USE ACUPUNCTURE TO TREAT PAINS
Whether Your Pain is Physical or Emotional, Our Top Rated Staff is Here to Help
Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a very important part of traditional Chinese medicine. It has been practiced for more than 5,000 years in China. However, only after President Nixon’s visit to China in 1972, was Acupuncture and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) introduced in America.
More and more Americans have sought Acupuncture treatment for various ailments because it is highly effective. It is particularly effective as a pain reliever. Patients often find relief from back pain, migraines, arthritis, PMS, and many other ailments that traditional Western medicine had failed to provide relief. Most new users are pleasantly surprised by the lack of side effects.
Effective pain relief and the lack of side effects is making Acupuncture increasingly popular among Americans.
Grace Acupuncture offers clients both acupuncture and electro-acupuncture. As well as, helping patients with physical, emotional and mental problems.
Grace H Zhang has practiced acupuncture and TCM since 1986. She graduated from Changchun Traditional Chinese Medical School in China.
She was a chief physician in China, where she was also a medical school assistant professor. Her dedication to helping patients eliminate suffering from illness led her to a thorough study of Acupuncture and TCM. She is certified in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology by NCCAOM, and she is an Ohio State Medical Board licensed Acupuncturist. Although Grace Zhang is not licensed as an MD to practice medicine in the United States, her training and experiences enable her to treat patients with both Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine principles.
Grace Zhang believes that, in spite of the short history of Acupuncture and TCM in the United States, many people have benefited from this kind of treatment. She also believes that more and more people will continue to benefit in the near future as popularity for Acupuncture increases throughout America.
Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical attention. It is one of the most frequent causes of missed workdays and one of the most expensive conditions in the United States; according to a recent government report, in 1999, nearly one million people in the U.S. took time away from work to treat and recover from some sort of back pain.
Back problems can be caused by an inordinately wide range of problems. It can exist alone, or it can be caused by a condition that occurs elsewhere in the body, with the pain being transmitted (referred) to areas of the back by the nervous system. The majority of backache sufferers complain of pain in the lower back; the second most common site of discomfort is the base of the neck.
Half of all adults will experience some form of low back pain during their lifetime. The fact that humans walk upright puts great pressure on the spine and the muscles that support it. Over time, factors such as disease, accidents, poor posture, and overexertion can lead to immediate and/or long-term back problems.
Most back pain is muscular in nature. Muscle pain perpetuates what is known as the pain cycle, a phenomenon of which the back is particularly susceptible. In the pain cycle, pain causes a muscle to spasm, which may distort the discs, joints, and nerves of the spine. This spasm leads to further pain, leading to further spasm, which compounds the original problem. If the nerves are irritated enough, it may cause pain to radiate down into the leg, similar to the pain experienced via a herniated disc.
In most cases, people who experience an episode of acute back pain will recover in 3-12 weeks. For those who don’t recover, however, chronic back pain can be a significant source of inconvenience and suffering.
Acupuncture & Back Pain
Acupuncture can play an important role in the reduction or elimination of back pain by reducing recovery time and preventing a chronic condition from developing.
Research has shown that acupuncture causes the body to produce natural steroids and promote the production of natural endorphins. Steroids decrease inflammation, while endorphins are produced by the body to kill the pain. Both substances can play an integral part in the breaking up of the pain cycle.
By reducing acute back pain, acupuncture may also reduce the chances of chronic back pain from occurring. It can help avoid the need for costlier and more invasive surgical procedures. And if back pain can be significantly reduced with acupuncture, it also lowers the need for painkillers or other medications that can either cause unwanted side-effects or prolong a patient’s condition.
Many styles of acupuncture may help ease back pain. Some practitioners may advocate very few needles at particular acupoints on the hand; other practitioners may employ electroacupuncture at several points on the body simultaneously. In general, the longer the pain has been present, the longer it will take for acupuncture to produce a response.
As with any other form of care, however, remember that not all patients will respond to acupuncture. Make sure to discuss the situation thoroughly with your acupuncturist before undergoing treatment for back pain (or any other condition).
Foot Pain
The foot is one of the most complex parts of the body. It consists of 38 bones connected by numerous joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments, and is susceptible to many stresses. As a result, foot and ankle problems are a common reason for visits to a doctor’s office (4.8 million office visits a year, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons). Foot problems may be caused by pain, inflammation or injury, thereby limiting a person’s range of motion (and in some cases, a person’s quality of life).
Foot pain is caused by a variety of conditions, most often improper foot function or poor posture. In fact, the most common reason for people to have foot problems is a condition called abnormal pronation, in which the foot does not strike and/or leave the ground as it is supposed to. However, several other factors can cause (or lead to) foot pain. Footwear can worsen and, in some cases, produce foot problems. Shoes that are too tight, for instance, can increase pressure and stress, while shoes that are too loose can let the foot slide and rub, creating friction. Overuse and exercise-related problems can also cause foot pain.
