There are many spinal stenosis treatment options you should consider before resorting to surgery. Most patients with spinal stenosis respond well to non-surgical treatments such as medication, physical therapy, and gentle chiropractic care. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, typically caused by age, injury, or congenital disorder. The condition can cause difficulty […]
acupuncture
Acupuncture for Pain Relief
Acupuncture has been used to relieve pain for centuries and is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It involves the insertion of needles into specific points on the body. The needles are inserted into the skin and manipulated. This promotes a healthy flow of energy, or “chi”, through the body. It is believed that this balance can help relieve pain and other symptoms.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief: How it Can Help You
Acupuncture facilitates the communication and activation of the nervous system, which releases specific chemicals within the body. These chemicals can help relieve pain and swelling. This is why acupuncture is used to treat headaches, back pain, arthritis, and joint pain.
Acupuncturists go through rigorous training and licensing. There are many different types of acupuncture. Each one is used to address a different health issue.
Acupuncturists are properly trained to stimulates points on your body that can relieve pain and promote healing.
What are the Benefits of Acupuncture for Pain Relief?
Acupuncture can effectively treat:
- back pain,
- neck pain,
- headaches
- shoulder pain
- wrist pain.
The biggest benefit to acupuncture for pain relief is the safety of the procedure. The complication rate for acupuncture is low and the side effects are usually mild. Soreness and minor bleeding or bruising are the most common side effects.
In a German study1, only 0.003% of patients (13 out of over 4,441,000) experienced severe adverse events from acupuncture.
Acupuncture is also cost effective treatment the following conditions:2
- Allergic Rhinitis
- Low back pain
- Ambulatory Anesthesia
- Migraine
- Chronic Pain
- Neck Pain (plus usual medical care)
- Depression
- Osteoarthritis
- Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
- Post-operative nausea and vomiting
- Headache
How does acupuncture compare to other treatments for pain?
Acupuncture pales in comparison to the risks associated with taking pain medication. Addiction is a very real risk with prescription pain killers.
According to Hopkins Medicine3,
It takes a couple of weeks to become physically dependent on an opioid, but that varies by individual. If you take an opioid for a day or two, it should not be a problem and, generally, you will not become addicted. However, some studies show even the first dose of an opioid can have physiological effects.
One study found up to 25% of of patients develop a life-long addiction.4 In 2016, there were 63,632 drug overdose deaths in the United States, a 21.4% increase from 2015.5 Two thirds of these deaths involved an opioid.6
A recent study concluded that any dose of NSAIDs for any duration increased the risk of heart attack.8 This means acupuncture is even safer than over the counter pain relievers (NSAIDs).
Acupuncture has treated pain and other chronic symptoms for centuries. It can supplement or replace other treatments, depending on the individual.
What is the evidence for acupuncture?
There have been over 8,000 intensive scientific clinical trials of acupuncture over the past 50 years.9
In 2017, the American College of Physicians began recommending acupuncture for both chronic and acute low back pain.10
The Acupuncture Evidence Project 11 found evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture for 117 conditions, with stronger evidence for acupuncture’s effectiveness for some conditions than others. Conditions with strongest evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture include:
- Allergic rhinitis (perennial & seasonal)
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (with anti-emetics)
- Migraine prophylaxis
- Chronic low back pain
- Postoperative nausea & vomiting
- Headache (tension-type and chronic)
- Postoperative pain
Why You Should Consider Using Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been treating pain for thousands of years. There are many reasons why acupuncture may be a good treatment option for you. Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for pain. It’s a safe, cost effective treatment option for many conditions.
Call Advanced Wellness Solutions at 855-509-5400 to schedule your appointment.
Feeling Tired?
Feeling tired is NOT just part of getting older. Fatigue could be a sign of an underlying medical condition that needs treatment.
Fatigue is more than just feeling tired. It’s an overall feeling of lack of energy. It isn’t the same as simply feeling drowsy or sleepy. Fatigue can also mean not having enough strength to do anything on your plate.
