by urban-acupuncture | Mar 23, 2021 | Acupuncture, Massage Therapy
Trauma and PTSD Treatment
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a complex and serious mental health disorder resulting from a traumatic experience. If left unrecognized and untreated, the symptoms of PTSD can be extremely debilitating. They can interfere with an individual’s ability to work, to maintain relationships, and live a healthy, fulfilling life.
PTSD is rooted in the body’s “fight or flight” instinct. This instinct enables us to react quickly to a traumatic event. The body automatically triggers an appropriate response to danger and then turns that reaction off when the danger is past.
When the trauma is severe or of long duration, however, that “fight or flight” reaction continues even after the danger is past. The inability to shut off the “fight or flight” instinct leads to the symptoms we now associate with PTSD. Just a few of the most common symptoms include:
- Hypersensitivity and hyperawareness
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Irritability and anger
- Insomnia / difficulty sleeping
- Flashbacks and nightmares
- Feelings of isolation and detachment
- Physical pain (not related to a specific physical cause)
Treatment for PTSD usually involves a long-term commitment to psychotherapy, as well as medications if necessary to control some specific symptoms.
Touch therapies such as acupuncture and massage can also play an important role in managing PTSD symptoms and in longer term recovery.
In the short term, massage and acupuncture can help promote relaxation while decreasing feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Over the longer term, touch therapy like acupuncture and massage can help individuals with PTSD manage their feelings relating to touch, trust, control, and relationship-building.
Stress-Reducing Benefits of Massage and Acupuncture for PTSD
Both acupuncture and massage are well known for their ability to help minimize stress, anxiety, and depression. This is especially important for individuals with PTSD, for whom these feelings can be overwhelming.
Massage addresses stress that is held in the body as muscle tension. Massage therapy releases this tension by manipulating and kneading those tight muscles. Promoting physical relaxation can reduce body aches and headaches that result from stress and anxiety. And it often leads to an overall positive impact on emotional health and overall well-being.
Acupuncture works differently than massage, but has similar stress-reducing effects that can be highly effective for individuals with PTSD. Acupuncture works by re-balancing the body’s flow of life energy (“qi”). By inserting very thin sterile needles into key points around the body, acupuncture helps stimulate the body’s self-healing mechanisms to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression.
Touch Therapy Can Help Build Trust for PTSD Patients
Massage and acupuncture can play a critical role in helping to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, while promoting relaxation, for patients with PTSD.
However, touch therapies like acupuncture and massage can also help individuals with PTSD learn to rebuild trust and control.
In other words, how the therapies are handled can be just as important as the therapy itself.
For many people suffering from PTSD, touch itself can be a triggering event. Over the long term, touch therapy like acupuncture and massage can help these individuals accept physical contact without stimulating the “fight or flight” response.
The key lies in enabling the patient to remain in control throughout each therapy session and to build a relationship of trust with the licensed massage therapist or acupuncturist.
Open communication from the very first consultation through the conclusion of each therapeutic session is absolutely critical to long-term success.
The client must understand what to expect from each session, and trust that he or she can make changes and adaptations throughout each session, even stopping if necessary.
The massage therapist and acupuncturist must listen carefully to the client’s concerns and be willing to adapt their technique in each session to address those concerns.
Like any therapy, massage and acupuncture can help clients with PTSD find relief from their symptoms but success does not happen overnight. It requires a long-term, conservative approach designed to build trust and communication. But in the end, massage and acupuncture can play an integral role in a comprehensive treatment program for PTSD.
Contact Urban Acupuncture Center in Columbus, OH For More Information
For more information about how acupuncture, massage therapy and other alternative healing 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.
by urban-acupuncture | Mar 1, 2021 | Acupuncture, Massage Therapy
Managing Chronic Pain
If you are living with chronic pain, you know just how debilitating it can be.
Chronic pain can—and often does—take a serious toll on physical and mental health, lifestyle, and overall wellbeing. Chronic pain can lead to depression, anxiety, and disrupted sleep patterns. It can undermine the ability to work and threaten financial security. And it can interfere with an active social life and even disrupt relationships with family and friends.
Yet chronic pain is often extraordinarily difficult to manage. In fact, chronic pain management continues to be one of the most challenging aspects of medicine today.
