Alternative Medicine Resources

People with anxiety problems have great difficulty in addressing it and unfortunately there are very few solutions conventional medicine offers to help with this condition.  So people with extreme anxiety often turn to alternative treatments.  Acupuncture NYC is one of the more effective alternative therapies around for addressing anxiety.

Anxiety is a state of feeling that a person has when reacting to something that is difficult to control.  Events or activities such as public speaking or exams are events that can produce anxiety.  However, there are people who suffer from runaway anxiety or anxiety that is excessive that it greatly affects their health.  People who have this kind anxiety often feel on edge most of the time.  When they find difficulty in accomplishing a certain task this causes them to have panic attacks.  Sleep is also hard to obtain when suffering from high anxiety and other symptoms may arise if the level of anxiety is not reduced.

Acupuncture is a treatment that came from China and has been used for thousands of years as treatment for various kinds of physical and emotional conditions.  Practitioners of this art believe acupuncture is based on the principle of energy or chi.  Chi is believed to circulate all over the body like blood through energy vessels called meridians.  If a person is sick, an imbalance in energy exists caused by energy blockages arising in the meridians.  Using reed-thin needles inserted at strategic points in the body, acupuncturists remove the energy blockages and aid chi to flow throughout the body unimpeded once again, treating the sickness in the body as a result.  At the beginning of the treatment, the acupuncturist will review and interview the patient regarding the latter’s medical history.  This is to determine what points in the body are required for needling.  The acupuncturist will need to devise a treatment plan specific to the patient’s constitution and needs.

Studies done throughout the years have proven the efficacy of acupuncture in treating anxiety, especially for anxiety that conventional medications could not treat.  The studies were so convincing that many doctors in the United States have now included acupuncture into their anxiety therapies with satisfactory results. Patients who have been treated of their anxiety say that acupuncture is a great way to revitalize the body and a very good way to relax and be in a mentally and emotionally tranquil state.  This means that anxiety has been banished from their minds replaced with a feeling of calm and peacefulness.  This is experienced due to acupuncture’s ability to elevate the serotonin level in the body, which reduces the amount on anxiety in the mind.

Find out more how acupuncture can help you with your anxiety problems by doing a few more research about acupuncture and its power to treat extreme anxiety.

Entropy affects everyone in the course of time.  After several decades, a once looking youthful and beautiful face loses its attractiveness and degenerates.  Though aging (or entropy) is a major factor for this various toxins, pollution and stress also play their part in the loss of a person’s attractive, youthful looking appearance.  These factors cause early aging, loose skin, dark spots, wrinkles, sagging laugh lines and sagging facial muscles.  Modern conventional treatments provide answers to these conditions but most people would prefer natural treatment methods when it comes to facial care and enhancing to avoid any regrettable side effects that affect the face.

Fortunately for these people seeking natural treatment, cosmetic acupuncture New York is one safe, natural and quite effective treatment for looking good that does not use any type of medication in its procedure.  This type of acupuncture is also known as facial rejuvenation or acupuncture facelift.  Acupuncture is based on the theory that there are points in the body called acupuncture points where needles inserted there can produce positive and beneficial results such as a better looking and healthier skin.  Acupuncture points lie along energy channels called meridians which carry vital life force known as chi throughout the body.  Chi is what the body needs to live, grow, be strong and be healthy.  Cosmetic acupuncture needles stimulate the meridians which carry blood and energy to the soft tissues and bones in the face.  Meridians in the face are inserted with needles to stimulate these effects.

The needles help remove any energy blockages in the meridians which disrupt the flow of energy, oxygen, blood and vital nutrients that make the skin healthy.  Under a licensed, well-trained acupuncturist, there should be no pain felt when the needles are inserted into the skin; instead a tingling sensation or no sensation at all should be felt when needles are inserted. The needles increase muscle tone, which tightens the loose skin removing the facial wrinkles and giving the facial skin a healthy complexion.  The needles also stimulate the production and release of collagen to enhance skin elasticity and help give the skin a younger looking look.  The needles also help in alleviating pain in the facial muscles and improve the range of motion of tensed and stiff muscles.

