by urban-acupuncture | Oct 25, 2016 | Acupuncture, Acupuncturists, Art
2-person show features fiber work by Kate Gorman and Gwen Surratt; show runs through December 2016.
KATE GORMAN
I am a visual storyteller. I love stories; I love telling stories through pictures. I work in fabric because of the tactile and textural qualities inherent in cloth, and I do narratives because the story is a natural starting point for me. My background is in illustration and literature. After working for many years as an illustrator-for-hire working in watercolor and pen-and-ink, I fell in love with textiles and began making contemporary narrative art quilts.
The pieces here incorporate both my appliqué technique, layering commercially printed and hand-dyed fabrics, and my more recent method of working; drawing with thickened dyes and hand-stitching on linen. I love the immediacy of the appliqué work, but also the contemplative nature of the hand-drawn and stitched pieces.
When not in my studio, I work at the Goodwill Art Studio and Gallery, in Columbus, Ohio, creating art with adults with disabilities. I am also an Ohio Arts Council residency artist, traveling around the state sharing my love of narrative quilts with schoolchildren of all ages.
GWEN SURRATT
As a fiber artist I am drawn to color, shape, texture and line. I look to the natural world for color, to architecture for shape and structure, and the beauty of calligraphy for linear inspiration.
The works on display are a small part of my journey of exploration in fabric and thread. Hand stitching for me is like drawing or writing with needle and thread. My canvas is cotton, wool, silk, linen or paper. The sensual qualities of fabric, such as its texture and drape, feed my vision of what I want to create. Hand stitching, making marks with thread, grows into a grid-like design, with each little cell-like shape connecting to the next.
My work is meditative and at times feels like I am writing my own language with thread, stitching my own stories.
by urban-acupuncture | Oct 5, 2016 | Acupuncture
Food Allergy Treatment
Chinese medical practitioners believe that allergic reactions of any kind are due to a blockage in the flow of energy caused by chemical, physical, emotional or some other harmful stimuli. Certain physical symptoms are triggered by our body cells when we come in contact with any of the unacceptable stimuli.
It is believed that the age old acupuncture treatment can treat food allergies by correcting the flow of energy in our body. Acupuncture of Columbus, an acupuncture center based in Columbus, OH, believes the same. If you are based out of Columbus, OH, seek their help.
The treatment
Practitioners of acupuncture will apply light pressure along the sides of the spinal column. Particular areas on both sides of the spine will be concentrated on. Acupressure will be applied to areas where the nerve roots and energy flow in the body intersect. The body and mind will be taught to not react to certain toxic stimuli.
After the acupuncture treatment is done a kinesiologic test will also be done to determine if the allergy has been terminated. Specific points where acupressure was given will then be massaged. Sometimes acupuncture needles may also be inserted. They will be kept in place for about 20 minutes till the flow of energy is stabilized. Acupressure is generally used for patients who cannot tolerate needles or for children only.
If the treatment proves to be effective and the body stops reacting to food allergies, you will no longer have to avoid allergens, eliminate certain diets and think of fasting. Many patients have vouched for the effectiveness of acupuncture. Not only does it treat allergies to food, but also cures many related problems and symptoms of asthma, fatigue, insomnia, nausea and congestion. In 2002, 20 people were treated for food allergy. The success rate was 95%.
Symptoms of food allergy
The commonly reported symptoms of food allergy include headache and fatigue. But there are others as well. These include eczema, hives, diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, cough, asthma, and nasal congestion. The American Academy of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (AAAOM) has listed some severe symptoms also. These can mean experiencing difficulty in breathing, dizziness, decreased blood pressure, increased heart rate, slurred speech, mental confusion, anxiety attacks and cardiovascular collapse.
It is difficult to pin point the exact food that is causing the allergy. You have to rely on the symptoms to realize that you have food allergy. A food allergy generally affects your immune system and the adrenaline stress handling system. That is why you experience such symptoms for food allergy. The traditional Chinese practice of acupuncture will help treat such symptoms.
The concept of acupuncture is more than a thousand years old. But somehow, there still has not been any modern day researches done to prove the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating food allergies. Slowly more and more medical institutions of great repute are approaching acupuncture as a method of treating certain conditions. Acupuncture is an effective and safe method of treating food allergy.
