massage benefits types

The Most Popular Massage Techniques

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In the fast-paced world we live in, so many stressors are constantly testing the tolerance and sanity levels of individuals.

Some opt for dangerous escapades (smoking and drinking) while others let the power of burden take over them. However, the best way to deal with all these issues is by getting a massage.

It is the best way to get rid of stress, anxiety, and body pains. In addition, getting a massage is the ideal way to release negative emotions from within and live a life that can be full of positivity.

There are specific massage techniques that are done to target specific issues. Today, let us go in depth and learn more about them

1.     Applied Pressure

This technique is used to lessen the tension that is in the muscles and to give deep relaxation to the pressure points.

  • The pressure is applied using different parts of the hand including the thumbs, palms, and the spaces between the fingers. Some massage methods use elbows and feet as well to give the full effect of the massage.

2.     Effleurage Method

This technique utilizes gentle strokes. The hands are kept flat –side by side- and gently moved all over the body.

  • This technique is used either at the beginning or at the end of the massage, or it is used as the transition move between two techniques.

3.     Kneading

This is a technique performed to relax the muscles and promote circulation in the deep tissues. It is extremely pleasant and gives deep relaxation. The focus is on the muscles near the shoulders and the neck.

  • The therapist will move the hands in different directions while applying pressure from the fingers, thumbs and the heel of the hand. There is even more pressure applied on the muscles –directly- to move them in their proper place.

4.     Rubbing

This is another deep tissue relaxation technique that focuses on the joints, muscles, blood flow, and the lymphatic circulation.

  • With the help of this technique, the knots are undone so the pain can escape the muscles. There is pressure applied with the thumbs in circles directly on top of the problem area.

5.     Vibrating Method

This is the technique that energizes and triggers the circulatory and nervous systems with the help of vibrations.

  • The therapist places their hands on your body (flat) and with gentle and quick motions; he or she will shake the muscles. Sometimes, the therapist uses the fingertips to apply pressure on the muscles in order to release the tension in them.

6.     Tapping

With the help of two hands and swift motions, the therapist taps the body for relaxation. The pressure can be altered according to an individual’s needs.

  • It can be done with cupped hands or with flat hands. This technique is used for athletes as well as it is great to promote blood circulation.

 

These are the six most popular massage techniques. They all are designed to provide individuals extreme comfort and stress-free lives.

Call (780)455-2112 to book your appointment today! Our Registered therapists are happy to help.

Ankylosing Spondylitis chiropractic benefits

Ankylosing Spondylitis Sufferers Find Relief Through Chiropractic

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Ankylosing Spondylitis is a type of arthritis that typically begins during adolescence or in a person’s early twenties and occurs more often in men than in women. However, once experiences onset, they are affected for the rest of their lives. It is estimated that between 0.2% and 0.5% of individuals in the United States suffers from ankylosing spondylitis.  It can cause significant pain, discomfort, and immobility. While there is no cure for the condition, the symptoms can be treated, bringing some degree of comfort and mobility.

What is Ankylosing Spondylitis?

Ankylosing Spondylitis, or AS, is a type of arthritis that causes inflammation in the spine. While the vertebrae are primarily involved, it can also affect other joints as well, including the hips, shoulders, heels, ribs, and the small joints of the feet and hands.

In some cases, the heart, lungs, and even eyes can be involved. If left untreated, the condition can progress, causing chronic pain that can be severe as the spinal inflammation increases. More advanced cases can cause the spine to grow new bone formations so that it is immobile, or fixed, sometimes resulting in kyphosis, which is a bowed or forward stooped posture.

What Causes Ankylosing Spondylitis?

While genetics is believed to be a key player in the development of Ankylosing Spondylitis, the exact cause has not yet been determined. The majority of people who have AS also carry a specific gene that has been linked to the condition.

This gene produces HLA-B27, a protein or genetic marker, that more than 95% of Caucasians with ankylosing spondylitis have. However, there are people who don’t have this protein who develop AS and there are many people who do carry this marker yet never develop the condition.

Researchers theorize that there may be other genes that may be involved, as well as environmental factors that trigger the gene activation, such as a bacterial infection, causing people who are susceptible to AS to activate it. Scientists have identified more than 60 genes that are believed to be associated with AS with only about 30% that are linked to HLA-B27 regarding overall risk. Other genes that have been identified as key to AS include IL-23, IL-17, IL-12, and ERAP.

