Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Back Pain Management

For tens or possibly hundreds of millions of people around the world, back pain is a daily problem. The pain can be of a minor sort such as a mere uncomfortable twinge to a severe, excruciating type of pain that can leave a person immobile and bedridden. There are a number of conventional treatments for back pain. However, more and more people these days are opting for alternative types of treatment to avoid the use of drugs.

Complementary therapies, as with conventional ones, have many approaches to treating back pain in Vancouver. One of the best treatments they offer by far is acupuncture.

What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese healing procedure that has been practiced by Chinese medical practitioners for more that 5,000 years. Ancient Chinese treatments are based on the notion that the body possesses a vital energy known as chi. Chi is deemed by Chinese medical practitioners to be the vital force that makes the body, grow, thrive and reproduce. Chi flows through energy channels called meridians. These channels are all inter connected connecting to our nervous system, muscles, internal organs and limbs.

Some researchers think that the meridians run near the skin’s surface where acupuncture points lie. When these points are manipulated or massaged it can boost chi flow, which then helps relieve the pain.

When you visit an acupuncturist, expect to be inquired about things pertaining to your health, your medical history and the purpose of your visit. You will discover that the acupuncturist may examine some parts of your body that a conventional physician would not normally examine. An acupuncturist may, for example, observe your digestive system or your tongue. After evaluating your health, the acupuncturist may them begin to insert needles at some areas in your body. Acupuncture needles used during treatment are ultra thin and are usually made out of stainless steel.

Some people find it painful when acupuncture needles are stuck in their body; however, this is not often the case with most people who find acupuncture to be a painless procedure. Instead of pain, they only sense a pricking sensation when the needles are inserted and manipulated. You do need to immediately let your acupuncturist know if you feel any discomfort and pain since acupuncture ought to be a more or less painless procedure. The typical parts of the body where acupuncture needles are inserted include the arms, legs, mid-section, ears, and head.

Not all people respond the same way during acupuncture treatment. Some get well while others may derive zero benefits from it. Some patients may need only one session while others may benefit from multiple sessions.

The Causes Of Dry Skin In Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)

The ancient Chinese believe that the skin has a distinct function that directly affects certain internal organs pathologically and physically. It also considered the largest organ of the body. Some of the internal organs associated with the skin include:

The Large Intestine
A strong relationship exists between the Large Intestine and the skin. Toxins may accumulate in the Large Intestine if the person consumes too much food (such as spicy and hot foods) and drinks fluids that contain toxins. The signs of toxin accumulation may show in the skin and manifest as itchiness, rash, pimples or boils. Symptoms such as bloating, pungent flatulence and constipation may also be a sign of toxin build up in the Large Intestine.

The Kidneys
This very important internal organ governs the primal Yin and Yang energy of the body. These two forces are the ones in charge of all the phases of the skin and body. A problem in the Yin and Yang of the Kidney may result in excessive perspiration, hot flushes usually felt in the face and neck, and dry skin among others.

The Liver and Heart
These two major internal organs are responsible for the emotions and circulation of the body. The state of health of the emotions and circulation can directly impact the skin. So if the Liver and Heart have functional deficiencies it can result in toxins and heat remaining in the bloodstream leading to skin flare-ups such as rashes, eczema or pimples.

The Lungs
In Traditional Chinese medicine theory, the Lungs govern the skin and enable the skin pores to open and close. If the Lungs do not function healthily, skin becomes affected leading to situations like these:

If you have been smoking for several years, your Lungs’ health may have been considerably weakened leading to frequent production of phlegm and cough; moreover, the poor health of your Lungs may also manifest as dry skin.

Smoking weakens the Lungs that when the body is invaded by external Heat and Wind, symptoms such as sore throat or sneezing and skin problems such as shingles, rashes or itch may arise.

Dry Skin Symptoms
Depending on its cause dry skin can be a sudden momentary problem or may last for a considerable period of time that gradually deteriorates over time. The skin can turn painful, irritated, itchy, cracked or scaly. The condition may even affect the heels of the feet, elbows, nails, lips and mouth. Chronic skin dryness can leave the skin prone to eczema, itchiness, rash or infection. Depending on the underlying cause of the person’s dry skin problem, the symptoms can be severe, mild or intermittent.

