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A Beginner’s Guide to Acupuncture

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Many people do not understand the healing benefits of acupuncture. In some ways acupuncture is fascinating. Fine needles inserted into the body to stimulate healing? The typical western health model may leave someone scratching there heads at that mode of treatment.

However, when you get a basic understanding of this treatment, you will understand how beneficial it can to get fine needles inserted into your body, with the help of professionals only.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine that involves the insertion of fine, stainless steel, sterile needles into specific points of your body. These points are known as acupuncture points and they are located in 12 main meridians that are connected to different organs in your body. By doing this, energy is released from these organs so you can heal.

What Did The Ancients Use During Acupuncture Treatment?

In the ancient times, instead of using fine needles, sharp bones and stones were used. Even when simple surgeries had to be done, these instruments were used. However as time has gone by, medicine evolved as well. There was invention of gold, bronze and silver needles were made and then finally stainless steel needles (used today). However, there are some acupuncturists who used golden needles.

The Physiological Effects of Acupuncture

  • It promotes blood circulation
  • It releases endorphins and neurotransmitters in your body
  • It stimulates the fibers of nerves
  • It also releases serotonin in the body
  • It releases adrenocorticotropic hormone in your body
  • It lessen inflammations
  • It reduces stress
  • It tends to relax contracted/shortened muscles
  • It restores the homeostasis in the body

Is Acupuncture A Form of Therapy?

Yes, it is, but keep in mind it is not magic. Depending on the condition, you have and if it is acute or chronic, the longevity of the treatment is decided. When the condition is chronic, it will take longer to treat, but when it is acute, it might take 2 to 3 sessions.

Most of the times, acupuncture is done so an individual’s body systems can be strengthened, but the sessions must be attended regularly. Moreover, when someone starts getting regular acupuncture treatments, there will be a change in diet, lifestyle, thought patterns, exercise, etc.

Who can benefit from acupuncture?

Everyone, whether you are a child, pregnant female, a pro-athlete, an elderly, strong or weak person, you can gain the benefits of acupuncture.

Conditions That Can Be Treated By Acupuncture

According to the World Health Organization, many people suffering from diseases and conditions can experience benefits of acupuncture :

  • Acute and chronic gastritis
  • Sprains
  • Sciatica
  • Depression
  • Correction of malposition of fetus
  • Neck pain
  • Tennis elbow
  • Dental pain
  • Low back pain
  • Temporomandibular (TMJ) dysfunction
  • Headache
  • Induction of labor
  • Morning sickness
  • Rheumatoid arthritis
  • Stroke
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Allergic rhinitis, including hay fever
  • Postoperative pain
  • Adverse reactions to radiation or chemotherapy

 

Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic has qualified registered massage therapists on staff. Give our clinic a call at 780-455-2112 to book your appointment today.

6 Things to Know About Acupuncture

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Over the years, acupuncture has become more and more popular because individuals see it as an alternative to western medicine. However, even now, many people do not know what to expect when they go in for their first visit.

Although, there are different techniques and styles of acupuncture,  there are the common tips to know about acupuncture.

1) It Will Be Treating More Than Just Pain

According to acupuncturists, patients must not skip sessions because they are feeling sick. Acupuncture not only aids with stomach viruses and common colds, but it can help with emotional and mental stress, skin diseases, dentistry, gout, cancer, neurological disorders, and infections, according to the World Health Organization.

2) Do Not Go On an Empty Stomach

It is important to have a –somewhat- full stomach before going in for your treatment. It is not important to indulge in a big meal, but your body just needs something that will energize you so you can get maximum benefits. If you get acupuncture on an empty stomach, it could lead to fainting, lightheadedness, and even dizziness.

3) You Will Not Need To Take Your Clothes Off

Sometimes, acupuncturists will need to be able to reach under your clothes, but if that needs to happen, they will put a covering on you so only some of your skin is exposed. You must keep in mind that wearing loose clothes is recommended so your sleeves or pants can be rolled up easily.