Standard treatment for chronic pain today usually revolves around medications. Unfortunately, relying solely on medications can be problematic. Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, etc) and NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ex.: Advil or Motrin) may not be strong enough to be effective in some cases, and can carry risk of potential health concerns with extended use.
And while pharmaceutical opioids such as OxyContin may have seemed like a “miracle drug” for chronic pain in the early 1990s, it is now quite clear that the use of opioids carries significant and serious health risks including the risk of long-term addiction and lethal overdose.
The good news is that alternative pain management therapies are available today.
Acupuncture and massage therapy can both play a highly effective role in pain management, either as stand-alone treatments or, more commonly, as part of a comprehensive pain management program incorporating multiple types of treatment.
Do Acupuncture and Massage Therapy Really Work for Chronic Pain?
An increasing body of scientific literature now indicates that both acupuncture and massage really can help relieve chronic pain for some people.
Both treatment options have been particularly effective in the treatment of lower back pain, headaches and migraines, nerve pain (especially relating to shingles), fibromyalgia, joint pain due to arthritis, and menstrual cramps.
In addition to helping relieve pain and discomfort, both acupuncture and massage have been shown to be highly effective in improving sleep, reducing feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress, and promoting relaxation. These secondary effects may not have an impact on pain reduction in and of themselves. However, they do help promote mental health and well-being, which can play a critical role in improving your overall quality of life.
How to incorporate massage therapy or acupuncture into a pain management program is unique for each patient. For some, regular massage may seem to work “miracles”; for others, acupuncture may provide effective relief. For some, a combination of both may be most effective.
And of course, these treatment options may not work for every patient, or may work only in conjunction with other, more traditional treatments.
Are Acupuncture and Massage Safe for Patients with Chronic Pain?
Massage and acupuncture may not be appropriate for all patients.
For most people, however, both acupuncture and massage may be safely incorporated into a medical and wellness plan. And most medical experts note that unless otherwise prohibited for a specific reason, both massage and acupuncture are worth trying.
Always speak to your physician and pain management specialist about whether massage or acupuncture, or both, might be appropriate for your comprehensive pain management program.
When exploring massage or acupuncture as a pain management option, be sure to choose your practitioner with care. Both your acupuncturist and your massage therapist should be fully licensed and experienced in specific pain management techniques. It’s ok to schedule consultations with multiple therapists to find the one that you feel the most comfortable with.
And it’s important that you are comfortable discussing your health and wellness concerns openly and honestly, before and during each appointment. The more you communicate about your unique situation, goals, and concerns, the most your therapist(s) will be able to effectively tailor your treatments to meet your needs.
Contact Urban Acupuncture Center in Columbus, OH For More Information
For more information about how acupuncture, massage therapy and other alternative healing treatments can help you, please contact the Urban Acupuncture Center Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist’s team at Indianola Ave, Clintonville (614) 725-2488 or click here. Taking new patients in and around greater Columbus, Ohio.
by urban-acupuncture | Feb 15, 2021 | Acupuncture, Massage Therapy
Diabetes Management Treatments
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious health condition that affects more than 30 million Americans today. It is, unfortunately, a complex, chronic disease that (currently) cannot be cured. And if left untreated, it can lead to serious, even life-threatening, complications.
Diabetes is the result of a malfunction in the body’s ability to produce or effectively use insulin, a hormone that enables the cells to absorb glucose (sugar) from the food we eat. Without insulin, glucose is unable to enter the cells, causing it to build up in the blood stream, a condition known as high blood sugar.
Treating diabetes requires regulating insulin levels to maintain the correct level of glucose in the blood. Without enough insulin, high blood sugar levels in the blood mean that the cells aren’t receiving any energy; this is known as hyperglycemia. With too much insulin, the amount of sugar in the blood can be too low; this is known as hypoglycemia. Both conditions can be life-threatening.
Frequent monitoring of blood sugar levels in order to maintain the correct balance is the first step in managing diabetes. For some patients, maintaining a low-sugar diet, losing weight, and following a healthy lifestyle can help maintain stable blood sugar levels. For other patients, however, a regime of daily insulin injections is absolutely critical to avoid potentially life-threatening complications.
Even with proper treatment, managing the day-to-day symptoms of diabetes can be challenging. While alternative therapies such as massage and acupuncture cannot replace daily insulin injections and a low-sugar diet, they can be highly effective in helping to cope with some of side effects.
