High blood pressure (hypertension) treatment with acupuncture

by urban-acupuncture | Oct 7, 2019 | Acupuncture Columbus

About Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, affects about 75 million adults in the United States today: that’s 1 out of every 3! Sometimes called “the silent killer” by the medical community because of its lack of symptoms, high blood pressure can significantly increase your risk for heart disease and/or stroke. Yet many Americans don’t realize they have high blood pressure, and it’s estimated that only about half of people with high blood pressure have it under control.

Blood pressure is literally the force of your blood pushing against the walls of the blood vessels as it pumps through the body. Blood pressure is not a static measurement; it increases and decreases as we go about our normal activities. When blood pressure is high, the heart must work harder to pump blood around the body. And when our blood pressure is too high for too long, causing the heart to work constantly in overdrive, the result may be serious health conditions such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.

The good news is that high blood pressure can be treated before it leads to serious health concerns! Usually, the prescribed treatment involves (1) lifestyle changes and (2) medication. For some adults, lifestyle choices such as quitting smoking, choosing a low sodium diet, and increasing exercise may be sufficient to bring their blood pressure under control. For others, especially those whose blood pressure may be related to genetics and family history, physicians often turn to one or more of the hundreds of blood pressure medications currently available.

Studies Show Acupuncture May be an Effective Treatment Option for Hypertension

For years dismissed by the medical community, an increasing body of scientific literature is showing that acupuncture may present an effective third option for hypertension. For individuals with mild or moderate hypertension, regular acupuncture treatments in combination with important lifestyle changes may be sufficient to bring high blood back within normal limits; for other adults, especially those with severe high blood pressure, acupuncture may be effective in combination with lifestyle changes and prescription drugs.

Acupuncture involves stimulating different acupuncture points around the body with specially-designed needles; by providing a “counter-irritant” at those specific points, the treatment effectively helps restore the body’s natural balance and, literally, heal itself. For instance, several recent studies indicated that acupuncture points SP9, LV3, LI4—among others—are particularly effective at targeting high blood pressure. Electroacupuncture, in which a small current is used to increase stimulation at each acupuncture point, may be especially effective in combating high blood pressure; one study indicated that over 70% of participants receiving electroacupuncture showed a noticeable drop in their blood pressure!

Some adults, especially those who have faced daunting medical tests with large hypodermic needles, can find the idea of acupuncture unsettling. In fact, most patients who have had acupuncture find it extremely relaxing! The needles are extremely small, thin, and flexible and require no more than a gentle tap to penetrate the acupressure point. Each treatment is adjusted to the comfort of the patient, and we encourage each patient to communicate with their acupuncturist throughout the treatment.

High blood pressure is a chronic condition, and whether you make lifestyle changes, take a daily medication, turn to acupuncture, or some combination thereof, it’s important to remember that any treatment must be done regularly in order to build up a cumulative and sustained effect on the body. If you have high blood pressure and you feel that you might benefit from acupuncture, we encourage you to consult with one of our licensed acupuncturists to discuss a customized treatment plan designed to improve your health and your well-being.

For more information about how acupuncture and other treatments can help you, please contact the Urban Acupuncture Center Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist’s team at Indianola Ave, Clintonville (614) 725-2488    |    Main St, Westerville (614) 426-4406 or  click here. Taking new patients in and around greater Columbus, Ohio.

Acupuncture May Help Chemotherapy Side Effects During Cancer Treatment

by urban-acupuncture | Oct 1, 2019 | Acupuncture Columbus

Can Acupuncture Help Relieve Side Effects of Cancer Treatment?

Thanks to amazing advances in medical science, doctors today are able to diagnose and treat many types of cancers more effectively than ever before in history. Yet despite those advances, cancer treatment continues to be difficult for most patients; indeed, some patients complain that the treatment is worse than the disease. Unfortunately, the powerful drugs—taken together as chemotherapy—and radiation therapy required to kill the cancer also wreak havoc on the body’s healthy cells, causing significant and even debilitating side effects during and after treatment.

Today, cancer patients and oncologists are increasingly turning to the ancient Chinese medical practice of acupuncture to help relieve some of the most common side effects of cancer treatment. While modern researchers continue to question exactly “why” and exactly “how” acupuncture works, a variety of scientific studies over the past decade clearly indicate that this ancient practice provides real and verifiable relief from nausea and vomiting, pain, and fatigue, for example, as well as a general improvement in depression, stress, and overall mood. For patients who have experienced the numerous benefits of this ancient practice, acupuncture has played a vital role in their fight against cancer.

Benefits of Acupuncture During Chemotherapy and Radiation Therapy

The goal of acupuncture is to help the body, through the gentle and careful stimulation of specific acupuncture points, restore a natural balance (homeostasis) that has been undermined by disease (such as cancer). In essence, acupuncture enhances the body’s natural ability to cope with the traumatic impact of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. While this may sound somewhat unscientific to some people, in fact, the benefits of acupuncture are both concrete and measurable.

• Nausea and vomiting: One of the most common and most unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy is nausea and frequent vomiting. Studies by the National Cancer Institute have shown that acupuncture can significantly reduce chemotherapy-induced nausea. Generally speaking, receiving an acupuncture treatment the day before chemo is the most effective way to offset the nausea and vomiting associated with chemo.
• Pain management: Unfortunately, pain is another common and often debilitating aspect of cancer and its treatment; pain can stem from the cancer itself, from surgeries required to treat the disease, or from nerves damaged by chemotherapy and radiation (neuropathy). While acupuncture may not totally replace the need for pain medication, it may significantly reduce the amount of medications required. Moreover, by improving circulation, acupuncture may help regenerate damaged nerves and heal scar tissue.
• Fatigue: Several recent studies have shown that acupuncture can provide significant improvement for patients suffering from fatigue related to cancer and/or cancer treatment. Acupuncture has also been shown to improve quality of sleep generally, which can also contribute to combatting cancer-related fatigue.
• Depression, anxiety, and stress: In general, restoring the body’s natural balance through acupuncture can help reduce feelings of depression and anxiety and improve the ability to cope with stress. This is especially true for patients who are undergoing treatment for cancer: many patients who utilize acupuncture during treatment report feeling less worried and less anxious, and generally calmer and more emotionally stable.

Acupuncture cannot cure cancer. But it can help make the cancer journey more bearable by helping to relieve some of the worst side effects of cancer treatment. Our goal is to work in conjunction with your oncology team to determine the safest and most effective method of incorporating acupuncture into your cancer treatment.

For more information about how acupuncture and other treatments can help you, please contact the Urban Acupuncture Center Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist’s team at Indianola Ave, Clintonville (614) 725-2488    |    Main St, Westerville (614) 426-4406 or  click here. Taking new patients in and around greater Columbus, Ohio.