by urban-acupuncture | Aug 22, 2016 | Art, Community, What we sell at our clinic..
Natalie Hess – Artist Statement
By day I work as a graphic designer, and many times that skill-set flows over into my painting and printmaking through text or layout. This body of work, however,
focuses on more abstract themes. I rarely had a subject in mind when creating these pieces. Rather, this work was driven by process and detail.
I love learning new techniques, but my main goal isn’t to master a particular style. Learning the style and then changing it or pushing it to be my own is what drives my
art. Bold, rich colors draw me in, and I tend to work with such colors often. Details in my art include subtle lines and added pieces, such as embroidery. I enjoy
being able to look at a piece as a whole, but then get closer and see the intricate lines and strategically placed details. For me, this adds another layer to the piece.
by urban-acupuncture | Aug 5, 2016 | Acupuncture
Depression Treatment
Acupuncture is gradually becoming the most effective alternative treatment for a number of medical conditions. Until recently, it was used only for treating inflammation and other sorts of pain. But now it is quite favored to treat depression as well. Acupuncture has become quite a successful alternative to antidepressant medication.
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is the insertion of very fine needles into the skin on the different pressure points and near different organs in the body. Researchers and experts believe that these needles trigger the production of natural painkillers in the brain. These painkillers then correct the various imbalances in the body.
How does it treat depression?
The Electro acupuncture treatment is used to treat depression. In electro acupuncture, gentle electric current is passed on through the needles. According to a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, electro acupuncture is as effective as fluoxetine (commonly known as Prozac). It, too, reduces the symptoms of depression.
The study
Researchers signed up patients for this trial and divided them into two groups. The trial lasted for 6 weeks. One group was administered electro acupuncture five times a week and the other group was given a stipulated dose of fluoxetine or Prozac on a regular basis. The symptoms of the patients were monitored regularly and they were assessed every 2 weeks.
The level of glial cell line in each participating patient was recorded. The glial cell line is a combination of the derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and a neuroprotective protein. Patients with extreme depression have low amounts of GDNF. The level of neuroprotective protein generally increases after the patients are given antidepressant medication.
The result
At the end of 6 weeks, both groups of patients showed similar signs of improvement. It restored their GDNF to the normal level. It was also found that the patients who were administered electro acupuncture showed signs of improvement much earlier than the other group. Signs of improvement were seen in weeks 2 and 4.
It was also found that acupuncture can treat other aspects and side effects of depression. Antidepressant medicines almost always affect the sexual functioning of men and women. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine published a report supporting this belief. After being treated with acupuncture for 12 weeks, both men and women regained various aspects of their sexual functioning.
A number of studies and trials are all indicating that the traditional Chinese practice of acupuncture is surely becoming a successful alternative to a lot of medications and treatments. It treats anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and nausea among other things. Acupuncture can end up completely replacing different medications and ease their consequent side effects.
So what are you waiting for? Depression is quite a common occurrence these days. If you are aware of anyone in your family or anyone in Columbus, or any other part of Ohio, who would benefit from this kind of a treatment, do pass the message on. Or for yourself, you can talk to an acupuncture specialist today.
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 | Aug 1, 2016 | Acupuncture
Chronic Pain Treatment
Acupuncture, nowadays, is proving to be quite valuable in treating chronic pain. Sometimes, the usual treatments of applying heat or ice, physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory medicines, and regular exercising stops having any effect on joint and muscle related pains. The sufferers of chronic pain can then resort to acupuncture.
All patients suffering from some kind of a chronic pain have always gone through some kind of a treatment or another. Acupuncture serves as an alternative treatment when injections and other pain relieving treatments do not work.
Acupuncture is still not the established method of treating chronic pain, but it is often recommended. The medical director of Osher Clinical Center at Brigham and Women’s Hospital which is affiliated with Harvard, Dr. Donald Levy, believes that there is ample evidence to aid the recommendation of Acupuncture to heal chronic pain.
Research has proven that about 50% of the pain can be treated by acupuncture. Near about 18,000 people complaining of chronic pain were treated with acupuncture. They had shoulder pain, back (especially lower back) and neck pain, chronic headache, and osteoarthritis. Almost all of them reported that their pain had reduced by at least 50%.
What is acupuncture?
Acupuncture involves inserting very thin needles into the skin at certain pressure points in the body. It is believed that when the needles are inserted they rectify the imbalance in the flow of energy in the body. It affects and adjusts the neurotransmitters, the immune system and the hormone levels in our body.
Is it absolutely safe?
As long as acupuncture is carried out by an expert and experienced practitioner you are definitely safe. Rarely have any negatives impacts been reported by any of the patients. Although, there are those rare times when some reports have shown that patients have picked up some kind of infection due to inappropriately sterilized needles. Sometimes the acupuncturist doesn’t have enough experience and as a result cannot handle the needles well.
Pain Management Tips
You should not begin an acupuncture treatment as soon as you start having pain somewhere. You first need to be diagnosed properly to determine what the cause of that pain is. If it is something extremely serious and cannot be treated by acupuncture you would need some other medical aid. If it is confirmed that acupuncture can treat the pain, only then should you opt for this kind of a treatment.
Weekly treatments are a good way of starting. If you start seeing benefits, increase the length between consecutive treatments. You can then go for a treatment once every month. Always ask a doctor to refer a trusted acupuncture practitioner.
Dr. Lucy Chen, practicing acupuncturist at Massachusetts General Hospital and a specialist in pain medicine, feels that the advantage of acupuncture is distinct and also that the side effects and potential adverse impact of acupuncture is low as compared to medication.”