3 Ways Massage Therapy Helps Manage Diabetes Symptoms
Massage can help lower glucose levels.
Massage has been shown to have some positive impact on high blood sugar levels. By helping to promote relaxation and decrease stress, massage can help decrease high levels of glucose, thereby helping to maintain the correct glucose balance needed for good health. By helping to keep glucose levels appropriately low, massage can help avoid the negative side effects of hyperglycemia, such as eye damage, kidney failure, and nerve damage (Neuropathy).
Massage can improve blood flow to the legs.
Massage has shown to be highly effective in helping to maintain proper blood flow to the lower extremities. This is especially important for diabetics prone to Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), a very common, and very serious, side effect of diabetes. PAD is the result of decreased blood flow to the feet due to the narrowing and constricting of blood vessels. Blood flow can even become blocked due to fatty deposits. By improving blood flow between the torso and the legs, massage therapy can help reduce the negative consequences of PAD.
Massage can improve flexibility and range of motion in the legs.
Over time, high blood sugar can cause the connective tissue between the muscle and bone to become thick and stiff, limiting mobility. Regular massage can increase mobility and improve flexibility by relaxing and stretching the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This has the cumulative impact of helping diabetics stay active and maintain a healthy lifestyle, which is a key part of treatment for many patients.
3 Ways Acupuncture Helps Manage Diabetes Symptoms
Acupuncture can address diabetic nerve pain (Neuropathy).
Damage to the nerves (Neuropathy) leading to chronic pain is an all-too-common side effect of diabetes. Acupuncture has been shown to help alleviate diabetic nerve pain; deep stimulation of the nerves along the wrist and the ankle has shown to be particularly effective. Acupuncture can also reduce pain by promoting relaxation and stimulating the production of endorphins.
Acupuncture can help with weight loss and metabolism.
For patients with Type 2, or insulin-dependent diabetes, weight loss can be an excellent way to help the body regulate its own production and use of insulin. Along with a healthy diet and moderate exercise, acupuncture can help promote weight loss. Acupuncture restores the body’s natural balance, which can enable the body to naturally regulate metabolic function and assist weight loss.
Acupuncture can assist in the regulation of blood sugar levels.
Like massage therapy, acupuncture can help decrease the level of glucose in the blood by promoting relaxation and combatting stress. It is believed that by regulating levels of cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, acupuncture helps reduce stress, which in turn can reduce high blood sugar.
Generally speaking, both acupuncture and massage are believed to be safe options for people coping with diabetes. However, both massage and acupuncture do carry some risks, so it’s important to check in with your primary care provider to make sure these treatment options are safe and appropriate for you.
And as always, following your doctor’s instructions in terms of blood sugar monitoring, insulin injections, and diet and lifestyle should always be your first treatment priority.
Contact Urban Acupuncture Center in Columbus, OH For More Information
For more information about how acupuncture, massage therapy and other alternative healing 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.
by urban-acupuncture | Feb 1, 2021 | Acupuncture, Massage Therapy
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a general term for a variety of diseases relating to the health of the joints.
While the underlying causes of arthritis are often very different, depending on the specific disease, the symptoms are often quite similar. The most common symptoms of arthritis are joint pain, swelling and inflammation, stiffness, and decreased range of motion.
Most forms of arthritis are degenerative. Symptoms may alternate between mild and severe at any given time. But in general, they will continue to get worse. In many cases, arthritis leads to permanent joint damage.
Severe arthritis can be extremely debilitating. It is, in fact, the leading cause of disability in the United States today.
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis. The two most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While the symptoms may be similar, the causes of these two common diseases are very different.
- Osteoarthritis involves the gradual decay of the cartilage that cushions the ends of the bone. As the cartilage becomes damaged, the bones begin to grind against each other with every movement of the joint. The joint lining can become inflamed. Osteoarthritis can lead to deterioration of the connective tissues holding the bones and muscles together, and can even lead to changes in the bone itself.
- Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. The body’s own immune system begins to attack the synovial membrane, a tough membrane encapsulating the parts of the joint. As a result, the synovial membrane becomes inflamed and swollen. Eventually, the disease begins to cause damage to the cartilage and bone at the joint.
