Beat Spring Allergies by Getting Acupuncture Now

Who doesn't love spring? The weather is warmer, the colors pop, birds are chirping and days are longer.

But with that, especially for allergy sufferers, comes an increase in pollen and other allergies causing sneezing, sniffling, itchy eyes, headaches, and an overall sense of feeling not-so-great. Right? 

If you're tired of the same allergy-fighting routine and are looking for a more holistic approach, be sure to give acupuncture a try. As CNN reports, acupuncture treatment just might be an antidote for allergies. 

The article cites a study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine, where researchers examined 422 people who tested positive for pollen allergies and had allergic nasal symptoms such as a runny nose. They were then divided into three subgroups, one which  received 12 acupuncture treatments and took antihistamines as needed, a second group which received 12 fake acupuncture treatments  and took antihistamines as needed, while the third who only took antihistamines for symptoms.

After two months, patients were asked to report their symptoms as well as how much medication they used. The results? The participants who received the real acupuncture treatments with their antihistamines showed a greater improvement in their allergy symptoms and less use of antihistamines compared to the other groups.

It's long been known that acupuncture can help with pain and inflammation, which are two symptoms of allergies. The ancient procedure can also help repair the flow of qi throughout the body,  along the meridian pathways. In session, be sure describe the symptoms to your practitioner so they can strategically place the acuneedles at targeted points. 

If you find yourself suffering from seasonal allergy symptoms, come on in and give treatment a try. You have nothing to lose (except your stuffy nose, that is!) 

How Acupuncture Saved One Woman's "Mom Bod"

There’s nothing more beautiful and precious than bringing a new life into the world. But pregnancy can of course also be a physical burden on mothers, the incredible changes that the body goes through causing all sorts of aches and pains all over.

Caitlyn Doenges always suffered from back pain, and it only got worse when she was carrying her first child. Once her daughter was born, Caitlyn expected her pain to get better. Now that she wasn’t pregnant, wouldn’t her back have less strain on it? However Caitlyn soon realized that her baby brought many more physical challenges—holding the growing child, pushing her in a stroller, taking her in and out of car seats, etc. The day-to-day rigors of child care include lots of stretching, reaching, and straining—for someone who has a history of back pain, raising a child can often make it even worse. Eventually, Caitlyn’s pain took an even worse turn.

“All of this combined with my already bad back led to the herniation of a disc in my lower back,” she wrote. “The pain from this herniation radiated all the way down my leg and caused such severe nerve damage that three years later, a large part of my leg is still numb. I had to do something to get better.”

That something, for Caitlyn, wasn’t surgery or medications, both options she could have taken. Instead, she went down a holistic path that she had previously known nothing about: acupuncture.

Caitlyn initially was treated three times a week for the first few months, then eventually went down to at least once a week continuously for the past three years. Now that Caitlyn has two children, she certainly is doing plenty of lifting and stretching and pulling – but she’s living a much more comfortable and pain-free life. 

“Those tiny little needles have saved my mom body by allowing me to put away the pain meds and focus on being present with my kids.”

Acupuncturists Without Borders

You may have heard of Doctors Without Borders, but what about Acupuncturists Without Borders? 

Acupuncturists Without Borders (AWB) was founded by Diana Fried  immediately after Hurricanes Rita and Katrin in 2005. According to this Valley Advocate article the AWB, "provided free community acupuncture treatments to 8,000 people in Louisiana, including evacuees, residents, first responders, emergency personnel, volunteers and other care providers."

Most recently, AWB has now been helping Puerto Rican evacuees help to manage and treat their trauma. 

After the devastation that Hurricane Maria brought to Puerto Rico, many individuals lost everything, and have had to flee the country for safety. 

AWB member Verena Smith, an Amherst based acupuncturist, explained, “people who were directly hit by hurricanes – and their families and friends from Western Mass – surely are experiencing serious acute traumatic stress.  Folks may be having flashbacks, panic, insomnia, suicidal ideation, or any number of symptoms that can be relieved with simple treatments.“

Since acupuncture has been shown to help with anxiety, insomnia, depression and other symptoms, acupuncturists and AWB members Nancy Edwards and Dede King brought their services to a Springfield clinic to offer treatment to stressed evacuees within a shared treatment setting. The results?