It is also believed that AS can be triggered when the intestinal defenses break down, allowing certain bacteria into the bloodstream. This can, in turn, cause an immune response.

How is Ankylosing Spondylitis Treated?

AS cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be treated to relieve stiffness and pain as well as delay or prevent spinal deformity and other complications. The damage that it does to the joints is irreversible, so it is best if treatment is started before that occurs. There are several ways that AS is treated:

  • Medication – Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like indomethacin (Indocin) and naproxen (Naprosyn) are commonly used to treat the symptoms of AS. They can be effective in relieving pain, inflammation, and stiffness but may cause some side effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding. This makes long term use impractical and even unsafe. If NSAIDs do not help, other medications may be prescribed, including:
    • Golimumab (Simponi; Simponi Aria)
    • Certolizumab pegol (Cimzia)
    • Adalimumab (Humira)
    • Etanercept (Enbrel)
    • Infliximab (Remicade)
  • Physical therapy – PT is often recommended to help with flexibility, strength, and pain relief. It can help with posture and prevent some of the more debilitating symptoms.
  • Surgery – Most people with AS do not require surgery, but it may be recommended if there is severe joint damage or pain. In some cases, it can cause significant damage to hip joints and they will need to be replaced.
  • Chiropractic – Many patients with AS have with very good results with chiropractic treatment. It is non-invasive and does not have the unpleasant side effects that many medications have.

Chiropractic Treatment for Ankylosing Spondylitis

Chiropractors strongly recommend chiropractic treatment for the non-acute inflammatory stage of AS. Once the condition has progressed to acute joint disease, there is a very high risk of injury or damage to the connective tissue. Adjustments and exercise are used to relieve symptoms, but some of the traditional spinal manipulation treatments are not performed.

A chiropractor will also make recommendations to the patient regarding lifestyle changes that can help with symptoms, such as stopping smoking. Tobacco use can increase inflammation and damage connective tissue. They may also advise increasing their intake of omega 3 fatty acids in their diet. Regular chiropractic care can help patients manage symptoms and prevent disease progression, improving their quality of life.

Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our clinic.

yoga chiropractic

How Combining Chiropractic & Yoga Can Be Beneficial To Your Spine

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Yoga has long been touted as a healing activity that extends beyond its known fitness benefits. It can help alleviate depression, relieve stress, and decrease anxiety as well as tighten and tone the body.

In fact, a 2016 study by Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal shows that the more than 20 million people who practice yoga spend in excess of $10 billion on related classes and products. Chiropractors have picked up on the benefits of yoga and are recommending it to their patients. Why? Because it helps to improve flexibility as well as spinal health.

Chiropractic and the spine’s role in the body.

Chiropractic is primarily intended to align the spine and balance the body. The spine is the main support for the body. It houses most of the central nervous system and provides pathways for neural impulses to move throughout the body.

When the spine is out of alignment it can affect how the central nervous system functions. It can also affect flexibility and even overall mobility as well as cause pain and stiffness.

Chiropractic treatment brings the spine back into alignment. It helps to balance the body and treat injuries as well as help with the changes the aging body experiences.

One of the best-known uses for chiropractic is to treat pain. It is a medication free, non-invasive treatment for chronic pain, sports related injuries, and even automobile accidents. Many patients have reported finding relief with chiropractic when nothing else worked.

Combining yoga with chiropractic increases the effectiveness of the treatment while strengthening the body and making it better able to respond to it. Yoga is the perfect complement to chiropractic care and many patients are discovering tremendous health benefits from this winning, healthy combination.

What is Yoga?

In its purist form, yoga is an ascetic and spiritual discipline that comes from Hindu culture. It involves simple meditation, conscious breathing or breach control, and performing certain body postures.

While an ancient practice long used for spiritual and emotional healing as well as physical wellness, yoga has been adopted in western culture and is widely accepted as a form of fitness as well as a therapeutic practice used for relaxation and overall good health. It focuses on inward healing for outward results.

People who regularly practice yoga find they are more centered, handle stress better, and aren’t as likely to experience depression and anxiety. They also are more flexible, have better mobility, and have stronger, leaner bodies.

What happens when you combine yoga and chiropractic care?

