Acupuncture for Treating Depression

Acupuncture for Treating Depression

Of all the illnesses and debilitating conditions acupuncture can help treat, depression is one of the most interesting. Part of the reason for this is that modern Western medicine classifies depression as a mood disorder manifested by both physical and psychological symptoms. In contrast, acupuncture, a practice within Traditional Chinese Medicine, does not view depression as an illness but rather an imbalance within the person's system that can be treated with acupuncture therapy, herbal medicines and problem-specific massage. Though there is no one answer for treating a case of depression it is wise for someone to consider all their options including psychotherapy, anti-depressant medication and holistic acupuncture therapies before deciding on a treatment program.

Depression is a very unique study area that can involve many factors including genetics, behavior, environment, individual circumstances and chemical imbalances in the brain. Though Western medicine has found success with both psychotherapy talk treatments and anti-depressant medication, there is no one single cure for depression mostly because each individual experiences different symptoms. Some may be riddled with anxiety, suffer from insomnia and experience stomach pains while others may sleep way too much, show little or no interest in just about anything and may deal with feelings of hopelessness and in extreme cases suicidal behavior. Because of the variations in the symptoms of depression it isn't always easy to diagnose a patient and prescribe a treatment program.

If you have tried medication and psychotherapy and have had little or no success it may be time to give acupuncture a try. As with other acupuncture treatments, the goal is to identify strategic points on the body that may be disrupting the vital flow of a person's 'qi' or life force energy. Traditional Chinese Medicine believes that conditions such as depression are linked to imbalance of energy flowing through a person's body and that with the gentle insertion of fine needles along these meridians the flow of energy can be returned to its normal state thereby alleviating the symptoms associated with depression.

Unlike broken bones or torn ligaments, the treatments for depression can vary widely. Some people react well to medications while others prefer talk therapy as a way to relieve their anxiety and stress. And still others have found success through the holistic approach of acupuncture therapy and a continued treatment of Chinese herbs and problem-specific massage. Some choose acupuncture for the simple reason that is all natural and won't involve a patient becoming dependent on a particular medication. Many people have also found that a combination of psychotherapy and acupuncture have had great results in alleviating major symptoms of depression. If you or someone you know is dealing with depression, ask him or her if they have considered acupuncture treatment. Quick, painless and affordable, acupuncture may be the remedy you've been looking for.

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The Eastern Way of Wellbeing

The Eastern Way of Wellbeing

Many people hear of acupuncture and think of its ability to treat pain conditions. Few however, have been educated about acupuncture's potential to treat organ related issues as well as mental, emotional and spiritual instabilities. The theories of acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are woven with poetry, mystery and clinical experience. These theories are predominantly based on the laws and cycles of nature. These cycles are governed by the I Ching, the Dao and the Five Elements.

The I Ching is a classical text on divination and wisdom, translated as The Book of Changes and it regards the natural law of constant change and how to react to it. The Dao is a non-denominational philosophic classic with the idea that health and happiness comes from following The Way, which is living as closely to nature as possible and following those laws and cycles of change. The Five Elements clarifies and organizes the cycles of nature and of life and helps one to understand the connection between all things.

Of course YinYang is a constant in all three of these theories as it is the simplest representation of constant change, balance and relationships. TCM strives to see the patterns, cycles and connections of disease therefore being able to discover the cause. Acupuncture has the amazing ability to assist patients in breaking those patterns and assisting one to follow the cycles of nature.

If there is one main difference between the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine, it is that TCM comes from a time before scientific technological experimentation, before a time of separation between body and mind and the ideas of reductionism. It is based on the relationships between objects, events and experiences. TCM focuses on how all the parts work together and creates one thing-this is holism. There are 12 most commonly used pathways where the acupuncture points lie on the body. These pathways connect the entire body/mind, organs, as well as flow in and out of each other. In this way we are able to affect the entire being.

There is no line drawn between body, mind or spirit as they are all an expression of Qi or the Vital Breath of Life. For example when we experience physical pain there is always a mental and spiritual reaction as well. In TCM, each organ has not only a physical function but a mental/emotional and spiritual function. The Lungs are responsible for breathing in oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide and mentally responsible for taking the world in and letting it go. The spirit of the Lungs, Po, is about trusting and listening to our animal instincts. It is about being able to process and let go of old emotions and experiences and being inspired by the world around us.

Most people, who have experienced acupuncture, speak of the deep relaxation sensations during the treatment. It has a calming and balancing effect on the body and many times after treatment people will feel the desire to have a long deep sleep. When the body is in balance and at rest, it is able to heal itself; to fight a cold, to build strength, battle free radicals or rebuild tissue. There are also few adverse side effects with acupuncture as it activates balanced function in the body. In my experience, many people from the western world express fear or anticipation of pain from acupuncture.

There are some thoughts that it is because people of the west often direly contend to ignore painful emotional feelings. Truthfully, acupuncture is generally not painful as the needles are very thin and sharp. However, there are some locations that can be uncomfortable for a moment and is then replaced with a new sensation. It can be helpful to remember that "there is no coming of consciousness without pain", (Carl Jung).

Acupuncture continues to have new and interesting studies granting proof of not only its effect on treating dis-ease but also of the actual pathways and points and their reactions on the nervous systems, brain as well as endocrine and immune systems. Most recently, the Bonghan Channel Theory has been proven and states that the acupuncture meridians are in fact threadlike microscopic anatomical structures. As modern science continues to support Traditional Chinese Medicine, the world is at a tipping point to expand the expectations of acupuncture and acknowledge that "we are tapping into a unique system of organization" that has the experience of thousands of years, (David Milbradt).

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Five People Who Need Acupuncture

Five People Who Need Acupuncture (Even Though They Don't Think They Do)

You're not sick. You're not injured. Your digestion is perfect and your sleep is deep and restful. You've been fortunate, and have never been involved in any sort of accident or had any type of serious health issue. You don't have chronic knee pain, back pain, or tennis elbow. In fact, lately you've been thinking that you are in the best shape of your life. With all this being said, there is definitely no need for you to see an acupuncturist, is there?

Actually, we can all benefit from preventative medicine, regardless of what is going on right now. And if you fall into one of these categories, you need it more than you think you do:

New moms. To all of you out there that given birth recently, congratulations. However, along with that bundle of joy comes a whole slew of issues just waiting to crop up. Shoulder and neck pain from carrying the baby, sleep deprivation, hormonal mood swings-the list goes on and on. A visit to your local acupuncturist can work miracles for all of these issues-and increase lactation! Bet you didn't know that, did you?

Bodyworkers. Even the most diligent of you are using your upper body at angles that will eventually lead to back and neck pain-at the very least. Once you've worked out the kinks on your patients, come in and I will work out the kinks that your patient delivered unto you.

Travelers. We all know that acupuncture can help with jet lag and fear of flying. But those of you who fly regularly for your jobs know just how easy it is to get sick. Between the disrupted sleep, canned air, and Joe Schmo hacking away next to you, catching something is often inevitable-unless you are proactive about protecting your immune system with acupuncture.

Teachers. You, too, are surrounded by a sea of germs. Add in the stresses of dealing with a room full of miscreants, and voila! A recipe for getting sick. Come in and head things off before they start.

Students. You stay up all night studying. You eat random disgusting things from vending machines. You are stressed, exhausted, often hungover, and bloated because your diet sucks. How about scheduling an appointment to take care of all that? FYI, acupuncture can also boost your focus and concentration. Maybe you should schedule an appointment a day or so before that exam you've been crying about?

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Acupuncture and Arthritis

Acupuncture and Arthritis: How to Manage Arthritis Without Resorting to Drugs

Osteoarthritis is a debilitating illness where the cartilage and other structures around the joints are damaged and/or inflamed resulting in pain and stiffness. The knees and the hips are commonly affected but osteoarthritis can affect the hands or the neck too.

A recent review of all the treatments available to support patients suffering from osteoarthritis has shown that acupuncture may be beneficial. But how does it work? On a biomedical level, Acupuncture treatment may help to relieve pain and improve function in patients with osteoarthritis by:

• releasing of endorphins and inhibiting pain through the modulatory effects of endogenous opioids

• reducing inflammation

• increasing local microcirculation, which aids dispersal of swelling.

In Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), osteoarthritis is a 'Bi syndrome', a group of syndromes that affects the bones and joints and is usually characterized by pain, soreness or numbness of tendons, muscles or joints. This is the result of the body being 'invaded' by a pathogenic factor such as Wind, Cold, Heat and/or Damp. These pathogens will lodge into the body's meridian (the energy pathways) and will block the free flow of energy (called Qi). This is what causes the pain and reduction in movement associated with the arthritis. The aim of the acupuncture treatment is to free the energy, removing the blockages and harmonizing Qi to eliminate pain, inflammation and swelling.

Traditional Chinese Medicine does not recognize osteoarthritis as one particular syndrome. The diagnosis is dependent on which pathogenic factor is present/the strongest and on the manifestation of the illness (Is there some swelling, is the joint warm to touch, worse in the morning etc...). So the treatment will be different too from one patient to the next. Each patient will receive a unique, customized treatment with different acupuncture points and different lifestyle and diet recommendations.

It is likely that the treatment will involve local points around the painful joint, some distal points to treat the pain with acupuncture points away from the area and some points to support the body constitutionally. These points will also ensure that the root cause of the problem is being addressed too. These points will be the ones that will help in avoiding a relapse at a later date.

