Archive | February 2011

Acupuncture for Sports Injuries

Feb28

by Dawn Balusik, AP, DOM published in Tampa Bay Wellness, Sept 2008

Playing sports is a wonderful way to stay in shape and have fun with friends. Whether you are a casual sports player, a weekend warrior or someone who trains hard everyday, acupuncture can be extremely valuable for you: it assists both acute and cumulative injury recovery, helps prevent future injuries and enhances athletic performance and endurance.

Many acupuncture techniques were born from the needs of the martial arts traditions in China.  Acupuncture played an important role in keeping ancient fighters in peak condition and it continues to keep modern athletes healthy and active. Some recognizable sports names who use acupuncture regularly are Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Carl Lewis, Charles Barkley and Jim McMahon. Also, many professional sports teams employ acupuncturists to treat injuries and keep players in top condition.

Acute Sports Injuries:

Sports are competitive in nature. When we are competing, we push ourselves beyond our normal limitations, which can result in traumatic injury. No doubt, when this happens, you will want to get back out on the court, field, rink, course or trail as soon as possible and acupuncture can help.

When traumatic injury occurs, first check with an urgent care doctor to be sure that it isn’t serious; fractures, dislocations, ruptured tendons and serious internal injuries should be treated by a medical doctor or hospital. But, after you are released to rest and recuperate, acupuncture is the perfect therapy to augment your recovery, reduce your pain and speed healing time.

Common traumatic injuries that acupuncture can treat are:

- shoulder rotator cuff tears and strains
- wrist sprains and strains
- ankle sprains and strains
- knee ligament and meniscus injuries (these are especially common in sports that require a lot of sudden starting, stopping and direction changing)
- vertebral disc inflammation in the neck or back
- strains (pulls) and tears of any muscle or tendon (i.e. hamstring, groin, Achilles tendon)

Cumulative Over-Use Injuries:

Some sports injuries are not sudden, but slowly build-up over time due to repeated over-use of a particular joint or muscle. Usually, these types of injuries start out as a nagging dull ache.  This is the best time to start getting treatment for these injuries. If you ignore them, they will build-up to become chronic and debilitating problems. Once advanced, these injuries often require more recovery time than acute, traumatic ones.

How do you distinguish between the nagging ache of a cumulative over-use injury and the typical soreness that accompanies working out?  Here are 3 general guidelines to help you determine what your ache may be telling you:

1.Cumulative injuries are often felt more in joints: shoulders, knees, elbows, wrists, hip joints.  Conversely, typical “working-out” soreness is felt more in the muscles.

2. With a cumulative injury, the nagging soreness occurs during or very shortly after playing your sport, whereas, typical muscle soreness from training doesn’t usually begin until 24 to 48 hours later.

3.Cumulative injuries will repeatedly occur in the same area week after week, but soreness from working out usually will not.

Common cumulative, over-use injuries that acupuncture can treat are:

- tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow and elbow bursitis
- shoulder tendinitis, bursitis, arthritis and impingement syndrome
- wrist tendinitis
- Achilles tendinitis
- hip bursitis
- illiotibial band syndrome
- knee arthritis

How Does Acupuncture Help?

From the Chinese medical point of view, the body is an energetic collection of functions, not just a mechanical collection of parts. That is to say, we contain Life Energy, also known as Qi (“chee”). One is said to be in perfect health when this energy is flowing unimpeded, and in an adequate amount throughout the entire body. Qi is the basis for the proper functioning of all body processes: it provides structural integrity and stability, physiological efficiency and the potential for healing.

When you sustain an injury, the flow of energy in and around the area becomes disrupted, causing stagnation and pain. This energy stagnation also inhibits the proper circulation of blood and lymph to the area, extending healing times, prolonging swelling and bruising and increasing the need for pain medications.

Acupuncture works directly to free the flow of Qi through these areas of stagnation.  This serves 3 main functions to assist healing and speed recovery:

  1. Increased circulation of Qi decreases pain, inflammation and swelling (all of which are signs of stagnation).
  2. Enhanced circulation of energy also brings increased circulation of blood and lymph.  This means that fresh vital nutrients are more readily available to tissues that need them in order to mend.
  3. Enhanced circulation also carries dead cells and cellular waste products away from the injured site.