Because yoga helps to lower blood pressure, decrease stress, and strengthen the body’s core, it is a perfect therapy for the chiropractic patient. While chiropractic care is working to bring the spine into alignment and balance the body, yoga is helping to strengthen the muscles surrounding the spine, providing better support. The numerous health benefits, particularly regarding blood flow and relaxation help to increase chiropractic’s effectiveness as a pain management tool.

Patients who combine yoga and chiropractic will also often find that they see the effects of both treatments much faster than they would if they were only doing one or the other. Both chiropractic and yoga help with balance, flexibility, and mobility, but they come at it from somewhat different approaches. This provides a more balanced, well rounded treatment in these areas as one supports the other.

Yoga also tones and tightens the body, preparing it for much deeper levels of healing, cleansing and releasing the body of tensions that may have been held for years. It also works to stretch muscles that have been restricted for years, or even for the patient’s entire life. It prepares the body to accept the full benefits of chiropractic and respond faster and more fully.

Give us a call at (780)455-2112 to hear about our one on one yoga classes offered! Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our clinic, practitioners and services.

Acute Injury

Acute Injury Management: What Does the Acronym PRICE Stand For?

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When dealing with a sports injury or similar type of injury, many people are familiar with the R.I.C.E. protocol for injury care. R.I.C.E. stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation and has long been used when treating everything from sprained ankles to banged up knees. With acute injury patients, experts recommend adding “P” for protection because protection of the area it absolutely vital in the healing process. It is important that this is implemented as soon after the injury as possible and it should be maintained for anywhere from 24 hours to 72 hours afterwards. Of course, this depends on the severity of the injury.

P is for Protection: Injuries hurt and pain can be a good thing because it prevents you from further injuring that area. It encourages you to protect it.

It is important to listen to your body and protect the injured area through full or partial immobilization and restricted use. The way you do this depends on the body part.

An arm or shoulder injury can be protected with the use of a sling. An ankle injury may require a brace or splint and you may have to avoid or limit weight bearing for a while. This means using crutches a walker, or a cane.

R is for Rest: The body needs rest in order to heal. This could mean complete rest, but in many cases it means what is known as “relative rest.” This means that it allows for enough rest to heal but is not completely restrictive which could slow or inhibit recovery.

This means avoiding activities that are stressful to the area to the point that they cause pain or that they might compromise healing. Many times, though, some movement is a good thing, even beneficial. Some gentle movements can actually speed recovery.

Isometric contractions of the muscles and joints that surround the injury and even some range of motion exercises can help. The key is to keep the movements gentle and to listen to your body for guidance on how much and how far to push.

I is for Ice: Cryotherapy, or cold treatments can come in the form of actual ice, or there can be other types such as a cold soak. When treating acute injuries at home, the best known, and probably easiest way is to put some crushed ice in a freezer bag with a zip lock closure and wrap it in a small towel to keep the pack from directly touching the skin.

Frozen vegetables, like green beans, peas, or edamame work well too – just remember to use the towel as a barrier between the skin and the pack. You should not use the pack more than 10 to 15 minutes as a time. The recommended cycle is 10 to 15 minutes on and 1 to 2 hours off.

In some cases, you may not be able to apply ice directly to the site. In those cases, you can apply the pack at the joint above the affected area. For instance, a tightly wrapped ankle can still benefit from ice, you just apply the ice pack to the back on the knee on the same leg.

C is for Compression: A compression wrap can offer mild support and reduce swelling. Typically, an elastic bandage is used to compress or apply pressure to the injured tissue.

When applying a compression bandage, start it several inches below the area that is injured. It should be applied directly to your skin.

Use some tension as you wrap, but not to the point that it cuts off circulation (characterized by tingling or numbness and the soft tissue should not change color). Wrap the bandage in a figure eight configuration or spiral, depending on the area, stopping a few inches above the injury.

E is for Elevation: When an injured joint or extremity is not elevated, fluid can pool in the area and swelling can occur. This can lead to increased pain and limited range of motion. Elevation helps prevent these things from happening and can even help to speed up recovery.

The key to elevation is positioning the injured area at a level that is above the heart. The most effective way to accomplish this is to keep the area elevated as much as possible while awake and prop it up with pillows while sleeping for at least the first 24 to 48 hours. Some injuries may require more time though, so listen to your body.