Dry Skin – Its Causes
The type of dry skin that may arise in a person may depend on his/her lifestyle, past medical history and constitution. There may be various reasons for dry skin and so it is important to determine the underlying reason for it in order to apply the proper treatment. In traditional Chinese medicine, there are different patterns of disharmony for dry skin. They include:

Lung and Liver Heat
Heat in the Lung and Liver may stem from several causes including certain drugs, spicy and hot foods, longstanding alcohol drinking, pneumonia, cold, flu or Heat coming from other body organs. Too much heat in the Lung or Liver can affect the health of the skin causing it to dry out. This type of dry skin leads to symptoms such as constipation, insomnia, problems falling asleep, extreme emotions, dry and/or red eyes, dry throat and dry cough. Sufferers of this form of condition can also experience illnesses such as hay fever, eczema or asthma.

Blood and Liver Yin Deficiency
This pattern of disharmony is the most common cause of dry skin. Skin dryness due to this type of deficiency occurs more in women than in men, but nowhere is this condition more common than in women after menopause, after labor or those who are past the age of 40. This does not mean that only women are affected by dry skin due to deficiency in Blood and Liver Yin. Men can also be affected, as well

Blood and Liver Yin deficiency may be caused by a weakened Blood and Yin that, in turn, leads to a lack of moisture and nutrition in the body. Sufferers may not only experience from dry skin but have other problems like insomnia, extreme emotions, interrupted sleep, anxiety, hot flushes (especially while sleeping or during mornings), thirst, sensation of hotness in the body, dry stools, unhealthy looking nails, cracks around the nails, poor quality of hair, or hair loss, as well.

Changes in Diet & Lifestyle
A proper diet – This may include eating cooling foods and green leafy vegetables. These foods may include pear, lemon, eggplant, mung beans, peppermint tea, green tea, spinach, carrots, cucumber, and celery. You also should refrain from eating lamb, shellfish, chives, garlic, ginger and onions as they can generate Heat in the digestive system, Lung or Liver and affect the skin. You also need to avoid alcohol.

Relax – Alter your work and lifestyle in a way that it generates as minimal stress as possible. Do not become too high strung or too emotional as they can imbalance the Liver energy resulting in Heat Liver excess. Sleep is a great way to relax. Get adequate quality sleep and do not go to be bed late in the night (be sure you’re in bed before 11pm)

Exercise – When you exercise, do it in a cool comfortable setting. Avoid strong sunlight and do not perform exercises that are too intense or fast as they can generate excess Heat. Swimming, slow bike riding, gentle walking slow biking and yoga are great activities to help treat dry skin.

Conventional Treatments
If you’ve been hiving dry skin for several years, you may be suffering from a far more serious underlying condition. If this is the case, you need to consult with your doctor as soon as possible.

Traditional Chinese Medicine
If conventional treatments fail to treat your dry skin, you can always try traditional Chinese medicine treatments. Besides being safer than conventional modalities, traditional Chinese medicine is one form of natural therapy that has been proven to work for dry skin.

Treatment of your dry skin will depend on the type of underlying problem you have. Therefore, a proper diagnosis is essential to come up with the right solution to your problem. 

Acupuncture for the trimming of a person's weight

The Chinese have been using acupuncture for thousands of years to aid in the cessation of smoking addiction, to relieve pain, and to lose weight in a rapid manner along with other various benefits. And besides its ability of allowing you to shed some unwanted pounds, this treatment can also help you to stay skinny.

 

Acupuncture for the trimming of a person’s weight can help boost the energy level of the person. This newfound energy can be utilized for the burning of several calories and for exercise. Simultaneously, sore and tired muscles due to working out can be alleviated with this treatment. The fact is the flow of blood is always boosted all over the body after you have undergone acupuncture. It also can help lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels and stress levels, as well. Acupuncture can help bolster the metabolism of the body enabling the body to burn carbs in a much faster rate. Moreover, hunger sensations can be significantly curbed with just a single or few sessions of acupuncture treatment.