The report explained, "people seemed a bit more jovial, perhaps the result of a positive shared experience or perhaps a result of the treatment. Regardless, the general mood seemed lighter; smiles spread across faces for the first time that evening."

It has been long known that acupuncture treatment, specifically targeted for trauma, can help to heal both physical and emotional pain, while balancing qi. 

Acupuncture for Your Furry Friends

If you’ve given acupuncture a try for yourself, you know the incredible benefits of the ancient practice. By balancing the energy in the body, acupuncture has proven to be a beneficial treatment for a wide array of human ailments and conditions. But did you know that humans aren’t the only animals who can benefit from acupuncture? That’s right—if you’ve got a furry friend who is struggling with their own ailments, veterinary acupuncture may be just what you’re looking for.

Veterinary acupuncture has been around since the 1970s, but didn’t really gain popular acceptance until nearly two decades later. While many people are still opting for medicinal treatments to treat the health issues ailing their dogs or cats, acupuncture works on many animals at nearly zero risk. Acupuncture is a beneficial treatment option for many types of pets, including ill pets, animal athletes, geriatric pets, cancer patients, surgical and post surgical pets and more.

One recent story is evidence of the treatment’s success (and a real heart-warmer, too!) Dan, a rescue cat located in Columbia, South Carolina, was treated at Seven Oaks Animal Hospital late last year for hind end paralysis—leaving him unable to use his legs and walk. But after three months’ worth of acupuncture treatment, coupled with medical therapy, Dan was once again able to walk.

And veterinary acupuncture is not just for cats and dogs—Seven Oaks says they’ve also treated non-venomous snakes as well as chickens, too!

While we only treat humans here, it’s always good to know what options can be out there, whether it’s you or your furry friend who is in need of pain relief. Knowing what we do about its efficiency and benefits, it’s no wonder that the lovely animals we share the earth with have also found acupuncture to be a reliable, low-risk treatment that seriously improves quality of life.

Can Acupuncture Help Your Menstrual Cramps?

Any woman has been there before - the aching, throbbing, crampy pains that come along with the territory of being a woman and having a monthly cycle. No matter which way you choose to think about it, they are never fun to experience. 

Whether your remedy of choice includes heating pads, Tylenol, exercise, sleep, or curling up in the fetal position until it's all over, acupuncture is something you should definitely consider adding into your bag of tricks to help combat painful periods, also known as dysmenorrhea. 

A HelloGiggles writer who had struggled with cramps and pain for quite some time recently documented her own experience in seeking relief through the alternative treatment. And while she loved relaxing and listening to music throughout her session, what was most notable was that her two subsequent periods following regular treatments were much improved. She explained, "But the two periods I have had since starting with regular treatments have been so much better. Suddenly, I’m not relying on painkillers as often to ease menstrual cramps and headaches, but honestly, the benefits are evident all month long. Acupuncture helps my anxiety and moods, while also helping with my insomnia. I’ve slept better than I have in years."

Her results are not surprising, as many of our clients have found relief from their monthly symptoms via acupuncture.  Yet she set out for more information by speaking with some experts in the field. 

Three experts she spoke to all agreed that acupuncture can demonstrate long-term improvement, with one Dr. Alban explaining, " 'Some people improve and do not need further treatment. Others need ongoing or occasional maintenance,' by way of monthly tune-ups around the start of their cycle."

Her conclusion? "If you’ve been struggling with heavy, painful, and seemingly never-ending periods, you might want to give acupuncture a try. It certainly can’t hurt and just might be the self-care technique you’ve been missing to finally feel better each month."

We couldn't agree more.