As mentioned, cosmetic acupuncture improves blood circulation, particularly to the face thus giving the face a much healthier glow.  It also can treat skin conditions such as pimples, acne and facial dark spots.  Some conventional cosmetic techniques such as a surgical facelift can cost so much money that most people can hardly afford it.  Cosmetic acupuncture, on the other hand probably costs a fraction of the amount spent on one cycle of Botox or cosmetic surgery.  Besides there are very few minimal risks of injuries with acupuncture compared to the very painful and invasive procedures of both cosmetic surgery and Botox.

Many more people are seeking alternative forms of treatment for their health problems nowadays especially when it comes to losing unwanted weight.  In 2010, a record 34% of adults in the United States are obese while around 12% of US children likewise suffer from obesity.  One of the most effective and safest alternative forms of obesity treatment is acupuncture for weight loss.

Acupuncture NYC originated more than 2,500 years ago in China.  There are more than 15 million people who now use acupuncture as a mainstream recourse for their health problems.  How does one then lose weight with acupuncture?  Acupuncture is not a procedure where one can directly lose weight.  It can facilitate the process by helping the obese person make the necessary changes in his/her lifestyle and eating habits.

The process of acupuncture as a treatment for losing weight starts with the acupuncturist selecting needle points in the body called acupuncture points and inserting them with non-hollow, very thin and sterile needles.  The needles elicit an effect in the body that helps produce and release hormones known as endorphins, which relaxes and calms the mind and body.  The endorphins are excellent tools for fighting anxiety, depression, frustration, heartache and stress which are factors that can cause one to overeat at mealtimes or eat frequently.  Also, endorphins are said to improve the function of the digestive system by increasing body metabolism, enhancing nutrient absorption and improving waste excretion in the body.

As mentioned earlier, lifestyle changes are needed if one is serious about losing weight. Being more active and eating a more nutritious diet will lead to weight loss and without them, acupuncture for weight loss will not be as successful as one might want it to be.  A good acupuncturist will recommend in an acupuncture weight loss program supplements such as herbal antioxidants, minerals and vitamins among others as well a balanced nutritional diet to lose weight and to maintain a desired weight.  Another way acupuncture can help the body get rid of weight is its ability to increase the body’s energy levels.  This can help compel one to do exercises and reduce food desires.  It also helps in improving blood circulation.  Even for people suffering for decades from chronic fatigue and pain, studies have shown that acupuncture can increase their energy levels.  It is very important to get treatment from a licensed and experienced acupuncturist to prevent any untoward side effects such as soreness, swelling, bruising or even fainting.  Needles should be disposable and sterilized. Talk to the acupuncturist about the effects and what to expect from acupuncture treatment.

Acupuncture can help losing weight become much easier because its effects encourage one to alter his/her lifestyle positively, especially eating habits and exercises.  Furthermore stress is removed with acupuncture helping the patient control his/her food cravings preventing bingeing or frequent eating tendencies from arising.

Low back pain is one of the most common reasons people see doctors.  No one is immune to low back pain and it is a major reason why people miss doing activities and work.

Pain can have many causes; to name a few, diseases, structural deformities and trauma (pain from injuries and pain).  Vertebral problems that are structural in nature such as stenosis, herniated discs and other vertebral deformities generate pain and other chronic problems. Some diseases that can cause pain are osteoporosis and ankylosing spondylosis.  Symptoms of back pain usually manifest in the back’s lumbar region.  The pain can affect only the back muscles and is localized.  It may also travel to other parts of the body, particularly the legs.  Some typical symptoms of back pain include numbness, spasmodic pain, dull pain, stabbing pain and throbbing pain as well as pain from the back traveling down to the toes causing pain and numbness to the toes.  Back pain can be so severe that the victim may be unable to walk.