When Chinese herbal medicine is added to the acupuncture treatments, the healing and pain relieving effects are even greater.  Herbs for injuries may be applied topically and/or taken internally, depending on the nature of the injury.  Massage techniques may also be incorporated after the initial stages of recovery.

Enhancing Athletic Performance:

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine focuses on regulating the flow of energy (Qi) throughout the entire body, to create optimal circulation and function.

What could be possible when your heart, lungs, muscles, tendons and joints are all receiving fresh vital nutrients and being flushed of waste products quickly and efficiently?  Better physical performance, enhanced endurance, quicker recovery times and fewer incidents of injury. When added to a proper physical training program, acupuncture is extremely valuable for improving your game. This is what many professionals already know, and why they use acupuncture for injuries, injury prevention and enhanced performance.

Sources:

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tennisinjuries/a/tennisinjuries.htm

http://sport-people.blogspot.com/2007/07/maria-sharapova-just-wanted-it-to-end.html

http://www.solveyourproblem.com/natural-health/reasons_to_try_acupuncture.shtml

http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/node/402

Dawn Balusik, AP, DOM
727-475-4710

Nutrition, Part 1: Nutrition as Medicine

Feb19

excerpts published in Tampa Bay Wellness, April 2011

He who seeks medicine and neglects his diet wastes the skill of his doctors.  - Chinese Proverb

A very common topic of discussion in my clinic is nutrition:  Part of my health history intake is asking about the patient’s diet, and I very frequently make nutritional recommendations to assist their health goals.

In addition, I am often asked about what is the healthiest way to eat.  It used to be mainly a weight-loss related question, but now it seems to also be people who are struggling with severe health problems such as cancer, auto-immune diseases and chronic degenerative diseases.  I find it encouraging that people are starting to acknowledge the quality of their nutrition as a fundamental source of their health or disease.

Nutrition as Medicine

The quality of what we consume directly affects our state of health. Depending on what we choose to eat, our diets can be medicinal or harmful. Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, knew this. He is famous for saying “Let food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be food.”

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has also known this for centuries (actually millennia, to be more accurate).

In fact, of the Eight Branches of Traditional Chinese Medicine, nutrition is one of the most powerful, and certainly is the one that each of us has the most control over on a daily basis, since we all need to eat multiple times daily. Perhaps you’ve not thought of nutrition as medicine before now, but it is an important concept in TCM.

Healthy nutrition provides the foundational energy and substance which nourishes, heals and sustains our bodies in a state of vibrancy and health; poor diet depletes, harms and toxifies our bodies, causing myriad symptoms and diseases.

Just as the roots of a tree need to be healthy and strong so that they can provide optimal nutrition to the rest of the tree, we need to provide our organs and systems with optimal nutrition to heal and maintain our own strength and vitality. And, just as a house must be seated upon a strong foundation in order to have integrity, we need ensure our own foundation with sound nutrition.

Whole Foods

Before delving into the deeper principles of health-promoting nutrition, we must first eliminate the fast food, junk food, preservatives, chemicals, and excess fats and sugars in our diets. We cannot help our bodies become and stay healthy if we are regularly eating these types of foods. It is essential to learn to read food labels, and stay away from products that contain ingredients that are not recognizable food names, and chemical-sounding names.  Like Michael Pollan says, “If a 3rd grader can’t pronounce the ingredient, don’t eat it!”

The first, simplest and most profound piece of advice for building health through nutrition is to eat whole, unprocessed foods. Whole foods are those that are recognizable in their natural state: whole vegetables and fruits, such as apples, carrots, cucumbers and spinach; whole, unprocessed grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, corn and oats; whole cooked beans, whole nuts and seeds without oils or flavorings added.

Whole foods contain all types of vitamins, fiber, minerals, and health benefiting phytochemicals that number in the hundreds, or even thousands, that work synergistically to nourish us.  Many of these compounds have been found by modern science to protect us from cancer, heart disease, and other degenerative diseases.  Many others of these phytochemicals modern nutritional science hasn’t yet even identified! No one yet knows what other kinds of beneficial and vital properties they carry, or how they all work together synergistically to benefit our bodies.