Stability Ball Benefits

3 Reasons Why Sitting On A Stability Ball Is Good For Your Spine

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The workstation is one of the most damaging places you can spend your day when it comes to your spine. Office chairs are not designed to promote good posture or spinal health while desks and computer monitors are notorious for being too low or too high. The result can cause pain in your neck and back, headaches, and a variety of other conditions.

However, if you have a job that requires you to sit at a desk for an extended period of time, what can you do? Are you stuck with an achy, stiff neck and back because your work station doesn’t promote a healthy posture? You don’t have to suffer; you can work healthier and smarter. Using an exercise ball as your chair is a great way to combat the painful and even detrimental effects of the traditional desk and chair.

Stability Balls as an Office Chair

A stability ball, also known as a Swiss ball, exercise ball, or physio ball, is a large, inflatable ball that is used as training equipment. Regularly incorporating the stability ball into your fitness routine is effective in increasing pillar strength, improving your stability, and helping you have better balance. It is large, making it high enough that it can easily be used as a desk chair.

At least one company has combined the fitness benefits of a stability ball with some of the convenient features of an office chair (wheels, lumbar support, etc.). Gaiam Balance Ball Chairs are stability balls that are intended to be used as chairs. The ball needs to be inflated before use and may need to be re-inflated from time to time. It also has a 300-pound weight capacity. It is a somewhat pricier alternative to the plain stability ball.

How Sitting on a Stability Ball Benefits your Spine

There are at least three outstanding benefits you can enjoy by using a stability ball as your chair. Try it for just 30 days and see the difference for yourself. In that time you will see:

Your core muscles are toned. As you balance on the stability ball it forces you to engage your core muscles including those in your deep back, abdominal, and pelvic floor. It will keep your muscles engaged for extended periods of time but also encourage you to move for a little extra core work. This in turn will help to keep your spine properly aligned and stabilized.

Your back pain is relieved. Sitting on your stability ball improves your circulation, encouraging blood flow throughout your body. An office chair, on the other hand, does just the opposite. This is helpful in relieving pain. It keeps your spine aligned which also helps with any back pain you may experience. This is in part to the core strength you develop, but also because you are less likely to slouch or sit in a position that puts a strain on your back.

You have better posture. A better aligned spine just naturally leads to better posture. Sitting on the ball works your core, strengthening those muscles so that your spine is supported, resulting in better posture. You will find that you sit up straighter and over time you will walk taller. Better posture is very good for your spine, making it more flexible and stronger.

It should be noted that it isn’t healthy to sit in any position for too long. Stand up and move about every hour or so. While the stability ball causes you to change positions throughout the day, you also need the larger movements that include standing, stretching and walking.

Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our clinic.

Pilates chiropractic benefits

What Chiropractic Patients Want To Know About Pilates

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Everyone knows that exercise is great for overall wellness, better health, and a strong body. Many chiropractors will often recommend regular exercise to their patients who need to lose weight, want better mobility, or are seeking relief from depression. A number of chiropractors are turning to Pilates to help their patients get stronger, more flexible, and more mobile.

What is Pilates?

In the early 20th century Joseph Pilates developed the exercise program to help World War I soldiers improve their physical fitness. It was used to rehabilitate patients who had been injured. By incorporating resistance, stretching, and target strengthening exercise, Pilates uses resistance bands, special machines, and floor work to reshape and rehabilitate the body. Dancers, gymnasts, athletes, and celebrities use Pilates to stay in shape. However, anyone can do it for a healthier, more supple spine.

Care of the spine is at the core of Pilates. By keeping it in a neutral, or natural, position, this exercise can prevent back pain as well as help ease it. When done correctly, Pilates can:

  • Improve muscle control and movement efficiency through mental focus.
  • Make you more mindful of your body’s position, specifically, remaining aware of the spine’s position and keeping it neutral
  • Improve centering and mental focus through special, breathing techniques
  • Support and improve posture by strengthening abdominal and back muscles.

Benefits of Pilates for Chiropractic Patients

The benefits of Pilates tremendous, but for chiropractic patients it is even more so. By regularly incorporating Pilates into your exercise routine, you can enjoy these incredible benefits.

You can adapt Pilates to your fitness level and needs. Whether you are just starting a fitness program or you’ve been working out for years, Pilates can be adapted to your fitness needs and level.

It helps you strengthen your core. The deep muscles of your abdomen, back, and pelvic floor make up the core muscles of your body. Many of the Pilates movements focus on these muscles, making a body that is strong and the frame is supported.