4) You Will Need to Get Your Pulse Check, Show Your Tongue, and Get an Abdomen Press

Since acupuncturists want to provide you with maximum benefits, they will want to see the “state of your internal organs.” These methods allow them to determine the ideal treatment for you. Similar to reflexology on your feet and hands, your pulse, the different parts of your tongue and abdomen have connections with the organs and systems within your body.

5) Be Prepared For Embarrassing Questions

For a thorough physical examination, the acupuncturist will ask you questions related to your lifestyle and health. Most of the time, the common questions will ask you for detailed answers related to your urination, bowel movements, and menstruation (for females). The more details you go in, the better the diagnosis will be.

6) Acupuncturists Use Tools Other than Needles Also

Needles are the main tool used during acupuncture, but acupuncturists have started looking for more tools that fall under the “Chinese Medicine” category. This includes Tuina (massage), cupping (suction of your skin), Chinese herbs, acupressure (using pressure on acupuncture points instead of needles), Guasha (scraping the skin), Moxibustion (heating the skin), or Qi Gong.

These are the top six things you must know when you are going to get acupuncture done. Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic has excellent acupuncturists on staff. Check out our website @ schroeder.wpengine.com or give our clinic a call @ 780-455-2112 to get started.

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. Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic offers are range of services including acupuncture. Give our office a call @ 780-455-2112 to book your appointment today.

Benefits of Acupuncture Therapy

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Acupuncture is the one of the oldest practices in Chinese medicine. It is an ancient form of medicine that was practice in the oldest times and it is used to this day. Nations around the world are practicing acupuncture, as it is an effective and trusted way of treating those who are suffering from stress or some illness.
Acupuncture is done by identifying the points of your body that trigger the bodily functions. Improper body functions can lead to elevated body temperature, lack of defense against pathogens, less bodily fluids and the inability of transforming those fluids into energy. The purpose of acupuncture is to fix these functions to improve the health and wellbeing of an individual.
Here are the top 5 health benefits of acupuncture:
1. Decreases Back Pain
Acupuncture therapy eases and diminishes back pain. It promotes the release of chemicals into the spinal cord and brain. The chemicals that are released relieve the pain and improve the bodily functions.
A study was done by the Archives of Internal Medicine and they revealed that needle stimulation, which is the primary technique used in acupuncture offered quicker relief from pain than medications. In acupuncture, pressure is given on certain points with the use of small needles. This helps a patient get rid of the pain and discomfort they are experiencing.
2. Makes Medications Effective
A study showed that adding acupuncture while on medication improves impact of the medicine. This also helps lower the dose and avoid the side effects commonly associated with pain-alleviating medicines, such as weight gain and nausea.
3. Minimizes the Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Cancer patients can minimize the side effects of chemotherapy if they add acupuncture therapy to their regime. A study showed that people who were getting chemotherapy had lesser negative side effects when they were getting acupuncture alongside. One cancer patient claimed that they felt less nauseous as compared to before when they began acupuncture therapy. It does not transform the life of those getting this treatment, but it does make the quality of life after chemo much better.
4. Helps Put a Stop to Long Term Headaches
Doctors have started recommending acupuncture as a treatment to help patients get rid of headaches and migraines rather than prescribing medicines. It has proved to be effective in preventing chronic tension-related headaches and decreasing the chances of suffering from a headache in the future as well.
5. Put an End to Obesity
Although there is no conclusive evidence regarding the effects of acupuncture on obesity, there are studies that show that it can be an effective weight loss treatment. Korean researchers analyzed a large group of people and concluded that acupuncture therapy led to more weight loss than extreme lifestyle changes. For those who are trying to lose weight, adding acupuncture could help them make accelerated progress towards their weight loss target.
Along with these benefits, acupuncture has proven to be the cure to many chronic body pains. The insertion of fine needles has been found to be an effective treatment and is therefore being increasingly used all around the world.

Release the Energy Within Via Acupuncture

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Who knew that the insertion of needles in your skin could be the cure to so many internal problems? Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment that aims to cure disease and prevents your body from suffering in the future. This act is done by inserting fine needles into specific points in the body, points known as acupoints. It is believed that these points are switches in the body that triggers action of the immune system, making it more resistant against disease.