Finally, osteoarthritis is commonly associated with pain. But for some people, it manifests itself not with pain but with pins and needles or a feeling of numbness. This can also be helped with acupuncture, just as well as the stiffness and pain.

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Avoid Chronic Back Pain Thanks to Acupuncture

Avoid Chronic Back Pain Thanks to Acupuncture

When I am asking people if they've had acupuncture before and what it was for, back pain is probably the most common answer. This is hardly surprising as acupuncture is known for its ability to relieve pain but also because back pain is a very common complaint.

Back pain is one of the most prevalent reasons people seek health care. It is the UK leading cause of disability and one of the main reasons for work-related sickness absence.

In most instances, people are suffering from lower back pain. One of the top causes for that sort of injury are sprains (overstretching one or more of the ligaments in the back) and strains (a rip or tear in the muscle caused by sudden force). This can happen from an injury, poor posture, or improper lifting.

Sciatica is another common form of pain in the back. Sciatica is a term used to describe pain that extends down into the buttocks and leg which comes from an irritation of a larger nerve in the lumbar spine called the sciatic nerve. Sciatica can go with sprains, strains, herniated discs.

Back pain can also happen during pregnancy, because of stress, viral infection or kidney infection.

Research has shown that acupuncture can help back pain by providing pain relief, improving muscle stiffness and joint mobility and reducing inflammation.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines on best practice now recommend that General Practitioners offer a course of 10 sessions of acupuncture as a first line treatment for persistent, non-specific low back pain.

The Acupuncture point of view:

The aim of acupuncture is to restore the flow of energy in the body to promote self-healing. Different techniques can be used: needling but also cupping (vacuum cups to help relax the muscles, improve blood and energy flow) and moxibustion (a warming technique which involves burning tightly packed herbs near the patient skin on a needle or with a stick).

When treating back pain, an acupuncturist will palpate your back to find the areas that are the most sensitive and needle those. But it is also possible to use distal points, acupuncture points that are further away from the area of pain, usually on the hands and feet. These are just as efficient as local points and are particularly suitable in case of an acute injury.

He/she might also check where are the restrictions in movement and where is the pain associated with a certain movement (referred pain).

Cupping will help improving the blood flow in the area and relax the muscles.

Moxibustion, because of its warming effect, helps relaxing the muscles, especially if the area is cold to the touch.

Finally, the acupuncturist will also choose constitutional points to work on the root causes of the problem, i.e. what sort of imbalances are present that made the body weaker and therefore more prone to back pain.

This is an important point of an acupuncture treatment. As a holistic therapy, acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine always seek to treat the whole person and not just the symptoms. By concentrating both on the symptoms (reducing pain) and on the root cause of the problem (the energetic imbalances in the body), acupuncture can achieve long lasting relief and avoid a pattern of recurring back pain.

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What's Your Secret?

What's Your Secret?

Several years back, everyone was buzzing about a certain book that had just come out, called "The Secret." Curious as always, I went out to buy it. At the end of the first chapter, I wasn't very impressed. It wasn't that well written, and none of the ideas expressed were anything new. I already knew that what you put out into the universe, you would receive back-didn't everyone know that? I knew that if you wanted something badly enough, you could make it happen. Why was everyone talking about all these simplistic ideas as if they had never been considered before?

It didn't take me long to finish the book, and my opinion of it did change somewhat. Rather than viewing it as an innovative work, though, I saw it as a feelgood story designed to cheerlead the disenchanted into revving up their passion for achieving their goals.

It wasn't until a few years later that I began to view those theories in a new light. I was driving to Boston with my sister to look at an apartment. When I got there, I found the new place to be large, conveniently located, and very well-priced. In essence, it was everything I could have hoped for. On the ride back, my sister made a comment about my ability to manifest what I wanted.

"Anyone can do that," I responded.

"Not like you. Everything always works out for you," she answered... a bit snippily, I might add.

"That's because I'm really passionate about getting what I want, and I don't stop until I make it happen," I replied.

But then I started to really think about it. Am I passionate? Absolutely. Am I lazy? Hell, yes! If I love what I'm doing, I will devote every ounce of myself into the job at hand. If I don't care? Eh, not so much. I'm the queen of procrastination and half-assery when it comes to working on things I'm not fond of. This is why most of my dinners come from a can.

So, what is it that makes a good manifestor? As I pondered the question, I realized that the key to it all is a lack of doubt. Once I set my mind to something, I never question for a second that it will happen. If I walk into a job interview, there is not a doubt in my mind that I am already hired. I always talk about things I want to happen as if they have already taken place... because in my mind, they already have.

Of course, if it was as easy as I am making it sound, we would all be millionaires with perfect spouses and abs. Visualization is hard. There are some people who can't seem to do it at all. (Over the years I have met lots of people who have told me they've never had a daydream. I find this really hard to believe, but why would they lie?) Even for those who are really good at visualizing what they want, though, it is still difficult to let go of experiencing reality as it is, rather than what it could be. We are trained to live in the here and now, and living in a world of your own creation is seen as...well, insane.

This weekend, go forth and practice manifesting something simple, just to get started. Just manifest silently, or the doubt of those around you will taint everything. Start small, and think of one thing that would make you happy... then visualize the crap out of it. Train yourself to ditch the doubt, and you will soon be creating all kinds of wonderful things for yourself!

Visit our website at http://www.healingpointtherapeutics.com to educate yourself about acupuncture. Find out how you can benefit from Chinese medicine, discover the theory behind it, and keep checking back to learn about our latest specials and events. At Healing Point Therapeutics, our goal is to be the catalyst for positive forward change in your life, so take the first step and call today!

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The Evils of Stagnation

The Evils of Stagnation

When I was still an acupuncture student, one of my instructors used to refer to stagnation as "the root of all evil". Now that I have been in practice a while, I have a true appreciation for this statement.

At its core, the term "stagnation" refers to things that are just not moving. Picture a lovely river, running smoothly through a bucolic countryside. Now picture that same river, only with something blocking its path. That fresh, clean water is now sitting there, turning into sludge, collecting all the garbage that is no longer carried away by the flow. At the point of blockage, the water is surging up, building up pressure as it attempts to break through this barrier, but to no avail-as much as it is pushing against whatever is holding it back, it can't go anywhere. Without any forward momentum, the water begins to get filthier and filthier, gradually becoming a stinking cesspool of mold and insects.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, this is what happens inside your body when things get stagnant.

Not literally, of course... but the results of stagnation in your body can be very, very unpleasant. First of all, stagnation often leads to pain. Think back to what I said before about those meridians of energy running throughout your entire body, like rivers. Now, imagine what would happen if one of those rivers got dammed up. There would be a buildup on one side of the river, as it pushed against that barrier. This pressure usually manifests as pain. Stagnation doesn't always lead to pain, but most pain is a result of stagnation. Swelling, inflammation, and stiffness all stem from an interrupted flow of blood or qi. Move the blockage, and the pain will resolve.

There can be stagnation anywhere in the body, and the results differ according to which organ system or meridian is affected. Stagnation in the head can result in headaches, obsession, or rumination. Stagnation of the digestive organs can lead to pain, indigestion, slow metabolism, or constipation. From an emotional standpoint, we often see stagnation resulting in irritability, depression, and moodiness (PMS, anyone?)

Stagnation of the mind really is evil, because it tends to be self-perpetuating. People refer to this type of stagnation in all types of ways: being in a funk, getting stuck in a rut, not being able to get out of your own way. The unfortunate thing is, the best cure for this condition is movement...but the stagnation makes it so... damn... hard. Moving the body will move the blood and qi, which will help to dispel this stagnation. But once that mental stagnation has set in, it is sooo difficult to get moving. Soon you are stuck in a vicious cycle: you don't want to move because nothing inside of you is moving, but the longer you sit there watching Maury and indenting the couch, the more "stuck" the qi of your body and mind gets.

You know how stiff and uncomfortable you feel after sitting through a marathon of reality shows? That is because the flow of blood and qi through your meridians has been impeded by your lack of movement. Now that things are not flowing merrily along, as they should, you experience the lack of movement within as a lack of desire to do anything other than sit there. And the longer you sit, the worse it gets.

So get up and get moving...and if you can't, then do the next best thing and call my office!

Visit our website at http://www.healingpointtherapeutics.com to educate yourself about acupuncture. Find out how you can benefit from Chinese medicine, discover the theory behind it, and keep checking back to learn about our latest specials and events. At Healing Point Therapeutics, our goal is to be the catalyst for positive forward change in your life, so take the first step and call today!

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Dealing With Hot Flushes and Night Sweats Thanks to Acupuncture

Dealing With Hot Flushes and Night Sweats Thanks to Acupuncture

Hot flushes plague many women during menopause because at that of their life, women experience fluctuations in hormone levels. Well, it looks like acupuncture is now recognized as providing relief from this miserable symptom. Studies have shown that acupuncture may help relieve hot flushes from menopause. And another study also showed that acupuncture can improve not just the frequency of the hot flushes but also the women's quality of life.

What is Menopause?

Menopause is a transitional period marking the cessation of ovulation in a woman's body. This time of change may last a few months to several years. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and are brought on as our bodies try to adapt to decreasing amounts of oestrogen. Symptoms include hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia, fatigue, mood swings, memory loss, vaginal dryness, headaches, joint pain, and weight gain.

Practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offer another paradigm in which to consider the experience of menopause. In TCM, life goes in cycles of 7 years for women (and 8 years for men). At the end of the seventh cycle (7x7 so 49 years old), menopause occurs and the woman becomes infertile.