Acupuncture and Hot Flashes

Until you experience one for yourself, it’s hard to accurately describe. Intense heat sensation and sweatiness followed by an equally unsettling chill—across the entire body. It can last a few minutes or more, and then once you think it’s all over, the pattern starts up again. That’s right, we’re talking about hot flashes. And despite what you may have heard, women can experience this unfortunate phenomenon before they experience menopause. If you can bear to imagine it, the combination of cramps and hot flashes is a possibility for many women.

That’s what happened to Lisa Montrose, who started getting hot flashes at the age of 47. She tried supplements that claimed to help with the symptoms, but none worked. That’s when Lisa decided to give acupuncture a shot. Why? As Montrose mentions, Western medicine often addresses symptoms while Eastern techniques address root causes by balancing the energy flowing through the body.

Describing her first treatment, Montrose says, “A few minutes and 18 needles later, Phyllis was done. She told me to breathe steadily and that she'd be back soon to check on me. At first I lay there stiff and unmoving, despite the dim lighting and spa music. Then my body started to release and my mind calmed; I was no longer on a treatment table but instead drifting on a quiet sea.”

Then, the kicker: “And here's the thing: The hot flashes stopped that day. That day. I didn't understand how it worked, but my around-the-clock heat waves were gone.”

Montrose continued her acupuncture treatment consistently, about every two weeks. She says that after six months or so her hot flashes returned, but they were much milder than they used to be and occurred less frequently.

While it’s important to note that extensive studies haven’t been done on acupuncture as a treatment for the symptoms of hot flashes, we do know that balancing the energy in our bodies leads to incredible things.

How Acupuncture Can Help Prevent the Flu This Season

It’s the time of year that’s come to be known as “flu season”, but this year the illness is particularly rampant. Currently across the world, more and more people are being contracted with the virus and the effects have been stronger than usual. Making matters more difficult is that this year’s flu vaccine has proven to be less effective against the current strains of the illness than usual.

While getting a flu shot is still a crucial part of prevention, there are other ways for people to stay healthy this season and beyond. Many more folks are tuning additionally to holistic treatments, with great success. One particular treatment, of course—acupuncture.

"There's some really good acupuncture in different areas of the body that help boost your immune system," Texas-based Acupuncturist Adrienne Ortega said. In the goal of preventing the flu, acupuncture needles are placed on the head, ears and stomach area.

However, for those who have already been infected, prevention tactics are too little too late. Thankfully, acupuncture is not only a flu prevention tool, but is proving to be a successful technique for treating and clearing up some of the flu’s most disruptive and painful symptoms.

"Acupuncture can really clear up the lungs, stop a cough, reduce phlegm, clear up the sinuses and improve nausea," says Dr. April Schulte, Clinic Director for Healing Horizons Integrated Health Solutions in Grand Junction, CO.  

Perhaps you’ve been lucky enough to avoid getting the flu this season. But there’s no vaccine yet for the common cold (we can all hope!), and according to the CDC Americans have a combined one billion colds a year. Acupuncture is also helpful against both preventing and treating the common cold.

“It can drop a fever really fast with the acupuncture and it helps when you have that cough that’s causing pain,” says Bon Linde of Acupuncture and Herbal Therapies of St. Petersburg, FL.

So if you find yourself with some sniffles, or worse, or want to stay free and clear, acupuncture treatment may be the way to go. 

Acupuncture and Migranes

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 treated 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.

Can Acupuncture Help Asthma?

Approximately 8.4% of children and 7.6% of U.S. adults suffer from bronchial asthma, more commonly known as asthma. Common treatments for this disruptive and concerning breathing disorder include prescription medicine—often administered through an inhaler.  However, while many of these treatments for bronchial asthma help the symptoms, they aren’t too effective at attacking and healing the root causes. Those who suffer from the disorder may thankfully get a temporarily reprieve from symptoms, but those symptoms are likely to return. When it comes to something like asthma, every attack is one too many.  

However, a potential breakthrough in treatment appears to be on the horizon: acupuncture.

The China Academy of TCM recently performed a number of studies to see how effective  acupuncture and other holistic treatments can be in treatment of bronchial asthma. One study consisted of a comprehensive acupuncture regiment on 111 patients. Needles were retained for 20 minutes on a daily basis at the outset, with treatment ramping down to every other day as symptoms subsided. Of the patients, 48 underwent a positive change, 61 saw significant improvement, and 2 saw no change—an impressive 98% effective rate.