It makes the most sense to give ourselves every advantage in the quest for excellent long-term health by consuming as much of the beneficial elements as we can in the foods we know are health-promoting. The best way to do this is by eating them in their whole-food form.

In addition to the vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, the fiber in whole foods slows the absorption of glucose, which helps keep the blood sugar steady, preventing diabetes. It also provides volume to food, to satisfy the appetite without adding calories.

Fiber helps to prevent heart disease by binding cholesterol for excretion. It also absorbs toxins in the digestive tract, provides a mechanical means by which to sweep wastes out of the intestines (which decreases risk of colon cancer), provides bulk to the stool, and exercises the smooth muscle tissue in the intestinal walls to keep them toned and well functioning, preventing diverticulosis.

With all of the vital functions that dietary fiber has, it makes no sense to eat foods that are refined, which means the fiber (and most of the vitamins and minerals) has been removed.

Processed foods made with refined ingredients such as white flour, sugar, white rice, and oil, which include most breads, pretzels, chips, crackers, cakes, muffins, and pastries are not whole foods. Their base ingredients have been stripped of any nutritional value they once had, they have little or no fiber, and they add a lot of sugar, fat and chemicals that wreak havoc with our physical health and negatively impact our mental and emotional outlook (not to mention our waist lines.)

Moderation

The ancient Chinese said that moderation is the key to good health. They were not referring to a moderation of junk foods, chemically-laden foods or processed foods, because these did not exist then. For the vast majority of our existence here on earth, humans only had access to whole foods, (which were organic, by the way) and yet the ancient Chinese still preached moderation. This is interesting to consider, since many Americans think a diet of whole foods (especially organic) is extreme.

So what were the ancient Chinese referring to by “moderation”?  This will be discussed in Part 2.

For more information on Whole Food nutrition, see the Whole Food Websites and Video resources listed in the Education Resources – Nutrition page of this website.

Nutrition, Part 2 will focus on Nutritional Therapy in Oriental Medicine, based on the physiology of digestion from a Chinese Medicine point of view.

Dawn Balusik, AP, DOM
727-475-4710

Acupuncture for Pregnancy, Childbirth and Beyond

Feb18

by Dawn Balusik, AP, DOM
Published in Select Magazine, Mar-Apr 2009

Though, at first, you may not think to put acupuncture on your “to do” list when you find out you are pregnant, it is actually a valuable and natural way to help ensure a healthy pregnancy, a smooth delivery and a quick post-partum recovery.

Why Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine?

If we look back through Chinese history and the ancestral worship that is part of it, we see a very strong cultural commitment to have healthy children.  As a result, throughout the centuries, Oriental Medicine has developed effective treatments to help couples conceive, and to promote healthy pregnancies and uncomplicated deliveries.

Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine focuses on re-establishing and maintaining a healthful natural balance and flow of vital energy (or Qi “chee”) within the body.  Qi is the basis for the proper functioning of all of our organs and physiological processes, including reproduction: it provides structural integrity and stability, physiological efficiency and the potential for life, health and healing in general.

Qi circulates in pathways throughout the body, known as meridians.  In Oriental Medicine, one is said to be in perfect health when this Qi is balanced and flowing unimpeded, in the correct direction and in an adequate amount throughout the body. When this energy becomes imbalanced, blocked or deficient, we experience pain, discomfort and disease.

Acupuncture needles, placed properly, directly access and regulate the flow of the energy in the meridians and correct imbalances, thereby creating healing and harmony within the body.

Acupuncture is a safe, effective and natural way for women to reduce their symptoms of pregnancy.  Moreover, it does this without the risks and side-effects of pharmaceutical medications, most of which are contraindicated during pregnancy anyway.

Acupuncture for a Healthy Mother and Baby:

Acupuncture treatment once or twice a month during pregnancy is valuable for both mom and baby.  It will help ensure optimal health of the mother and the fetus at different stages of development, cell differentiation and growth.  It can also prevent and treat pregnancy-related symptoms.