Allows you to strengthen your muscles without bulking up. With Pilates your muscles get strong, but it also stretches the muscles so that they are lean and long. You will look toned and tight but not bulky and muscular.

It focuses on whole body fitness. Many types of exercise only work certain parts of the body, but Pilates focuses on whole body fitness. It works every part of the body so that the muscle development is balanced.

It helps to improve your posture. Pilates strengthens your body and helps to keep your spine in proper alignment due to a strong core. As a result, your posture naturally improves. By incorporating it into your exercise routine, you will find yourself standing taller, stronger, and more graceful.

You can become more connected through your mind and body by increased awareness. Pilates engages your mind and increases body awareness. It unites mind, body, and spirit for complete coordination. Each movement is done with complete attention.

It improves your flexibility. Pilates is a gentle but powerful exercise that works to safely stretch the muscles, making them longer, and increasing the range of motion in the joints.

It can protect you from injuries. By strengthening your body, Pilates can help protect you against injury. It conditions your whole body so that your muscles and strength are balanced. This reduces your risk of injury.

You get a natural energy boost. Just like with any exercise, Pilates will give you an energy boost. However, it is increased even more thanks to the focused breathing and increase in circulation stimulating the muscles and spine.

It can help you lose weight and attain a lean, long, strong body. Pilates tones and strengthens the body and if you do it regularly it will reshape you. The body is leaner and more balanced. It also helps you move with more grace and ease.

Give us a call at (780)455-2112 to book your one on one session with our amazing instructor! Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our wellness clinic.

Workplace ergonomics

4 Case Studies That Support Going Upright in the Workplace

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If you are considering going upright in your workplace or workspace, you are not alone. Companies large and small are recognizing the benefits of this healthy, spine friendly way of working and they are incorporating it into their employees’ work stations. It places the body in an optimal position, between standing and sitting to provide an ergonomic solution to working at a desk that saves space too. Even home offices are getting in on the movement. These case studies tell the stories of four companies that incorporated upright workspace technology for their own organizations.

ShapeUp

Rhode Island based start-up company, ShapeUp, is a health and technology centered small business with just employees. It manages the design and implementation of socially activated wellness programs in the workplace. They were looking for furniture that was high quality and tough enough to withstand a workforce that was very active. At the same time, it needed to promote good heath to remain consistent with the company’s health oriented ideals.

Their first step moving in that direction was to purchase several community upright workstations. This would allow employees to get upright at various points during the day. The feedback from employees was so positive that upright workstations were placed in each employee’s work area.  They reported reduced back pain and increased energy, attributing it to the simple act of going upright.

FLUX

FLUX, based in San Francisco, is a small tech company with fewer than 50 employees. The venture backed start-up created software that “reimagines sustainable building design.”

In 2012, Nicholas Chim, the company’s founder, began searching for body friendly workstations that would help keep his energy level up and help him maintain his focus. He purchased an upright station for himself to keep in his work area. Many of the employees expressed great interest in this strange, new workstation. Once, Chim came home from a business trip and found that one of the employees had taken over his upright station.

Chim then realized he needed to purchase upright stations for all of his employees, if he was going to keep them happy and healthy. He now offers upright work stations to all of his employees; all they have to do is request it.

Katie Rowe Mitchell

Katie Rowe Mitchell has a home office where she runs her start-up, Unfold Yoga + Wellness with her friend and partner Nicole Elipas Doherty. The company brings meditation practices and accessible yoga to organizations as a wellness measure for the companies’ employees. She left her long time corporate job that left her feeling physically uncomfortable, overstressed, and overworked due, in part, to her sedentary work style.

She recognized the link between yoga and having more energy and better focus so she left her corporate job to start her own company that would bring yoga to stressed out workers. In her own home office, Katie wanted a more active work style and an upright work station was the answer. It keeps her engaged in mind, body, and spirit. She has a newfound sense of freedom that sitting behind a desk for hours every day did not provide. Going upright opened a whole new world for Katie.

Wikimedia Foundation

Tech non-profit Wikimedia Foundation is based in San Francisco and has 200 employees. It powers several collaboratively edited projects including Wikimedia. When the company decided to redesign their office space, they decided that they wanted to create a work environment that empowered and encouraged employees to work together. They chose a dynamic environment with an open floorplan – and they included several upright stations. These workstations were grouped together so that all of the employees would have an opportunity to use the stations at different times. The upright desks also proved to be space saving and took up less room in the work area than traditional desks and chairs.