Conventional as well as alternative treatments for low back pain exist.  For conventional treatments, muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatory drugs are the most often used.  For severe low back pain, back surgery is an option.  For alternative treatments to back pain, the most popular would be traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) incorporates all-natural modalities that have existed for thousands of years. Acupuncture New York is one of those modalities and is a very effective treatment for low back pain. TCM takes an entirely different view of the human body than Western medicine. TCM believes that life energy flows throughout the body along energy vessels called meridians.  The Chinese call this life energy chi. Sometimes chi is not properly dispensed throughout the body and some parts of the body experience deficient chi. When this energy imbalance happens, disease arises.  Factors such as blood and chi deficiency or pathogens caused by cold and wind can cause low back pain.  According to TCM, low back pain is often associated with problems in the kidney meridians.   With acupuncture problems in the kidney meridians and other affected parts of the back causing low back pain will be properly addressed.

Millions of people in the United States have benefited greatly from acupuncture treatment, especially for the treatment of acute and chronic low back pain.  For the resolution of acute low back pain a few to less than 10 sessions are needed while in chronic low back pain cases, treatment duration tends to be longer.  Some chronic cases are impossible to cure and acupuncture then is used to help manage their painful symptoms.  Acupuncture is also extremely affective for back conditions such as arthritis, stenosis, herniated discs and sciatica.

Chronic pelvic disorders are frequently misdiagnosed and mistreated.  Whenever this happens, the patient loses an opportunity that would help hem/her in the treatment not only of the painful conditions but the underlying cause of the problem itself.

More often than not, proctitis is the cause of pain in the pelvis.  Proctitis means inflammation of the anus or rectum, more specifically, swelling of the rectal lining or rectal mucosa.  This disorder can stem from various causes and is classified as either chronic or acute in nature.  One common cause of proctitis is it is a side effect of drugs, most likely antibiotic drugs.  Proctitis can be linked to causes that irritate and inflame the small intestine or colon; herpes; yeast infections; hemorrhoids; Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis as well as other factors such as cholecystitis, chronic pancreatitis, allergies, bacterial infection or rectal injury to name a few.

Chronic pelvic disorder is associated with symptoms such as constipation, stomach uneasiness after eating, indigestion, gas, bloating, abdominal pain, anal itching or rectal pain.

There is a high correlation of chronic pelvic disorder with the occupation of driving.  Inordinate cases of chronic pelvic disorder where seen in drivers of taxis, limos, buses or trucks.  Many physicians suspect that rectal traumatic injury due to prolonged seating in the same typical position plus the constant irritation of the anal area due to bumps in the road have lead to neurological problems in the anal area.  This daily experience may lead to chronic pelvic pain syndrome, interstitial cystitis, painful bladder syndrome, prostatodynia, or prostatitis.  These conditions have some common symptoms:  urinary pain, urgency and frequency.

Unfortunately, Western medicine does not have any answers that can cure or at least manage these pelvic disorders.  Neither pharmaceutical medications treatment nor rectal or pelvic surgery, which is very costly have proven to be effective remedies for these problems.  What are the options of the 10 to 15 million sufferers of pelvic disorders in the United States then?  These disorders can be debilitating and usually become worse when left untreated for a long time.  It is so unlikely that an effective treatment for these pelvic problems such as chronic prostatitis, interstitial cystitis or chronic pelvic syndrome treatment can be found in the arcane treatment of acupuncture.  Acupuncture NYC has been proven to effectively treat inflammation, acute or chronic, of the pelvis.  It is a great and effective treatment of the three aforementioned pelvic disorders.

The use of Chinese herbal medicine is also combined with acupuncture treatment for chronic prostatitis, interstitial cystitis or chronic pelvic syndrome often delivering excellent results after several treatment sessions.  Acupuncture and herbal medicine treatment addresses the cause of the symptoms and relies on the body’s own healing mechanisms to heal the injury of the pelvic region.