One popular acu-point used during pregnancy is Zhubin (K-9) known as “the beautiful baby point”, located on the inner part of the lower leg above the ankle bone.  It is said to calm the mind, relieve anxiety, build blood and benefit the fetus.

During the final 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy, weekly treatments are recommended, to help prepare for labor.  Typically, a session lasts 30 to 45 minutes, and women usually only feel a mild pressure or heaviness sensation at the site of the needle insertion.

Some women have pre-existing medical conditions that may worsen during pregnancy, but can be safely addressed with acupuncture.  This is a great option when pharmaceuticals are contraindicated or the mother just wants treatment as natural as possible.

Acupuncture for Pregnancy-Related Symptoms:

Acupuncture significantly relieves fatigue, anxiety, migraine headaches, bleeding and, of course, the morning sickness that can be common during the first trimester.  An Australian study published in the journal Birth reported that of nearly 600 women suffering with morning sickness, (all of whom were less than 14 weeks pregnant), those who received acupuncture treatment reported having less frequent and shorter periods of nausea than those who did not get acupuncture.

The second trimester can bring stress, sinus congestion, heartburn, constipation and hemorrhoids which acupuncture can help to alleviate.  Other second trimester symptoms that acupuncture can assist are edema, elevated blood pressure, elevated blood glucose or excessive weight gain, but these conditions are potentially dangerous, and should also be monitored by a western-trained physician or midwife.

Sciatica, back pain, pelvic pain, joint pain and carpal tunnel syndrome can be common during the third trimester.  Acupuncture treatment is known to bring relief to these symptoms, and it can bring this relief quickly, without any medications.  In fact, a recent study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that acupuncture in combination with standard treatment was more effective at relieving mixed pelvic/back pain during pregnancy than standard treatment alone.

If symptoms are particularly severe, weekly treatments may be necessary to get you through a particular period of time during the pregnancy.

Beginning around 32 to 34 weeks, special acu-points will be included during treatment to encourage the proper head-down positioning of the baby for birth. Also at this time, acupuncture treatment frequency will increase to weekly to help optimize childbirth.

Acupuncture for Labor Induction & Childbirth:

For pregnancies that have gone beyond their due date, acupuncture is amazingly valuable to help induce a natural labor.  A woman who is past her due date is facing either a Cesarean section or being induced with the drug pitocin.  Neither of these are desirable options, as they present more risks and side-effects.  Pitocin forces the body into labor whether it is ready or not.

Acupuncture is a great alternative. It is safe and encourages the body to go into a natural labor. Acu-points to induce labor are deliberately avoided during the 9 months of pregnancy, and are now used freely to encourage uterine contraction.  Acupuncture for labor induction will also help to tonify the mother’s vital energy as well as calm her anxiety.  This helps her to relax, which also facilitates a healthy delivery.

For labor induction, acu-points are used in the sacrum, hands, feet and shoulders.  Electro-stimulation may be used on the needles to strengthen the treatment effect.  Typically, treatment will aim at producing some contractions immediately.  In my practice, daily acupuncture treatment for 3 to 5 days is usually sufficient to induce labor.  Chinese herbal formulas may also be given to increase circulation in the pelvic area and to nourish the mother’s energy, which is needed for labor.

Acupuncture during labor itself is used to reduce pain and to boost energy, but can also be used to strengthen weak contractions.  In China this is a common practice, because birth is seen as a natural process that is to be interfered with as little as possible; acupuncture facilitates the natural process, it doesn’t force anything to happen.

 

Acupuncture for Post-Partum Recovery:

After delivery, acupuncture assists the normal recuperative process.  It can help stop bleeding and discharge, relieve backache and ease pain of the perineal area.  It can also help to hasten recovery from a C-Section surgery.  Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine helps to restore the mother’s vital Qi energy and Blood, support milk production, and normalize the Qi and Blood flow through the abdomen.  It is also ideal for preventing and treating post-partum depression.  So, even though the new mom will be busy tending to her newborn, it is important that she still get her acupuncture treatments.