In TCM, Essence is responsible for birth, growth, development, sexuality, maturation, and aging and is associated with the Kidney. The gradual depletion of Kidney Essence is the mechanism responsible for the timing and signs or symptoms of menopause. It is also responsible for weakening of the bones, loss of teeth, hearing loss, confusion and memory problems-all manifestations associated with the Kidney. Weakness and lack of energy are also a common condition of depleted Kidney Essence, along with lumbar pain, as the Kidney is located in the lower back.

It is important to note that in Traditional Chinese Medicine, the organs, such as the Kidney, do not share the same meaning than in Western Medicine. They are rather symbolic entities whose function is defined at the level of the body but also on an emotional level and in relation with the other organs in the body. So the Kidney is associated with the formation of urine but also with Fear and houses the Essence.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Menopause

In Western Medicine, the treatment of choice for hot flushes is HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). Whilst HRT can certainly help women, it can have a number of significant side effects including increasing the risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancer. It is therefore an unsuitable choice for some women, for example women with a family history of breast cancer.

Like many other conditions that patients bring to acupuncturists today, menopausal syndrome is a biomedical disease category. There is actually no evidence that it was recognised as a medical problem in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Instead Traditional Chinese Medicine is working as a holistic therapy, treating the person as a whole and taking into account all the different symptoms of that particular patient to establish the diagnosis. Because not everyone will have exactly the same symptoms, each patient will receive a treatment specific to his own imbalances, including a different acupuncture points prescription and/or lifestyle and diet advice.

As more and more research shows that acupuncture can be an effective modality to treat hot flushes, acupuncture is proving to be one option to ease the transition phase during menopause. So don't suffer in silence!

Sabine Green is an acupuncturist practicing in the Middlesbrough area (UK). She is also a member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC).

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Emotional Freedom Technique

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Its Classical Chinese Medical Aspects

Most people in the West think of Emotional Freedom Technique as a disciplined practice of tapping acupuncture points and set-up phrases intermixed with western energy psychology and are not aware of its deeper Classical Chinese medical aspects which this article will hopefully elaborate.

Eastern and western health philosophy differ in the way the two systems handle psychology. Asian philosophy emphasizes the unity of body and mind, whereas western philosophy separates the body and mind. The classical Chinese associate the emotions directly with the organs and they do not perceive the emotions as being stuck in the brain as the westerners do. Taoist and Buddhist philosophers link the emotions to each organ and have developed deep theories of psychology based on these relationships. Thus, the state of mind and the stage of one's body are intimately connected. In the West, although it is understood that certain physiological conditions can influence the mind, mental and emotional disorders are generally not connected to specific organs or organic functions, but are believed to be wholly centered in the brain. Fundamentally, the Chinese associated the emotions and related mental states to the five elements (wood, fire, earth, metal and water) and to the organs associated with them. In general, the emotions are related to the organ associated with each element.

According to Huang Di Neijing, "In the human body located on each channel are a set of points identified with each of the five elements. On the yang channels they are represented by jing/well-metal, rong/spring-water, shu/stream-wood, jing/river-fire, and he/sea-earth. On the yin channels they are represented by jing/well-wood, rong/spring-fire, shu/stream-earth, jing/river-metal, and he/sea-water. By acupuncturing the corresponding elemental point of the organ system that is the most susceptible, that organ system will become balanced and thus avert any potential disorder."

As an EFT Practitioner, I have made important additions and modifications to Gary Craig's EFT procedure to avoid side effects called 'Qi deviation' and also increase its effectiveness a hundred-fold with a variant of EFT called "EFT Qi-healers Method." The Jing-Well acu-points of the liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach, gall bladder and bladder in the feet are added to balance the Yin (lower) and Yang (upper) meridians, and Pan Gu Shen Gong, Sheng Zhen Qigong, Wuji Qigong, Maitreya (Shiva) Shen Gong, Tibetan Shamanic Qigong with tonic herbs are also integrated with EFT to remove the energy toxins and restore the Three Treasures - Jing (essence), Qi (vitality) and Shen (Spirit) - leaked by the negative emotions held in the five organs.

Tapping of the acupuncture points with intention, and loving and accepting oneself work in EFT therapy because according to the three theories of Classical Chinese Medicine, "Qi follows intention," "the heart is the supreme master of the organs and is the home of shen, the spirit. If the master is brilliant, his subjects are peaceful. If the master is disturbed, his twelve officials [the body's organ systems] are endangered," and "when the Qi obstruction or stagnation in the energy meridians is normalized through acupuncture," balancing of yin and yang, and emotional and physical healing naturally take place.

The reason why EFT therapy works:

By reinforcing the Qi, opening one's heart to shen's unconditional love, and clearing the Qi stagnation or obstruction through acupuncture (acupressure) along the 3 extra meridians (Du Mu, Ren Mu and Chong Mai) and the yin and yang meridians of the heart, pericardium, triple warmer, spleen, stomach, small intestine, lung, large intestine, bladder, kidney, gall bladder and liver, the charge or intensity behind unwanted negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, guilt, fear, pain, anger, sadness, trauma, etc. can be intentionally neutralized during EFT therapy. Furthermore, the leakage of the Three Treasures - Jing (essence), Qi (vitality), and Shen (Spirit) - due to negative emotions is plugged restoring the normal functions of the five major organs.

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Why You Should Use Acupuncture to Cure Back Pain

Why You Should Use Acupuncture to Cure Back Pain

Traditional acupuncture has been used for over 2,000 years to alleviate back pain and acupuncturists have for many many years been successfully treating patients for this condition either in private practice or working within conventional medicine.

In the UK:

The UK's NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) organisation has drawn up guidelines recommending that acupuncture be made available on the NHS (National Health Service) for chronic lower back pain. The guidelines on best practice now recommend that GPs offer a course of 10 sessions of acupuncture as a first line treatment for persistent, non-specific low back pain.

This means NICE's guidelines are effectively an endorsement of the wealth of research evidence now available in this area.

What is the extent of the problem?

According to the NHS, back pain affects more than 1.1 million people in the UK with 95% of patients suffering from problem associated with it. This costs the NHS and associated services more than £1 billion each year. Recent research by HTA Spotlight (Acupuncture for back pain) has shown that acupuncture treatment can be effective in treating back pain and introducing acupuncture treatment on the NHS can be very beneficial for patients who are suffering from the one of the nation's main reasons (according to the NHS) for work-related sickness absence.

Research shows that Acupuncture for back pain:

Is as good as or better than conventional medical care
Helps patients that want to avoid taking pain relieving drugs
Is useful in tandem with conventional treatment for it during pregnancy
Is useful in tandem with conventional treatment for it in the work place

5 ways Acupuncture for back pain helps:

It reduces pain. It does this by stimulating nerves in muscles and other tissues which in turn causes endorphins to be released. These are the body's natural pain killers.
It reduces inflammation by promoting the release of vascular and immunomodulatory factors.
It reduces muscle stiffness and joint mobility. It does this by increasing the circulation in the immediate area. This helps to disperse both swelling and bruising.
By doing all the above it reduces the amount of medication required for the pain.
It keeps the accountants happy as well. It has been proven to be more cost effective than conventional treatment when carried out over a longer period of time. In fact, it has also been proven that it improves the outcome of conventional treatments if it is used in conjunction with it.

How can you choose an acupuncturist to treat you?

It is essential for patients to choose an acupuncturist who is registered with a professional body. In the UK, The British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) members have extensive undergraduate degree level training in acupuncture and biomedical sciences appropriate to the practice of acupuncture in the UK. They are bound by strict codes of ethics, and safe practice and professional conduct.

You should then look for information about the clinic your planned acupuncturist is practising in. A good example of the information you should be looking for is the Morley Acupuncture Clinic page on the Pagoda Acupuncture website.

This gives information about the clinic, the acupuncturist at the clinic (myself in this case), links to testimonials for the acupuncturist, how to get to the clinic and facilities nearby the clinic that might be useful to a patient. This is the level of detail you should expect.

By ensuring your acupuncturist is registdred and the clinic meets your expectations you can be pretty sure that you will get a professional, effective and pleasurable treatment.

Iain Lettice is a full member of The British Acupuncture Council. He graduated top in his year from Leeds Metropolitan University with a BSc (Hons) Acupuncture degree.

You can find Iain on the Pagoda Acupuncture website which currently lists Acupuncture Clinics in the UK. The Pagoda Acupuncture website has been created by Iain to help all registered Acupuncturists get on line when they don't have the funds or expertise to do so. Please contact Iain via the website if you would like to be found on it.

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Auricular Therapy for Substance Abuse

Auricular Therapy for Substance Abuse

As an acupuncture detox specialist, I would like to address the alcohol and drug addiction problem in our community with relevant historical information on how it is treated from an acupuncture perspective as a much needed adjunctive natural therapy to the existing solution focused addictions counselling and self help groups (with harm reduction models) that we have now here in Vancouver.

The following information would also explain why acupuncture would be one alternative health service option as an available resource that could be integrated with the already established existing alcohol and drug program or counselling centers. Given the economic and social devastation of the current drug addiction problem here, however, we are perhaps well advised to consider it objectively, with an open mind and without prejudgement. Let me quote a Chinese proverb: "The methods used by one person may be faulty; the methods used by two people will be better."