There are various types of foot problems that may affect the heels, toes, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and joints of the foot. Among the most common types of foot problems are heel spurs (an abnormal growth on the heel bone); corns (yellowish callus growths that develop on the top of the toes); bunions (a protrusion of bone or tissue around a joint); neuromas (a buildup of tissue in the nerves running between the long bones of the foot); or hammertoes (a condition that causes the middle joint of the toe to poke out).
Nearly everyone suffers from some form of foot pain during their lifetime. The condition is most prevalent in infants and newborns just learning to walk, and people over age 50. Women who wear high-heeled shoes are also more susceptible to foot pain, as are athletes who either do not warm up their feet prior to exercise or who use improper foot techniques while exercising.
Acupuncture and Foot Pain
Studies have shown acupuncture to be effective in relieving certain types of foot pain. A study published in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine in 1996 found acupuncture to be effective in relieving otherwise unresponsive chronic foot pain. A 1999 study, meanwhile, found that electrical stimulation of acupoints on the feet could increase blood flow to the foot and lower leg. There have also been anecdotal reports of individual acupuncturists using different techniques to relieve pain associated with the ankle, heel, and ball of the foot.
As with any other form of care, however, remember that not all patients will respond to all forms of treatment. Make sure to discuss the situation thoroughly with your acupuncturist before undergoing treatment for foot pain.
Headaches
What types of headaches are there?
Simply defined, a headache is a pain in the head due to some cause. Headaches may result from any number of factors, including tension; muscle contraction; vascular problems; withdrawal from certain medications; abscesses; or injury.
Headaches fall into three main categories: tension-type, migraine and cervicogenic. Tension-type headaches are the most frequent. Patients who endure tension-type headaches usually feel mild to moderate pain on both sides of the head. The pain is usually described as tight, stiff or constricting, as if something is being wrapped around your head and squeezed tightly.
While migraines affect far fewer people than tension-type headaches and have a much shorter duration, their symptoms are much more severe. They typically affect women more frequently than men, with pain that usually occurs on one side of the head. Migraines can be so severe that they can cause loss of appetite, blurred vision, nausea and even vomiting.
Cervicogenic headaches are the most recently diagnosed type of headaches and are musculoskeletal in nature. They may be caused by pain in the neck or spine that is transferred to the head. Many times, cervicogenic headaches go undiagnosed because of their recent classification.
Who suffers from headaches?
Nearly everyone will suffer a headache at some point in time. They are one of the most common physical complaints that prompt people to treat themselves or seek professional assistance. Some estimates say that up to 50 million Americans suffer from severe, long-lasting, recurring headaches. While most headaches are not necessarily symptomatic of another condition, they can be very distracting and account for significant amounts of time lost from work.
Acupuncture and Headaches
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a very consistent and philosophically-based framework for headache etiology, physiology, diagnosis, and treatment strategy. Acupuncture, as an effective treatment modality, has been applied to headaches from the earliest beginnings of TCM.
Acupuncture is not only effective for migraine headaches but also works very well with tension headaches, cluster headaches, post-traumatic headaches, and disease-related headaches that might be due to sinus problems, high blood pressure or sleeping disorders. The greatest advantage of acupuncture over Western medicine is that it does virtually no harm. Some medications can have serious side effects and can (in some instances) actually lead to patients experiencing a “rebound” headache. Unlike synthetic drugs, acupuncture has virtually no side effects, and the procedures for treating headaches are much less invasive with acupuncture than with surgery.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is a fairly common complaint among both children and adults. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, more than 11 million visits are made to physicians’ offices each year because of a knee or knee-related problem. It is the most often treated anatomical site by orthopedists, and one of the most oft-examined sites among general practitioners.
The knee is the largest joint in the body. It is made up of the lower end of the thighbone (or femur), which rotates on the upper end of the shinbone (tibia), and the kneecap, which slides in a grove on the end of the femur. The knee joint also contains several muscles, which straighten the leg and bend the leg at the knee; tendons, which attach the muscles to the bones; ligaments, which help control motion by connecting bones; and cartilage, which serves to cushion the knee or help it absorb shock during motion.
Because of its size, and because it is such a complex structure, it is also one of the most frequently injured joints. Knee injuries can be caused by several factors. Most complaints of knee pain result from some form of trauma, such as a torn or ruptured ligament; a broken or fractured kneecap; torn cartilage; or an accident that causes damage to the area or strains the knee beyond its normal range of motion. Other conditions that can lead to knee pain are infections; arthritis; hemarthrosis (blood in the knee joint); cysts; and bone tumors. Being overweight can also contribute to knee problems by causing excess strain on ligaments and cartilage.
Many athletes experience knee injuries, particularly to the knee ligaments. Nearly everyone has become familiar with the acronym ACL, which stands for anterior cruciate ligament. ACL tears can be caused by rapidly twisting or changing directions; slowing down when running, or landing from a jump. Injuries to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) are usually caused by contact on the outside of the knee.