It is clear to see that all women would benefit from receiving acupuncture throughout their pregnancies.  Acupuncture is valuable to ensure a healthy mother and fetus and to address pre-existing and pregnancy-related symptoms during pregnancy.  It is also a wonderful alternative to pitocin or C-section for inducing labor.  In addition, acupuncture can facilitate the labor process and assist in post-partum recovery.

 

Sources:

Chao AS, Chao A, Wang TH, et al. Pain relief by applying transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on acupuncture points during the first stage of labor: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Pain. 2007 Feb;127(3):214-20. View Abstract.

 

Crocker, Walt. Acupuncture May Be a Safe Alternative for Inducing Labor: Chinese Method Has Been Used Thousands of Years. Accessed on 5/25/08 from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/19749/acupuncture_may_be_a_safe_alternative.html?page=2

Maciocia, Giovanni.  Obstetrics and Gynecology in Oriental Medicine.  Churchill Livingston, London, 1998.

Rabinowitz, Naomi, MD, Dipl.Ac., Acupuncture and Pregnancy, accessed on 5/25/08 at http://www.acufinder.com/Acupuncture+Information/Detail/ACUPUNCTURE+AND+PREGNANCY

Ring, Phyllis Edgerly.  Acupuncture: Relief Right to the Point.  Accessed on 5/25/08 from http://www.pregnancytoday.com/reference/articles/acupuncture.htm

Dawn Balusik, AP, DOM
727-475-4710

Acupuncture for Fertility

Feb9

by Dawn Balusik, AP, DOM
Published in Tampa Bay Wellness, Sept 2007

If you have been trying to conceive a child for at least 1 year without success, most doctors would diagnose you with infertility.  You are not alone; infertility currently affects about 6.1 million people in the U.S.

Many couples turn to the latest medical technologies to assist them, such as ovulation-promoting drugs, intra-uterine insemination (IUI), and in vitro fertilization (IVF).  These are collectively known as Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART).  In vitro fertilization is an incredible technology that has led to many successful pregnancies.

However, IVF is not an easy path to choose: it is a very complex procedure, it is quite expensive, and most find it emotionally difficult.  In addition, the success rates are still relatively low (generally 10% to 35%).  If you decide to invest your time and money into these therapies, you want to be sure you are giving yourself every advantage possible.  Adding acupuncture to your ART can significantly increase your chances of success.

If ART is not for you, due to financial, medical or other reasons, or if you wish to try something less invasive/expensive first, acupuncture is, again, very valuable, for both female and male factor infertility.

Acupuncture with ART:

Growing numbers of research studies in medical journals are demonstrating impressive results when acupuncture is combined with ART.  A landmark study published in April 2002 in the Fertility & Sterility Journal caught the attention of many reproductive specialists:  women undergoing IVF embryo transfer who received acupuncture had a 42.5% success rate, compared with the 26.3% success rate of those who did not get acupuncture.

A study published in May 2006 (Fertility & Sterility) found that acupuncture more than doubled the pregnancy rates of IVF procedures.  Because of this and other research, many infertility doctors refer their patients for acupuncture.

Acupuncture for fertility, without ART:

Acupuncture has been treating infertility for over 2000 years.  Consider that throughout history in Chinese culture the inability to have a child (especially a son) was considered the worst kind of tragedy.  When infertility afflicted a couple, there was a great deal of motivation for Chinese physicians to develop effective treatments.

Only recently has Western science begun to conduct studies on acupuncture by itself for infertility: one study compared women with endocrine dysfunctional infertility:  one group was put on the drug Clomid and the other was treated with acupuncture.  The result was 45% pregnancy in the Clomid group, and 65% in the acupuncture group.

Other studies show that acupuncture can stimulate ovulation, reduce the impedance of blood flow to the uterus, and normalize the hormone communication cycle in women.  It also reduces stress hormones and increases endorphin levels, both of which positively affect hormone levels.

And there are numerous studies citing the benefits of acupuncture for male factor infertility.  Acupuncture increases the number and ratio of normal-form sperm; significantly decreases the number of anti-sperm antibodies (in male immune infertility), and increases the quick sperm motility.

Why does Acupuncture work?