 

Despite the lack of scientific research, feedback from several surveys has proven that acupuncture can also help normalize the sleep patterns of people. With acupuncture treatment you will be able to live a balanced and better lifestyle and enjoy deep shut-eye and longer quality sleep. And once your body establishes a steady and healthy rhythm, losing weight can be not so difficult to achieve.

 

In availing of acupuncture, you shed stomach fat fast. The needles used to achieve this effect may stimulate certain organ systems such as your nervous, kidney, lung, and liver systems. Some of the needles inserted into specific parts of your body help produce endorphins, chemicals that directly neutralize hunger sensations, relieve stress and suppress withdrawal symptoms from cigarette addiction.

 

Apart from the ears, different areas of your body can also be needled by a licensed acupuncturist. The abdomen is usually targeted if the aim of treatment is for weight reduction. The mouth may also be applied with a thin needle if you have a problem controlling your smoking addiction or if you are an impulsive eater. Some needles may be inserted on areas where the lungs reside if you are a food addict. The thyroid may be targeted for people suffering from slow metabolism. Needles that target the endocrine and the kidney are used for people with edema (water retention). Needles are applied to the spleen for the balancing of hormone and sugar levels in the body for the purpose of losing weight.

 

We need to state that acupuncture also has certain unwanted side effects one of which is dizziness during the beginning of the treatment. Also if the acupuncturist does not practice proper hygienic procedures, the patient can run the risk of getting an infection from a dirty needle. These needles can potentially harm the skin when inserted and cause hepatitis B and C. Acupuncture is contraindicated for persons fitted with a pacemaker or any electrical device in their body and for people taking blood thinners. Other than that, acupuncture is one of the easiest ways to reduce stomach fat.

 

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Acupuncture, a great way to help you stop smoking

To help alleviate upset and stress and stop illness and addiction, the ancient Chinese healing art of acupuncture can be implemented. Used for several types of conditions from diseases to drug or smoking addictions and from bone and muscle pains to anxiety and depression, acupuncture is a great way to regain your normal healthy life and help you overcome the demands that come along in your regular everyday life.

Acupuncture is a great way to help you overcome your cigarette cravings and at the same time help rid your body of the toxins. However, it should be noted that it only can help cure your smoking addiction if you are truly willing to stop the habit.

Your acupuncturist will more than likely ask you a number of questions when you first come in for treatment. These questions will pertain to your diet, habits and what your expectations are from the treatment.

What does acupuncture do?
Despite being an excellent way to help get rid of smoking addiction, unfortunately, acupuncture doesn’t work for everyone. As I mentioned a short while ago, your willingness to stop the habit is crucial in making the treatment a great success. If you have this strong disposition, then acupuncture will entirely cure you of your addiction. The treatment will help treat any symptoms or cravings you are experiencing.

Acupuncture is a Chinese medical procedure that involves the placement of reed-thin needles into specific points on your body that is connected to your cravings for cigarettes. The insertion of the needles into these points is meant to take away the desire and the feelings of wanting to smoke.

Most patients require just a few treatment sessions to help them overcome their addiction. Depending on how well the patient responds to the treatment, the duration of each session may last for five minutes to a full hour. If you quit your treatment before your addiction is fully cured, it’s highly likely that your cigarette cravings will come back.

Chinese medicine used to enhance sexual functioning

A scientifically validated remedy for several different health issues, including those related to sexual health, acupuncture is a 5,000-year-old treatment that has been used with or without Chinese herbal medicine to enhance sexual functioning and health concerns for tens of hundreds of years. The overall sexual health of either a woman or a man can be significantly boosted by the use of very fine needles stuck in specific points on the body. This includes the boosting of libido (sexual drive) and sexual performance. Apart from that, acupuncture also solves underlying conditions that may lead to sexual and non-sexual health conditions such as: weight fluctuation, hormonal imbalances, psychological challenges, menopause, drug interactions, and many more.

Besides being a potent tool for treating the whole individual including his/her emotional, physical, and mental aspects, acupuncture has minimal side effects, has low risks, and give results that are usually seen within a relatively short amount of time; however, depending on how severe imbalances are within the body, treatment times may vary .