Feeling Tired? Symptoms of fatigue
Fatigue can include feeling sleepy or drowsy, but there are other symptoms as well. Other symptoms of fatigue include headache, dizziness and even impaired reflexes. Impaired reflexes can be especially dangerous, especially when driving in south Florida traffic. It can also impair your decision-making and judgement. It can affect your ability to react quickly and cause car accidents. The next time you see someone who’s driving like a crazy person, they may not be crazy. They may just be feeling tired and fatigued.
Fatigue is a common symptom for many medical conditions. If you’re feeling fatigued, it could be a sign of a serious underlying medical condition. It could also be caused by:
- depression,
- stress
- lack of exercise
- poor diet.
Since we live in Florida, it’s possible that your fatigue may be the result of the heat. When it’s oppressively hot, you’re likely to be avoiding the unairconditioned outdoors. This can lead to you not getting enough vitamin D or exercise, which can lead to exhaustion and lethargy.
Feeling Tired? Try these tips to help you feel more energized:
- Reduce stress.
- Drink lots of water.
- Eat for energy, foods like protein, whole grains, high-fiber vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils.
- Take frequent breaks from sitting to stand up and walk around.
- Avoid caffeine after noon
- Resist the urge to nap during the day.
Most importantly, avoid energy drinks. They contain sugar and other ingredients that could make you feel even more exhausted later on.
Seek Medical Treatment for Fatigue
If you’re suffering from fatigue even after getting a good night’s sleep, it’s time to seek medical help. Unfortunately, according to a report from the NIH 1,
Patients generally regard fatigue as important (because it is disabling), whereas doctors do not (because it is diagnostically non-specific).
What this means is that in the world of Western medicine, fatigue can be caused by factors other than an underlying disease.
At Advanced Wellness Solutions, we won’t dismiss your complaint of fatigue. We will first perform a thorough consultation and exam to identify the specific symptoms of fatigue. We’ll then work to identify and address the factors potentially causing your fatigue.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as chiropractic care are both effective at treating fatigue.
Chiropractic care has been shown to help successfully treat fatigue 2 with no dangerous side effects. Studies have shown that regular chiropractic care may contribute to an improved quality of life in patients suffering from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) 3
Acupuncture is another treatment option for fatigue. A fundamental concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine is that QI (vital energy) flows freely through the body. When Qi isn’t flowing properly, it causes fatigue.
Scientific studies show that acupuncture and TCM offer proven benefits for treating fatigue without any negative side effects.4 Acupuncture has also been shown to increase serotonin levels which improves sleep and mood.5
Feeling tired shouldn’t be normal.
Fatigue is not just part of getting older. If you’re feeling fatigued, don’t dismiss it. Extreme stress, lack of sleep and decreased physical activity can trigger fatigue. It can also be a sign of a serious medical condition. If gentle chiropractic care and Traditional Chinese Medicine aren’t able to resolve your symptoms of fatigue, the medical professionals at Advance Wellness Solutions will refer you to another medical professional who can help.
If you’re suffering from fatigue, it’s time make an appointment with Advanced Wellness Solutions.
Offering Veterans Treatment for PTSD
Find veterans treatment for PTSD at Advanced Wellness Solutions.
Veterans seeking treatment for PTSD should know that acupuncture can treat PTSD symptoms of depression and pain. Acupuncture for veterans treatment for PTSD can also improve physical and mental health functioning. Acupuncture can also significantly improve sleep quality which in turn improves physical and mental health.
What is PTSD?
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) can occur after a traumatic (extremely stressful) event. It is common to suffer stress after surviving traumatic events such as combat, being assaulted or even being in a car accident. However, if your stressful reactions don’t subside over time or are impacting how you live your life, you may have PTSD.
Experiencing trauma doesn’t mean you’ll develop PTSD. While about 8% of the general population will experience PTSD, the incidence for veterans is much higher. A public health study of PTSD in Iraq and Afghanistan veterans showed 15.7% of OEF/OIF deployed Veterans screened positive for PTSD compared to 10.9% of non-deployed Veterans.1 It is estimated that 30% of Vietnam Veterans have had PTSD in their lifetime.2
PTSD symptoms
There are four main types of PTSD symptoms:3
- intrusive memories
- avoidance
- negative changes in thinking and mood
- changes in physical and emotional reactions.
