What Do I Do When It Hurts?

As an acupuncturist one of the complaints I often encounter is patients who have given up hope, both in medicine and in their own bodies’ ability to heal. What i am going to discuss relates primarily to musculoskeletal complaints, but can be applied to any condition.

No matter what the condition it is important to remember two things:

1. The body is an amazing system that has an incredible ability to regenerate. However, this regeneration often requires our direct and stubborn intent.

2. In injuries and conditions that don’t easily resolve, this is our queue to dig deeper and uncover the underlying reason. Sometimes the reason is simply structural such as pronating your foot, asymytries etc. Sometimes it is more disruptive as in the case of a stressful job or toxic relationship literally making you sick or debilitated.

Holistic, Alternative, and Integrative (or whatever you want to call it) medicine is based on these two principles. What you will find is an emphasis on seeking out what isn’t promoting your state of health and fixing it.

in my patients is musculoskeletal pain due to injuries or mysterious appearances. In TCM pain means the qi is blocked and the way to alleviate it is to create movement.

There is nothing mystical or miraculous about acupuncture (well anymore than a good diet, adequate regular rest, a meditation practice, etc. is). It sends a signal to your body to function the way it is supposed to. Similarly when you do a yoga pose with proper form and hold it through the initial discomfort something in your body clicks and the qi begins to flow the way it should again.

Through personal experience and witnessing patients and friends, musculoskeletal pain does not have to be a prison sentence. If you are willing to go through the work and accept the change you can change your condition and come out healthier for it.

In these cases manual work and energy work done you in conjunction with movement therapy in conjunction with supportive diet, sleep, herbs, and mental outlook will transform you.

Treating Sciatica with Acupuncture and Massage

What we call sciatica occurs when either the nerves of the low back or the sciatic nerve is compressed. This causes sharp, radiating pain, tingling, or numbness down the low back, buttocks, leg, and/or heel. At times the pain will be only in one location, such as the heel. At others the whole nerve pathway can be felt. Generally sciatica is felt on one side only, however, clinically it often jumps from side to side.

 

In Traditional Chinese Medical (TCM) terms this can be due to Qi & Blood Stagnation, Wind Cold Damp Bi, Hot Bi, or Kidney Deficiency. When Cold or Damp is present, needle moxa can be very effective to relieve pain and unblock the channels. In these cases having the patient use stick moxa along the entire channel on a daily basis until the pain resolves is also helpful. In cases of Qi & Blood stagnation, needling with eletro-stimulation is very effective at clearing the stagnant qi in the channels.

At Cinnabar Acupuncture Clinic, acupuncture is followed by cupping and massage. Massage can include alternating hot and cold stones, simply hot stones, deep tissue, myofascial release, and/or gentle stretching based on the presentation.

Results can be felt immediately after the treatment, but full results can take up to a day. Depending on the severity and underlying condition (whether it is simply a tight muscle or serious joint deterioration) symptom relief may take anywhere from one treatment to a series of regular visits.

We are featuring a special this month at Cinnabar Acupuncture Clinic called the Sciatica Relief Package that includes the above treatment.