Services
| What to Expect on Your first Consult | |
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Biopuncture for Pain NEW!!!!! |
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| Nutritional Evaluation Service | |
Nutritional Evaluation Service
Nutrition deficiency and chronic degenerative changes have become common in this modern world. Due to increased stress, a diet that no longer resembles what our genetic coding was designed to utilize, and toxic exposure that exceeds normal abilities nutritional therapy has developed as a way to support the human in today’s landscape.
We are pleased offer comprehensive nutritional evaluation and corrective recommendations, including supplements and gradual diet modification, to assist in adapting to this world. We find immediate increase in vitality and joy as the primary motive for undertaking this therapy. It is also noted that almost all of our physical conditions respond and may even resolve with specific nutritional support.
We encourage people to include nutritional evaluation as part of their whole person care by setting an appointment for a nutritional evaluation with the doctor. The cost of the evaluation is $35, not including nutrient supplements. It is good to feel well!
Herbs are available in tablets, capsules or tinctures and are made of both concentrates, extracts and raw herbal ingredients under strict standards of quality control. Some herbal formulas act quickly to fight a cold, stop bleeding, regulate digestion, eliminate bloating, or relieve constipation, while others work more slowly over time to support your system
I can customize an herbal formula tailored to your specific needs. This is done by completing the health questionnaire then ordering your formula - I will then compound an extract (2oz - lasts about three weeks) to address the specific symptoms in your health evaluation.. Click here to learn how to order.
Cupping is a technique in which glass cups are heated from the inside with fire to create a vacuum and then placed on the afflicted area of the body. The cup's suction pulls at the skin and is said to "suck out" the body's toxins. Sound uncomfortable? If done correctly, the practice can actually relieve much of the body's discomfort caused by the congestion of blood, energy or mucus, as well as swelling or pain, according to "The Herbs Of Life" author Lesley Tierra.
Cupping is said to help improve circulation and "to 'open' the lungs, draw toxins out of them and towards the skin surface and to facilitate better breathing," writes "Heart Disease" author Burton Goldberg. More in line with ancient Chinese philosophy, cupping "is believed to draw out Cold, Wind, and Damp," writes Michael Castleman in "Blended Medicine." Cupping can be effective for a wide range of ailments, according to Tierra, including "edema, swellings, asthma, bronchitis, dull aches and pains, arthritis, abdominal pain, stomachache, indigestion, headache, low back pain, painful menstruation, coughs from excessive mucus and places where bodily movement is limited and painful."
The heated cups used in the technique are placed on the skin above the pained muscle area or above an acupuncture point at the afflicted area. "The vacuum created by the heat is said to dispel dampness from the body, warm the qi and reduce swelling," writes Barrie R. Cassileth, PhD., in "The Alternative Medicine Handbook." The cups are left in place for five to 15 minutes, and when removed, they usually leave a round red bruise behind. According to Tierra, bruising occurs in spots where congestion existed. Although bruises can take several days to go away, the temporary marks are a small price to pay for the relief the therapy provides. Tierra says people suffering from either pain or congestion often notice an immediate difference after treatment.
Practitioners use moxa to warm regions and acupuncture points with the intention of stimulating circulation through the points and inducing a smoother flow of blood and qi. Scientific research has shown that mugwort acts as an emmenagogue, meaning that it stimulates blood-flow in the pelvic area and uterus. It is claimed that moxibustion militates against cold and dampness in the body and can supposedly serve to turn breech babies.
Medical historians believe that moxibustion pre-dated acupuncture, and
needling came to supplement moxa after the 2nd century BC. Different
schools of acupuncture use moxa in varying degrees. For example a
5-element acupuncturist will use moxa directly on the skin, whilst a
TCM-style practitioner will use rolls of moxa and hold them over the
point treated. It can also be burnt atop a fine slice of ginger root to
prevent scarring.
Practitioners consider moxibustion to be especially effective in the
treatment of chronic problems, "deficient conditions" (weakness), and
gerontology. Bian Que (fl. circa 500 BC), one of the most famous
semi-legendary doctors of Chinese antiquity and the first specialist in
moxibustion, discussed the benefits of moxa over acupuncture in his
classic work. He asserted that moxa could add new energy to the body and
could treat both excess and deficient conditions. On the other hand, he
advised against the use of acupuncture in an already deficient (weak)
patient, on the grounds that needle manipulation would leak too much
energy.