Behavioral symptoms of PTSD include agitation, irritability, hostility, hypervigilance, self-destructive behavior, or social isolation. The psychological symptoms of PTSD include flashback, fear, severe anxiety, or mistrust.
PTSD also causes negative mood changes such as a loss of interest or pleasure in activities, guilt, or loneliness. Sleep disturbances including insomnia or nightmares are also common in people suffering from PTSD.
Talk to your doctor or a mental health professional if you or a loved one:
- have had disturbing thoughts and/or feelings about a traumatic event for more than a month
- if these thoughts and/or feelings are extreme or severe,
- feel you (or they) are losing control of your/their life.
Early treatment can help prevent PTSD symptoms from getting worse.
PTSD comorbidities
PTSD often presents simultaneously with other mental health conditions. Depression is the most common comorbidity of PTSD in veterans. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is nearly three to five times more likely to emerge in those with PTSD than those without PTSD.4 Other common comorbidities of PTSD in military veterans include anxiety and substance abuse or dependence. 5
Veterans Treatment for PTSD
One of the most frequently reported symptoms of PTSD among OEF/OIF veterans returning from deployment is sleep disturbances. 6 Sleep plays an incredibly important role in physical and mental health. See Sleep Helps you Heal for more information.
It is important for everyone to find drug free ways to get essential healthy sleep. Veterans suffering from PTSD need extra help in this area.
Acupuncture has been commonly used to treat insomnia in China for thousands of years. Dozens of randomized control trials show that acupuncture improves sleep quality. In these studies, acupuncture was superior to medications regarding the number of patients with total sleep duration.
Acupuncture plus medications showed better effect than medications alone on total sleep duration. Also, acupuncture plus herbs were significantly better than herbs alone on increase of sleep rates. 7
According to Chinese medicine, there are 2,000 meridian acupuncture points on the body. These points connect the body’s meridians or energetic pathways. Acupuncture is the practice of inserting very fine, sterile needles into specific points to facilitate natural healing.
Benefits of Acupuncture for Mental Health and Veterans Treatment for PTSD
Acupuncture has shown potential benefit in a wide range of mental health disorders including anxiety disorders and substance abuse disorders. There is growing clinical evidence to support the use of acupuncture for a variety of mental health disorders.
In 2014, Charles C Engel et. al. ran a well-designed randomized controlled trial. The trial compared the effectiveness of using acupuncture for PTSD. The subjects in the trial were divided into two categories: those who received usual PTSD care plus acupuncture compared to usual PTSD care alone.
The following is taken from Complementary and Alternative Medicine Approaches in the Treatment of PTSD by Gary H. Wynn
Acupuncturists in the study delivered a standardized treatment during the first four sessions to facilitate clearing of trauma, calming the spirit, and balancing the Qi. For the remaining four sessions, the acupuncturist was allowed to adjust the treatment based on clinical findings. Both groups were followed for 12 weeks.
At 12 weeks, the acupuncture treatment group showed significantly greater improvements in PTSD symptoms as well as improvements on ratings of depression, pain, and physical and mental health functioning.
In the study abstract,8
Mean improvement in PTSD severity was significantly greater among those receiving acupuncture than in those receiving UPC. Pre-post effect-sizes for these outcomes were large and robust.
If you suspect you or a loved on is suffering from PTSD, please seek treatment. PTSD symptoms usually get worse without treatment.
Call (772) 403-7640 to schedule your appointment.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief
Using acupuncture for pain relief has been an effective drug free treatment for thousands of years.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been treating pain and illness for thousands of years. Many studies have been performed to measure the effectiveness of acupuncture. The Acupuncture Trialists’ Collaboration compiled raw data from trials where the main outcome measures were pain and function. They concluded that acupuncture is an effective method of treating chronic pain. Their conclusions included: 1
- acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain
- that the effects of acupuncture persist for up to 12 months,
- and that the benefits of acupuncture cannot be explained away solely by the placebo effect.