For more information about how acupuncture and other treatments can help you, please contact Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist, Steve Drugan,B.S., L.Ac., at 614.218.6287 or click here. Taking new patients in and around Columbus, Ohio.
by urban-acupuncture | Oct 1, 2016 | Acupuncture
PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) Treatment
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) occurs due to an imbalance in the levels of estrogen and progesterone levels in your body. PMS occurs a week before your periods is due and can cause at least 150 different symptoms. PMS is an ugly thing that happens every month.
According to Lorraine Pintus, hormone researcher and author of Jump off the Hormone Swing, PMS is also greatly affected by unhealthy eating, stress, and inadequate sleep. You do not have to rely on medicines only to treat PMS. The good news is that acupuncture can also treat the symptoms of PMS. Based in Columbus, OH, Acupuncture of Columbus will help you treat PMS troubles.
Acupuncture and PMS
Researches have shown that acupuncture is very effective in treating PMS. In one study it was found that acupuncture could cure the symptoms of PMS in almost 78% of the women who had participated in that study. The treatment of acupuncture had been able to alleviate cramps, nausea, headaches, anxiety, and insomnia. Most women have reported to have experienced relief from the various symptoms within 24 hours of the treatment.
Depending on the severity of your symptoms you will most probably be treated once a month a week before the onset of your periods. Western doctors have not yet been able to determine how acupuncture works to cure PMS but they believe that it can help in the increased production of endorphins and also accelerate circulation in the body. These will help correct mood swings and do away with any pain.
Places for acupuncture
Acupuncture is done on certain body parts.
Abdomen
The first and the most important area of treatment is the abdomen. Two and four fingers width below the navel are the two most crucial points for treatment. A pair of points on both ends of the pelvic area where the legs join the body are also important. Another pair of points right below these points is the last area of treatment in the abdominal region.
Acupuncture at these points will help treat all menstrual abdominal discomforts, bloating, gas, cramps, headache, irregular menstrual periods and any other discomfort related to menstruation.
Back
The bony area between the hipbone and the buttocks should be the first point of acupuncture treatment for PMS. The treatment of the sacral points at the base of your pelvis also helps in relieving PMS discomfort. The uterus gets very relaxed if these points are concentrated on.
Acupressure at these points will help relieve menstrual cramps, lower back pain, hip pain, and pelvic pain.
Arms and legs
Applying pressure on the fleshy area between the thumb and the forefinger will help in treating headache and abdominal pain, and also normalize any delayed or irregular periods. On the legs, apply pressure three fingers above the ankle and near to the shin bone. Also apply pressure on the insteps of both your feet for relief from PMS.
If you are a resident of Columbus, OH, you need not worry. Acupuncture of Columbus is your savior.
For more information about how acupuncture and other treatments can help you, please contact Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist, Steve Drugan,B.S., L.Ac., at 614.218.6287 or click here. Taking new patients in and around Columbus, Ohio.
by urban-acupuncture | Sep 17, 2016 | Acupuncture
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) treatment with acupuncture
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a disorder that affects the gastrointestinal system. It is also referred to as mucus colitis or spastic colon with symptoms including abdominal pain, cramping, and constant cycles of constipation and diarrhea. Symptoms of IBS usually reduce after a bowel movement but recur after eating. The symptoms may vary depending on the each individual although, stress is a major factor that directly affects the syndrome. Lesser symptoms include bloating, flatulence and nausea. There is no known cause for IBS but people suffering from the syndrome are helped by medication and diet regulation.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture is a form of traditional Chinese medicine where the energy flow of the body (referred to as Chi) is restored to it’s original state. This is said to improve the functionality of organs and get rid of ailments. In traditional Chinese perspectives, disease is thought to be a result of imbalanced energy flow within the body. To rectify this, acupuncture practitioners work with patients to amend the energy flow and return it to its natural state.
Can it help IBS?