Further studies were done using moxibustion as well. Moxibustion was administered to a specific acupuncture point, and then moxibustion paste was applied to the point every day until the initial moxibustion scar was healed. This study of 299 patients yielded a 70.6% success rate—57 experienced a positive effect, and 124 saw a significant improvement.

How might these treatments help curb symptoms of asthma and have long-lasting effects?? Acupuncture allows relaxation of the muscles, relieving spasms that can cause asthmatic attacked. This increases ventilation, allowing the patient to breathe more safely and naturally.

If you or anyone you know suffers from bronchial asthma, acupuncture and moxibustion may be the next crucial steps to take.

Acupuncture in the Age of the Opioid Crisis

Dealing with any type of pain can be frustrating. When pain is chronic, it becomes more than simply frustrating, but life-changing.

When in pain, many people’s first instinct is to go for medication. Pharmaceutical companies have created a number of medications meant to lessen pain. However, many of these medications, particularly opioids, have proven to be very harmful to the people who take them because of their addictive properties. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that 90 people in the United States die from overdosing on opioids each day.

When Brandy Golden of Columbus, Ohio had two daughters who both were suffering from amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome, luckily acupuncture was there to help. Thankfully the nearby Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Comprehensive Pain Management Clinic treated 13-year-old Gloria and 11-year-old grace without prescribing any medications.

Sharon Wrona, the administrative director of the clinic, says: “I think in the pediatric arena for chronic pain, we’ve always been more about minimizing medications and maximizing [treatments] like acupuncture.”

One of the roadblocks to acupuncture becoming more readily available for children and adults alike in the U.S. is insurance. Many insurance carriers didn’t cover acupuncture, leaving patients fewer, more dangerous options to treat their pain. As we learn more and more about the serious state of the opioid crisis and the harmful potential these drugs can have, availability of acupuncture is becoming more widespread.

In the fall of 2017, the National Association of Attorneys General sent a letter to America’s Health Insurance Plans urging insurers to prioritize coverage of non-opioid pain treatments like acupuncture. In response, Ohio’s Medicaid program in 2018 will start covering acupuncture treatments for certain types of pain, and hopefully will be expanding it to a larger range of pain management treatments. Let’s hope that more and more carriers follow in these footsteps.

Acupuncture is something that all people should know about as one of the safest, most effective pain management treatments. If you know anyone dealing with chronic pain, be sure to recommend a holistic treatment, especially if the alternative is a pain medication.

Why You Should Incorporate Acupuncture into Your Self Care Routines

Whether improving your self-care efforts are part of your New Year’s Resolutions, or you’re only beginning to recognize the importance of “me” time, acupuncture is worthy of incorporating in to  your self-care routines. After all, if you don’t take care of yourself, who will?

Self-care is more than just taking time out for yourself. It involves recognizing your needs, both met and unmet, and taking care of them – both mentally and physically. Whether you’re looking to improve a physical ailment, your overall health, mental health or appearance, acupuncture is a fantastic, affordable, and non-invasive practice to incorporate into your efforts.

In an article on Acupuncture Together,  it explains that acupuncture can be used as both reactive and preventive treatment, and that, “Some self-care is preventive (eating a balanced diet; regular exercise; getting enough sleep) and some is responsive (getting extra rest when you’re sick).

It’s also important to change your thinking of self-care, and challenge any negativity that may come with it. Instead of thinking that making yourself a priority is selfish or unnecessary, an article from Still Point Acupuncture elaborates, “self-care may be the most generous, responsible and compassionate choice we can make. It allows us to not only take care of ourselves, but also ensures that we have the physical and emotional resources to share our talents and gifts with others.  It allows us to be physically and emotionally present for the people in our lives.”