Acupressure
A therapy akin to acupuncture, acupressure makes use of a less invasive approach. It uses the same diagnostic tools and acupuncture points as acupuncture but achieves stimulation through massage, not needles. Acupressure is normally performed with the elbows, knuckles, fingers and even vibrators. These all help activate the circulation of blood in a vigorous manner. This treatment can be of use to patients for continuous stimulation in-between acupuncture sessions.

Utilizing Vibrators on Acupoints
People can boost the amount of stimulation they receive during acupressure by using a massager or small bullet style vibrator. One benefit in using a small vibrator is that it gives you more pinpoint accuracy in activating a certain acupuncture point that needs to be treated.

By rectifying any interruption to the flow of vital energy, (which the Chinese call Qi or Chi) in the body, acupuncture provides balance within the body. Organs usually targeted for treatment, when addressing a reduction in libido as well as sexual performance, are the heart and the kidney, along with any other possible factors that may help cause any internal imbalances.

Along with discussing symptoms, your acupuncturist utilizes diagnostic tools to find out any imbalances. Tongue and pulse examinations are standard for an acupuncturist in diagnosing the condition of the patient. Acupuncture transcends the conventional pulse checks that Western medicine uses as it (acupuncture) examines 27 pulse conditions through nine positions. Vital information is provided by these pulse conditions that relate to the overall health of the patient and how well the vital organs of the body are functioning. A tongue examination that check’s its crack, coating, shape, moisture, and color, among others, can determine the overall health and organ functioning of the person.

Chinese medicine commonly uses acupuncture and acupressure; nevertheless, it has also other modes of treatment. These include electro-acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping that along with Chinese herbal remedies can be used be to balance the body. For sexual health concerns, treatment focuses in boosting blood flow to the sexual organs, balancing hormone levels, and lowering stress. This treatment is geared in enhancing sexual functioning by aiding men to increase their performance through longevity, more powerful ejaculation, and prolonged erections. For women, the treatment is aimed at enhancing their sex drive, better lubrication, and increasing their ability to have satisfying orgasms.

Beyond Sex Drive Improvement
Besides strengthening sex drive, listed below are a number of sexual issues that can be addressed with acupuncture:

– STD infections
– Male and female menopause
– Vaginismus
– ED or erectile dysfunction
– Hypoactive sexual desire disorder
– Infertility
– Female sexual dysfunction
– Prostate problems
– Female sexual arousal disorder
– Low sperm mobility
– Premature ejaculation
– Sexual aversion disorder

The two wonderful alternative treatments of acupuncture and acupressure can be considered when addressing sexual health problems. They not only resolve the symptoms but also address the underlying cause of the problem.

Acupuncture significantly helps chronic heart failure patients

A progressively worsening condition, heart failure is characterized by a worsening inability of the heart to pump adequate amounts of blood to meet the needs of the body. This condition is most usually the result of injuries to the cardiovascular system, years of high blood pressure, or of a heart attack. Heart failure has been killing a quarter of a million people each year. Severe fatigue with shortness of breath is one of the most debilitating symptoms of heart failure. A new German study, however, has discovered that a very old non-drug treatment - acupuncture - can significantly boost exercise tolerance among chronic heart failure patients.

Just recently published in Heart, a medical journal, this new study was participated in by two groups of hear failure patients who were being treated with conventional drugs and were in stable condition. The two groups were administered with real acupuncture treatments but only group, however, received acupuncture treatment based on TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) practice. The TCM acupuncture group received treatments that were supposed to lessen inflammation markers, affect the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems, and boost general strength. Treatment received by the control group was a special placebo acupuncture therapy in which the needles merely mimicked acupuncture needle pricks but did not penetrate the skin.

The Outcomes
The patients in the acupuncture TCM group were able to walk much further than the patients in the placebo group. In addition, the acupuncture TCM patients reported far less exhaustion and recovered more quickly after exercise than the placebo group even though the measurable work capacity of the heart was found to be unchanged.

The question then is how was acupuncture in King of Prussia able to improve the symptoms of heart failure?