While there is no cure for either osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, acupuncture and massage therapy can play an important role in both pain management and managing symptoms such as swelling and inflammation. They can also help maintain mobility and range of motion.
How Does Massage Therapy Help Arthritis?
When incorporated into a comprehensive treatment plan for arthritis, the goal of massage therapy is to reduce pain and inflammation, as well as increase blood flow, to affected joints.
Moreover, by reducing inflammation and swelling and releasing muscles near affected joints, massage can help maintain range of motion and improve mobility.
And massage therapy contributes to pain reduction and overall health by improving sleep patterns and boosting energy levels.
How Does Acupuncture Help Arthritis?
Like massage therapy, acupuncture also helps manage the symptoms of arthritis by reducing pain and targeting areas of inflammation.
Acupuncture involves the use of very small, sterile needles placed in specific points along the body’s lines of energy called meridians.
By restoring the proper flow of energy (known in traditional Chinese medicine as “qi”) and fluids around the body, acupuncture can help fight swelling and inflammation at affected joints. Acupuncture can also be highly effective in reducing sensations of pain and discomfort related to different types of arthritis.
Can Massage Therapy and Acupuncture Be Combined to Treat Arthritis?
Both massage therapy and acupuncture are powerful stand-alone techniques. When performed by a licensed and experienced therapist, they can both play an important role in managing the symptoms of arthritis.
When combined into a single treatment, they actually augment the anti-inflammatory and pain reducing impact of each. They also have been shown to have a cumulative impact; in other words, they work better when performed regularly, as part of a holistic and comprehensive treatment plan.
If you are suffering from the symptoms of arthritis, acupuncture and massage therapy may be able to help provide relief. Be sure to your primary care physician and other medical specialists about whether acupuncture and massage might play a role in your arthritis treatment.
Contact Urban Acupuncture Center in Columbus, OH For More Information
For more information about how acupuncture, massage therapy and other alternative healing 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.
by urban-acupuncture | Oct 12, 2020 | Acupuncture, Massage Therapy
Acupuncture and Massage Treatments
If there was one word that could describe today’s world, many of us would chose “stressful.” And stress takes both a physical and emotional toll on our fragile bodies. Luckily, treatment options such as massage and acupuncture can help address chronic and acute aches and pains caused by stress, illness, and injury.
By realigning the body’s chi (qi) (vital life force) into proper balance, acupuncture promotes our natural ability to address and heal—at a systemic level—issues stemming from stress, chronic conditions, and even acute injury.
Massage therapy targets the muscles, tissues, and fascia of the musculoskeletal system to alleviate pain, discomfort, soreness, and inflexibility, as well as reduce stress and improve sleep.
Both are powerful stand-alone techniques when performed by a licensed and experienced therapist. However, massage and acupuncture are also complementary; when performed together, they can actually augment the results of each type of treatment.
Here are five reasons why you should consider a combination treatment with both acupuncture and massage:
Improves circulation and blood flow
As our blood flows through every part of our body, it brings life-giving oxygen and nutrients to our cells, while carrying away harmful waste and toxins. Improving circulation and blood flow both in general and in specific areas of the body with both massage and acupuncture simultaneously can promote the body’s natural self-healing processes.
Boosts the immune system
One of acupuncture’s most important benefits is its ability to help boost the immune system, which enables the body to fight off germs such as viruses and bacteria. Massage reduces stress, promotes relaxation, and improves sleep, so the body can focus on fighting off disease and illness. Together, these two treatments can amplify the immune-boosting effects of each one.
Helps manage acute and chronic pain
Both acupuncture and massage can be used to target areas of pain and discomfort, whether stemming from an acute injury or from a chronic condition. Improving blood flow to injured areas and boosting the body’s natural immune system, as noted above, are of great benefit when it comes to reducing pain. Acupuncture and massage can also help break up painful scar tissue and promote muscle relaxation for powerful relief.
Reduces stress
Relaxation and stress reduction are perhaps the most well-known benefits of both massage and acupuncture. Using both massage and acupuncture together to address the physical symptoms of stress can help you sleep better, reduce the occurrence of stress headaches, give you more energy, and overall help you feel better.
Promotes overall well-being
Most importantly, massage and acupuncture together can promote a lasting sense of overall well-being.
