Sore Muscles from Working Out?

You start working out with a new routine. Maybe it's Crossfit, weightlifting or even walking. You push through it and it feels great.

Until the next day or the day after that. Then your muscles start feeling really stiff and sore. Ouch! Scientists call this "delayed onset muscle soreness" or DOMS.

According to this study acupuncture can reduce inflammation and lessen pain caused by DOMS. They conclude that acupuncture treatment may be effective on myofascial pain syndromes.

This has been very true in my practice. I have treated a lot of sore muscles resulting from boot camp, physical therapy and springtime gardening.

How are you dealing with your pain?

Acupuncture Helps with PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a female endocrine disorder, is a common condition that I am treating more and more often in my clients.

PCOS is a condition in which there is an imbalance of a woman's female sex hormones. This hormone imbalance may cause changes in the menstrual cycle, skin changes, small cysts in the ovaries, infertility, and other problems.

Hormones help regulate the normal development of eggs in the ovaries during each menstrual cycle. PCOS is related to an imbalance in these female sex hormones. Too much androgen hormone, usually testerone, is made, along with changes in other hormone levels.

While it is not completely understood why or how the changes in the hormone levels occur, a recent study demonstrates that acupuncture can help with PCOS.

“The study shows that both acupuncture and exercise reduce high levels of testosterone and lead to more regular menstruation,” says associate professor Elisabet Stener-Victorin, who is responsible for the study. “Of the two treatments, the acupuncture proved more effective.”

If you have been diagnosed with PCOS, have you tried acupuncture? Let us help you.

Acupuncture Relieves Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

You're working away at your computer trying to ignore the the tingling and numbness in your hand and wrist.  Or you notice a sharp pain shooting up your arm from your wrist. More than likely you have carpal tunnel syndrome. What is it and can acupuncture help?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful progressive condition is caused by compression of the median nerve inside your wrist. It can occur with repetitive work and uninterrupted typing.

According to a recent study published in the "Journal of Research in Medical Sciences," acupuncture is effective for the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome.

There were 72 subjects in this randomized controlled study. The acupuncture treatment group received 8 acupuncture treatments over a period of 4 weeks and night splinting was used as an additional component to the medical are. The control group received night splinting, sham acupuncture (use of non-relevant acupoints in relation to carpal tunnel syndrome), vitamin B1 and vitamin B6.

A follow up after the treatment regime measured a clinically significant nerve conduction velocity difference between the groups. The acupuncture group measured significantly better according to the nerve conduction study’s electrophysiological measurements. The researchers also conclude that acupuncture is effective in relieving the subjective symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Have you ever tried acupuncture for carpal tunnel? Did it help?

Are You Sitting Too Much?

When a client comes to me—whether it is for stress, depression or even pain management—I always emphasize the importance of physical activity. Staying physically active is key, right?

Well, it turns out that sitting for long periods of time is hazardous to your health. Even for people who exercise daily. This increases the risk for obesity, diabetes and cancer.

According to AARP Bulletin, Americans are now sitting more than they are sleeping. Even those who are diligent about staying active. We now spend an average of 10 hours a day sitting in a car, at work, or in front of a television. Nearly 75% of older Americans are sedentary and almost half get no leisure-time physical activity at all.

One solution: set your computer on a surface that allows you to stand up while you work. Gradually increase your standing time. Your body willl thank you.

Are You Feeling the (Winter) Blues?

Do winter’s shorter days and longer nights bring you down? How about winter’s cloudy, overcast days? If you feel depressed and sluggish only during the winter months (and not the rest of the year), you may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Symptoms of SAD include sadness, anxiety, mood swings, craving carbohydrates, fatigue or exhaustion, sleeping a lot, craving carbohydrates, brain fog, and weight gain. These symptoms greatly improve once the days get longer in the spring and summer months.

Women seem to be more affected by SAD than men. Plus, there is a genetic disposition so it tends to run in the family.

While full sunlight is preferred for SAD, light boxes may be effective for the treatment of the condition. Studies show that sitting in front of a light box for 30 minutes to 2 hours in the morning and/or evening can help.

In addition, acupuncture and herbal medicine can stimulate the body to heal itself and be very beneficial for SAD symptoms such as depression, anxiety, fatigue and craving carbohydrates. Please call The Healing Acupuncture Center today so you can start feeling better.

Austin Humane Society's Rags to Wags Gala

The following is from guest blogger, Maya.

Sometimes, especially during the holidays, many animals get left out in the cold. Rather than just whimper about it, this year my mom and I are teaming up to find a way to help.

The humans at the Austin Humane Society work like, er, dogs to provide shelter and find homes for animals less fortunate than me. I only heard about their Rags to Wags Gala on the Dec 8th and the Gala is December 10th!

We gave AHS a call and found out that we we still had time to contribute to their auction. Whew!

So if you were already planning to attend then be sure to look for The Healing Acupuncture Gift Certificate at the auction table and bid on it. I ain't lying when I say it will really make you feel good to help them out.

Come on out. There's gonna be food, a show and, of course, the silent auction.

Click here to go to the Rags to Wags Gala site for the details.

Celebrate Save Our Springs

Growing up in Austin, I have many warm memories of swimming in Barton Springs. Wonderful day-long family picnics at Zilker Park eating fried chicken, potato salad and watermelon. But the best part was swimming in the icy cold, pristine waters of Barton Springs. Good times!

Since the early 1990s, Austin's Save Our Springs Alliance (S.O.S.) has advocated for the protection of the Barton Creek watershed and Edwards Aquifer to insure that future generations continue have a beautiful clean place to swim and play.

Support S.O.S. by coming out to their annual Holiday Party and Silent Auction on Friday, December 9th, from 6-10pm at the Mercury Hall.

Among many other goodies, you can bid on a gift certificate for an acupuncuture treatment from The Healing Acupuncture Center ($90 value).

Please join me in giving back to our community.

U.S. Military Adds Acupuncture to their Arsenal for Pain Management

The Department of Defense’s task force on pain management has recently updated their protocols to offer a comprehensive strategy that includes both traditional and “non-traditional” treatment options. In addition to drugs, military medicine will now offer acupuncture, biofeedback and massage to their patients in chronic pain.

In the past, opiate drugs have been used, which not only knocked down the pain, but also knocked out the patient.

“When the kids leave for school in the morning, Dad’s on the couch. The pain is controlled,” Colonel Galloway said. “Victory for us and medicine -- we did a good job. But when the kids come home from school in the afternoon, Dad’s still on the couch.”

Here's a link to the DOD news release dated October 25. 2011.

A Licensed Acupuncturist's First Acupuncture Treatment

In 1992, I was unhappy with my high tech marketing job and was looking for something else to do. When someone suggested acupuncture it immediately felt right. Trouble was I had never even had an acupuncture treatment. Better give it a try so I decided to see if acupuncture could heal a rash that had just appeared on my arm. It seems funny to me now but I was VERY nervous going in.

Click to read more ...

You Do Acupuncture for a Living?

Back in 1992, I was fast-walking in my neighborhood after work feeling sorry for myself. I really didn’t like my high tech marketing job. It was not feeding my soul so I simply asked out loud “why I am here?” To my surprise, I heard a loud voice in my head say “HEALING” . . .

Click to read more ...