Almost 400 detoxification programs in the U.S. and Europe have been modelled after the one at Lincoln Hospital, New York City where psychiatrist Dr. Michael Smith and his staff treat 250 addicts a day with auricular acupuncture. The theory behind that practice holds that the entire body can be affected by stimulating points on the ear. Dr. Smith has observed that withdrawal symptoms and cravings abate within minutes of the treatment. Equally important says Smith, is a reduction in panic and hostility commonly seen in drug-treatment settings - changes that make addicts more amenable to counselling. "We're not claiming that acupuncture is a magic bullet," he points out. "We're claiming it's valuable in combination with counselling."

In 1985, the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) was founded by clinicians who wanted to extend the example of Lincoln Hospital experience into other treatment settings. NADA sets standards of certification for acupuncture detox specialists that are widely accepted in the field of chemical dependency. I am one of the first NADA certified acupuncturists here in B.C. where acupuncture is a legalized primary health care profession.

In the U.S.A., chemical dependency professionals in both the private sector and the criminal justice system have taken a keen interest in the work done at Lincoln Hospital and other NADA affiliated programs. The introduction of an acupuncture component to an existing program provides a cost-efficient method for providing non-residential treatment to large numbers of drug dependent people, while increasing the effectiveness of existing services.

Regardless of the setting, and the substance abused, acupuncture treatment aids in patient detoxification. It does so by supporting the main organs of elimination in the body, speeding the body's ability to rid itself of toxins.Treatment improves mental clarity and ability to focus. It also provides the patient with a sense of calmness and serenity. This creates a greater receptivity to the counselling process and decreased instances of clients' "acting out".

One of the non-criminal-justice speakers at the 1991 NADA conference was Robert Olander, Commissioner of Chemical Health for Hennepine County, Minnesota. He suggested that there have been three "benchmarks" in the history of alcohol and drug treatment in the United States, three things that have revolutionized the way we do alcohol and drug therapy: first was the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1935; second was the development of pharmaceuticals in the late 1950s and early '60s, and the third is acupuncture.

As shown in the epidemic of drug addiction related problems such as increased cases of HIV infections, increased criminal offenses and increased number of mental health dual diagnosis clients, traditional western chemical dependency treatment, unassisted, is a rather bleak landscape. Its proven effectiveness depends most upon clients remaining in treatment for a long time, and yet treatment drop-out is too often the norm. Some long term follow-up studies have found that even lenghty treatment stays ultimately produce low success rates.

There is a saying, "If the only tool you have is a hammer - you tend to treat the world like a nail."

Help is needed, and acupuncture has much to offer.

NOTE: From my 30 years in treating my clients with substance abuse, best drug detoxification results when auricular therapy is integrated with Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), counselling, Qi-healing and Qigong combined with tonic herbs.

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Do You Get Long Term Effects With Acupuncture?

Do You Get Long Term Effects With Acupuncture?

How often do I need to get acupuncture treatment? This is probably one of the most common questions that people ask during their first consultation. The other is whether they will need to keep having acupuncture on a weekly basis to keep the getting the effect.

Traditionally, in China, doctors were not paid when their patients were getting ill. They were paid when their patients were well and healthy. This is in contrast with the way we only go and see our GP when we are ill. Traditional Chinese Medicine has a strong emphasis on re-establishing balance within the body and on preventing illness rather than trying to get better once the person is ill.

So let's say someone is coming to see with nausea and vomiting during the first trimester of her pregnancy (also called morning sickness). Acupuncture can achieve fantastic results and calm the nausea and vomiting down very quickly, sometimes even after just one treatment.

However, that patient will need several treatments after that. This is because, with acupuncture, I would be trying to treat both the symptoms and the root causes of the problem. If only the symptoms are treated, they are very likely to come back. This is a bit like taking one pill to calm the nausea down. As the effect wears off, so the nausea comes back. As the root causes of the problem are tackled and the body is brought back into balance, the length of time without nausea increases and the results are sustained.

How long this will take depends largely on the patient and the length of time he or she has had that illness. The longer the problem has existed, the longer the treatment will take to re-establish balance within the body. Even when the illness is very recent, it may take time to ensure that the results are sustained. This is because an illness can be the sign that your body has been out of balance for a long time, even without obvious symptoms, and therefore will take time to recover. This also explains why 2 persons who have had a similar accident can heal at such different rates.

So as a general rule, I usually say that people will have some improvements within 5 to 8 treatments, with some people experiencing major changes after just one treatment. The length of the treatment itself will depend a lot on the patient and the length of time the imbalance has been present and if there are still some external causes for the illness (for example, stress or a very physical work).

Finally, I would really recommend to anyone who has had acupuncture in the past and found it beneficial to have some regular 'top ups', perhaps every 6 weeks or so.

Sabine Green is an acupuncturist practicing in the Middlesbrough area (UK). She is also a member of the Britsih Acupuncture Council (BAcC).

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Defining Five Element Acupuncture for Practitioners of Chinese Medicine: The Elusive CF

What is CF?

Is it the Causative Factor described by the late J.R. Worsley, father of Classical Five Element acupuncture as it is practiced in the West. Is it the Central Focus described by Dr. Gary Dolowich and similarly described by many other leading Five Element practitioners in an attempt to remove the cause and effect implication of CF? Either way, vhat does it mean to us as practitioners and why does it matter so much in this medicine? How do we discover this elusive CF anyway? Why is it so slippery to diagnose?

First things first, no matter how you slice it, Causative Factor (CF) is the central diagnosis made by a traditional acupuncturist. To the best of my understanding, J.R. Worsley used this concept to describe the initial imbalance that occurs in a human being -- most likely happening early in childhood. This primary imbalance is sometimes described as our first break from original nature en route to becoming individuals. Causative Factor can be caused by any imbalanced reaction to a certain wanted or unwanted stimulus. We can respond to affection by "going overboard" with joy and then react with total lack of joy when the affection is removed. Anger may arise upon contact with an unwanted stimulus. Similarly, inappropriate fear, sympathy, or grief may also present itself. J.R. Worsley taught that it is the CF that is the cause of the patient's current imbalance no matter how far removed from that original reaction we may be, and J.R. adamantly advocated treating the CF of the patient exclusively.

Other practitioners interpret CF more loosely. Gary Dolowich likes to use the acronym CF to describe something he calls the Central Focus. In his line of thinking, Causative Factor comes too close to implying that this initial imbalance causes all of our imbalances and diseases - a concept far too linear and western in thought for him to accept as "ancient Chinese wisdom". In this line of thinking, CF is still the central diagnosis of disease but is defined a little differently. To Dolowich, CF is determined by considering a set of seemingly unrelated observations and symptoms to see what factor they have in common -- not so much what caused them. We then use that CF as the basis for treatment. Either way, Worsley and Dolowich both advocate treating the CF to bring the whole person into balance. Dolowich however, does find exception to this guideline.

CF is important to traditional acupuncture practitioners because in addition to being our diagnosis, it provides the hub around which a much greater treatment is focused. CF can be looked at as not simply an imbalance but also the purpose, challenge and "cause" we must work at in this life. Acting in accordance with this inner purpose is what five element practitioners consider "fulfilling our destiny". Like the central theme of a novel, our lives too have a central theme that can offer us a glimpse the special manifestation of divinity present within each of us. This is the reoccurring theme that we will continually return to throughout the novel of our lives. Our specific destiny cannot be known as this is as unknowable as the universe itself, but by knowing the central theme of our lives we can utilize the divine within us to help move us from patterns of disharmony to harmony. By knowing our patient's CF, we are able to treat that patient in a way that speaks to their being most directly.

By treating on the CF we are going straight to the core of that person as opposed to treating the periphery. It's like the final scene in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi where Luke Skywalker annihilates the Death Star by flying into its interior and destroys its core. Now of course we are not trying to "destroy" anyone in the treatment room, but try and see the analogy as a metaphor for going to the source of an imbalance. Surely with all of their firepower, the Jedi fleet could slowly chip away at the exterior of the Death Star and could perhaps weaken the enemy enough to disable the Death Star. So too can an acupuncturist treat a patient on many different points and see benefit due to the inner-connectedness of the energetic pathways running through the human bodies, but by going to the core of the imbalance (treating on the CF), the acupuncturist can expect the most potent treatments. Luke affected change via the most direct and potent path and instantly rid the galaxy of the evil empire. Correctly diagnosing the CF and treating the patient on that CF is analogous to finding the well-hidden core of the Death Star and directly destroying it. It took the Jedi the entire film to figure out where to find and how to take out the core of the Death Star. Why is finding this core imbalance so hard for both the Jedi and acupuncturists? How do we diagnose CF and what makes it so tricky?

The how to diagnose sounds quite simple. First, we look at four points of observation. I'll call them CSOE from now on: The Color emanating from a patient, the Sound quality of a patient's voice, the Odor of a patient and the least appropriate Emotion they present. Any aspect of CSOE can show the influence of more than one of the five elements but should have one element that dominates what we are observing. Of these basic CSOE properties, we can make a diagnosis as long as the dominant element revealing itself is the same for three of the four CSOE properties. This sounds simple but is actually quite difficult for novice practitioners for a few reasons.

First, all of these CSOE observations are quite subtle. Color, for example, is not the obvious color of the skin, but is better described as the color of the sheen of the skin. Odor is not the obvious body odor or the odor created by perfumes and fragrances but is actually the odor beneath the perspiration, shampoos and fabric softeners. To observe these subtle realities in a patient, a practitioner must refine his powers of observation far beyond what he is accustomed to observing. This takes time and practice.

The other complication in diagnosing the CF is that what we observe about the basic properties is constantly in a flux. The colors that express themselves are dancing and shifting, and the sounds in the voice are many and are influenced by culture and situation. All of the CSOE observations have this complexity. It takes experience to know what is being expressed least appropriately.