The report itself 2 states:
Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal, headache, and osteoarthritis pain.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief
Acupuncture involves the insertion of sterile, fine needles into specific spots to stimulate the body to heal itself. There are 2,000 acupuncture points according to Traditional Chinese medicine. These points are connected by meridians or energetic pathways. Energy or Qi (pronounced “chee” which means vital energy), flows through the body using these pathways.
In a healthy body, Qi (vital energy) flows freely. Pain, lack of function, or illness are signs that Qi has been disrupted.
By stimulating specific points on the body, Dr. Heather can help to restore healthy function to the body.
Advanced Wellness Solutions patients frequently tell us that they didn’t realize how much chronic pain was impacting their life.
The research makes it clear that chronic pain is bad for your physical health. Chronic pain can elevate blood pressure, pulse rate, adrenaline and cortisol serum levels. This puts hazardous stress on the cardio-vascular system. Chronic pain can cause elevated serum lipids and glucose levels.1
According Perry G. Fine, MD of the Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Pain Research Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA,1 the long-term consequences of chronic pain include:
- sleep disturbances
- cognitive processes and brain function
- mood/mental health
- cardiovascular health
- sexual function
Living with chronic pain makes everything more difficult. Chronic pain can make performing the simplest tasks more difficult. It also has a significant impact on your mental health.
Chronic Pain Affects Your Sleep
According to the APA 2, healthy sleep has been proven to be the single most important factor, more important than diet, exercise, or even heredity, in predicting longevity.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief and Insomnia
Insomnia has been treated with acupuncture in China for thousands of years. Western clinical studies confirm that acupuncture may have a beneficial effect on insomnia.3
Chronic Pain Affects Your Thoughts
If you’re in chronic pain, you’re not operating at your cognitive best. Memory and attention care impaired in up to two thirds of patients with chronic pain.3
Chronic pain doesn’t just harm your physical health. It affects your emotions and relationships. It even affects your state of mind. Chronic pain causes changes in the levels of stress hormones and neurochemicals found within your brain. This disruption can affect your mood, thinking and behavior.
Chronic pain can influence your thoughts, feelings, and memory. It also affects your concentration. It can even affect your connections with others.
Chronic Pain Affects Your Emotions
The emotional effects of chronic pain include:
- Depression
- Anger
- Anxiety, and
- Fear of re-injury
Living with chronic pain can affect your mood. Chronic pain can make you more susceptible to depression, anxiety, and fear. Chronic pain can cause sleep disturbances, depression, and a heightened risk of suicide.4
Acupuncture for Pain Relief and Mental Health
According to studies, acupuncture may be a valuable for those suffering from mental health disorders.4
Chronic Pain Affects Your Heart
Chronic pain can lead to a chronic stress reaction. This in turn causes an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. This stress reaction can lead to a reduced ability to fight off illnesses and diseases. It can increase the risk for heart disease.5
Acupuncture for Heart Health
Acupuncture reduces stress and improves heart function, according to UCLA researchers.6
Chronic Pain Affects Your Sex Life
Chronic pain may interfere with sexuality for several reasons. One is the nature of the pain itself. Other factors associated with chronic pain, include mood disorders, decreased sex drive (libido), medications or stress. All of these can affect sexual function 6.
Chronic Pain – the Invisible Disability
Chronic pain is the “invisible” disability.7 What this means is it is possible to look like the picture of health but suffer from chronic pain. Chronic pain makes everything more difficult.
Advanced Wellness Solutions’ health care practitioners treat chronic pain. If they can’t find a way to relieve or manage your pain, they’ll refer you to someone who can.
Advanced Wellness solutions offers drug free pain relief treatments. Our goal is to help our patients achieve a better quality of life.
Advanced Wellness Solutions offers drug free pain relief using gentle chiropractic and acupuncture and Chinese medicine.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a surprisingly common condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and arm. At Advanced Wellness Solutions, we take a two pronged approach to carpal tunnel syndrome treatment, using both gentle chiropractic care and acupuncture to provide carpal tunnel syndrome treatment.