Advantages massage

7 Advantages of Getting A Massage

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In a fast paced and busy world, it is important to take time out from your busy schedule to indulge in a little “me time.” Although many people decide to go on a stay-cation, others go for a dip in a pool, whereas some opt for massages. Aside from providing your body with ultimate relaxation, massages are known to have endless advantages. Even though the sole purpose may be to get instant pain relief, if massage practices are done consistently, they can bring many benefits to your health.

Here is everything you can achieve from massages:

1.     Ultimate relaxation for the body

A hot stone or a Swedish massage is the perfect combination of heat and pressure that can provide ultimate relaxation to painful muscles. If your body feels worn out or too stiff from ongoing tensions, you will need to get one of these massages.

2.     Banish headaches

Despite what type of headache you may be suffering from, massages can alleviate them. Medical research has shown how getting regular massages and staying consistent with massages can reduce and even eliminate the headache issue.

3.     Experience less joint pain

A common issue amongst many individuals would be chronic joint pain. Moreover, pregnant women face this issue mostly, which is why doctors have started recommending massage therapy. Getting a massage regularly will relieve pains.

4.     No more anxiety worries

There are at least 40 million people in the world that suffer from a type of anxiety. This mental issue is one of the most common one and is responsible for the most mental health expenses as well. Luckily, with the help of massage therapy, it is possible to reduce the stress hormones in the body, which will automatically decline the symptoms of anxiety.

5.     Lessen back pains

Another common medical complaint would be continuous back pains. Multiple studies have proven how getting massage will reduce the requirement of painkillers in the body by 36%. It is also true that massage is more beneficial for treating back pains as compared to acupuncture and chiropractic practices.

6.     Improves flexibility

Because the issue of stiffness is recurring, people are unable to reach their desired level of flexibility. This issue makes it hard to excel at sports or freely do exercises. Therefore, getting a massage will target your body’s flexibility so you can enjoy life freely.

7.     Relieves insomnia

If you ask any individual about their sleeping habits, at least one thirds will reply with “falling asleep and staying asleep is a hard task.” Since sleep is such a crucial factor in life, it is important to resort to ways that will allow an individual’s sleep to be healthy all year long. Studies have proven that getting weekly massages can reduce insomnia significantly. Moreover, since many health issues happen because of sleep (prone to depression and a weak immune system), opting for massage is crucial.

 

With these noted advantages come many others as well. This is the reason why massage therapy has rapidly increased in the world. If you want to improve your quality of life, just get a massage!

Call (780)455-2112 or head online at www.ocwc.ca to book your appointment with one of our registered therapists!

nerve acupuncture

The Connection between Nerve Repair and Acupuncture

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Nerve damage is an inconsistent and highly common problem that is present when there is long-term numbness, pain, lack of movement and similar conditions, depending on which nerves got affected. The most common method to fix nerve damage is through physiotherapy, electrical stimulation, surgery, and mostly medication. The downside to these treatments is that they do not have guaranteed results. Therefore, more and more doctors are using acupuncture as the cure to all types of nerve damage.

Classification of Nerve Damage

East Asian Medicine identifies nerve damaged based on the symptoms. The names of the classifications are given in accordance to what we see in nature. The most common kind of nerve damaged are:

1.    Phlegm

This is when the damage leads to numbness and growth.

2.    Cold

This is when the damage occurs seasonally. It comes with throbbing pain when the contraction between the muscle and sinew takes place.

3.    Damp

This is when the damage results in severe and sharp pain, tingling sensations, quick exhaustion, and swelling.

4.    Wind

The damage that occurs in muscles causes spasms, twitching, stiffness, and uncontrolled movement.

Types of Acupuncture Used

1.    Electro-acupuncture

This is when there are electrodes placed on the needles. This therapy is used to cure lack of movement, stubborn pains, and severe pain sensation. This heavy treatment motivates nerve growth and helps stimulate nerves.

2.    Moxabustion

This is heat-based therapy with the involvement of burning herbs. This is used to treat exhaustion, spasm, and inflammatory tingling sensations.