Just as a Jedi is trained for all of her life before she is ready to take on the Empire, so too must a practitioner be well practiced before she will be particularly effective at observing and affecting the Empire within. It is interesting to note that the training of a Jedi is very similar to the training and practice of a good practitioner of traditional acupuncture. In addition to the knowledge and skills necessary to be a competent healer or Jedi warrior, there must also be an inner practice that cultivates morality, concentration, and wisdom. It is this inner practice that propels an acupuncturist to perceive the subtleties of CSOE and therefore to treat the CF...and hopefully be around to see the patient destroy the evils in his own personal empire and live to fulfill his destiny!

Ashlyn Pardee Acupuncture Buffalo http://www.acupuncturebuffalo.com

From Ashlyn
A little over ten years ago, I was an overworked engineer trying to make a place for myself in a Fortune 500 high-technology corporation. I had no work life balance, and it was making me sick. I left engineering and the high tech industry in 1999 at the ripe age of 27 determined to find a better way of living.
That began my almost 10 year dedication to finding the deeper cause of suffering, working to alleviate it, and helping others do the same. During those years I lived and traveled around the world learning from the best minds and hearts in the field of health and wellness. I discovered a new way of living, and I discovered a very potent tool kit for transformation -- Worsley Five Element Acupuncture and Dynamic Lifestyle Design. Having relocated my home and practice to Buffalo, NY. I spend my time writing, treating patients, and educating my new friends and neighbors about the benefits of acupuncture and balanced living. In my free time I enjoy meditating, volunteering, running and learning new tricks from my border collie mix, Jet. Please contact me if you would like to know more about acupuncture or if you would like to schedule a free talk on acupuncture for a group of ten or more.
http://www.AcupunctureBuffalo.com

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Suffering From Period Pain Every Month? It Doesn't Have To Be This Way

Women are so accustomed to hearing the words period pain that it comes as a surprise for many of my female patients to hear that periods are not supposed to be painful or cause suffering. Isn't that just how periods are meant to be, they ask? Not according to Chinese Medicine.

Chinese Medicine (which includes acupuncture and Chinese herbr) regards pain as a problem. If there is pain, something is out of balance.

When you go see an acupuncturist they will ask you detailed questions about your menstrual cycle. In Chinese medicine, a normal period should occur every 26 to 30 days and last for about 4 to 5 days. The bleeding should be bright red and flow evenly. There may be some mild discomfort as the uterus contracts to expel the blood but a woman shouldn't have to take medication to deal with the pain or the cramps.

What is causing this pain and what can be done to help?

The medical term for period pain or menstrual cramps is dysmenorrhea. Each month your body builds up the lining on the wall of your womb (uterus) to prepare for pregnancy. If there is no pregnancy, the lining will begin to break down. The bleeding you experience each month is the lining being pushed out of your body. Hormones called prostaglandins are released towards the end of your cycle. These hormones cause the uterus to contract to remove the lining. If higher levels of these hormones present, they make the muscles in your uterus contract harder and faster, causing more pain. This also reduces the blood supply to the muscles of the womb, which also leads to more pain.

There may be other reasons for the pain such as endometriosis, fibroids or an infection. If you experience severe pain each month or if your periods become painful after years of no pain, you should go see your doctor to see if one of these conditions is causing the pain.

If there is no underlying cause (endometriosis, fibroids or infection) for your pain, what can help?

Doctors will suggest painkillers such as paracetamol (acetaminophen, Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) to help with the pain. The oral contraceptive pill is also often prescribed to women.

For those women who prefer a pill-free alternative, or those who are trying to get pregnant, acupuncture and Chinese medicine has a lot of success treating painful periods. Chinese medicine views pain as a problem, so even if there is no underlying diagnosis that is directly causing the pain, there are imbalances that need to be resolved. In my experience, period pain can be treated successfully with a regimen of weekly acupuncture and herbs in as little as three months.

In addition to acupuncture and Chinese herbs, supplements such as fish oils (omega 3s) and magnesium can also be helpful.

Foods that can also help include grapes, lemons, tomatoes, berries, beets, watercress, vinegar, dark greens, onions, scallions, cabbage, broccoli, chives, walnuts, chestnuts, mustard leaf.

Drinking red raspberry leaf tea can help ease menstrual cramps. Stop drinking this tea if you become pregnant. Also, women who suffer from bad period pain should avoid eating cold foods right out of refrigerator or putting ice in their drinks.

Don't suffer every month. Get the help you need.

Sharon Kastoriano
Licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist
Women's Health and Fertility
Tel Aviv, Israel
sharon@dikurnashi.co.il
054-916-0156

Using the time-tested methods of acupuncture and Chinese herbs, Dikur Nashi offers women a gentle, holistic approach to their health. Behind infertility, premenstrual tension, hot flashes, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, migraines, and all other women's health issues, lies an individual. YOU are unique. Your treatment should be too. Dikur Nashi offers customized care with acupuncture and Chinese medicine that is tailored to meet your individual needs.

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Preparing for an Acupuncture Treatment

Preparing for an Acupuncture Treatment

If you've decided to try acupuncture you will be excited for your first visit. To make your first acupuncture treatment as hassle-free as possible consider following a few tips that will properly prepare you for an acupuncture session. As with a visit to a doctor you will want to know in advance the conditions you are experiencing and any side effects you are feeling. This information will help your acupuncturist focus on specific areas that can help you recover from an injury or illness. Also let an acupuncturist know if you are taking any medications prior to treatment and what they are taken for to avoid any complications from adverse reactions.

On the day of your appointment treat it as you would a regular visit to a doctor or a massage. Do not drink alcohol prior to an acupuncture treatment and do not drink right after therapy either. Because of the increased risk for shock is advised that patients do not consume any alcohol the day or treatment. Try to eat a light meal a few hours prior to treatment. Loading up on a heavy carbohydrate meal will make you feel bloated and that can affect the success of the treatment. Something nutritional but light such as a salad or soup is recommended.

When going to the acupuncture appointment try to dress in light comfortable clothing that won't hinder the acupuncturist or make you feel uneasy. Acupuncturists often need to roll sleeves up to the elbows and pant legs up to the knees to access all the meridians necessary for a specific treatment. Also, most initial acupuncture treatments can take up to 90 minutes so you will want to be dressed in clothing that allows you to relax and breathe.

Give yourself enough time to make it to the appointment without rushing. Physical strain immediately before or after acupuncture can weaken the body making the therapy not as beneficial. Try to relax your mind as well as your body and also let the acupuncturists know if you have any anxiety about acupuncture or anything you are not clear about and would like further explanation. Most first sessions begin with a consultation which allows you to ask questions and reveal the detail of your injury, illness or weight issue. If you're visiting an acupuncturist for a particular pain be prepared to explain the sensation. Some common ways of expressing pain include dull, constant, sharp, stabbing and numb. Acupuncture treatments go much better when there is a full understanding of the condition being treated and its symptoms.

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Struggling With Premenstrual Tension

Struggling With Premenstrual Tension? Get The Help You Need

All women have experienced premenstrual tension or PMS at some point: feeling irritable for no reason or mood swings where you are angry and irritable one minute and depressed and crying the next. Other symptoms include feeling bloated and uncomfortable, breakouts or spots that appear out of nowhere, headaches or migraines, sore breasts and of course, those cravings for chocolate or other junk food.

Why Do You Feel Like This?

Changes to the delicate balance of hormones during your monthly cycle are the usual culprits behind PMS. Transitions between the different types of hormones during your cycle should occur smoothly without dramatic changes or swings. Stress, foods and daily life can also have an impact on these hormones. Once they are out of balance it's difficult to get back on track.

What Can Help?

For some women, their PMS is manageable and not a big deal. But for others, it can seriously affect their quality of life and make them dread their period each month. That's where acupuncture and Chinese herbs can greatly help. Hormonal balance and positive changes are typically seen in as little as three months with regular acupuncture and Chinese herbs.

Are There Other Options?

Some women choose the birth control pill to help with the symptoms. Taking the pill keeps the hormones at an even level throughout the cycle so less fluctuations means less symptoms. But the pill is not for everyone and can bring its own side effects with it. Obviously the birth control pill is not an option for women who are trying to get pregnant.

How Does Chinese Medicine View Premenstrual Tension?

Liver Qi (pronounced "chee") Stagnation is the main diagnosis in Chinese Medicine for women with premenstrual syndrome. The Liver in Chinese Medicine is responsible for the free flow of qi or energy and helps to regulate emotions. When the Liver energy gets 'stuck' or 'stagnates' it can lead to physical and emotional problems such as those that are experienced in the days before a period. It's also interesting to note that women who have problems with premenstrual tension regularly describe themselves as feeling stuck in their emotional or personal lives.

What Can You Do To Help Yourself?