Releasing the Qi

Chinese doctors of the sixteenth century used the expression “Qi’ to illustrate the energy which flows inside our bodies. What they believe is that the human body is an energy form, and illness is caused when there is a disruption in your Qi. Qi blockages or imbalances can wreak havoc. This is where acupuncture comes in.

Energy Highways (Meridian): Eastern Theory vs. Western Theory

The eastern theory states that when a needle is inserted into the energy centers of our bodies, a chain reaction begins. Accessing Qi, stimulates the blood circulation. When the blood and energy flow is at its optimum, energy highways are activated at the acupoints. All parts of the acupuncture meridian, body channels, and other channeling functions are stimulated when acupuncture needles are inserted at the acupoints.

Just ONE SINGLE acupoint can start an energy flow in the entire body. Sometimes, acupuncturists intentionally combine points so they can have the Qi moving in a certain direction. Their goal is to make the energy flow into the areas of the body that are weaker so there is an energetic balance inside the body.

The western theory states that when a needle enters the vascular areas of our body, it begins to do several things:

  • It makes an immune response. For your body, the needle is a foreign object that is causing a minor injury to the tissues, so it activates the immune and circulatory functions. New blood is sent to the area where the needle has pricked. Cells begin to release energies that delay blood clotting. Did you know that the thinner your blood is, the better the flow?
  • It helps with the production and maintenance of connective tissue and energy. In response to this, the cells release Adenosine triphosphate (ATP: organic chemical). ATP helps with several things inside the body including pain relief.
  • Your body has an electrical system! Acupuncture enables the transport of tissues throughout your body. It assists in the healing process as it transfers materials and energies between the injured tissues and the normal ones to balance things out.
  • It triggers the release of hormones in your brain. When an acupuncture needle is inserted into your body, it causes changes in your body functions and makes you stronger against the pain you may be feeling.

Are You Convinced?

You may fear acupuncture – but the fact is that it is one alternative treatment that has worked miracles. Science as well as traditional medicine has made their case for it. Now, it’s your turn to give it a try! Check out our clinic by visiting www.ocwc.ca or give our office a call at 780-455-2112 to get started today.

How Acupuncture Has Changed the Perception of Healthy Living

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Acupuncture is a universal healing technique that comes from the ancient and rich shores of China. A mainstay of traditional Chinese medicine, it is the practice of inserting thin needles into your skin to stimulate points. It helps improve the body’s overall functioning and promotes the self-healing process.
Like other therapies, acupuncture involves a plethora of different techniques. The most commonly used method is the one where very thin, sterile needles are inserted into your skin to stimulate acupoints. Pressure, heat or electrical stimulation may also be used to enhance its effects.

Does It Hurt? When you think about needles being inserted into your skin, you’re bound to feel a little scared. However, surprisingly, treatments are actually pain free. The most popular uses are to reduce chronic pain in your body – so the question of it causing pain never really arises.

1. It Reduces Headaches!

After much research, it has been proven that acupuncture is the best way to get rid of chronic, tension-related headaches. Although many in the medical fieled refuse to acknowledge acupuncture as a treatment, no one can deny that it works.
During the treatment, the therapist will insert needles in specific areas of your body, which will give you a relief in migraines and headaches. It not only reduces the frequency but also the intensity the headaches come with.

2. Get Rid of Chronic Pains

Chronic pains are the worst! If you’re a young guy or girl, these pains will make you feel old and drain the life out of you. When you are experiencing pains in your back, neck, or knee, life becomes a hassle. Acupuncture has been proven to be the most effective treatment for back pain.
As mentioned before, many studies prove that these treatments an cure chronic pain for good – something not many traditional medicinal practices can boast of. In fact, acupuncture is fast becoming a referral option for many open-minded doctors as well.

3. Sleep Well

Sleep deprivation can lead to a very moody day, week, month and even life. A study showed that people that were taking medication for sleep got much better, peaceful sleep when they added acupuncture to their regime. Many sleeping pills come with side effects, while there are none with acupuncture. Which is the better choice – you decide!

