Almost everyone has heard of acupuncture, but most people think that it mainly provides pain relief. Acupuncture physicians actually do much more than relieving the physical discomforts that patients experience. A highly efficient method for managing chronic conditions, acupuncture enhances the body’s ability to achieve natural solutions to vexing problems that Western medicine simply cannot address as effectively. Most times, Chinese medicine can treat any ailment one would go to their Western medicine physician to treat and Chinese medicine far excels in treating chronic conditions. Why is this? It is because Chinese medicine does not utilize drugs or surgery to treat a health issue. Instead, it treats the underlying cause of the imbalance, as well as the symptoms, which triggers the body to heal itself. At Lakewood Ranch Acupuncture and Wellness, patients can benefit from treatment of these chronic conditions plus many more.
Insomnia
Acupuncture balances the body and the brain, and the ability to get a good night’s rest can result from series of treatments. Patients can regain the capability to fall and stay asleep because through acupuncture the brain increases the production of melatonin and serotonin. Acupuncture also works to relieve the stress, anxiety and frustration that many patients feel that often goes along with chronic insomnia. For another example, if the insomnia is caused by menopause then not only will patients regain the ability to stay asleep but they will also notice a reduction or elimination of hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain and the irritability that can result from going through menopause. This is great and we often refer to our clinic as a “one stop shop!”
Allergies
The seasonal discomforts of runny noses, sneezing, sniffles and watery eyes responds very well to acupuncture by addressing the root cause. Western medicine often uses harsh antihistamines that mask allergy symptoms but actually do nothing to relieve the cause of the allergies and because of that the symptoms return once the medications wear off season after season. The tiny acupuncture needles that are placed just below the skin can not only help reduce allergy symptoms but also strengthen the bodies immune system which will result in fewer or complete elimination of allergies.
Digestive Problems
Digestive disorders respond great to acupuncture treatment. Whether it’s GERD, IBS, acid reflux, diarrhea or chronic constipation, acupuncture provides healing and nourishment for the entire GI system. Acupuncture works to reduce inflammation, and acupuncture physicians use specific points to improve gastric functions and reduce acid secretions. Treatment can also increase the rate of metabolism and stimulate muscle contraction to reduce discomfort and increase relaxation. Patients can benefit from the restoration of stomach acidity to healthy levels.
Mental and Emotional Health
One of our favorite things that acupuncture can treat, which most people are unaware of, is mental and emotional health. Acupuncture almost immediately starts to improve patients’ outlook by creating relaxation and a sense of well- being. When stress, anxiety or depression cause an imbalance in the nervous system, a sense of calmness can emerge and break the negative cycle that puts patients in extreme discomfort. How is this? Acupuncture stimulates the release of neurotransmitters such as serotonin, nor-epinephrine and GABA from the brain which provide a sense of calm and well-being in turn alleviating negative emotions without side effects that pharmaceutical anti-depressants can cause.
Infertility
One of the most beneficial effects of acupuncture is the ability to re-balance the hormones in a woman’s body as well as increase in blood flow to the female organs making the body more receptive to becoming pregnant. The ancient Chinese approach requires patience and a lack of haste for several months to prepare the body to become receptive to insemination. Acupuncture can re-balance the body when a woman’s menstrual cycle is irregular or even when a woman has trouble ovulating after being on birth control for a number of years.
Autoimmune Disorders
When the body seems to turn against itself and attack healthy tissue, Chinese medicine can help reverse the disorder. The combination of Chinese medicine and acupuncture may provide successful therapies for such autoimmune disorders as lupus, pernicious anemia, thyroid and celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis and many others.
Addiction
Certain points on the body, as well as in the ear, help reduce cravings and difficult withdrawal symptoms. Acupuncture can treat a wide range of additions from smoking to sugar addiction. Today across the country there are addition clinics that utilize acupuncture in their protocols to help patients get off of certain drugs. As a supportive technique, it can also reduce stress and anxiety while enhancing the ability to sleep.
Nausea
The extremely unpleasant sensation that often precedes vomiting can lessen with the careful placement of acupuncture needles by natural doctors. Patients who may have morning sickness or motion sickness as well as a reaction to medical treatment may get relief through acupuncture. Acupuncture physicians can precisely treat the condition and bring welcome relief to anyone who suffers from nausea.
Headaches
Through the use of tiny needles at specific points on the body, acupuncturist physicians can relieve the annoyance of headaches as well as the dire consequences of migraines or the misery of tension headaches and even cluster headaches. Anyone who suffers from headaches knows how debilitating chronic headaches can be and are so thankful and pleased when they find relief through acupuncture treatment that offers a traditional Chinese medicine approach as an alternative to emergency-oriented Western practice.
An awareness of the benefits of acupuncture can provide an alternative path to treatment of chronic conditions that traditional Western medicine cannot match. Working gently with your body, acupuncture physicians can provide relief from disorders without drugs or harmful side effects. Contact us at Lakewood Ranch Acupuncture and Wellness to begin a calm and restorative approach to achieving health and vitality. We are here to help you bring your body back into a state of physical, mental and emotional balance so that you can live your best, happiest and most vibrant state of being!
Amanda Clark
Dr. Amanda Carter is a Nationally Board Certified Acupuncture Physician and Doctor of Oriental Medicine. She is the founder of Lakewood Ranch Acupuncture and Wellness and graduated Summa Cum Laude from the 5-year Traditional Oriental Medicine graduate program at East West College of Natural Medicine. The journey that led Amanda to study Chinese medicine began at the age of 25 when she found herself suffering from chronic pain which manifested in a continuous headache that lasted for seven months. Dr. Carter’s own history of health problems has given her compassion and understanding for her patients and she is caring and completely focused on each individual. She truly desires to see each patient healthy and in physical and emotional balance and is motivated to help them achieve their own optimal health.