acupuncture = Less Opioid Prescriptions?

The opioid epidemic our country is currently facing takes the lives of 130 Americans each and every day.

In 2017, overdose death counts were six times higher than those of 1999. And since then, more than 700,000 people have died due to overdosing on the potent prescription pills.

Unfortunately, often the people we trust the most — our physicians, can put people’s lives at risk by over prescribing these pills as a means of pain management. But, acupuncture can help.

How?

The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that recent results from a survey of Uniformed Services AFP members revealed that, ”family physicians who received training in acupuncture prescribed fewer opioids for patients, especially ‘strong’ opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.”

As part of the survey, doctors were asked questions investigating their prescribing habits when it comes to opioids including the frequency they use nontraditional therapies, “such as nutrition, acupuncture and massage.”  

They were asked to estimate the number of patients they had written a prescription for “weak” and “strong” opioids for chronic, noncancer  pain.

The difference lied in the those that prescribed strong opioids — like morphine, oxycodone and fentanyl.

“More than 5 percent of family physicians with no training in acupuncture reported that on average, they wrote prescriptions for strong opioids for 11 or more chronic noncancer pain patients each month.” But of those family physicians who are trained in auricular acupuncture, only two percent wrote that many.  

The bottom line?

Though not a scientific study, it’s promising to know that those doctors who are familiar with the power of acupuncture are writing less prescriptions for such dangerous drugs.

Being aware of nontraditional therapies is important for all who are seeking pain relief, as these types of pills should be considered a last resort in most cases.

Acupuncture for Weight Loss? Six Ways it Can Help

Falling a little short on that New Years Resolution to lose weight?

Or, are you realizing that summer is fast approaching (woohoo!) and you’re looking to shed a few more pounds?

Let acupuncture help.

There are a myriad of ways that acupuncture can assist you towards reaching your weight loss goals, and just last week, US News and World Report covered six of them.

Here’s how.

• Acupuncture may affect your hormones.

  • “"The researchers concluded that acupuncture may help people with pre-diabetes lose weight by reducing their insulin and leptin resistance; both insulin and leptin are appetite-regulating hormones that can play a role in long-term weight-loss.”

• Acupuncture promotes healthy digestion.

  • By restoring qi, acupuncture can provide improved blood flow to your stomach, hereby improving digestion.

• Acupuncture can relieve stress.

  • Acupuncture can help to release endorphins, which are stress reducing. The article explains, "no matter how you choose to manage stress, though, doing so effectively is critical for weight loss and maintenance.”

• Acupuncture may reduce cravings.

  • Reducing your cravings leads to healthier food choices, and weight loss will typically follow. The article quotes family physician Dr. Wayne Jonas as saying, “We know that food addictions can lead to weight gain…Acupuncture might alter brain chemicals associated with these addictions and, in this way, help with weight loss.”

• Acupuncture can lead to better sleep.

  • By lowering stress levels and promoting relaxation, acupuncture helps restore sleep. Sleep is essential to weight loss for many reasons, including the need for proper rest to facilitate digestion.

• Acupuncture can boost your energy.

  • “For relatively healthy folks just trying to drop a few pounds, though, an acupuncture-related energy boost can support diet and exercise behaviors that may lead to weight loss.” More engery AND weight loss? Sign us up!

Pregnancy Acupuncture Fit For A Princess

If you don’t fancy yourself much of an Anglophile, you may not know that Prince Harry of Great Britain and his wife, the American actress Meghan Markle, have broken from royal tradition in many ways. The couple is expecting their first child, and the pregnancy and birthing process is no exception. One way in which the Duchess of Sussex is differing herself from past princesses is opting for a natural and holistic birth process. One of the key aspects of Markle’s pregnancy and birth plan has been regular acupuncture.

“Meghan has been having regular acupuncture sessions to help her unwind and relax,” someone close to the couple’s acupuncturist told Vanity Fair. “It’s brilliant for the blood circulation and boosting blood flow to the uterus. She plans to use acupuncture right up to her due date.”