4. Helps Cancer Recovery

Acupuncture can stimulate immunity and speed-up recovery for cancer patients. Treatments can enhances the immune system, increases platelet count and prevents the destruction of healthy cells that comes with chemotherapy. On top of that, chemotherapy is a painful process. Acupuncture goes a long way in easing that pain.

5. Prevent Cognitive Decline

Acupuncture has showed effectiveness for Parkinson’s disorder too. Treatments help generate neural responses in some areas of your brain, more specifically the putamen and thalamus that are the most affected by this disorder. A study shows that 20 patients were treated with 16 acupuncture sessions and they had significant improvements in their everyday life because of it.

If you are interested in booking your session. Give our clinic a call @ 780-455-2112 and our staff will be happy to help you.

How Acupuncture Helps With Weight Loss

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Acupuncture is an ancient Asian technique that involves stimulating pressure points on the body using extremely thin needles. Acupuncture has been gaining in popularity throughout the world and is now even recommended by many mainstream medical professionals. While acupuncture is most commonly used for pain relief, it can also help people who want to lose weight.

How Acupuncture Assists With Weight Loss

Weight loss involves many factors, including your genetics, your eating habits and your level of activity. Your metabolism and hormonal activity also plays a part when it comes to your weight. Stimulating the right acupuncture points can have a beneficial effect on your metabolism. Acupuncture also releases endorphins, which helps you relax produces feelings of well being. This can make it easier to resist the temptation to eat fattening foods.

Typical Acupuncture Treatment for Weight Loss

An acupuncturist might insert needles that stimulate meridians affecting the stomach and digestive system. The ear is also frequently used in acupuncture. There are points on the ear that are related to both appetite and metabolism. Stimulating these points may help reduce your appetite while speeding up your metabolism. An acupuncturist who practices Chinese or other types of Asian medicine may also suggest certain herbs to aid with weight loss to complement the acupuncture treatments.

Acupuncture Must be Combined With Diet and Exercise

While acupuncture can assist with weight loss, it’s not a solution that will work all by itself. It’s also necessary to reduce your caloric intake and get regular exercise. Acupuncture, however, can make these tasks easier by reducing stress, stimulating your metabolism and helping to control your appetite. A good acupuncturist will suggest lifestyle changes to help you reach your weight loss goals.

Mainstream medicine is just beginning to understand the benefits of acupuncture for many health conditions. When used in conjunction with other methods, acupuncture can be an effective tool in your weight loss program. Acupuncture is a safe modality that has no dangerous side effects.

To learn more about how acupuncture can help with weight loss or to book a session, call Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic at  780-455-2112.

Acupuncture to Release Pain in Edmonton

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Just about everyone has dealt with pain in their back at some point in time. Whether it be because of an injury or because of sleeping on a bad mattress, back pain can leave you incapable of doing the things you enjoy. Everything that you want to do is put on hold. Acupuncture can be an effective treatment for your back pain, especially when other treatments have not worked.

A Simple Release for Everyday Pain

Instead of dealing with pain on a daily basis, you can get the release you need with acupuncture. This simple, yet effective, procedure will provide you with lasting results that allow you to get back to doing the things you love. Acupuncture treatment doesn’t take much of your time, but the results are well worth the effort. In fact, many people find acupuncture treatments to be relaxing.

Exploring How the Process Works

You get to lie down on the table while the acupuncturist inserts tiny needles at specific points on your body. For most people, they don’t even feel the needles being inserted. Some have even been known to fall asleep on the table. The needles are inserted at certain pressure points to help release the pain and pressure in your joints and muscles. All you have to do is lie there and enjoy having the pain melt away. It really doesn’t get any better than that.

 

Acupuncture Extends Beyond Back Pain

Acupuncture takes things beyond just back pain. It can help with digestive orders, immune system problems, hormonal issues and much more. Just about anything that aches in your body can be treated with the help of acupuncture. Depending on where the problem lies, the needles will be inserted into different areas of the body to address the problem.