The article goes on to suggest the following ways to practice positive self-care, in addition to acupuncture services:

• Get a massage
• Take time to meditate
• Stay hydrated
• Make getting to bed on time a priority
• Speak kindly to yourself
• Do something that brings you joy
• Love your body with healthy food
• Have lunch with friends

Can Acupuncture Help Improve Your Workouts?

Working out and physical activity is an incredible way to improve your health, tone your body, and increase your overall sense of well-being. When complimented by a healthful diet, it’s even better. Certain vitamins and nutrients can help your body both prepare for, and recover from, a physical workout.

But what about when workouts are complimented by acupuncture? Can acupuncture improve your workouts? It can. Here’s how.

According to a recent post on ActiveHealthCenter.com entitled 5 Ways Acupuncture Can Boost Your Workout, “Whether you’re on a regular schedule at the gym, you play recreational sports, or you simply make it a point to get the 2 ½ hours of moderate physical activity Health Canada says you should get every week, acupuncture can help improve your performance.”

It then outlines five ways that acupuncture can improve the quality of your workouts, and your overall health.

The first, no surprise to us, is that it increases blood flow. The author explains, “Acupuncture stimulates the production of nitric oxide in your body. In turn, nitric oxide helps your blood vessels to relax and opens your arteries. Not only will you have more oxygen and nutrients being delivered to your muscles and joints, you’ll enjoy better overall circulation.”

The second benefit?  The promotion of homeostasis, which can, “boost in muscle function, biomechanics and balance” and ensures your system is running properly.

Next up, injury prevention. If your body is running optimally, the likelihood for injury is reduce.

Fourth, most gym junkies know the importance of rest, recovery and stretching. Since acupuncture can help aid in sleep, relaxation and production of feel-good neurotransmitters and hormones, you’ll be able to make the most of your down time and rest-days physiologically, and mentally.

Lastly, the article explains that the psychological benefits of acupuncture can also improve your workouts indirectly. It explains, “The best workouts come from a mind/body balance. If you’re mentally fatigued, depressed or anxious, it can dull your workout focus and energy and affect your performance and results. In addition to helping balance all your physical systems, acupuncture can do the same for mental systems too. The release of endorphins helps promote a more positive outlook, and the balance in energy helps to relieve stress”

If you’re looking for a sixth reason, how about – acupuncture is simply great and can help in most areas, not just workouts and physical activity. So, why not give it a try.

Can Acupuncture Help Animals Live Longer Lives?

Traffic the cat once made the daredevil choice to jump out of a car going 65 miles per hour and lived to tell about it. There’s no question that Traffic has gotten the most out of his 19 years on earth, perhaps even using up some of his 9 lives in the process. But those years have taken their toll.

An article recently posted by K5 news entitled, "Animals Living Longer Lives Through Acupuncture," introduced us to Traffic, who a few years ago, was diagnosed with a high level of liver enzymes, among other health issues. The Bradic family sought many treatments for Traffic, including steroids, but nothing seemed to work.

That’s where Darla Rewers stepped in. The Bradics brought Traffic to the Fremont, WA based veterinarian, who runs the Ancient Art Holistic Veterinary Service center where, among other holistic treatments, Rewers specializes in animal acupuncture.

"It's really minimally invasive. There's these little tiny needles that can really affect a lot of change,” Rewers told King5 News.

"The acupuncture points actually communicate with the main part of the nervous system. And all those nerve endings connect and communicate so that the body can restore, repair, remodel and rebuild."

A few weeks ago we talked about the positive impacts acupuncture treatments had on an arthritic giraffe, and Rewers has used acupuncture on all sorts of animals, from dogs to cats and even birds, with successful results. How did the treatments work for Traffic the cat? The Bradics say that after 3 treatments, Traffic’s liver enzymes reduced from a count of 850 to 200. The family also said that Traffic has regained his healthy look and playful nature, and continues to receive regular acupuncture three years from the initial treatment.

There are many times in our lives where physical and mental stress can zap us from our own healthy and playful natures. Like Traffic the cat, acupuncture can often be the key to unlocking a pain-free and overall healthier life. While we won’t recommend leaping out of a speeding car any time soon, we can say with confidence that acupuncture will benefit you just as it did Traffic.