1. Acupuncture and herbs is great for treating PMS quickly and effectively.
2. Use spices that move Qi such as peppermint, rosemary, spearmint, turmeric and thyme.
3. Peppermint tea is excellent for moving Liver Qi. Peppermint is 'menta' in Hebrew NOT nana. You can buy dried menta from the shuk or health food store.
4. Avoid foods with preservatives, chemicals or those treated with hormones such as meat and dairy as these can also upset the hormonal balance of the menstrual cycle.
5. Eat plenty of fiber to help the Liver do its job of clearing hormones from body. If you suffer from constipation, drink the juice of half a lemon in warm water when you first wake up in the morning.
6. Vitex agnus castus (chaste tree berry)is a Western herb that has traditionally used to treat premenstrual tension. It is available here in Israel from the Altman brand of supplements or from Bara Herbs. Stop taking Vitex if you get pregnant.
7. Red raspberry leaf is another Western herb that has been used to help with premenstrual syndrome. You can buy the leaves at most health food stores and make a tea out of them. Discontinue if pregnant.
8. Limit alcohol and caffeine and if you smoke, QUIT.
9. If you feel you are under a lot of stress, take a vitamin that contains the B vitamins as they help the body deal with the effects of stress

Sharon Kastoriano
Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist
Women's Health and Fertility
Tel Aviv, Israel

Using the time-tested methods of acupuncture and Chinese herbs, Dikur Nashi offers women a gentle, holistic approach to their health. Behind infertility, premenstrual tension, hot flashes, endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, migraines, and all other women's health issues, lies an individual.

YOU are unique. Your treatment should be too. Dikur Nashi offers customized care with acupuncture and Chinese medicine that is tailored to meet your individual needs.

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Questions Related to Electro Therapy

Questions Related to Electro Therapy Treatment That You Must Ask Your Acupuncturist

Regardless of its growing popularity, electro therapy is still mysterious to many people. Especially, after getting conjoined with electricity, many people have started assuming that this therapy is risky. While the improvement in fertility or effective treatments of medical conditions are not proven scientifically, there is evidence that suggests its effective role in pain management and relieving stress.

The following are some important aspects that you must discuss with your acupuncturist before taking the electronic acupuncture therapy.

Ask About Certification
Ask the acupuncturist about the certification he/she has. If an acupuncturist fail to provide proper certification to conduct the treatment, do not go for the therapy. Individuals who do not possess proper certification to perform acupuncture treatment can harm your body by inserting the thin needles inappropriately.

Areas Where Needles Should Be Injected
There are proper points of acupuncture. Learn a little about them before you head to the acupuncturist. This way you will know if he/she is a professional and performing the treatment properly. Ask where the needles should be injected so that you have a better idea about the treatment.

Sessions of Treatment
Even professional and experienced acupuncturist may not be able to give you the exact answer to this one. However, they can provide you with estimates to give you an idea about the sessions you may need depending on the results of the treatment. Only when you will reach near the optimal results, you may be able to know the exact number of sessions.

Preparation for Sessions
Different acupuncturist may recommend you different set of preparations to complete before the treatment session. You must follow according the guidelines of your acupuncturist. However, there are some generic recommendations such as eating light food before the treatment to maintain a healthy level of blood sugar.

Post Treatment Activities
Again, you must follow what your acupuncturist tells you. However, in general, avoid overeating and performing strenuous activities. Professional acupuncturists believe that heavy meals or strenuous activities may disrupt the flow of energy after the treatment.

Side Effects
Do not ignore to discuss the side effects since practitioners of acupuncture will guide you best. Side effects and risks are facts that you must be aware of before you begin with the treatment.

These important questions must be asked in order to get the best results from electro therapy of acupuncture from a professional acupuncturist. More knowledge before the treatment is always useful.

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Methods of Electro Therapy for Wound Healing and Pain Management

Methods of Electro Therapy for Wound Healing and Pain Management

Electro therapy is a very effective use of small electric stimuli to heal wounds and treat pains. This method was introduced in the pain treatment history over one hundred years ago. According to scientific studies, this therapy has lead to amazing results in treating both chronic and acute pain.

Electric therapy can be used in several ways. However, it usually blocks the transmission of pain in the nerves to reach to the brain. It also enhances the production of endorphins, which is basically the natural painkiller hormone present in the body.

The following are the common Electrotherapeutic devices:

Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
The affected part of the body is covered with a self-adhesive pad. The device is then turned on to generate electric pulses that stimulate the nervous system. Each pulse lasts only for millionths of one second.

The pain signals are blocked to carry forward to the brain due to high frequencies electric pulses. On the other hand, low frequencies help to stimulate the production of natural painkillers in the body. The relief from pain resulted from the therapy lasts for many hours.

Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS)
The electrodes are usually placed on the motor point spot over the muscles. A motor point is an area of the body where motor nerve can enter in the muscles. EMS decides generates electric current in order to stimulate the muscle to contract and expand. This procedure increases the circulation of blood to the muscles and strengthens muscle fiber.

High Voltage Pulsed Galvanic Stimulations (HVGPS)
Also known as galvanic is a therapy that helps to increase the blood flow to affected areas with low-level current. When the blood circulation is increased in the body, it further leads to quick healing of wounds and detoxification. This technology can be used for other purposes than reducing pain, for example, treating acne scars, fine lines, wrinkles, fat reduction, and shaping.

Microcurrent
This is a very important and great advancement of electric therapy field. It generates extremely low current. This is why it is considered to be much safer and effective electric therapy method.

Aging process and wounds affects the capacity of cells that stores electricity. Microcurrent helps the cell to recharge and enable them to function properly again. This therapy is commonly used for healing acute pain, chronic pain, tendon repair, ligament, frozen shoulder, fibromyalgia, and other sports injuries, by increasing the rate of regeneration.

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Korean Body Type Acupuncture - 8 Constitution Medicine

Korean Body Type Acupuncture - 8 Constitution Medicine

Eight Constitution Medicine is a completely new medical paradigm and has cured intractable and previously incurable diseases. It was first presented to the world in 1965 by Dowon Kuon, a world renowned acupuncturist that is currently treating cancer patients and conducting research at Jesun Acupuncture Clinic and Dawnting Cancer Research Institute in South Korea. His findings have stayed true after 47 years and 1 million plus clinical cases: all human beings regardless of gender or race can be classified into eight different human individualities or constitutions.

Each constitution has dynamic associations between internal organs. Some people are born with lungs that are strong but with a weaker liver. Others entered this world with weak lungs yet have strong functioning livers. Additional weak/strong pairs are: kidneys and pancreas, stomach and bladder, large intestine and gallbladder. Dr. Kuon refers to this state as 'suitably unbalanced'. Maintaining this state optimizes the immune function of the human body. So when a person's strong internal organ becomes overly strong or a weak one deteriorates, his body can succumb to illness.

If this person sought treatment in Eight Constitution Medicine for his illness, the state of their internal organs at birth would dictate their treatment. It would be completely personalized from someone else who may have the same illness because their constitutions would be totally different. By identifying the weaker internal organs at birth, it is also that much easier to understand the cause of an illness.

The idea is currently gaining ground of focusing on the cause of a disease rather than just treating the symptoms. While Oriental Medicine has operated under such theories for thousands of years, Eight Constitution Medicine elegantly connects the physiology and pathology of each constitution and its twelve internal organs (Liver, Lungs, Kidney, Large intestine, Small Intestine, Gallbladder, Stomach, Heart, Urinary Bladder, Pancreas, Pericardium, San Jiao). It is also complete in addressing what elements outside of the body such as the consumption of foods would optimize each constitution.

One easy to understand application of these findings is in the treatment high cholesterol. The typical one size fits all approach is reducing red meat consumption and increasing the intake of fruits and vegetables. However, over 90% of cholesterol is generated in the liver and so the impact of foods eaten is actually minimal. With Eight Constitution Medicine, the focus is in balancing the internal organ functions so that they are at optimal levels and performing appropriately for the body.

Dr. Jee is nationally board certified in Acupuncture by NCCAOM, the highest national standard in the US for excellence in his field. He currently practices at Body Balance acupuncture denver and frequently publishes articles on the subject of Eight Constitution medicine. Some of his academic credentials include a Ph.D. in Oriental Medicine from American Liberty University as well as certification in Anatomy and Neurobiology from the University of California in Irvine.

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Acupuncture Therapy and Healing Process

Acupuncture therapy has been around for more than three thousand years, tracing its roots to ancient China. Acupuncture is an effective technique of the oldest healing traditions in medicine and has gone through many studies before it was used to treat different ailments. This is done by balancing the body's harmonious wellbeing.

The acupuncture therapy has always been a very effective and fascinating healing method, which was introduced around the world. It's been 200 years that this therapy has effectively been used to treat chronic pain. However, over the last 3 decades, the popularity of this therapy has increased dramatically. Today, physicians, and health practitioners are recommending acupuncture pain relief therapy to patients in order to get treated for their back and neck pain.

The crux of the matter on which the whole treatment is dependent is a belief that the body has certain pathways that carry with it some sort of energy. When this energy flows continuously and uninterruptedly, it leads to good health.

Acupuncture treatment requires the use of several needles that are injected in the body in order to remove any blockages so that the energy flows without any interruption. This is done in order to achieve the vitality of the body.

The Acupuncture Therapy Process
Chronic pain is treated with the stimulation of central nervous system that helps to get rid of back and neck pain. According to a recent study, the body has two nerve fibers that benefit from the acupuncture treatment. These key fibers are 'A Delta' and 'C'.

The meridians in a human body are connected to three hundred pressure points. They get to the targeted organ and effects energy flow. Acupuncture treatment restores the energy flow and balances the functions of the body. Moreover, electrical stimulations are usually combined with acupuncture to produce better results.

Electro Acupuncture and Its Benefits
Acupoint is another name for electro acupuncture. In this form, needles that are electrically charged are used for the treatment of areas affected with chronic pain. The healing process is enhanced since the transfer of electric impulses is given to the body through the electrically charged needles. These needles are basically allied with a device that generates pulse according to the required frequency and intensity of electronic waves. The frequency and intensity are adjustable and can vary according to the disease.

