January 25, 2010

does acupuncture work for [this]?

Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 9:05 pm

Several times a day, we are asked by people (on behalf of themselves or friends) if acupuncture works for certain conditions. Sometimes the question is surprising, like, ”Does acupuncture work for insomnia?”

Are you kidding? It’s famous for insomnia! And back pain, neck pain, knee pain, well… pain anywhere really. Also headaches. And management of chronic diseases. Management of cancer treatment side effects. Regulating menstrual cycles. Anxiety…

Well, it’s a long list. This could go on all day.

It seems acupuncture isn’t mainstream enough yet for people to intuitively leap up to contact us when they have a sore throat…until their neighbor whose sore throat disappeared after acupuncture refers them in.

What about more rare conditions? Things not many people have heard of, and require specialist visits if you go the Westerm medical route? No problem, come on in.

We don’t even need to know all the details of your diagnosis (though we’ll look it up if we don’t know about it). Why? Are acupuncturists lazy? Stupid? Immoral? No… we work in a different paradigm. We have our own system of looking at and categorizing your symptoms. We don’t treat the disease, we treat you. We need to know the symptoms you have. Then we match these with some other medical history and symptoms to put together what we think of as a ‘pattern of disharmony.’ We’ll take the pulse on both wrists the Chinese medicine way (more on that another time), and look at your tongue to confirm what’s out of balance where, and to put together a treatment plan for your condition.

Here’s the thing: we can treat every single person, regardless of what they “have.” Because acupuncture does not claim to cure anything, but to balance the body, helping it to heal itself.

-Nicole, BCA

Nicole Murray, MSTOM, L.Ac.
Owner, Beach CommunityAcupuncture
www.beachacu.com

Comments (1)

January 7, 2010

Acupuncture for Women’s Health

Filed under: Uncategorized — Tags: acupuncture ocean beach, breast tenderness, community acupuncture, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, hormonal imbalances, hot flashes, infertility, menstrual cramps, PCOS, pms, san diego acupuncture, women's health — Administrator @ 5:00 pm

Acupuncture can help!

Acupuncture works to treat a wide range of conditions specific to women. While helping to balance the body so that it can regain physiological function, acupuncture also reduces stress and restores a sense of calm. This gentle, natural medicine focuses on treating the whole person, rather than the disease.

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine have proven effective in treating the following conditions relating to women’s health:

PMS
Menstrual Cramps and Irregularities
Breast tenderness and Fibrocystic breasts
Endometriosis
Uterine fibroids
Fertility-related conditions
Pregnancy-related conditions
Menopause-related conditions

Fertility

For women with fertility challenges, the use of acupuncture as a natural approach to pregnancy is well documented. A recent review of seven research trials of women undergoing in vitro fertilization found evidence of improved rates of pregnancy and live births among groups using acupuncture (University of Maryland School of Medicine, 2008).

Acupuncture helps to restore the body’s balance. From a Western perspective, studies show that acupuncture may:

Increase blood flow to the uterus to promote implantation.
Improve ovarian function, which may help produce better quality eggs and a larger number of follicles.
Reduce side effects of drugs used in assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures.
Decrease uterine contractions, intended to encourage implantation, and prevent early miscarriage.
Reduce stress hormones and anxiety.
Strengthen the immune system and support general health, possibly helping to prevent miscarriage.

Pregnancy

Acupuncture is a safe, natural, effective treatment for many common problems that occur during pregnancy. Unlike many pharmaceuticals, it is not contraindicated, and will not cause harm to the mother or baby.

However, there are certain acupuncture points that need to be avoided during pregnancy, because they are considered too strong. If there is a chance you may be pregnant, tell your acupuncturist, so she can modify your treatment to make it effective and more gentle.

Acupuncture is famous for its success rate in turning breech babies. It has proven success in helping to induce labor near or past the due date. During labor, studies have shown that women having acupuncture have overall faster and less painful deliveries. A recent study demonstrated that among women nearing their due dates, the randomized acupuncture group went into labor an average of 62 hours sooner than the control group, and had shorter labor times by more than two hours.