So what are you waiting for? Chronic pain is quite common. Hundreds of adults in Columbus and other parts of Ohio prefer acupuncture to treat their chronic pain. Talk to an acupuncture specialist today and relieve yourself of any pain.
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.
Illustration by By Akiyao from the University of Michigan Medical School (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
by urban-acupuncture | Jul 1, 2016 | Acupuncture
Menopause Treatment Options
Natural menopause for women generally occurs between the ages of 45 and 56. The on-set of menopause means that the reproductive hormones can no longer function naturally. These changes in hormones come with a degree and variety of side effects. Experts at Acupuncture of Columbus, Ohio and elsewhere believe that acupuncture can prove to be quite effective in treating menopause.
Noted side effects and symptoms
Leading a regular and normal life becomes quite difficult for some women going through menopause. Between 15% and 60% of menopausal women visit their local medical practitioners with complaints of a variety of symptoms. The most commonly reported symptoms include hot flushes, night sweats, palpitations, insomnia and so on. The other very common complaints sited comprise of anxiety, depression, lethargy, vaginal dryness, urinary and other genital problems, aches and pains, and many more.
Treatment
The most common and traditional form of treatment is usually hormonal replacement therapy (HRT). But most women do not prefer this conventional form of treatment as it usually continues for years. Some women are even unwilling to or are advised against this treatment because it may have very disturbing side effects. As a result, most women resort to acupuncture to help them cope with the symptoms of menopause.
According to research carried out on the specialist acupuncture database, ARRCBASE, at least 30% of the women who opted for acupuncture are aged between 40 and 59. The effects of acupuncture on the hormones circulating in the blood are somewhat similar to the hormone replacement therapy.
The Study
In trials carried out on menopausal women with very distressing symptoms, it has been found that acupuncture often leads to an increase in other hormones such as thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), testosterone, and cholesterol. Those women treated with electro acupuncture reported a decline in hot flushes by more than 50%. Some even confirmed complete disappearance of most of the symptoms.
Improvements in physical discomforts were seen in nearly all cases. There was an appreciable amount of improvement in the overall psychological well being as well. In most cases anxiety and depression could be treated perfectly.
It has also been found that, like HRT, the effects of acupuncture eventually wear off. There is a 13% chance of a recurrence in symptoms. In order to maintain the therapeutic benefits of acupuncture, monthly treatments are necessary.
Conclusion
The studies carried out by a team of experts and a research of the composite database built by Acupuncture Research Resource Centre (ARRCBASE) has determined that acupuncture therapy is indeed beneficial in reducing certain menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes, depression and anxiety. The best part of treating menopause with acupuncture is that individuals can receive tailored treatment depending on their condition.
The studies carried out confirm that acupuncture has immense potential in treating anxiety, depression and other joint related troubles in menopausal women. But the studies carried out are not sufficient to prove this point. More research needs to be carried out to calculate the exact effectiveness of acupuncture in treating menopause.
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 | Jun 29, 2016 | Acupuncture
Arthritis Treatment
Acupuncture and Rheumatoid Arthritis may not sound like they go hand in hand. How is poking needles on your skin going to treat a disease of the joints? It sounds very uncomfortable. Doesn’t it? But you would be surprised to know that acupuncture actually helps to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).
In Columbus, Ohio, this therapy is gaining significant recognition as a reliever of pain from rheumatoid arthritis.
The process
Acupuncture involves the inserting of needles on to the skin at some of the 2,000 pressure points present on the body. The pressure of the needles restores absolute flow of energy in the body. Sometimes mild electric current is also used. This version of acupuncture is known as electro-acupuncture.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the swelling of joints of the hands and feet, especially the wrists and the knuckles.
Experts from the Center for Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine at Cleveland Clinic agree that acupuncture does relieve pain by increasing the release of endorphins, naturally produced painkillers by our own body. It relieves pain locally by having an anti-inflammatory effect on the swollen joints.
Study by Chinese researchers in 2011 proved that both the styles of acupuncture – electro and traditional – have significantly reduced chronic inflammation. Inflammation is generally caused by an increase in tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Acupuncture significantly reduces these two factors. TNF-a is the main culprit when it comes to joint damage. Rheumatoid arthritis is described by depletion of bones.
Director of the paediatric pain management clinic at Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, Jeffrey I. Gold, PhD, asserts that acupuncture on specific areas of the body induce response in different parts of the brain. MRI scans have proved that acupuncture not only blocks pain signals but also has neurological, psychological, immunological and hormonal effects. But Gold also concedes that it is not yet clear how the inflammatory factor TNF-a is affected by acupuncture.
The 2008 version of Arthritis & Rheumatism have revealed that several tests conducted have confirmed that the practice of the therapy of acupuncture has led to a decrease in morning stiffness and other pain in patients of rheumatoid arthritis.
The various studies conducted also revealed that there has been considerable reduction in erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and also a significant reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP). Both ESR and CRP are factors that cause swelling of the joints in the hands and feet.
Ideally, treatment takes around three to six sessions.
Limitations
Acupuncture may not be effective on everyone. 20% of the patients may not get the desired results. The reason could be that there are different types of acupuncture and different practitioners have different styles of practicing this therapy. Also, certain insurance companies may not cover acupuncture therapy.
Proper research needs to be done before deciding on an acupuncture practitioner. Licensed acupuncturists with experience of treating RA patients should only be considered.
Though much research needs to be done into the actual effect of acupuncture on RA, the evidence actually looks very promising. If you suffer from Arthritis and want to know your treatment options, get in touch with Acupuncture of Columbus today.
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.
