Acupuncture for Low Back Pain

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acupuncture low back painAcupuncture can be very effective in resolving low back pain. We are now seeing several research studies that confirm this, including some that show Acupuncture to be more effective than the conventional approach described above. Interestingly, studies tend to show that very light needling or needling that does not penetrate the skin (approaches often used in Japanese-style Acupuncture) can be as effective as deeper Chinese-style needling.

Our Acupuncturists are very experienced in treating low back pain and finds this is one of the conditions that responds best to Acupuncture.

 

What happens in a treatment?

The Acupuncturists approach to low … Read more ...

Acupuncture for Sports and Other Injuries

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acupuncture sports injuriesSports injuries (and other injuries like over-use injuries, repetitive strain injury and tendinitis) are really annoying because they stop you doing the sport or leisure activity you love, or they might interfere with work or study.

Common sports and over-use injuries include:

  • Tennis elbow (often caused by something other than tennis!)
  • Golfer’s elbow (often caused by something other than golf!)
  • Knee ligament injuries
  • Iliotibial tract (band) syndrome (runner’s knee)
  • Shin splints
  • Ankle sprains
  • Achilles tendonitis, calf strain
  • Hamstring strain, groin strain
  • Frozen shoulder (often not related to sports or over-use, but it can respond very well to acupuncture), rotator cuff
… Read more ...

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine in Pregnancy

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acupuncture fertilityPart 1 – Early pregnancy

Congratulations, you’re pregnant! While you might be thrilled to bits, you might not yet be experiencing that “glow” everyone talks about. In fact you might be feeling distinctly unglowing! Some women breeze through this stage of pregnancy but many find their energy is at rock bottom and they experience anything from “morning sickness” to all-day queasiness to outright nausea and vomiting. You may also feel anxious about the weeks and months to come, especially if you’ve previously had fertility struggles or a miscarriage.

The good news is that acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help … Read more ...

Neck and shoulder pain.

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acup-shoulder-painMany of us live with permanently stiff shoulders or a neck that seizes up from time to time. Our modern lifestyle is a major culprit, with computer work (especially on laptops) putting a lot of strain on the neck and shoulders. Out-of-control stress levels don’t help either. One of the worst environments for neck and shoulder pain is a high-pressure work environment with badly set-up computers and cold air flowing down on you from air conditioning. With this sort of combination of stress, poor ergonomics and the tendency to tense up the shoulder muscles in response to cold, it’s not … Read more ...

Low back pain.

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acup-lower-back-painIf your back has ever seized up, you’ll know it’s one of the most disabling experiences there is. Or perhaps you suffer from a more low-grade, but still annoying and uncomfortable, form of low back pain. You’re far from alone, with somewhere between 70 and 85% of us having suffered an acute back strain at some point. The pain may be brought on by heavy lifting, sudden movements, or prolonged standing or driving, or it may appear “out of the blue”.

Western medicine does not have much to offer sufferers of low back pain, with usual advice being to gradually … Read more ...

Oriental medicine and fertility – a personal and professional view.

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acupuncture fertilityFacing fertility problems can be a very stressful experience. I have always had an interest in this area of health and have worked with many couples trying to conceive. But it wasn’t until I battled with infertility myself that I really understood how deeply it can affect you. I now know first-hand that it can take you to some very dark places. The experience has made me passionate about helping people in the same predicament.

In my case, a combination of issues meant the odds were not looking good, even with IVF. I’m sure that following a pre-conception program of … Read more ...

Acupuncture for migraine

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migraine1If you suffer from migraines, you will know how disabling these headaches can be, especially if they happen frequently. Many sufferers find migraines very disruptive to work and free time — it’s not often convenient to take the evasive action they call for, like lying in a darkened room. However, Western pharmacological treatment often does not bring the results hoped for or causes side-effects. In addition, overuse of painkillers can actually worsen the severity and frequency of headaches (“medication overuse headaches”), and this has recently been recognized as a huge problem.

The good news is that acupuncture can be very … Read more ...

Are you a Migraine/Headache sufferer?

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MeditatingA New Study Shows Acupuncture to be More Effective than Western Medication.

Migraines are a major health and disability problem and are one of the main reasons headache patients will visit a doctor for treatment. A recent survey of migraine patients found Western pharmacological treatment options to be unsatisfactory in their results. Latest studies have shown that Acupuncture has been found to be more effective for treating and preventing migraines than most Western medications.

Frequency of migraines can range from daily headaches to once/month. The symptoms, occurrence and cause of migraines vary widely between each case and it is quite … Read more ...

Frozen Shoulder (Adhesive Capsulitis)

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Health In The Bay Frozen ShoulderSigns/Symptoms

  • Frozen shoulder is characterised by stiffness and restriction of movement leading to a high degree of shoulder joint immobilisation (passive and active movements).
  • In most cases there is also some localised pain that can also cause secondary pain in the neck and trapezius muscle.
  • Patients are generally unable to raise their arm above 45 degrees and often any movement that involves external shoulder rotation inhibits pain.
  • Pain at night is often more severe, and a secondary side effect of frozen shoulder is insomnia.
  • It is most common over the age of 40 and more prevalent in woman.
  • Symptoms can
… Read more ...

Acupuncture Scar Therapy

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Health In The Bay Scar TherapyWe all know how stubborn scars can be at healing. What you may not know is that scars can block the free flow of qi (energy) and blood as well as constricting the soft tissue. This can cause a number of seemingly unrelated complications that are not local to the area of scarring, such as neck, shoulder and back pain and headaches.

Do you need Scar Therapy?

Remember, not all scars will cause problems. Many do heal effectively. The best way to decide if a scar needs attention is to inspect it yourself through sight and touch.

Firstly, take note … Read more ...