There are many benefits of electro acupuncture treatment. An electrical impulses device is used in the treatment that causes persistent electric waves transmission. The chances of tissue being ruptured are diminished during the therapy.

East-West Seminars deals in energy medicine field and regularly conducts seminars for the latest technologies and techniques such as Energy Light Rejuvenation, electro acupuncture, microcurrent therapy, Microlight technology, Microcurrent and Acutron Microlight. To access more information about the services, log on to East-westseminars.com.

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Uncover How Acupuncture Helps Infertility

Uncover How Acupuncture Helps Infertility

Acupuncture is a unique treatment in that most have heard of, but few really understand what it is and how practitioners believe it can help with various conditions and ailments including infertility. It is an ancient Chinese treatment that practitioners believe helps to release energy that may become blocked due to trauma, stress, poor diet, or a lack of exercise. By doing this, it helps to treat certain ailments that may manifest as a result of this blocked energy. While not scientifically understood to provide relief from ailments, many have reported success with the procedure and have found it an effective treatment to relieve stress, anxiety, and even depression.

Acupuncture works by inserting thin, sterile needles in certain predetermined points on the body. This is thought to release the blocked energy. Points are determined after a consultation with the acupuncturist and depend on the ailment or condition from which the patient is suffering. For instance, points to treat fertility may vary from points used to treat back pain. It is important that patients seek treatment from a licensed acupuncturist to ensure their safety throughout the procedure. Do not be afraid to ask to see the license when considering a certain acupuncturist. Some physicians are even licensed to perform the treatment.

The treatment can help increase blood circulation in the reproductive organs, increase the thickness of the uterine lining, and improve sperm count. It may also improve egg quality and can help improve the effectiveness of any fertility medications being used. Perhaps most importantly, acupuncture may reduce stress, which can be an inhibitor to fertility. In fact, some couples or individuals are so stressed out about trying to become pregnant that it may actually negatively impact their fertility. By relieving stress and anxiety, many improve their chances of success when trying to conceive naturally or when undergoing fertility procedures or medications.

If you're interested in acupuncture or other alternative treatment methods, speak with your fertility doctor first to ensure that it is safe to do so. Some may encourage acupuncture to relieve stress and anxiety while undergoing fertility treatment or trying to conceive naturally. Physicians may be okay with the treatment as long as it does not interfere with other treatments and that the patient receives treatment from a licensed professional. While the reasons for the treatment's success are not fully understood, many have found this an effective treatment when working towards achieving their goals.

Arianna writes on fertility topics and recommends you visit a fertility clinic that specializes in Acupuncture for Infertility such as Boston IVF due to their status as being regarded as one of the best clinics in the country and New England area.

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Acupuncture Factors That You Might Not Know About

Acupuncture Factors That You Might Not Know About

Acupuncture is becoming the most commonly used treatment in the US. It is gaining popularity as an effective treatment for various health conditions. However, many people are still reluctant to try electric acupuncture therapy since they consider it risky and mysterious. Other people consider acupuncture as an ancient treatment by Chinese people who did it years ago in a small room behind their noodle shop.

Well, this is not the reality. It is the right time that the veil of mystery and risk be removed from electro acupuncture treatment and tell you some facts that you might not have known. The following list is interesting but can be very surprising for you.

1. Acupuncture can be divided into several kinds. In fact, it is not online an old Chinese medicine, auricular (ear) acupuncture refers to the Japanese style, Korean refer it is as hand acupuncture, and there are also five phase acupuncture included in the list.

2. Researchers have also concluded that electro acupuncture can affect the chemistry of the brain positively. It gives the brain new ideas and clues and helps the brain to work well.

3. Acupuncture has a very old history - thousands of years old. It was first introduced in China as an effective way of treating fevers, infections and other ailments. The system developed comprehensively over the centuries and became an internal medicine system using food therapy, massage, heat, herbs together with the usage of needles and electricity.

4. The body has more than 365 acupuncture points. And surprisingly, all points have name according to its function or location. Some common names are celestial tripod, crouching rabbit, and armpit abyss.

5. Several medical health conditions can be treated with electric acupuncture. Many people think it is only used for treating chronic and acute pain in different parts of the body. However, this is not the only role of this therapy. It can be very helpful to treat emotional conditions, menopause/menstrual issues, digestive problems, insomnia, and facial rejuvenation.

6. The needles used in acupuncture therapy are very tiny (about a hair's diameter). The needles require no shots and injections are almost painless.

7. If two patients are undergoing acupuncture treatment, it doesn't mean that the two treatments will be the same. As every individual is unique with different lifestyle, health history, and symptoms, the treatment for each patient will also be customized according to their needs.

Acupuncture is a very relaxing procedure and does not cause any pain. In fact, acupuncturists have experienced clients who seriously snore during the therapy.

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Using Acupuncture For Migraine

Using Acupuncture For Migraine

Migraine sufferers will do anything to be free of the pulsing, throbbing pain of these debilitating headaches. Three times as common in women than men, sufferers can often tell when they're about to get a migraine because of warning symptoms just before the headache starts. A new study finds that using acupuncture for migraine helps reduce the number of days patients suffer, and might have longer effects on the body.

In the research, just about 500 participants were treated using either a sham treatment meant to mimic real acupuncture, or authentic traditional Chinese acupuncture. The subjects didn't know which treatment they were getting during the study that lasted four weeks.

At the end of the trial, all participants reported less days with migraines compared to before the research started. They went from an average of six days with migraines to three days, on average, of migraines per month.

In the month after the treatment, all participants also reported that their headaches were less intense and less frequent than they had been.

However, truly lasting effects were only seen in those participants who had received the traditional acupuncture, not the sham treatment. Three months later, these individuals were still reporting a reduction in the number of days with migraine, as well as improvements in intensity and frequency. Those who got the sham treatment reported none of these things.

And though the current study only found a small benefit to real acupuncture compared with a sham procedure, researchers say that an earlier study has found that those who have the best response to acupuncture are those sufferers who have tried other treatments that haven't worked, and those who've had previous positive experiences with the treatment.

Acupuncture is one of the world's oldest healing practices, seeking to restore and maintain health by stimulating specific points on the body to maintain a balance of body energies. Today acupuncture is widely practiced in the U.S. with an estimated 3.1 million U.S. adults (150,000 children) using the alternative treatment in the past year.

The U.S. FDA regulates acupuncture needles, requiring that they be manufactured and labeled according to specific standards. They must be sterile, nontoxic and used one time by qualified practitioners only.

Another study of 300 patients found that acupuncture brings more benefits compared to no acupuncture in treating migraine. Another study on migraine and acupuncture involved 800 subjects and found that 11 treatments over 6 weeks as effective as drugs (beta blockers) used to prevent migraine.

Acupuncture could well be an alternative for treatment of migraine that can work with other non-drug therapies to reduce the painful headaches. Experts from the National Headache Foundation believe that a patient needs to try both preventive and rescue medications before giving acupuncture a try.

Most experts believe that results from using acupuncture for migraine treatment will be very individualized. If you have headaches that you think might be migraines, talk with your doctor, a careful exam and discussion of your symptoms and family history, along with an MRI or CT scan to rule out other conditions will give you a good idea. There is no definitive test for migraine, and no specific cure.

The goal is to keep migraines from happening by staying away from your own triggers. Keeping a headache diary can help you identify symptoms that appear before your headache... so you can see if patterns exist. It's also best to treat migraine symptoms right away... before the pain gets ahead of you.

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Tackle Annoying Allergies Symptoms With Acupuncture

f you suffer from Allergies, you know that it can have negative effects on your day to day life. But don't worry because there is a solution! This is an article written for people just like you, who have trouble doing what they enjoy because of their symptom from allergies. Read on for some great advice.

Spring Cleaning

When you clean your home, as you should do regularly to minimize allergic symptoms in the spring time when pollen and dander is high, use all-natural cleaning products. Harsh chemical cleaners can give off fumes that may irritate your lungs and nasal cavities and can make your allergy symptoms worse. Many chemical cleaning products also have fragrances in them that should be avoided by people with allergies.

Diet, Diet, Diet

Changing your diet is critical for helping with allergic reactions. Keeping a diet that is low in dairy/gluten, is key. Why? Well, these are very common agents to cause more inflammation in the body. Our goal is to minimize the total amount of inflammation in the body. So going two weeks 100% free form dairy and gluten your body can detox from this common inflammatory agent allowing you to have less symptoms from allergies.

Including food that have natural anti inflammatory agents can be helpful. Such as:

Pineapple

Turmeric

Broccoli

Virgin olive oil

Blueberry

Papaya

Green tea

Shiitake mushroom

Man's best friend

Many people are allergic to the dander in pets' fur. Your pet may also have dirt and dust that is trapped in the fur. If you have a pet, try to make sure that it is bathed or brushed frequently. Pets should be bathed or brushed once a week depending on breed.

Your friendly acupuncturist

This is where your licensed acupuncturist can really treat your symptoms and even get down to the root cause of your allergies. Acupuncture has been shown to help reduce the inflammation in the body, stop symptoms like headaches, stuffy nose, and watery eyes. Acupuncture with a combination of natural herbs has gotten people off allergy medication. For example: Cang Er Zi (Fructus Xanthii) helps Xin Yi Hua (Flos Magnoliae) are used to relieve allergy symptoms of sneezing, white watery nasal discharge, and/or nasal obstruction. These formulas are safe and non-habit forming alternative to allergy medications. Herbal formulas are specially formulated for patients case by case.