From an Oriental medicine viewpoint, acupuncture is effective for infertility because it helps to relieve stress, correct imbalances and ensure proper communication in the body.  It increases the circulation of energy, blood and nutrients to the necessary organs and glands, so that they are healthier, work better, and communicate with each other more effectively.

Recommended Protocol:

In general, I recommend acupuncture treatments weekly for at least 4-6 weeks followed by twice monthly, combined with Chinese herbs, until pregnancy. The more treatments initially, the quicker the results. For those patients whose MD’s have requested that they not take herbs during their ART, I recommend once or twice weekly acupuncture treatments.  These protocols are the same for both men and women.

For best chances of success with ART, acupuncture treatment should begin 3 months prior to any major procedure.  If this schedule is not possible for you, aim to get treatments for as many weeks as possible before the procedure begins.

What to expect from Acupuncture for Fertility:

In my clinic, I have found that acupuncture can:

1. Regulate menstrual cycles:  Often infertility is associated with irregular menstrual cycles or endometriosis.  With acupuncture and herbs I have seen women without regular periods start cycling regularly again, women with heavy bleeding normalize, and significant or complete reduction of endometriosis.

2. Increase ovulation rates:  Related to irregular menstruation, some infertility patients simply are not ovulating regularly.  With only acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, one specific patient has been ovulating consistently for 7 months, after more than 12 years of negative ovulation test readings!

3. Increase the number and quality of eggs that are ovulated:  After 2 months of acupuncture, one IVF patient produced 15 healthy eggs that were extracted; that is nearly double her first IVF cycle, without acupuncture, when she produced 8 healthy eggs.

Another patient, with a history of repeated miscarriages, was told by her infertility specialist that she could never use her own eggs to have a baby.  It was his professional opinion that her eggs were too poor quality for her to get pregnant naturally and keep the child; she would have to do IVF with donor eggs.   After 3 months of acupuncture and herbal medicine, she became pregnant naturally, and, at the time of this writing, is due to give birth in 2 weeks.

4. Increase the chances of implantation:  Acupuncture helps to increase circulation to the uterine wall, creating a more optimal lining condition.  It also helps to relax the uterus, so that implantation is more likely.  Often, in IVF, the embryo transfer process stimulates uterine contractions, which can make implantation difficult.  This is why studies find that acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer increases success rates significantly.

5. Increase the chances of a healthy, full-term pregnancy:  Continued acupuncture treatment for at least the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is highly recommended to decrease chances of miscarriage.   It’s also useful for morning sickness, fatigue and mood swings.

The journey to overcome infertility can be a very difficult one.  It makes sense to be sure that you are giving yourself every advantage.  Whether you choose to receive ART or not, you can feel confident that including acupuncture in your plan will increase your chances of having the baby you want.

Sources:

Berkley, Dr. Mike, Treating Infertility using Acupuncture.  American Pregnancy Association.  Accessed from http://www.americanpregnancy.org/infertility/acupuncture.htm

Chen, By, Acupuncture normalizes dysfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.  Acupunct Electrother Res. 1997;22(2):97-108. PMID: 9330669

Dieterle, S., et al.  Effect of acupuncture on the outcome of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study. Fertil Steril. 2006 May;85(5):1347-     51. Epub 2006 Apr 17. PMID: 16616748 .

Dong, C, et al. Clinical observation and study of mechanisms of needle-picking therapy for primary infertility of abnormal sperm. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2006 Jun;26(6):389-91. Chinese. PMID: 16813177

Fu, B et al.  Effects of the combined therapy of acupuncture with herbal drugs on male immune     infertility – a clinical report of 50 cases.  J Tradit Chin Med. 2005 Sep;25(3):186-9. PMID: 16334720

Gurfinkel E, et al.  Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities. Asian J Androl. 2003 Dec;5(4):345-8. PMID: 14695986 

Mo X, et al, Clinical studies on the mechanism for acupuncture stimulation of ovulation. J Tradit Chin Med. 1993 Jun;13(2):115-9. PMID: 8412285

Paulus, Wolfgang, MD, et al., Influence of Acupuncture on the pregnancy rate in patients who undergo assisted reproduction therapy. American Society for Reproductive Medicine / Elsevier Science Inc (Fertility & Sterility, April 2002, Vol.77, No.4).