Don’t Delay in Scheduling Your Appointment

Instead of struggling with pain and discomfort, you can turn to Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic to schedule your appointment and begin the path to health and healing. Call [sc name=”tel-ocwc”] today to discuss your needs with one of the licensed professionals.

Acupuncture for Anxiety in Edmonton

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Anxiety disorders can develop for a number of reasons. The origin of Generalized Anxiety Disorder or panic disorder can be stress related, or it can be due to chemical imbalances associated with a developing health issue. While anxiety medication is helpful as a coping tool, it is not without some risk. If you have recently been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, considering acupuncture as part of your treatment is a good idea. Here are some of the reasons why.

How Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture is based on the understanding that health requires a proper emotional and physical balance in the body. The energy field of the body is in perfect sync when nothing interferes with that energy flow. Illness comes about when some sort of blockage takes place. The best way to deal with the situation is remove the block and restore the proper flow.

Acupuncture does this by using thin needles at various points in the body known as meridians. Inserting the needles at points understood to relate to the mind and the nervous system removes whatever is preventing the body from healing. As this relates to anxiety disorders, the treatments restore the energy flow needed to produce as reasonable amount of neurotransmitters and calm the mind.

What to Expect During the First Treatment

Many patients who seek acupuncture as a way to treat anxiety find that the mind racing associated with the condition begins to calm during the first session. The needles cause no discomfort while the calm and controlled atmosphere provides a sense of peace that anxiety sufferers find hard to achieve. This benefit alone makes the sessions worth the time and effort.

 How About Later?

As the sessions continue, the patient notices that the periods of feeling calm and back to normal last for a longer period of time. It is easier to return to places where panic attacks occurred and find that they do not happen again.

As first one and then another place is reclaimed as being what anxiety sufferers call safe places, the fear of an attack occurring begins to fade. What was reduced to a limited existence by the anxiety is suddenly a much larger world with nothing to fear and everything to look forward to enjoying.

If you are living with anxiety in Edmonton, contact the Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic today by calling 780-455-2112. With the right combination of treatments, you’ll soon be on the way to feeling normal again.

Acupuncture for Menopause in Edmonton

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Acupuncture is a key element in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that involves thin needles that are inserted into the body at acupuncture points and energy channels. Through the centuries, this amazing alternative medicine has been used for various ailments like chronic pain, weight loss, anxiety, migraines and menopause. Today, many use acupuncture for maintenance and prevention as well as helping with specific symptoms.

What is more, recent studies show that a holistic method such as acupuncture can ease various menopausal symptoms.

Mood Imbalances
When rendering the principles behind acupuncture, hormonal imbalances emerge when the internal balance of Yin-Yang energy is broken or interrupted. The objective of acupuncture is to rebalance and strengthen Yin-Yang within the body. When the internal balance is restored, irritability and mood swings are drastically reduced or eliminated.

Reduces Hot Flashes
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, acupuncture can reduce hot flash up to 35 percent. Numerous other studies found acupuncture to be extremely effective in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flashes. In fact, many claim that the effects were not reliant on the number of treatment or the length of treatment. Plus the effects lasted up to three months.

Better Sleep
Insomnia is quite common when faced with a hormonal imbalance. Fortunately, even chronic insomnia can be treated effectively with acupuncture. In fact, studies show acupuncture can reduce sleep problems and help regulate hormones. In addition, acupuncture is renowned for its ability to help with night sweats by balancing Yin-Yang.

Fatigue
Sometimes menopause can cause fatigue. However, many menopausal patients using a short sequence of regular appointments (weekly) reported an obvious increase in energy plus a decrease in fatigue.
Spider and Varicose Veins

For centuries, acupuncture has been known to improve circulation and open pathways throughout the body. And by stimulating the blood flow in certain areas with acupuncture, spider and varicose vein can be greatly reduced.

Oliver Chiropractic Wellness Clinic is one Edmonton’s premium health care clinics. We treat a variety of conditions and are excited for the potential of working with you in realizing your health goals. Our wellness clinic is currently accepting new patients. To book an appointment, call today at [sc name=”tel-ocwc”].