By enhancing circulation and proper energy flow, helping the body’s self-healing mechanisms, and minimizing feelings of stress and tension, a combined massage and acupuncture treatment will leave you feeling calmer and more centered. Helping you release negative energy enables more room for the positive energy you need to enjoy life to its fullest.
Contact Urban Acupuncture Center in Columbus, OH For More Information
For more information about how acupuncture, massage therapy and other alternative healing 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.
by urban-acupuncture | Sep 13, 2020 | Massage Therapy
Deep Tissue Massage vs Sports Massage
Massage is not a one-size-fits-all treatment. For a massage to be effective and successful, it must be carefully tailored to the needs of each individual. When thinking about what you want to get out of your massage treatment, it is important to understand the difference between various types of massage, and why you may want to choose or request one type over another.
Some massage techniques tend to be appropriate for individuals looking for overall well-being. These techniques—such as Swedish massage—can generally be grouped together as “relaxation massage”.
Some massage techniques are designed to target specific issues, areas of concern, or even injuries. These techniques—such as sports massage and deep tissue massage—are usually known as “rehabilitation massage”.
Both deep tissue massage and sports massage utilize similar bodywork so understanding the differences between them can be a bit confusing. In this blog, we will identify some of the key differences between these two rehabilitation techniques, and offer some guidance on how to choose the right one for you.
Deep Tissue Massage
During a deep tissue massage, your licensed massage therapist will utilize firm pressure and kneading to loosen, stretch, and relax large muscle groups. Generally speaking, it is a whole body technique, or may focus more specifically on the upper body or lower limbs; however, it is not meant to focus on any one specific area of the body or particular injury.
Deep tissue massage is ideal for:
- Relieving muscular tension
- Stress reduction
- Breaking down knots in large muscle groups
- Reducing the build-up of toxins in the muscles
- Increasing circulation and blood flow to the muscles
Sports Massage
A sports massage is a more targeted type of bodywork, utilizing firm pressure and kneading to address specific areas of concern usually—but not always—associated with injury, high volume training, and tight muscles that impede performance.
Sports massage is ideal for:
- Improving muscle flexibility and range of motion
- Improving power and performance in athletes
- Preventing injury
- Addressing DOMS and decreasing recovery time between workouts
- Improving healing time and recovery from injury
Of course, despite the name, you don’t need to be an athlete for sports massage to be appropriate for you. Sports massage may be appropriate for anyone suffering from a specific muscular injury or problem area that would benefit from a reduction in discomfort and pain and an increase in muscular flexibility and range of motion.
Differences and Similarities in Sports Massage and Deep Tissue Massage Techniques
As noted, the main difference between sports massage and deep tissue massage is target and focus. For the most part, the techniques used by your massage therapist, therefore, are likely to be similar. Both types of massage involve circular movements, kneading, pressing, tapping, and vibrations to manipulate the targeted musculature.
Because sports massage is more focused on a specific muscle group, it may also involve passive stretching, which is less likely to be beneficial during a more broadly-focused deep tissue massage.
And there is one other way in which sports massage and deep tissue massage are similar: getting results can be uncomfortable! Both techniques require your massage therapist to use pressure to get into the built-up knots, scar tissue, and problem areas deep within large muscle groups. Therefore, regardless of which technique you choose, you should be sure to communicate honestly with your therapist before and during the massage about your concerns and your expectations.
Sports Massage or Deep Tissue Massage: What Should You Choose?
When deciding which type of massage technique to choose—sports massage or deep tissues massage—it can help to identify why you want the massage in the first place. Do you find that your legs frequently get sore after sitting at a desk or walking all day during work? Then a deep tissue massage focusing on your lower body may be appropriate. Do you have a sore hamstring from a recent recreational hike? Then a sports massage may be more appropriate. Asking yourself these types of questions can help narrow down what you want your therapist to focus on.
If you are still unsure, however, the best thing to do is tell that to your therapist! It’s ok to not be quite sure which one is appropriate. Your massage therapist should start your appointment with an in-depth discussion about any pain or discomfort you are experiencing, your level (or desired level) of activity and exercise, and any ongoing medical concerns. From here, your licensed massage therapist should be able to develop a treatment plan incorporating the correct massage type to address your unique concerns.
Contact Urban Acupuncture Center in Columbus, OH For More Information
For more information about how acupuncture, massage therapy and other alternative healing 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.