A huge classical work, Gao Huang Shu (膏肓俞), specializes solely in
treatment indications for moxa on a single point (穴).
Note that Taoists use
scarring moxibustion along with
Chinese medical astrology for longevity.
Practitioners may use acupuncture needles made of various materials in
combination with moxa, depending on the direction of qi flow they wish
to stimulate.
History of Tuina
Tuina dates to the Shang Dynasty, around 1700 BC. Ancient inscriptions
on oracle bones show that massage was used to treat infants and adult
digestive conditions. In his book "Jin Dui Yao Lue", Zhang Zhongjing, a
famous physician in the Han Dynasty (206 BC), wrote, "As soon as the
heavy sensation of the limbs is felt, "Daoyin", "Tuina", "Zhenjiu" and "Gaomo",
all of which are therapeutic methods, are carried out in order to
prevent... the disease from gaining a start." Around 700 CE, Tuina had
developed into a separate study in the Imperial Medical College.
The first reference to this type of external treatment was called "Anwu",
then the more common name became "Anmo". It was then popularized and
spread to many foreign countries such as Korea and Japan.
As the art of massage continued to develop and gain structure, it merged
(around 1600 CE) with another technique called "Tuina", which was the
specialty of bone-setting using deep manipulation. It was also around
this time that infant "Tuina" became popular, with its own set of rules
and methods.
Today, the term "Tuina" has replaced "Anmo" within China and in the
West. The term "Anmo" is still used in some surrounding countries such
as Japan.
It is not unusual to see practitioners working on street corners and
parks in modern China. Tuina is an occupation that is particularly
suitable to those with physical disabilities and in China, many blind
persons receive training in the art of Tuina, where their heightened
sense of touch is a great benefit.
Tuina, Massage and Shiatsu
In ancient China, medical therapy was often classified into "external"
and "internal" treatments. Tuina was one of the external methods,
especially suitable for use on the elderly population and on infants.
Today it is subdivided into specialized treatment for "infants",
"adults", "orthopedics", "traumatology", "cosmetology",
"rehabilitation", "sports medicine", etc. Tuina has been used
extensively in China for over 2,000 years.
Tuina has no side effects unlike many modern drug-based and
chemical-based treatments. It has been used to treat or compliment the
treatment of many conditions, especially specific musculo-skeletal
disorders and chronic stress-related disorders of the digestive,
respiratory, and reproductive systems.
Electro-acupuncture, the application of a pulsating electrical current to acupuncture needles as a means of stimulating the acupoints, was developed in China as an extension of hand manipulation of acupuncture needles around 1934. It is described, though only briefly, in most comprehensive texts of acupuncture (1-4). The procedure for electro-acupuncture is to insert the acupuncture needle as would normally be done, attain the qi reaction by hand manipulation, and then attach an electrode to the needle to provide continued stimulation. The benefits of using electrical stimulation are:
- It substitutes for prolonged hand maneuvering. This helps assure that the patient gets the amount of stimulation needed, because the practitioner may otherwise pause due to fatigue. Electro-acupuncture may also help reduce total treatment time by providing the continued stimulus. During electro-acupuncture, the practitioner can attend to other patients.
- It can produce a stronger stimulation, if desired, without causing tissue damage associated with twirling and lifting and thrusting the needle. Strong stimulation may be needed for difficult cases of neuralgia or paralysis.
- It is easier to control the frequency of the stimulus and the amount of stimulus than with hand manipulation of the needles.
Auricular acupuncture is one of the more widely used Microsystems
within eastern medicine. Microsystems use one aspect of the body - for
example, the ears, hands or feet - to treat conditions that are present
anywhere in the body. Auricular acupuncture may be used as a primary
mode of treatment or in conjunction with other treatments such as
acupuncture, bodywork or herbal medicine. Examples of other microsystems
include reflexology and korean hand acupuncture.
Hypnoimagery & Guided Meditation
How Effective Is Imagery? Clinical Studies on the Effectiveness of
Imagery
has found it very effective for the treatment of stress.
Imagery is at the center of relaxation techniques designed to release
brain chemicals that act as your body's natural brain tranquilizers,
lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety levels. By and large,
researchers find that these techniques work. Because imagery relaxes the
body, doctors specializing in imagery often recommend it for
stress-related conditions such as headaches, chronic pain in the neck
and back, high blood pressure, spastic colon, and cramping from
premenstrual syndrome.
Researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio found that people with cancer who used imagery while receiving chemotherapy felt more relaxed, better prepared for their treatment and more positive about care than those who didn't use the technique.
Several studies suggest that imagery can also boost your immunity. Danish researchers found increased natural killer cell activity among ten college students who imagined that their immune systems were becoming very effective. Natural killer cells are an important part of the immune system because they can recognize and destroy virus-infected cells, tumor cells and other invaders.
In another small study, researchers at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio found that seven people who suffered from recurrent canker sores in their mouths significantly reduced the frequency of their outbreaks after they began visualizing that the sores were bathed in a soothing coating of white blood cells.
Imagery can also help alter menstrual cycles and relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. In a preliminary study, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston found that 12 of 15 women, ages 21 to 40, who used imagery for three months lengthened their monthly menstrual cycles by an average of nearly four days and slashed their perceived levels of premenstrual distress in half. They also reported fewer mood swings.
At the University of South Florida in Tampa, researchers asked 19 men
and
women, ages 56 to 75, who had chronic bronchitis and emphysema to rate
their levels of anxiety, depression, fatigue and discomfort before and
after they began using imagery. The researchers concluded that imagery
significantly improved the overall quality of these people's lives.
A study at Yale demonstrated that patients suffering from severe depression were helped by imagining scenes in which they were praised by people they admired- a clear boost to their self-esteem.
Visualization and other relaxation methods may produce significant benefits, often by helping to ease pain and lift depression. Research is continuing to determine whether even more spectacular results can be achieved.
A controlled study of fifty-five women examined the effects of imagery and relaxation on breast milk production in mothers of infants in a neonatal intensive care unit. They received a twenty-minute audiotape of progressive relaxation followed by guided imagery of pleasant surroundings, milk flowing in the breasts, and the baby's warm skin against theirs. They produced more than twice as much milk as compared to those receiving only routine care.
In another study, a group of metastatic cancer patients using daily imagery for a year achieved significant improvements in NK cell activity and several other measures of immune functioning.
At Michigan State University, researchers found that students could
use guided imagery to improve the functioning of certain white cells
called neutrophils, important immune cells in defense against bacterial
and fungal infection. They could also decrease, but not increase, white
cell counts. At one point in the study, a form of imagery intended to
increase neutrophil count unexpectedly caused a drop instead.
Subsequently, students were taught imagery explicitly intended to keep
the neutrophil count steady, while increasing their effectiveness. Both
of these goals were achieved.
Other studies have shown that imagery can lower blood pressure, slow
heart rate and help treat insomnia, obesity and phobias.
What happens during your first consultation?
Listening to all your health concerns and gathering information
If you have never had an holistic treatment before, you will probably be pleasantly surprised by the experience. In my consultations, clients have often said that they feel it's the first time that someone's really listened to them and taken their symptoms seriously. This is probably because, in holistic healing, every aspect of your health is important, and all the symptoms that you choose to tell me about, no matter how minor, will be taken into account when I treat you. Seemingly unrelated symptoms can point in the direction of treatment. This initial consult typically takes from one and a half to two hours.
Taking full details of your health history
In your first consultation, I would usually start by asking about your main complaint. I would then ask you a series of questions about other symptoms that you may or may not have. These would be symptoms that I think may be related in some way to your main complaint. If you have already submitted the intake forms online, I will have already studied these and as questions specific to the information provided. During this process, I would also ask you about any major illness that you've had throughout your life. This process, together with my observations about your complexion, general manner and appearance, would enable me to start forming my diagnosis. All of the on-line presubmitted forms will have already given me an idea of how to conduct the questioning during this initial consult.
Tongue and pulse examination
I
would also take your pulses and examine your tongue. In Traditional
Chinese Medicine, these are important diagnostic tools.
When I take your pulses, this process is quite different from having your pulse taken in Western medicine. I will be feeling the quality of your pulses, rather than simply the speed. I will also be feeling your pulses in three different positions on each of your wrists. This will enable me to gauge how well each of your major organs are functioning, and whether there are any imbalances between them. Looking at your tongue will also give me a similar insight.
Making a full Chinese Medicine diagnosis
I would then put all these factors together to form my diagnosis, which I would discuss with you, doing my best to answer any questions that you have.
Integrative Medicine
In addition to Eastern diagnostic techniques, I also make full use of Western medicine diagnostic methods. My approach is a multi-dimensional one in which all levels are addressed in order to facilitate true healing using a variety of natural medicine modalities and the best of Western diagnostics.