You can enjoy your life and have a lot of freedom by following these guidelines.

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Acupuncture for Fertility

Acupuncture for Fertility

As strange as it may sound to westerners, acupuncture for fertility is a legitimate treatment which has been used successfully by eastern medical practitioners for centuries. Most people know that acupuncture exists, and have at least some vague sense that it can be used for maladies such as back pain and headaches, but few are aware that it can't help with fertility.

Western scientists scoff at the idea that energy fields flow throughout the human body, but eastern scientists have long been aware of them.

Energy must flow freely in the body if we are to be healthy. Disruptions or blockages of these flows cause much disease. Inhibited energy flows are not just a result of disease, but a cause. Restoring the free flow of energy throughout the body can cure disease, improve overall wellbeing, and make one more fertile.

Many westerners live stressed lives and eat high calorie food which is almost totally devoid of nutritional value. They also don't exercise enough. Fat, stressed, and overworked, their bodies don't function well, or normally, and their energy flows become disrupted. The huge amount of health problems created by this lifestyle are well documented, including reduced fertility.

Acupuncture points are nodes on the body-places where energy flows converge, and can become blocked. Inserting ultra-thin, sterile needles into these specific acupuncture points alters the energy flow in the interior and exterior of the body, and can restore the natural flows of a healthy body.

Acupuncture can balance energy flows, but they will once again become unbalanced if a person continues their unhealthy habits. Most westerners are too weak and undisciplined to change their lifestyle, so any energy correction will be but temporary. However, the change of becoming pregnant is greatly increased during these temporary periods of energy balance.

Acupuncture will not magically make an infertile person fertile. It can be an indispensable component of a holistic treatment regimen. It can improve the effectiveness of artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, and donor-egg transfer.

Getting pregnant is of little use if the woman miscarries, which is the unfortunate reality for many women trying unsuccessfully to have children. They can get pregnant easily, but then have miscarriage after miscarriage after miscarriage. Most miscarriages occur in the first 90 days of pregnancy, acupuncture can reduce the potential of a miscarriage. Some mothers worry about needles being placed in the womb, this is never done.

In a few cases, acupuncture has re-stimulated egg production in women. Women who had stopped producing eggs began producing them again, though this effect was never observed in women who had already reached menopause.

Certain acupuncture points can actually increase the risk of miscarriage. Only an acupuncturist who specializes in fertility should be utilized. Acupuncturists must be licensed in most states and are not quacks. If you have fertility problem, finding a licensed practitioner may allow to utilize acupuncture for fertility.

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Traditional Chinese Treatments As Effective TMJ Therapy

TMJ stands for Temporomadibular Joint Dysfunction, which is a disorder that affects the joints of both the upper and lower jaw in patients. Apart from pain or discomfort in the jaw joints, individuals suffering from TMJ are most likely to experience other symptoms as well.

These symptoms include shoulder pain, neck pain, ringing in the ears, headaches, etc. One of the successful ways of managing TMJ would be through TMJ therapy, and not just any therapy but one involving acupuncture and the use of traditional Chinese massages and medications.

Effective TMJ Therapy #1 - Traditional Chinese Acupuncture

According to many a research conducted, acupuncture is known to have a very positive effect on the pain associated with TMJ. This kind of TMJ therapy can reduce the pain of this particular disorder in addition to restoring effective joint function. Not only this, the patients suffering from this disorder would also be able to relax the muscles surrounding their jaw joints with the help of acupuncture. A great thing about acupuncture is that it can be used on its own or in conjunction with Western or traditional Chinese medicine and massages.

Even though this TMJ therapy calls for sticking needles in one's face, which can be quite intimidating for some people, it is actually a relatively painless procedure. This is because the needles that are used for such purposes are extra fine, very sharp and they are lubricated so that minimal pain or discomfort would be caused when such needles pierce through the skin. When combined with Chinese medications and massages, acupuncture can help to achieve the ultimate goal, i.e. to remove the obstructions in the path and improve the flow of qi in the body.

Effective TMJ Therapy #2 - Auricular Acupuncture

Apart from traditional acupuncture, which calls for the act of using needles on one's face, one can also opt for an alternative, i.e. auricular acupuncture. In this kind of process, the needles are placed on special points on one's ear in order to fix the problem. Auricular acupuncture is another very effective way of dealing with the TMJ condition, it provides quick relief of pain. Irrespective of whether you choose auricular acupuncture or the traditional one, the ultimate goal of re-balancing the function of the affected body part would be achieved.

Effective TMJ Therapy #3 - Chinese Therapeutic Massages

Chinese therapeutic massages are quite effective. This therapy is widely used for the purpose of treating TMJ and other traumatic injuries suffered by an individual. This is a great aid for people who are trying to recover from this kind of disorder. In order to manage the conditions of TMJ and to improve your life, you can go for such massages. Besides, this kind of massage would prove to be a great TMJ therapy for you because you can relax completely and allow the masseur to work his/her magic.

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About Chi

About Chi

What is Chi?

The most literal translation of chi would be motive force or life force. It is the force that makes everything happen and it is the basic thing that forms the foundation of all other things. Like gravity, magnetism and other forces, it is not directly observable and the pathways that it travels along are not actual anatomical structures. Because it is a force, it ricochets and bounces around inside your body in trajectories that zig-zag all over. These trajectories are called channels or meridians and the chi circulates in them in a very regular pattern. It starts in your torso, goes out to your hands, returns to the torso, goes out to your feet, and then returns to the torso again. Each time it returns to the torso it passes through a different internal organ so, in the course of one complete circuit, your chi covers every part of your body and passes through every one of your internal organs.

There is no equivalent to chi in western medicine. Though it travels in the same general direction as the blood and nerve impulses, it is not the same. Chi is more like the push behind the nerve impulses that makes them go or the force that makes your heart pump your blood along. The closest western equivalent to chi would be like the concept of energy as it is portrayed in physics. For example, in physics everything is a different manifestation of energy and in Chinese medicine everything is a different manifestation of chi.

There are two basic manifestations of chi in the human body: substance, such as organs and tissues, and function, which includes transforming, transporting, holding, raising, protecting and warming. In its transformative function chi helps our bodies turn the raw materials of air and food into fuel. The transporting function helps our bodies get substances from one place to another, moving food along the digestive tract or urine from the kidneys to the bladder. Chi's holding function is what helps us keep things in place, like how the uterus holds a developing baby. Similar to this function, chi also has a raising ability, lifting our organs up against gravity, preventing them from prolapsing. Chi is also what guards us against the pathogens that cause disease, protecting us when we are exposed to infectious organisms and extremes in weather, and warms our bodies, making all physiological processes possible.

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Why Opt For Acupuncture For Weight Loss?

Then and Now
Acupuncture, used as a therapy in a myriad of medical conditions, has been in vogue for thousands of years. The use of acupuncture for weight loss is relatively new but has already become very popular. Obesity and its related health problems are making more and more people turn towards weight reducing techniques. The use of acupuncture in helping people to lose weight is effective without any side effects. It helps one lose weight by treating the causes behind the weight gain.

This ancient form of Chinese medical treatment is being increasingly adopted in America by people who have been unable to find solutions or relief by the offerings of "conventional medicine". Acupuncture is recognized as a form of "Complimentary and Alternative Medicine" by the National Institutes of Health.

Treats emotional overeating due to depression
Eating more than required because of emotional disturbances is quite common. Many people who suffer from depression tend to have food binges. They consume much more in terms of calories than the normal healthy daily-recommended intake. Acupuncture for weight loss treats those feelings of depression and loss of interest. Eventually, the person feels emotionally more stable and achieves a happier frame of mind with renewed interest in daily activities. In time he or she stops overeating and goes back to a normal diet. This is very effective in losing weight as well as maintaining the emotional balance.

Combats feelings of anxiety and cures eating disorders
Anxiety is a state of mind that makes a person feel nervous about circumstances in their life. In this state of mind, the person tends to give in to eating disorders like compulsive eating and binge eating. The use of acupuncture for weight loss treats anxiety and prevents associated problems such as insomnia and eating disorders. Relaxation techniques are also advised along with acupuncture treatment to relieve anxiety and lose weight by eating right.

Treats food addiction
Some people are prone to food addiction and consume a lot more than the healthy limits for food. They tend to eat particular kind of foods and in most cases these are junk and sugary foods that lead to fat build up in the body. Even drug addiction and some medications can also lead to weight gain in some cases. Treatment with acupuncture cures the food addiction and even addiction to narcotics very effectively. This makes the person resort to a normal life and lose weight eventually.

Treats medical conditions that make a person gain weight
Medical conditions like an under-active thyroid can make a person gain weight very quickly. This is due to the disturbance in the normal metabolic activities of the body. With acupuncture for weight loss, the underlying medical cause is treated and the overeating is stopped. This leads to weight loss and soon one gets back the normal weight with corrected metabolism.

Treats stress-related overeating
In today's world most people are going through a lot of duress and stress. Due to stress a lot of associated medical problems are occurring. One side effect of stress is overeating. Many a times people are so pushed for time that they tend to eat whatever is easily available and in most cases this is junk food that adds to the bodyweight. Acupuncture for weight loss in combination with relaxing techniques can help to alleviate stress and help you to relax more and increase your stress withstanding levels. This will prevent overeating and weight gain in the long run apart from curing other stress related medical problems.

Acupuncture for weight loss has been tried and tested by many people. This age old healing treatment has been found to be very effective in losing weight in a healthy way.

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