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Brief Information on Bellingham Acupuncture

June 14th, 2010

Acupuncture in Bellingham is the practice in traditional Chinese method of promoting the body’s natural healing process and encouraging the body to improve functioning. This technique is done by inserting needles and applying electrical or heat stimulation at specific acupuncture points.

How Acupuncture Works

According to classical Chinese explanation, there are channels of energy that run in regular patterns through the body and over its surface. These channels are known as meridians and they are like rivers flowing inside the body to nourish and cleanse tissues. Any obstruction in the movement of these energy pathways is like a dam that backs up in others.

By needling the acupuncture points, the meridians can be influenced since acupuncture basically unblocks the obstruction at the dams and restore the regular flow of the energy through the meridians. In other words, acupuncture can therefore help the body’s internal organs to fix the imbalances in absorption, digestion and energy production activities. Aside from that, it improves the circulation of the energy of the meridians.

Modern science explains that needling involved in acupuncture stimulates the nervous system to release the chemicals in the brain, muscles and spinal cord. These released chemicals will then either change the experience of pain or they can trigger the release of other chemicals and hormones that influence the internal regulating system of the body.

Stimulating the body’s natural healing abilities and promoting the emotional and physical well-being of an individual will result to an improved energy and biochemical balance produced by acupuncture.

The Difference of Medical Acupuncture

Acupuncture is considered to be a very old medical art and there are many approaches to practicing and learning it. The term used to describe acupuncture performed by a trained doctor or licensed in Western doctor who underwent acupuncture training as a specialty practice is called medical acupuncture. to treat an illness, such a doctor can use one or the other approach or a combination of both.

The Scope of Medical Acupuncture

Medical acupuncture is a medical system that influences three areas of health care specifically the promotion of well-being and health, prevention off illness and treatment of a variety of medical conditions. A lot may think that acupuncture is associated with pain management but in the hands of well-trained acupuncturists, it can give off much broader applications. As the only treatment, acupuncture can be effective and it can also be used as a support or in conjunction to other medical treatments even if it a medical or surgical disorder. The World Health Organization recognized that acupuncture can be used in treating a wide range of medical problems. For digestive disorders, it can treat gastritis and hyperactivity, constipation, spastic colon and diarrhea. For respiratory disorders would include disorders such as sinusitis, bronchitis, sore throat, asthma and recurrent chest infections. Neurological problems would include headaches, neck pain, facial tics, frozen shoulder, rib neuritis, tennis elbow, and various forms of tendinitis, sciatica, low back pain and osteoarthritis. Lastly would be problems of the reproductive, urinary and menstrual systems.

Immunity, Conclusion of Top 5

December 22nd, 2009

Well happy holidays to one and to all. This is our last installment of our top 5 ways to boost immunity. Coincidentally they have a lot in common this time of year:  stress and spend time with loved ones.

Stress has many deleterious effects on the human body. A New England Journal of Medicine article studied the effects of stress on the immune system.  People who were under greater stress were 3x more likely to develop a cold after direct exposure to the rhinovirus – and they say good jobs are hard to find! It makes sense when you think about it, most of us get sick after a stressful event. During the stress I think the adrenal system can shore up any weaknesses. As the stressor leaves, we are more susceptible to opportunistic infections. 

Spend time with loved ones. I know it’s almost like a national anthem, oh I do poorly over the holidays or oh god we’re meeting as a family. Eeegads. Well get off of the misery train, you don’t have to ride it if you don’t want. Enjoy the people around you for what they are.  If you have differences with them you can rest assure they have them with you. So relax.  Be merry.  And get over it. Happy holidays and see you all in 2010.

Top 5 ways to Improve Immunity

December 4th, 2009

Hello All,

While we scramble for cover under a constant barrage of viral and opportunistic infections it might be good to do a chapter review. What can we do to boost our immune system? Well here it goes, the top 5 things you can do at home: 

1) Get enough sleep

2) Eat the right food, see prior blog

3) Exercise

4) Reduce Stress

5) Spend time with loved ones.

 

Stay tuned for more detailed information on each of these 5 tactics to boost immunity.

An acupuncture health center blog

October 27th, 2009

It’s an interesting question when you think about it. To blog or not to blog? In an age where everyone and their uncle is publishing online what could we possibly add to that mess?

Well for starters, we have some great stories and unbelievably effective treatments, thanks to my teachers.  This blog is a dedication to the spirit of genius that fuels Chinese medicine as well as a tribute to our patients, without whom this would be utterly pointless.

In the coming weeks please check back with us as we will be regularly updating this site. I would like to make this blog relevant to patients and practitoners.  I will be covering issues that we see in the clinic every day.  Please feel free to comment and let us know what else you would like to hear about.

Before I sign off on today’s blog I would like to talk  a little about our methods here. I am recognized as a senior student of  Dr. Jimmy Chang, one of Taiwan’s most famous pulse and herb doctors.  We use Dr. Tan’s Balance Method but taken it in a different direction. We follow Deke Kendall’s vascular distribution charts and have dropped the erroneous meridian system. Our clinical model is based on the work of my mentor, Bob Doane, L.Ac.

As an ice breaker for all of you out there, please check out a short article I wrote entitled Demystifying Chinese Medicine.