The short answer is yes, acupuncture can help relieve the symptoms of IBS effectively, Acupuncture is known to relieve many of the most common IBS symptoms including abdominal pain, cramping, constipation, and diarrhea. Since stress levels play a major role in the persistence of IBS, acupuncture can greatly reduce stress and other problems such as anxiety, insomnia, PMS and menstrual cramps. IBS is 3 times more common among women than men.
Is it acupuncture effective?
Recent studies have compared more modern methods of treating IBS, like relaxation therapy, against acupuncture. Although both studies did show a significant relief in pain for the patient, acupuncture had long lasting effects. Additionally, patients that had undergone acupuncture had significant reduction in stress levels for a long period of time. This wasn’t the case with the patients that underwent relaxation therapy.
How it works
This is the strange part about acupuncture – no one knows how it works. Western scientists theorize that the insertion of needles at certain points, releases more endorphins and thus, dulls the pain. To back this theory, various research studies have been conducted and their results are quite intriguing. The research revealed that acupuncture had made major changes to the brain. It had changed the blood flow to the brain along with the conduction of electromagnetic signals. The blood flow was redirected to the thalamus, which is responsible for relaying sensory signals like pain. Acupuncture also changed the way the brain released neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and serotonin.
Those who do not believe in Chinese medicine have yet to find a reason for the success of acupuncture. Strangely, many of IBS’s main curing methods like meditation, acupuncture and tai chi have no] underlying explanations as to why they work so well. Western medicine does not offer a solid treatment plan for IBS at all. Just know that the main aim is to solve the problem and acupuncture does that.
For more information about how acupuncture and other treatments can help you, please contact Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist, Steve Drugan,B.S., L.Ac., at 614.218.6287 or click here. Taking new patients in and around Columbus, Ohio.
by urban-acupuncture | Sep 1, 2016 | Acupuncture
Relationship Problems?
Having problems in relationships is quite common. Fights, disagreements and arguments are bound to happen in any kind of a relationship – be it a marriage or a partnership or between members in the immediate or extended family or in friendships. The longer the relationship, the bigger the problems are.
But according to Chinese study, relationship problems are very similar to health problems. Health problems such as pain occur when Qi (energy) gets stagnated and cannot flow properly through your body. The place Qi gets stagnated in, pain occurs there. Emotional stagnation of energy causes emotional pain such as those experienced because of relationship problems.
Acupuncture Treatment
Acupuncture is the best treatment for Qi or energy stagnation of all kinds. If you and your sister or partner are having long lasting relationship problems, you can take the help of treatment with acupuncture to heal the pain that you are feeling emotionally. Both of you will be treated individually. An intake exam will be conducted to determine what emotional problems or imbalances you are suffering from.
Both your Qi’s would be made to start flowing again. The movement this time will be better and freer. After the session of acupuncture, you go home and discuss the actual reasons behind problems troubling your relationship. You are calm and controlled and in more balance after the treatment with acupuncture. It is because of this that you and your sister or partner can now work towards effectively resolving your issues. When your Qi moves forward, your relationship moves forward.
What if the other person refuses?
It is possible that the other person will refuse to go for acupuncture because they do not believe in the success of acupuncture ‘treating’ or resolving emotional problems. It does not matter if they do not want to. You can come on your own for the treatment. Your treatment will ensure that your Qi is flowing again and that you are in balance emotionally and physically. You will feel a lot more positive after the treatment after the treatment and be ale to handle the situation better.
So when you go back and talk to the other person, you will realize that you now have the ability to handle the problems in a better way and are also successful in effectively resolving them. The effects of only one person taking the help of acupuncture in resolving relationship problems would definitely be less effectual than it would have been had both of you taken the help of acupuncture and emotional healing.
Obviously, the effect would not be that strong. But it is a lot better than none of you going for the acupuncture treatment. Always remember that any amount of help will make your relationship stronger and healthier than it currently is. Give your relationship a chance and try acupuncture. You deserve to be out of pain, even if it is the pain of an unresolved conflict.
Acupuncture has been in practice for ages now. It was a traditional practice in China but has now established itself as an important part of modern medicine.
For more information about how acupuncture and other treatments can help you, please contact Board Certified Licensed Acupuncturist, Steve Drugan,B.S., L.Ac., at 614.218.6287 or click here. Taking new patients in and around Columbus, Ohio.