Pregnancy-related conditions that may be treated using acupuncture include:

Psychological issues
Physical problems
Fatigue
Morning Sickness
Heartburn
Constipation
Hemorrhoids
Back Pain and Sciatica
Edema
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Postpartum moms also often face special problems that may be helped by acupuncture. These include:

Fatigue
Postpartum vaginal discharge
Postpartum Depression
Mastitis
Insufficient or Excessive Lactation
Post Operative Healing

Menopause

Acupuncture and herbal medicine often provide natural relief for symptoms associated with declining hormone levels.

The most widely researched menopause-related symptom is hot flashes. Western physicians commonly prescribe HRT (hormone replacement therapy) for menopausal symptoms. There is some controversy about this therapy, and acupuncture and chinese herbs are shown to be a safe and effective alternative. A recent Stanford study concluded that “acupuncture significantly reduced the severity of nocturnal hot flashes compared with placebo.”

Nicole Murray, L.Ac.

619.488.5515

www.beachacu.com

info@beachacu.com

Sources Cited:

Manheimer, E. et al. Effects of acupuncture on rates of pregnancy and live birth among women undergoing in vitro fertilization: systematic review and meta-analysis. British Medical Journal. 2008 Mar 8;336(7643):545-9. Epub 2008 Feb 7.

Gaudet L.M., et al. Effectiveness of acupuncture for the initiation of labor at term: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada. 2008 Dec 30(12):1118-23.

Huang, M.I., et al. A randomized controlled pilot study of acupuncture for postmenopausal hot flashes: effect on nocturnal hot flashes and sleep quality. Fertility and Sterility. 2006 Sep;86(3):700-10.

Comments (2)

January 6, 2010

community treatments vs private treatments

Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 1:54 pm

Community acupuncturists work on a sliding scale; it’s a practical solution to address the high cost of private treatments. It is rooted in a value system… that people who need to think about how they spend their money and have little disposable income should be able to get acupuncture, if they want it. Often, if they need it.

So… are the people with less money settling for something less than is offered by private acupuncturists?

There’s less talking, sure. Less privacy. There is no private room with a closed door. There is no lying down. There is less talking.

But do private treatments make for better health care? Is it nourishing to the body and spirit? For some, the solitude and increased personal attention feels good. They’ve got the time. They may have the money to treat themselves. That’s great. We’re here for the other people, the ones who would rather get the acupuncture and get on with their lives.

In community acupuncture, there is a sense of belonging. A feeling of connection with other people being treated. They’re not talking to you; you’re not talking to them… you are all there to take care of yourselves and to relax in a peaceful environment. It’s just a feeling. There’s a nice, palpable energy of goodwill and belonging here at Beach Community Acupuncture, and at similar clinics.

It’s called community acupuncture for a reason. It’s not just acupuncture in the same space as others; it’s acupuncture in a community.

Please see for yourself. Find a community clinic near you (check http://communityacupuncturenetwork.org) and give it a try. If you live in the San Diego area, come see us. We’re in OB, at the coner of Niagara and Bacon, above the Blue Parrot.

Comments (0)

getting acupuncture is like going to yoga

Filed under: Uncategorized — Administrator @ 1:46 pm

Aupuncture works. Yoga works. Getting acupuncture once will probably feel pretty good, just like going to a yoga class. But… (and practicing yogis out there will understand)… yoga is an ongoing practice. It helps contribute to a healthy body, mind, and spirit. It works better the more you do it.

So does acupuncture.

And, conveniently, this reminds me of the comparison made in Lisa Rohleder’s truly revolutionary book, “Acupuncture is Like Noodles.” As she says, what good is one noodle to anyone? The book is highly recommended; buy it here: http://www.workingclassacupuncture.org/node/17

So if we agree that a course of acupuncture treatments is what will make a real impact, what is most helpful… then… let’s revisit the idea that private acupuncture treatments run between $60-$175 each. We don’t have $600/month that we are just itching to spend on something. Do you?

Regular acupuncture can really impact your life, just like going to yoga class. So that’s why BCA provides acupuncture for people in the neighborhood, for $20 per treatment, in a lovely community room.

We love Ocean Beach and our neighboring communities. We love acupuncture. We’re so lucky to get the chance to be here and do this.

Thank you for your support!