Acupuncture Use in the Military

The Fort Hood Sentinel recently ran an article entitled, “Ancient Chinese Technique Enhances Modern Medicine.” The ancient technique they’re talking about? Acupuncture, of course.

In the article, retired Air Force Col. Arnyce Pock, a board-certified Internist, advocates for the procedure, particularly for pain relief. The article states, “Pock said acupuncture offers pain relief without the costs, potential side effects and addiction and dependency issues associated with opioids, which act on the nervous system to relieve pain.”

While it explains that the medical field still doesn’t have a clear or scientific reasoning of how it works, acupuncture can work in single, or consecutive treatments.

Pock adds, “but it can be highly effective in treating a wide range of conditions,” including symptoms associated with traumatic brain injuries, such as depression, anxiety, insomnia and headaches,” which are unfortunately common struggles of military veterans.

Retired Air Force Col. Ricard Niemtzow, is cited in the article as developing a technique known as “battlefield acupuncture” also known as BFA. Within the process of BFA, needles are placed at specific accupoints along the ear, and stay secure there for two – four days. This practice aims to release pain continuously with little interruption to daily routines and responsibilities.

In fact, BFA is now taught to a variety of health care providers through the Department of Defense and Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Additionally, according to the article, “Acupuncture is available in more than 80 military treatment facilities overseas and stateside,” a great achievement for the minimally invasive treatment that is full of health benefits.

The article also quotes a third source, Army Col. Jason Wieman, hospital director at Fort Belvoir and family medicine physician trained in acupuncture as saying, “‘Acupuncture really works,’ he said. ‘I treat an average of a dozen patients per week with acupuncture, and I’ve used it personally. It’s a great tool for pain relief, and a great asset for our providers to have at their disposal.’

Woman Shares How Acupuncture Cleared Her Acne

Unless you’ve experienced it first hand,  it’s hard to understand how frustrating, painful, and upsetting acne can be. Whether you struggle with painful cystic acne, hormonal breakouts, unsightly patches of inflammation or anything in between, thankfully acupuncture can help.

Over on Health.com, author Chelsea Taber Burns opened up about how her experience with acupuncture completely cleared her acne, even after having tried the harsh and potentially dangerous drug Accutane, and “every new zit-zapping product that comes across my desk.”

Originally skeptical, she booked an appointment with a certified acupuncturist specializing in cosmetic acupuncture in New York City. Even though she’d describes herself as being terrified of needles, she decided to give it a go.

After her first treatment she describes, “After assessing my face in the mirror at home, it definitely looked fresh, bouncy, and dewy. Elana had told me it can take a few treatments before you start seeing serious skin-clearing results (I have!), but because the pins get your blood flowing, you immediately leave with a youthful flush.”

For Chelsea, facial acupuncture used in conjunction with lasers and products form a sensitive skin line have helped her, “each peak glowy, pimple-free skin potential—the kind of skin I’ve been dreaming about my whole life.”

So exactly how does acupuncture help your skin? A holistic way to help fight skin irritation, infection and inflammation, acupuncture treatment can help ensure your energies are flowing, and thereby nutrients are flowing, too. It can also help to restore any hormonal imbalances that might be responsible for skin impurities.

In contract to topical treatments, acupuncture is a minimally invasive way to try to fight the acne and blemishes from the inside, out. Much like how food is used for medicinal purposes, as well as ingested medications.

Can Acupuncture and Herbs Help with Kidney Stones?

In a post this month on HealthCMi.com entitled, Acupuncture and Herb Force Expulsion of Kidney Stones, the role of acupuncture and herbal medicine combined in expelling kidney stones is explored.

The article explains that researchers at Jiangxi Jiujiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine recently made two important findings, that one – a combination of herbs and Flomax (a prescription drug) “enable the passage of kidney stones.” And second, that, “adding acupuncture to the herbal medicine and drug protocol significantly increases positive patient outcome rates.”