3.    Plum Blossom Treatment

In this treatment, there is a promotion of sensory nerve re-growth in smaller areas of the body. It reduces pain that is caused because of febrile conditions or inflammations.

Proof that Acupuncture Helps Repair Nerves

Acupuncture is known as an effective method of repairing damaged nerves. Studies in the Neural Regeneration Research proved that acupuncture helped upper and lower limb motor nerves to mend. A test was done on patients who had electromyographic nerve damages to check if acupuncture would be effective on them. There was a positive response with 80% of the patients participating in the study.

Electromyography gives people the confirmation that acupuncture shows significant improvements in motor nerve conduction and promotes nerve repair all over the body.

The researchers of the study made a discovery. They found out that there is set of acupuncture points that resulted in good responses at a high rate. When local points where used, there was a 35% effective response. In addition, when the Du meridian points where added, there was an 80% effective response.

What is the Du meridian?

The Du meridian is a pathway that is made of 28 acupoints plus a few more. These points are located in the midline of the back under the spine where the vertebral functions occur. When acupuncture needles are inserted in the Du meridian points, conditions such are tremors, numbness, brain ailments, infertility and febrile diseases are cured.

Acupuncture is becoming more and more popular as many people are finding effective and long-term benefits with it.

Give us a call at (780)455-2112 to schedule your initial appointment. Visit www.ocwc.ca to learn more about our registered acupuncturist.

Goals health wellness

How to Set Realistic Goals that’ll Change Your Overall Health

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New Year’s Resolutions made by well-meaning but, unfortunately, less than 10 percent of people who make resolutions feel that they successfully achieve them and only 45 percent last past six months. Self-improvement goals like lose weight, eat healthier, quit smoking, and life improvement rank in the top five more popular resolutions. So, what is that 10 percent doing that makes them successful at achieving their goals? What sets them apart?

SMART Approach to Successful Goals

The SMART approach is a guide for setting realistic goals and attaining them. It is an acronym that outlines a success focused strategy for goal setting:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Accountable
  • Realistic
  • Timeframe

Each step will bring you closer to achieving your goals and improve your health.

Be SPECIFIC about your goals

Vague, ambiguous goals can’t stand up to time and temptation. Get specific.

Say you want to lose weight. How much do you want to lose? How do you plan to accomplish it? What are your reasons for setting this goal? Whatever goal you are setting, ask why and get specific about the details.

Set Goals that are MEASURABLE

If you set a goal that you can’t measure, how will you know when you reach it?

Any goal that you have can be measured in some way. Weight loss is measured in pounds, how your clothes fit, or how many inches you’ve lost. Eating healthy can be measured by what foods you incorporate into your dies, getting the junk food out of your pantry, and finding healthy recipes.

It helps to break your main goal into several smaller, attainable ones. It lets you see success very early and you keep seeing success which spurs your motivation, making you less likely to abandon your efforts.

Hold Yourself ACCOUNTABLE

Accountability is a great motivator for helping you stick to your goals. Keeping a journal has long been a great way to keep yourself accountable, but there are many website and software programs that you can use to track your efforts that may prove to be even more effective.

Partnering up with a buddy is also a great strategy. Choosing someone who has a goal similar to yours allows you to hold each other accountable. Plus, success is always better when you can share it with a friend.

Keep Your Goals REALISTIC

Unrealistic or unattainable goals are motivation killers. Even goals that are too difficult or require high pressure effort over a long period of time can be difficult to stick to.

As you sit down to set your goals, think about not only what you want to achieve, but what that looks like in your life. In other words, consider your personality and lifestyle, structuring your goals to accommodate those factors.

If your goal is to lose weight, setting a goal of 30 pounds in 30 days is not only unrealistic, but unhealthy. On the other hand, setting a 2 pound per week loss is a goal that you will likely find to be much easier.

Set a TIMEFRAME, but Keep it Flexible

Creating a timeframe for meeting your goals gives your efforts structure which helps to keep you motivated. Make sure your timeframes are realistic; give yourself enough time.

If the constraints are too tight you could find that you veer off the path and even lose sight of your goals. Stay flexible, though. If you don’t reach a goal within a given timeframe, don’t be afraid to move it a little.

As long as you are moving forward, toward your goal you don’t need to limit yourself just because you didn’t complete it within the time you originally allotted. It’s about meeting your goals and making lasting changes that will affect your overall health for the better. Cut yourself some slack.