Acupuncture New York is many times combined with moxibustion therapy in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).  These combined modalities are so inextricably related to each other that they have a corresponding name; zhenjiu.  Zhen means needle while jiu means to burn.  Because these two treatments are used very often, a neologism called acu-moxa is now used for this treatment.  To better appreciate this treatment, the need to understand their origins becomes necessary.

Moxibustion is one of the modalities comprising TCM.  It treats sicknesses by energizing the meridians and acupuncture points with heat. Moxibustion was invented directly as a consequence of the discovery of fire by primitive humans.  Plants and animals tend to thrive in warm climate than cold.  Using heat as a form of treatment is universal and can be proven by evidence of its usage in the ancient Rome and Greece.  Early humans have figured out that fire can not only keep them warm and cook their food but also can cure or relieve their maladies.

With needles, however, allowing oneself to be stuck with needles is not a normal activity one does to one’s body even when in pain or sickness.  Most, if not all people would rather not be inserted with needles; in fact, needles to humans is associated to injury and/or pain.  Being pricked with a needle always elicits an uneasy or painful sensation even if the needles used are thin and/or short.  A recent study reported that needles with the size of acupuncture needles when used on rabbits can cause damage to more than a dozen nerve fibers.  When one reflects on how thick and big the needles were used in antiquity, one can probably guess the trauma of the patient then when these needles were used in his/her body.

Even if acupuncture, under the hands of a less skilled acupuncturist, can be painful, it does not cause lasting or severe injury.  Many people, especially those suffering from acute or chronic disorders can and are willing to endure the needles if it meant treating their problems.  Most people in the West are frightened of pain and acupuncture treatment for them may seem a frightening prospect.  It does not help when inexperienced and poorly trained acupuncturists are in the news and reported to have botched treatments.

Acupuncture is a uniquely Chinese invention or discovery.  There are no chronicles of this type of treatment recorded in other ancient cultures.  Traditional and medical acupuncturists up to a point still follow the same doctrines and apply needles in the same manner as were espoused on the earliest discourse on acupuncture (around 104-34 BC). Even with the integration of modern technology and other modern techniques such as point stimulation or acupressure, needle use is still the more common method that acupuncture treatment uses.

There are three modes or phases of acupuncture NYC therapy vital to the understanding of acupuncture as an effective remedy for conditions such as chronic pain.

Three modes or phases of acupuncture care:

Relief Therapy – Applied for the remedy of pain and energy imbalance.  Treatments for this phase usually requires several sessions.

Stabilization Care/Therapy – The application of acupuncture care for boosting immune function.  The number of treatment sessions is considerably less than relief therapy.

Maintenance Therapy – The treatment used for sustaining the effectiveness of stabilization therapy.  Occasional treatments are required this type of therapy.

A patient experiencing acupuncture the first time will wonder how many sessions are needed to completely resolve his/her condition.  The answer depends on the degree of the condition.  A patient suffering from a chronic disorder may require more treatment sessions that one suffering from an acute condition and corollary to that a patient having a weak constitution may require more treatment than one with a relatively strong constitution.

Acupuncture needles are as thin as human hair, sterilized, non-hollow and made of stainless steel.  There are no other materials injected into a patient during acupuncture therapy.  Regular acupuncture treatments are required if a person wants the body to function as an efficient self-healing organism with a well functioning immune system.  Besides, regular acupuncture does improve circulation, causing injuries to heal quicker and for pain to be relieved promptly.  A proper treatment course beneficial enough to elicit a beneficial effect can be gotten with 10 to 12 treatment sessions.