The author cites a study in which 106 patients with ureteric calculi, a type of kidney stone, were randomly divided into two groups, one that received abdominal acupuncture and drugs, and the other that received drugs and herbal medicine. While a control group received only herbs and drug therapy, the treatment group received acupuncture, herbs and drug therapy,” for two weeks.

The results? The group that received acupuncture had a total effective rate of 88.7, while the group receiving only the herbs and drugs had an effective rate of 73.6.

The article cites that the researchers noted, “‘While effective, the downside of the medication is that it is slow to act, with many adverse effects, higher medical costs and even drug dependence. By comparison, acupuncture is instant, sustainable, green, and convenient.’ The research team concludes that acupuncture significantly increases the positive patient outcome rates for patient taking medications with herbs.

With strategically placed acupuncture treatment, patients may also feel relief from the pain associated with kidney stones, too. Restoring the flow of qi and as a result, blood flow, acupuncture helps to promote healing and reduce inflammation.

The article concludes, “Research now confirms that acupuncture and herbal medicine play an important role in the alleviation or elimination of endogenous and exogenous disorders, including kidney and urination bladder disorders. Based on the data, integration of acupuncture and herbal medicine into standard protocols of care improves patient outcomes and best serves the needs of individuals and communities.”

Acupuncture Being Used in the Treatment of Pain from Breast Cancer

According to a recent post from Time Magazine entitled, ‘Here’s a Promising Way to Treat Pain in Breast Cancer Treatment,” the power of acupuncture is now being used to reduce drug-related joint pain in patients.

Through the course of breast cancer treatments, the article explains that many patients are often prescribed medications called aromatase inhibitors, which protect against the disease recurring, and can come with difficult to manage side effects including terrible joint pain. But according to research, acupuncture might have the ability to help reduce the pain and make taking the medications more manageable.

The article goes on to explain that one of the remaining on the aromatase inhibitors is important in preventing the disease from going back and yet, according to Dr. Dawn Hershman, professor of medicine and epidemiology at Columbia University and vice chair of SWOG, ““But we know that they don’t work if people don’t take them, and we know the most common people don’t take them is because they develop side effects.”

A study conducted by Hershman and her colleagues examined 226 patients with early stage breast cancer who were divided in to three groups and over 3 months one group received true acupuncture treatment, one “sham” or superficial treatment, and the third group receiving no treatment at all.

Halfway through the study, 58% of the women in the group receiving the true acupuncture reported at least a 50% reduction in their pain levels. Furthermore, twelve weeks after the treatments had stopped, the differences between those that received true acupuncture and those who did not “remained significant.”

This promising result provides hope to patients struggling with pain as a side effect to the potentially life-saving medications, and increase the likelihood they remain on them. The study explains, “Hershman says the findings should give patients and doctors confidence that acupuncture may provide some benefit to women experiencing joint pain due to aromatase inhibitors.”

Acupuncture has long been an alternative treatment method to chronic pain, and as the article supports, “A growing body of evidence suggests that acupuncture may be effective at reducing pain from a variety of sources, and in a variety of populations.”

It continues, “Experts don’t know exactly how it works, but one suggestion is that it may trigger the release of the brain’s natural painkilling chemicals, says Hershman.”

Overindulge Over the Holidays? We’re Here to Help

Holidays are filled with fun, family, and food. If you’re now finding yourself feeling a bit bloated, exhausted, sluggish, or are even seeing the scale creep up a bit higher than usual, you’re not alone. We can help.

If you’re looking to lose a few unwanted inches or pounds, try our unique trademarked treatment, AcuSculptÔ. Combining acupuncture and massage, it can help you get back to your pre-holiday bod in no time.

A natural, alternative therapy to help in your weight loss efforts, the system was designed by NJ Acupuncture Center’s owner and main acupuncturist Ani Baran L.AC, AcuSculptÔ It’s scientifically targeted and aims to slim and tone using acupuncture immediately followed by a firm pressured massage.

