What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the application of a thin stainless steel needle inserted into various points on the surface of the body. Acupuncture points lay on meridian lines of our body which are unseen energy channels. Meridians are similar to the pathways of the circulatory or nervous systems. There are 14 meridians in our body they are conduits responsible for the transit of life energy called “CHI.”
This life force energy runs through various channels from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet. When our bodies get out of balance the energy is sluggish, just like being stuck in a traffic jam. Acupuncture points are placed on the body to get the vehicle moving so that the body can heal.
What I Treat at My Southeast Portland Acupuncture Location.
Specializing In:
Sports Injury Acupuncture
Car Accidents Acupuncture
Workers Compensation Acupuncture
Chronic Pain Acupuncture
Acute Pain, Recreational/Hobby Injury, and Overuse Injuries.
- Muscular and Tendon Sprains and Strains
- Acupuncture for Plantar Fasciitis
- Bursitis
- Joint Pain
- Facial/Bell’s Palsy (Early Stages)
- Peripheral Neuropathy (Weakness, Numbness, Tingling Pain)
- Nerve Pain and Impingement (Sciatica, Carpal Tunnel)
- Any form of Tendonitis (Tennis Elbow, Golfers Elbow)
- Joint Pain
- Frozen Shoulder
- Low Back, Neck, Upper Back Pain, Knee Pain
- Before and After Care of a Surgery
- Bone Fracture Healing and Pain
- Headaches and Migraines
Acupuncture Improves Musculoskeletal and Nerve Pain
- It relaxes tight or injured muscles and tendons
- Improves blood circulation to the injured region helping it heal faster
- It increases oxygen to the injured tissue promoting faster recovery
- Helps break up adhesions and scar tissue with electro-acupuncture
- Produces natural painkillers in the body
- Increases range of motion to stiff muscles and joint in the body
- Reduces muscle spasms
- Decreases stress and anxiety and build up the immunity to help the body recover more quickly.
Acupuncture for Mood Regulation
Acupuncture is effective in treating Mental/Emotional Imbalances and Disturbances.
Some of which include Anxiety, Stress, Depression, and Insomnia.
During treatment, I chose a set of acupuncture points that will enhance the patient’s mood and put the body into homeostasis.
Acupuncture Increases Serotonin Levels! Most of our serotonin is found in our gut, it is a chemical nerve that stabilizes our moods.
Release Endorphins! Endorphins are hormones that induce feelings of pleasure. They also tell your brain to decrease the perception of pain.
Decrease Cortisol Levels! Cortisol is a stress hormone your body produces which is related to increased body tension, excess abdominal fat, stress, and anxiety. By telling your fight or flight system to calm down, you decrease your Heart rate, blood pressure, and stress levels.
Types of Acupuncture I Practice at my SE Portland Location.
Traditional Chinese Medicine:
I use a set of points from foot to head to move blood and CHI through your meridian systems of the body. I also used local points to the area where the patient complains of pain.
Eastern View:
There are 2 life forces Yin and Yang. These forces control our chi (energy) throughout our bodies meridians (pathways). Illness is a result of yin and yang being in disharmony. When an acupuncture needle is inserted into the body it will cause energy to flow into our meridians. This momentum frees up stagnation that has been ruminating in our body and shifts the body to go into homeostasis (normality). The result is a balance of Yin and Yang getting the body to work at its optimal capacity.
Western View:
Acupuncture stimulates the muscle and sensory neurons that send a message to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). By Stimulating the NS there is a release of neurotransmitters that will block messages of pain from being delivered to the brain. This block is one of the keys to reducing pain levels in the body. Endorphins are also released to further decrease pain.
Electroacupuncture
Two points will be chosen to stimulate traditional acupuncture points on the body. These set of acupuncture points are stimulated by a device that is connected to acupuncture needles via clips on a wire. The device will generate continuous or intermittent electrical pulses that will be delivered to the needles and the acupuncture point. The benefit of electro-stim acupuncture is having a larger area of stimulation. It is effective in the treatment of nerve pain and musculoskeletal pain.
Dry Needling Acupuncture
This technique is very helpful in treating muscle pain and improving range of motion. Trigger points are known as “knots” and motor points in the muscle are needled and then stimulated by a “pecking” needle technique. The pecking technique is a rapid in and out procedure used to stimulate the points so the muscle can twitch. By making the muscle jump the muscle will relax and pain decreases. Needles can be retained from 15-30min or removed after a few twitches occurred.
Trigger Point Acupuncture
Are hypersensitive areas in the muscle that can be tender to pressure. They are like a “knot” in nature, as muscle fibers coil together producing a taught band of clusters in the muscle. When pressed they often send specific pain referral patterns dependent on the muscle that is affected.
Acupuncture Motor Nerve Points
Found in the center of the muscle, this is where the muscle is highly executable when stimulated the nerve to tell the muscle to contract or relax. It is a neuromuscular junction that “act as a reset for muscles”.