Robinson, Kathleen and Tracy Hickenbottom, Acupuncture has numerous potential fertility boosting benefits according to New York Weill Cornell physician-scientists.  Cornell News. New York, April 2003.  Accessed from www.news.cornell.edu/releases/April03/fertility.html. 

Song, JJ et al.  Progress of integrative Chinese and Western medicine in treating polycystic ovarian syndrome caused infertility. Chin J Integr Med. 2006 Dec;12(4):312-6. Review. PMID: 17361532

Stener-Victorin E, et al. Use of acupuncture in female infertility and a summary of recent acupuncture studies related to embryo transfer.  Acupunct Med. 2006 Dec;24(4):157-63. Review. PMID: 17264833

Westergaard. LG, et al.  Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer significantly improves the reproductive outcome in infertile women: a prospective, randomized trial. Fertil Steril. 2006 May;85(5):1341-6. Epub 2006 Apr 5. PMID: 16600232

Yang, JR, et al.  Controlled study on acupuncture for treatment of endocrine dysfunctional infertility. Zhongguo Zhen Jiu. 2005 May;25(5):299-300. Chinese. PMID: 16320739

Zhang, M, et al.  Influence of acupuncture on idiopathic male infertility in assisted reproductive technology.  J Huazhong Univ Sci Technolog Med Sci. 2002;22(3):228-30.  PMID: 12658811

Dawn Balusik
727-475-4710

Acupuncture for Prolonged Grief

Feb3

Question: About 6 months ago I lost my sister to a fatal car accident. Since then I’ve been depressed, I have no energy, and I cannot sleep well. I don’t want to take pharmaceutical medications for depression. Is there anything acupuncture can do to help me cope with how I am feeling?

Answer: To a degree, grief and sadness following a loss is normal and healthy. We shouldn’t be afraid to feel sadness, even deep mourning and grief. It is natural and part of the process of healing and acceptance.

But, when the grieving process (or any strong emotion) goes on too intensely or for too long, it can cause an imbalance that not only disrupts your life, but also your vital life energy. In Oriental Medicine, the body, mind, and spirit are inseparable, such that one cannot experience an imbalance in one area without affecting the others.

Just as the word itself literally says “e-motion” or “Energy in Motion”, emotions are meant to move freely through the body and mind, be experienced, and then released. But when emotions don’t move freely, for any number of reasons, they can become “stuck” in the mind and body, making it difficult to let go and accept our loss. Eventually this stagnant energy affects the body in negative ways.

The emotion of grief, in Oriental Medicine, is known to most directly affect the energy of the Lungs. Many people have experienced catching a cold or contracting bronchitis simultaneous to a deep sense of grief. The most extreme examples of this are some of the cases of “unexplained” lung cancer that we hear about in the news, including the sudden death of Christopher Reeves’ wife after his passing; her overwhelming grief so disrupted the energy of her lungs that she developed cancer.

This is certainly not to say that all grieving people will eventually develop lung cancer; it is only to point out that our emotions are inextricably linked to the energies of our physical bodies.

It is in this realm that Oriental Medicine is helpful. Acupuncture helps to move energy in the body that has become stagnant, encouraging it to flow freely again. It also helps to nourish energy where it is deficient, which helps to strengthen the Lung and Heart energy.

After an acupuncture treatment for emotional release, you might feel lighter and freer, as though a burden has been lifted. Or you might feel the emotion come to the surface, to be fully experienced before then being released. It is important that this process not be stifled; breathing deeply will assist the energy in flowing freely.

Chinese herbal formulas can also be helpful with releasing stagnant energy, nourishing the Lung and Heart energy, and abating the symptoms common to grief such as insomnia, anxiety, heart palpitations, appetite changes, digestive disturbances, tension, nervousness, and low energy.

Lastly, because of the connection between the flow of energy and breath, and between the emotion of grief and the Lung, engaging in mindful breathing techniques and/or getting some light form of aerobic exercise daily can be of great benefit.

Dawn Balusik
727-475-4710