Knee pain isn’t restricted to professional athletes, however. As people get older, the amount of cartilage in the knee decreases and many ligaments begin to lose some of their elasticity, making them more susceptible to pain and/or injury.
Acupuncture and Knee Pain
Studies have shown acupuncture to be effective in relieving certain types of knee pain, especially arthritic conditions of the knee and knee joint. A 1999 study comparing electroacupuncture to ice massage and transcutaneous nerve stimulation (TENS) for subjects with osteoarthritis found that acupuncture decreased pain and stiffness levels and increased muscle strength and flexion in the knee. Another study published that same year suggested that patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome might benefit from weekly acupuncture treatments. Smaller studies have confirmed that acupuncture is beneficial in reducing knee pain, stiffness and physical disability in patients with knee and knee-related problems. It can ease the discomfort some subjects feel while waiting for knee surgery, and in some cases, it may even be considered an alternative to surgery.
As with any other form of care, however, remember that not all patients will respond to acupuncture. Make sure to discuss the situation thoroughly with your acupuncturist before undergoing treatment for knee/leg pain (or any other condition).
Nausea
Nausea is the sensation that leads a person to have the urge to vomit. Nausea may be caused by a variety of factors, including migraine headaches, allergies, excessive alcohol consumption, and food poisoning. Although most everyone feels nauseous at one time or another, the feeling is most commonly experienced by infants, young children, and pregnant women. Pregnant women often suffer nausea as a symptom of morning sickness. Cancer patients sometimes experience nausea as a side effect of chemotherapy.
The biggest concern related to vomiting is dehydration, a loss of bodily fluids. The rate at which dehydration can occur depends on several factors, including the height and weight of the person, the rate at which the person vomits, and whether or not diarrhea is also present. Whatever the cause, it is important that people who have vomited consume as much fluid as possible without further upsetting the stomach.
Acupuncture and Nausea
To date, more than three dozen randomized controlled studies have been published showing that acupuncture point stimulation can treat or prevent nausea and vomiting.
While most acupuncture treatments are tailored to individual patients and are highly dependent on practitioner preference points, most acupuncturists and doctors of Oriental medicine appear to prefer using the P6 or Neiguan point, which is located two cun below the distal wrist crease on a patient’s lower arm. (A cun is a Chinese measurement equaling the width of the middle joint of the patient’s thumb; two cun equals approximately the width of three fingers.
Acupressure has also been employed to relieve the symptoms of nausea and vomiting, sometimes in conjunction with acupuncture, sometimes as a stand-alone therapy. Many practitioners prescribe acupressure bracelets, which apply pressure to certain points without the use of needles. And because the P6 point is easy to reach, many patients can be instructed to apply acupressure themselves to help reduce nausea.
Neck Pain
Neck pain is a common condition — so common, in fact, that the expression “a pain in the neck” is an oft-used figure of speech in English. It can be mild enough so that it is a mere annoyance or severe enough that it can adversely affect the quality of one’s life. Because of its position and range of motion, and because it plays a vital role in the support of the head, the neck is more subject to injury than any other portion of the spine. While it is much less frequent than back pain, neck pain can occasionally be severe enough to warrant attention from a licensed health professional.
Neck pain can have a variety of causes. Keeping your head in an awkward position can cause your neck muscles to fatigue and the joints in your neck to “lock” in place, causing discomfort, stiffness and limited range of motion. Neck pain can also be caused by a sudden force (such as an automobile accident), or a medical condition (swelling, disease, tumors, bleeding, inflammation, etc.). Some neck pain can also cause headaches (see the “Acupuncture for Headaches and Head Pain” section for more information).
Almost everyone will experience some sort of neck pain or stiffness during their lifetime; however, certain occupations appear to be predisposed to neck symptoms. Manual laborers, for instance, have more symptoms than office workers, and the type of work seems to affect the risk. A person’s age and a history of twisting and bending during work can also contribute. Workers who have been required to do repetitive tasks with their upper extremities, or who undergo periods of prolonged sitting with their head in a flexed position (such as typing on a keyboard at a desk) are at risk of developing mechanical neck pain.
Acupuncture and Neck Pain
Studies have shown acupuncture to be effective in relieving certain types of neck pain, particularly those caused by whiplash. Some studies suggest acupuncture can treat degenerative neck disorders such as ankylosing spondylosis and cervical spondylosis; in many cases, acupuncture has worked for patients whose conditions could not be solved using conventional approaches.
Acupressure and herbal medicine are sometimes used in conjunction with acupuncture for neck pain. Applying acupressure to the neck muscles can reduce spasm and lessen pain, leading to a relaxed state and a heightened sense of well-being. Depending on the patient’s condition, certain herbal products can be used to improve circulation and blood flow and ease muscle contraction.