Relief care/therapy may need 2 or 3 treatments each week for 4 weeks or more to remove significant pain and restore proper function of the affected body part/system. Once the benefits set in relief therapy should not be ended abruptly.  The next phase of treatment namely stabilization therapy is needed to prevent recurrence of pain.  A session a week is enough for this type of therapy.  When stability is attained, the maintenance care phase of treatment can then be applied.  This can range from a treatment session per month or once in a few months.

As opposed to Western medicine’s focus on trauma care, acupuncture is dedicated to fostering and maintaining health.  This means Western medicine only takes care of the person when it is necessary to do so while acupuncture makes the healthy patient more healthy and strong enough to prevent him/her from incurring diseases, infection or weakness.

Maintenance therapy is highly recommended by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), an integrated ancient medical practice which acupuncture is a part of.  Maintaining one’s health is part of Chinese philosophical wisdom as it properly positions a person in living a happy and fulfilled life, healthy in both mind and body.  The wisdom of TCM is one reason why it has endured for thousands of years and is as useful today as it was thousands of years ago.

Chronic back pain is an ailment that daily affects millions of people in the United States.  This type of back pain can have factors such as poor posture, extreme stress, muscle stiffness in the back and neck or even causes of unknown origin.  Sometimes prevention is unavoidable as some of the causes are part of one’s daily living.  Some people suffering from back pain have discovered the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating chronic back pain, which if left untreated can lead to other debilitating conditions.

Acupuncture New York treatments not only address the pain but the factors that caused this pain.  However, traditional Chinese medicine or TCM is not exactly the same as Western medicine in terms of their paradigms.  The Chinese theorize that the basic flow of the life force of a person should be allowed to flow unimpeded.  With the aid of acupuncture, blockages in the flow could be removed allowing for the smooth unobstructed flow of the life force, which the Chinese calls chi.  Acupuncture is the use of needles inserted at sites where electromagnetic energy stimulated by the needles helps remove energy blockages and balances the energy of the body.  This paradigm makes it difficult for Western medical science to understand how acupuncture works and this causes some researches to be skeptical of the benefits, which acupuncture claims to give.  Regardless of their views, the treatment does relieve many types of pain and stress.  There are many individuals that have benefited from acupuncture and some are willing witnesses of its efficacy.  Relying on medications that give transitory relief, sometimes unsatisfactory relief while there is a superior treatment that gives long-lasting relief for chronic back pain without the addition of harmful side effects to the body needs to be realized by chronic back sufferers who have not tried acupuncture.

Not all acupuncture sites related to back pain treatment are located in the back.  The nervous system may have nerves associated with the pain that reach out to other areas other than the back.  A trained and qualified acupuncturist knows exactly what part of the body to insert the needles in for one’s particular back pain.

Stress affects the nervous system in a way that causes the muscles to stiffen resulting in muscle pain and spasm.  The relief of stress relaxes the muscles and releases the pressure on the muscles caused by stress, pressure that had been accumulated throughout the day.  In this manner, acupuncture can help the person weather the daily mental and physical stresses that can lead to disease and ailments.

What are the benefits of long-term regular acupuncture? Normal and regulated blood pressure, better circulation, improved eating and sleeping habits and of course, the removal of stress from the body as well as improved vitality and emotional joy.

Few people are aware that acupuncture New York can actually make people look younger.  Good news is that many Americans are discovering acupuncture’s effectiveness in removing facial wrinkles in a relatively painless and medication-free manner.  Facial acupuncture really takes away sagging eyes, wrinkles and facial lines and this is just to mention a few benefits of this type of acupuncture.

Acupuncture is widely known in the United States as a very powerful and effective analgesic used for many types of pain.  In China, where it originated, acupuncture has been used for thousands of years as a rejuvenation therapy. Acupuncture helps make the skin supple and healthy.  Some researches have observed that regular acupuncture treatments of the skin improve blood flow and chi to the skin cells.  This helps in slowing down skin cell entropy and may sometimes even reverse the aging process.