Markle may be breaking from royal tradition, but from where we’re sitting she’s making a great call. One of the smartest things a mom to be can do throughout her pregnancy is receive acupuncture treatments regularly. While the above quote is accurate, acupuncture does far more than merely help circulate blood. It does that for sure, but so much more.

Pregnancy can place an incredible burden on a woman’s body. Not only is her reproductive system experiencing changes like never before, the rest of the body has to compensate for these drastic changes. Weight gain, body temperature changes, nausea are unavoidable. When we treat pregnant women, we’re not only helping the qi in their body flow freely to help with general stress and anxiety, but with all of the other side effects that this wonderful experience unfortunately also brings.

Acupuncture during pregnancy is fit for a princess…but it’s also fit for every pregnant woman, too.

New Study Recommends Acupuncture as Alternative to Opioids

We’ve mentioned this before, but now even more research has emerged supporting the fact that acupuncture can be so powerful at relieving pain, it may even take the place of opioids in many patients.

In fact, the Joint Commission (an organization that accredits and certifies nearly 21,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States while developing performance standards that address crucial elements of operation, such as patient care, medication safety, infection control and consumer rights) recently released a statement that explained one of the new elements of pain . management performance, “requires that organizations provide non-pharmacologic pain treatment modalities.”

This includes acupuncture. But what does it mean, exactly?

Essentially, organizations are now required to provide non-pharmacologic (aka non prescription) pain treatment modalities relevant to its patient population and assessed needs of the patient. Noninvasive treatments, like acupuncture, can be used as a complementary and in some cases, in place of opioid medication in many circumstances. Thus potentially reducing the amount of people prescribed painkillers — which . is great news.
 
The Joint Commission also noted how important it is to have non-pharmacologic pain treatment modalities available for patients who refuse opioid treatment, or are deemed ineligible. This population, including recovering addicts, may be able to experience relief without prescription pills.

Aside from acupuncture, they write that recommended non-pharmacologic strategies, “include, but are not limited to transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, physical modalities (i.e.: acupuncture therapy, chiropractic therapy, osteopathic manipulative treatment, massage therapy, and physical therapy) relaxation therapy, music therapy, aromatherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, etc.”

While supportive evidence varies by modality and specialty, more research is consistently supportive.

The bottom line? The Joint Commission states, “our standards do not mandate that any specific complementary options are provided, but allow organizations to determine what modality(s) to offer.”
 

Got Jaw Pain? We Can Help

Ever wake up with a tight, sore jaw? Heard a clicking sound when opening and closing your mouth? Or, has your partner told you you tend to grind your teeth at night?

We can help with that.

As writer NIcole Hansalik shared in her story for MindBodyGreen, she was struggling with TMD - or, temporomandibular disorder, also known as pain in the jaw that can be felt while speaking, chewing, yawning, etc.

She said,, “TMD has proved to be difficult to treat with conventional medical treatments, but luckily, acupuncture shows a lot of promise,” and she decided to personally give acupuncture treatment a try.

Unsurprisingly, it helped.

How? While we know acupuncture helps to restore proper energy flow, or “chi”, she explains that, “ Modern research also suggests that it ‘reduces pain sensation through direct stimulation of the nerve, which changes the quality of signaling along nerve cells.’"

For Hansalik, the moment the acuneedle was inserted into the ST 7 Xiaguan acupuncture point, she said, “I can feel the relief, almost instantly.” (This goes for many other painful ailments as well.)

All it took was two appointments and she said her, “jaw pain subsided and I even stopped unconsciously clenching as intensely.” Adding, “While every individual reacts differently to acupuncture, for me it's the only thing that has relieved my jaw and neck pain.”

If you’re struggling with jaw pain or have been diagnosed with TMJ, TMD or just tend to hold some of your tension in your jaw (which is super common) don’t delay — schedule an appointment today!

(And while you’re at it, be sure to share any other struggles with your acupuncturist, too. Stress, sleeplessness, anxiety and a host of other ailments can be treated simultaneously.)