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Wellness

How to Effectively Manage that Pain in Your Neck

Neck pain can have any number of causes, but the end result is the same. Namely, discomfort that can have a serious negative effect on quality of daily life. Doctors try many different approaches for treating neck pain, typically involving various medications. Sometimes they help and sometimes they do not, and all have side effects.

Chronic neck pain can be tremendously frustrating, and people who suffer from it should know all the options for treating it.

Chronic neck pain calls for a holistic approach to pain management. 

Acupuncture for neck pain management and other ailments has been practiced for around 2,000 years. The practice has been in use for so long because it gets good results. In fact, nearly 3.5 million Americans undergo acupuncture each year. Rigorously designed scientific studies reveal that acupuncture for pain management goes well beyond a “placebo effect” and can be an excellent alternative to more traditional Western treatments.

Theories on How Acupuncture Works

Doctors do not know the precise molecular workings of acupuncture, but there are several theories. One is that the insertion of acupuncture needles in specific places on the body causes the release of endorphins, which are the pain-relieving substances naturally created by the brain. Others theorize that acupuncture stimulates blood flow in certain regions, easing pain. Still others believe that acupuncture relieves anxiety and stress to the point that the body’s self-healing mechanisms can go to work.

Not everyone can have acupuncture, including people with chronic skin problems or for those who take certain medications, so it is wise to ask your doctor if you are a good candidate before you choose this treatment.

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Summer Solstice

During the summer solstice your yang energy reaches its peak. It is important to harness the peak of this yang energy, because as summer shifts into fall yang energy will decline. This great abundance of yang energy will translate throughout your body because during this season you are active and growing.

According to five element theory, during the summer the organ that receives extra energy is the heart. When the seasons change so do the organs we should focus on in the body. You should focus on the heart during summer. Feed the heart heart-nourishing foods and make sure to remain active so the heart receives positive energy. continue reading »

Heart Afire: The Fire Element

The organs in Chinese medicine are more than just a physical representation. The organs include not only their physiological function, but also their mental, emotional, spiritual and elemental qualities that align with nature and the seasons. Let’s explore the heart.

The heart season is summer, and heart is considered the most yang: hot, bountiful and abundant. Yang is what is bright, moving, outward, hot and loud. Yin is what is more inward, still, dark and cooler. The color of the heart is associated with red, the climate is heat, the flavor is bitter and it’s paired organ is the small intestine (many urinary issues are due to “heart fire” heat descending). The sense aligned with heart is the tongue, and the vessels associated with heart are the tissues. The heart sound is laughing, and the emotion is joy. The heart houses what is known as the shen, which is the mind and spirit. continue reading »

Fighting Flu Season with Acupuncture

While the flu is actually not a season, we have become programmed to think of it as the months of November through March. On average, the flu hospitalizes thousands every year, especially the young and elderly. There are also a number of deaths related to the flu, mostly due to people already having compromised immune systems.

The flu, also known as influenza, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that is caused by a number of viruses. To date, there are approximately 26 to 30 different known strains of the flu virus. This is one of the reasons the flu vaccine has only mild efficacy. The flu vaccine itself, typically only covers five to seven strains of the flu.  Symptoms of the flu include fever, coughing, a sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches, pains, runny nose and watery eyes. continue reading »

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