Acupuncture may compete with artificial procedures such as cosmetic surgery, botox and dermabrasion to name a few.  Botox can lead to a syndrome called “frozen face” of which a number of celebrities often suffer from.  Cosmetic surgery has a substantial health and aesthetic risk and dermabrasion is a painful invasive way to look good.  The only known way to look splendid without needing to undergo the ordeal of these artificial procedures and to be on the natural and safe side is with facial acupuncture.

Facial acupuncture in the United States has two approaches:

1.    Facial Biopuncture – This is the most popular form of facial acupuncture.  The hydration of the face is done and the acupuncture needles stimulate collagen production to optimize the nourishment and the oxygenation of the facial skin.  This procedure removes the external features of facial lines.  Moreover, biopuncture enhances self-healing through homeopathic injection therapy at acupoints.
2.     Facial acupuncture – Hair thin needles that are inserted on the face to remove or lessen wrinkles.  This procedure smoothes out the wrinkles and makes the face look more radiant and naturally younger looking in contrast to botox, which makes the face of the patient look rigid.

These two treatments do not use any harmful chemicals that dermabrasion and Botox use so the effect to the skin of these types of facial acupuncture is a more natural and healthier looking skin.

Facial acupuncture and biopuncture treatment usually lasts an hour and besides the needles, a facial massage is also given the patient.  Additional benefits that can be realized are some skin damages can also be healed with these types of acupuncture.  The duration of the treatment will depend on the health of the patient’s skin.

The best thing about these types of acupuncture is that the skin is not only the part of the body that benefits but the whole body as well.  Any type of acupuncture helps restore the balance of energy in the body.

Acupuncture New York was invented in China more than 2500 years ago as a way to treat different kinds of illnesses and disorders.  It is a treatment where ultra thin needles are inserted at vital points in the body to regulate and allow the smooth flow of chi.  Sterile, stainless steel, single use, newly packaged disposable needles are used to prevent infection and are inserted at energy entrances called acupuoints to control chi flow and improve blood circulation.  The purpose is to create balance among the energies that comprise chi flow and aid the body in treating diseases.  Acupuncture is an established treatment for pain therapy and/or pain management and for treatment of assorted kinds of chronic disorders.  Acupuncture also increases body metabolism allowing for the efficient burning of fat and calories and is superior in weight loss treatment than diet programs or diet pills when it comes to safety and efficacy.  It also is a good way to cure sleeplessness, extreme emotions such as depression, anger or anxiety and substance abuse.

The kidneys play a key role the body’s overall health.  To understand the importance of the kidneys in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), an introduction to the concepts of yin and yang might be required.  To simplify the concept of yin and yang, they are the two complementary but opposing forces in chi, just like the positive and negative force in electricity.  Chi itself and blood can be termed as yin (blood, passive) and yang (chi, active).  The kidneys are yin by orientation and are paired with yang bladder that governs or controls the lower back.  The kidneys according to TCM is where the energy of the body originated and is the repository and mover of Jing throughout the body.  Jing creates (bone) marrow and when robust, leads to healthy, plentiful hair, hard bones, strong teeth and a healthy functioning mentality.  When the kidneys are healthy, the person is strong, physically and mentally. Weak kidneys beget a weak Jing making the body vulnerable to sickness and mental and body dysfunctions.  Symptoms of weak kidneys are lower back pain, kidney stones, sleeplessness, skin disorders, tinnitus, foot problems, poor bladder functions, sluggishness, feeble thinking, poor eyesight, infertility and nausea to mention a few.

Although the principle of correcting kidney conditions is basically the same for different acupuncture treatments of kidney disorders, the techniques may vary per person because of each person’s unique constitution.  Acupuncture improves blood flow to the kidneys reducing pain caused by ailments such as kidney stones and purges toxins accumulated on the kidneys.  A well nourished kidney helps in the reduction of stress and extreme emotions such as depression and anxiety all of which benefits both the physical and mental aspect of the individual