First, acupuncture needles are strategically placed first within predetermined weightloss meridians as they work to stabilize qi, facilitate energy flow, and reduce leptin. Next, electro-acupuncture is used, as micrucurrent stimulation is sent between pairs of needles which targets releasing of accumulated or difficult to target qui.

Next, it's time for the massage.  Instead of a traditional massage, a firm and stimulating massage is performed and helps to release retained gas, fluid and bloat in the abdomen area and the thighs.

When performed over time, it AcuSculptÔ will stimulate metabolism, regulate your bowels and help fight against fluid retention, bloating and gas.  Of course, it’s not a quick-fix, and should be used consistently while being supplemented by a moderate and healthful diet.

You’ll be weight at the beginning of the treatment cycle, as your progress and weight loss will be monitored.

SO if you’ve found that you’ve had one (or ten) too many Christmas cookies or cocktails and are feeling more like Santa and less like Vixen, have no fear. AcuSculptÔ is here.

Let Acupuncture Help You Achieve Your New Years Resolutions!

Happy New Year!

Can you believe it, another year has come and gone, and now we begin to make our marks and enjoy fresh starts in the year 2018.

Whether you’ve made a few resolutions, one big one, or are simply looking for more positive changes to incorporate in to your life, you’ve come to the right place. In fact, the ancient art of acupuncture can help you on your journey towards many of the most popular resolutions. Here’s how.

 Weight Loss

Acupuncture sessions can help promote a better overall sense of well-being, thus reducing the desire to eat and/or overeat out of anxiety or depression. With reduced cravings and increased endorphins, you’ll be able to make smarter choices and lessen the likelihood of overindulgent snacks.

Better Skin

Acupuncture has been said to help with acne as well as in combating signs of aging. By utilizing specific facial acupuncture points, it can help to increase blood flow, help with hormonal imbalances that may be causing breakouts, and more.

Better Sleep

Acupuncture works to unblock any blocked or stagnant qi, or energy in the body that may be latent. It can also help to increase natural night time melatonin levels that will help you to fall asleep, and stay asleep. By calming the mind and easing any chronic pain, it essentially calms the body to be better prepared for slumber, too.

More Time Unplugged

As we are more connected now than ever before (think about it, how are you reading this blog?) everyone can benefit from more time spent disconnected – resolution or not. A quality acupuncture session will provide you with at least 20 minutes of relaxation and privacy, allowing you to rest your thoughts, meditate, manifest your intentions and desires, or overall just relax.

Goodbye, Zits - Acupuncture for Acne

If you’ve ever struggled with Acne, you know that you’ll do anything to remedy it. From expensive treatments, facials, creams, lotions, and even pills – there are tons of options out there that promise cleaner, smoother skin. If you’re still struggling, there is growing evidence that perhaps acupuncture might be able to help. Here’s how.

According to a post found within Adult-acne.net, acupuncturists believe that acne is a result of an imbalance of chi, like many other ailments and diseases. By removing the original cause of the imbalance and restoring property flow, acne can improve.

The article states that many studies have shown the following results:

·       It reduces acne inflammation by releasing vascular and immunomodulatory factors.

·       It enhances natural killer cell activities

·       It increases local microcirculation to disperse swelling

·       Reduction of inflammatory lesions

·       Overall improvement in the complexion

While the specific points used for treatments may vary depending on your skins individual needs, the article also specifically describes some of the more popular acne acupuncture points:

·       Heavenly Pillar points-  located half an inch beneath the skull on backside of the neck

·       Sea of vitality–located 2 -3 inches above the buttocks on the sides of the spine on the lower back.

·       Third eye point– located between the brows on the forehead.

·       4 Whites–located beneath the eyes: on the cheeks and half an inch beneath the lower ridge of the eyes.

·       Facial beauty– beneath the 4 Whites points on the center of the cheeks and bottom of the cheekbones.

·       Heavenly appearance– These points for acupuncture acne treatment lie below the earlobe and behind the jawbone

In addition to acupuncture, dietary changes can also have a large impact on success. Often times patients find that eliminating dairy, refined sugars, and other inflammatory or irritating foods can have a significant improvement on their complexion, too.