Heidelberg University Hospital cardiologist Johannes Backs, M.D., noted that past research has shown that the patients suffering from heart failure had the ability to tolerate exercise independent of the heart’s pumping function and this appears to come primarily from the muscles. In chronic heart failure, there is an increase in the inflammation chemical messengers in the blood which is what makes muscles easily tire, resulting in severe fatigue.

One of the authors of the study, Arnt Kristen, M.D., explained to the media that "The level of blood of a certain messenger, TNF alpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha), actually falls after treatment of real acupuncture." She added that "the positive effect (of acupuncture) on skeletal muscle function can be explained this way since TNF alpha results in a decrease of muscle strength and muscle mass among other things."

The researchers explained that heart failure is a much more complex condition than previously believed and an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system and various nerve transmitters are involved. This is precisely the reason why acupuncture works – it restores balance into these processes. Acupuncture has an anti-inflammatory affect, enhances the parasympathetic nervous system (relaxation), and affects the autonomic sympathetic nervous system (excitation).

Lower your HBP with the use of Chinese medicine

A lot of people with high blood pressure tend to rely on medications to manage their condition. There are literally hundreds of drugs on the market that doctors prescribe to lower high blood pressure (HBP) levels. All these products claim of being able to temporarily regulate blood pressure and prevent the risk of a heart attack or stroke. However, modern drugs are notorious for being inherently toxic that usually leads to side effects. This is the reason why more and more folks are discarding themselves of these conventional approaches and turning to more natural and safer modes of treatment.

 

These days, you can buy your own biofeedback or breathing machine, invest in relaxation audio tapes, and buy herbal remedies for treatment. The question, do they really work? Do these products perform exactly as advertised? That when you use them, you are guaranteed to enjoy good and better health and make the treatment of blood pressure beneficial and pleasant?

 

Although acupuncture has been used as a major form of treatment in China for thousands of years, western scientists and physicians have observed it closely these past few decades and have just now begun to understand a bit of how it works to upgrade health. They found that inserting filiform needles into specific points in the body (known as acupuncture points, or acupoints, for short)–leads to an increased flow of chemicals and hormones. When they enter the bloodstream, these chemicals act on the brain and the nerves. But more importantly, some of them seem to locally affect minor blood vessels in the surrounding tissues and skin causing those blood vessels to dilate and open up setting off a sensation of warmth and flushing that some people tend to experience during an acupuncture procedure.

 

How Is Blood Pressure Measured?
Blood pressure is measured by how much force the heart needs to pump to push the blood throughout the body. If your blood pressure is high, this means that the vessels are constricted and resistant to the flow; a low blood pressure, on the other hand, suggests that the vessels are wider and offer less flow resistance causing the heart to exert less effort to pump blood throughout the body.  

 

Acupoints targeted for treatment are oftentimes deliberated on by acupuncturists because they understand the importance of selecting the correct points in order to achieve optimal results. Some acupuncturists will select powerful acupoints on the ear to bring about a significant drop in BP level.

Being natural holistic doctors, acupuncturists will always use natural blood pressure remedies –albeit with one condition – that you, the patient, will faithfully adhere and persevere in the course of treatment set by your acupuncturist. Going to all your appointments means that you believe in the treatment and that’s what’s all needed for the treatment to be successful. If you have doubts about the treatment, you could end up with a higher blood pressure level than when you first came in for treatment.

 

To help monitor your progress, it is important that you have a blood pressure monitor at home. If you don’t know how to read your blood pressure in a BP, you can buy an electronic BP monitor that will automatically tell you your BP reading. This is how you keep yourself safe.

 

You can ask your doctor what your normal BP level should be. Start by only dong recordings of your BP for a whole week. Then, the next step is to minimize or avoid any intake of salt. Try eating foods with zero salt content like yogurt, fresh fruits, and fruit juices for a whole week. Then record your BP levels once more and see the difference, you just might be shocked at what harm salt can do to your health!

 

If you decide to lower your HBP with the use of herbal remedies, be sure to talk to a qualified acupuncturist or Chinese medicinepractitioner who will guide you on what herbal concoction fits your specific needs. You could also decide to perform regular exercise or a use a breath training device instead. Whatever you chose, be sure that have your own monitor at home to help you carefully monitor your BP. Do not delay –purchase your home BP monitor and get started today.