Archive for category Acupuncture
Acupuncture – Treatment for Headache and Migraine Pain Relief
Posted by admin in Acupuncture, Pain, Treatment on January 9, 2012
I have been getting a number of questions recently about migraines and whether treatment with acupuncture is successful. In my experience here in the Boston area, I can say that as long as the patient is willing to fully engage in the treatment plan developed by their acupuncturist, I have seen very promising results for sufferers of migraines using acupuncture. The results are not just anecdotal either; there are research studies that back up acupuncture’s use for migraines such as one published in the British Medical Journal that found a decrease in the frequency of attacks among other things. Before we get into the role acupuncture plays in all this, I want to take a moment to talk about the staggering statistics of and the physiological aspects of migraines.
Headaches in general are a serious problem in the United States with as many as 78% of American suffering from recurrent headaches at some point in their life. They can be categorized as primary or secondary. Primary headaches such as migraines, cluster, tension or depression headaches are due to a dysfunction in the central nervous system. Secondary headaches are due to a problem outside the nervous system that then cause the symptoms of headache such as hypertension, renal or liver failure, flu or TMJ to name a few.
Migraine headaches, with or without aura, tend to strike females at a 3:1 ratio and over 20% of adult females suffer from them. Diagnosis is typically made based on the location, frequency, duration and characteristics of pain the patient presents with as well as a personal or familial history of headaches since 90% of migraine sufferers have a family history of them. Read the rest of this entry »
Acupuncture – Effective Tips for Treating IBS, IBD and Digestive Disorders
Posted by admin in Acupuncture, Tips on January 9, 2012
If you live in Boston and suffer from IBS or IBD, you are not alone. Digestive conditions such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) affect millions of Americans every year and in the case of IBS, is the second leading cause of missed school or work. Chinese medicine and acupuncture is very helpful in allowing patients with IBS or IBD to lead pain free and stress free lives. Despite their similar monikers, there are some very important differences between these conditions.
IBS is a purely functional gastrointestinal disorder. What this means is that based on Western medical theory, there is no known anatomical, biochemical or infectious cause. The syndrome categorization indicates that the diagnosis is based on a group of symptoms that typically occur together. The primary symptoms of IBS include abdominal pain, flatulence, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. The discomfort is often triggered by eating and relieved once the individual has had a bowel movement. One of the best places to find out more information about IBS is on the website of the Internal Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders.
IBD includes Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis and is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects the mucus membranes of the digestive tract. In the case of Crohn’s Disease, the inflammation develops across the entire tissue of the tract and while it typically affects the distal ileum of the small intestine and the colon, can occur at any point along the digestive tract. Ulcerative Colitis involves inflammation of only the outer layer of mucous membrane in the colon. The symptoms of IBD tend to be more serious and if untreated, can lead to hospitalization. They typically include an increased urgency to defecate, blood or mucus present in stools, constant diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Read the rest of this entry »