What is Carpal Tunnel
The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in your wrist. This passageway comes up through the bones (carpals) and ligaments on the palm side of your hand. The median nerve passes through this narrow passageway to control the muscles in your hand, thumb and 3 of your 4 fingers. (The median nerve doesn’t control your pinky finger.)
When the median nerve is compressed, the symptoms can include numbness, tingling and weakness in the hand and arm.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the tunnel becomes narrowed or when tissues surrounding the flexor tendons swell, putting pressure on the median nerve. 1 This swelling causes pressure on the median nerve causing pain, numbness and tingling in the hand and arm.2 Left untreated, this pressure on the nerve can eventually cause permanent nerve and muscle damage.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptoms
One of the most common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome is pain, numbness or tingling in the hand and arm. These symptoms are usually mild at first but it increase in severity as the condition progresses.
Carpal tunnel syndrome stiffness and immobility is often most severe in the morning. However, the pain from carpal tunnel syndrome is often most severe at night, preventing healthy, restful sleep.
Since carpal tunnel syndrome affects the nerves and muscles that control the hand, performing common everyday tasks like picking up a glass can become difficult. Weakness is often mild at first, increasing as the conditions progresses.
Because carpal tunnel syndrome involves the nerves, other symptoms include other symptoms such as:
- a burning sensation in the hands/fingers
- itching in the hands/fingers
- feeling as if the hands/fingers are swollen, even if they’re not.
- reduced sensitivity to hot and cold in the hand/ fingers.
In its early stages, carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms may include your hand tingles and feels weak, or the fingers numb, or both.
Diagnosing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome involves nerve pain due to compression in the wrist. Unfortunately, pressure on nerves in the neck due to disc problems or arthritis can cause similar symptoms. To confirm the diagnosis, diagnostic imaging may be required. A nerve conduction study can measure the severity of the compression on the nerve if surgery is needed.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
Numbness, tingling and pain in your hands, fingers and wrist is an example of an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure. Early correct diagnosis and treatment can dramatically improve your outcome. Treatment modalities depend upon the cause and severity of your symptoms.
Advanced Wellness Solutions offers natural, drug free carpal tunnel syndrome treatment. Gentle chiropractic care can treat the mechanical nature while acupuncture can address the underlying symptom of inflammation that causes the tissues inside the wrist to swell.
Early intervention is important to avoid surgery. We’ve had outstanding success using our two pronged approach to treating carpal tunnel syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Left Untreated
It’s important to seek treatment if you have signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome that interfere with your normal activities and sleep patterns. Permanent nerve and muscle damage can occur without treatment.
You should always seek treatment for symptoms of tingling, numbness and radiating pain. These are possible symptoms of nerve impingement. Symptoms will progress if carpal tunnel syndrome is left untreated. You’ll begin dropping things. Activities that require fine finger movements, such as writing or fastening buttons, will become more difficult. You may begin to feel you are losing coordinated movement of your fingers. Moving your thumb may also become difficult. Again, these could also be symptoms of pressure on nerves in the neck due to disc problems or arthritis, so if you don’t schedule treatment with Advanced Wellness Solutions, be sure to discuss your symptoms with your health care professional.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is the compression of the median nerve which can lead to permanent nerve and muscle damage without treatment.
Should I Start with Chiropractic Care or Acupuncture to Treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
It’s up to you which path you wish to take on your journey of carpal tunnel syndrome treatment.
Chiropractic care addresses the mechanics of musculoskeletal pain while acupuncture addresses inflammation (causing the swelling) and helps natural healing to occur in the body. Choosing to take a two-pronged approach by combining chiropractic and acupuncture can accelerate natural healing. Our patients who have chosen to take this approach have been delighted with the results.
Chiropractic care and acupuncture can work alone, together or even along side other medical treatments.
Which ever path you decide to take, your first appointment will take approximately 60 minutes. This gives you plenty of time to communicate your concerns to our health care providers. Whichever path you take, rest assured that the health care professionals at Advanced Wellness Solutions will work together to resolve carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. If we can’t help, we’ll get you where you need to go for your best treatment options.
Revised July 2, 2021