by urban-acupuncture | Sep 19, 2017 | Art, Community
Kelly Reichert
fellowship + solitude
Artist bio
A Worthington native and Columbus resident, Kelly Reichert is a contemporary artist working in acrylics and mixed media. Kelly studied art as a young person, taking classes in all media. She graduated with a BA in Visual Arts from Otterbein University. Currently working as a painter, she has shown locally since college, and is known for bright color, dynamic drawing, and the shimmer of metallics in her work.
Artist statement
As an artist, my work is an expression of the inner life. I rely mostly on observation translated by my imagination into images that reflect the human experience of relating. This particular series speaks to the push/pull of aloneness vs. communion. I am interested in the moments of solitude in which we think, dream, pray, reflect and process the world around us. This is in contrast with our times of togetherness where we are in fellowship with others; sharing and celebrating, encouraging and uplifting, as well as discussing and disagreeing. All of these are a part of our lives, and some moments give us energy while some tend to drain us.
I approach my work much as children do, with a basic idea, then let the medium dictate the process. I am propelled by the relationship of color to light, and the reflection of light on surfaces. I allow color to create the atmosphere, and to personify the objects.
by urban-acupuncture | Sep 4, 2017 | Acupuncture
Pain Management
There is an alternate treatment plan available today that treats pain and sorts it out without straining your purse. This is the ancient Chinese science known as acupuncture. To get to the root cause of the problem, the licensed professional located at Columbus, OH takes into account a number of factors like the health of the individual and the cause of the problem. The professional then examines the tongue, checks the pulse, and continues checking the rest of the body for signs of any imbalance. Based on the findings, he/she will recommend a treatment plan, dependent on the extent of damage to the particular area screaming in pain.
The procedure
The person going under the needles (sterile) lies down during the procedure. Precise points are stimulated on various parts of the body. One will not feel any discomfort but when you do notice needles, you may want to look away, if you feel queasy. The needles are strategically positioned on touch points for a couple of minutes to half an hour. It has been said that people who go through this treatment, feel very relaxed and display no more pain. There is an additional stimulus applied to various regions in the body through massage, heat therapy, and the application of certain herbal remedies to sort out the problem.
Understanding the ancient Chinese science
The method of this ancient science is based on the ancient philosophy, the balance between the universe and the body, known as ying and yang. When there is an imbalanced flow between the two, the chi (energy) is sucked away, resulting in pain or other problems associated with the mind and the body. If the flow of energy is blocked because of myriad reasons, the body’s natural reactions reduce, resulting in physiological illnesses. Ample research has proven that acupuncture is a definite solution for people suffering from issues like digestive problems, less immunity, cardiovascular problems, and pain related problems.
The number of sessions
Depending on the extent of damage to various medians in the body that have caused the pain to occur, the acupuncturist may suggest a series of sessions. If you are better after one or two, that is fine, but many people suffer from acute pain, which may require a series of sessions to sort out the negative chi in the body. The licensed professional will gauge the situation and work out a personalized plan. The ancient Chinese treatment improves bodily functions and energizes the body. If required, the specialist may further enhance the treatment using an electrical stimulus that will iron out the chinks in the body.
In sum
For years on end, people have been popping pills to deal with the pain. Many insurance players have added this treatment to their list of alternative treatments. Before opting for acupuncture, cross check this with your doctor. In addition, it is essential to opt for a licensed practitioner. The last thing that one wants is someone who does not know their ying from yang. The bottom line, acupuncture with the right professional will keep you free from pain and sort out any additional problems that you suffer from.
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, 2017 | Acupuncture
Anxiety Treatment
Anxiety can strike you at the most inopportune time and in the weirdest of places. We can blame it on a number of factors, though one constant factor is a fear of the unknown which sometimes makes people so afraid that they break out in a sweat. Luckily, there is help through counseling and other complementary techniques like acupuncture. There is proven evidence that the two go hand in hand. Let us demystify the relevance of acupuncture in this context.
What is acupuncture?
The ancient Chinese science works on the principle of stimulating points in the body that have a slight imbalance. By doing so, the pent-up energy is released through meridians. The basis of the science is that all the five elements- water, metal, fire, earth, and wood have a considerable effect on the inner workings of the body. Water is associated with fear, metal with grief, fire with happiness, earth with worry, and wood with anger. The science recognizes that both the body and the mind work in tandem and if neither are in sync, that is when all problems take root.
Anxiety attack
When you are prone to anxiety attacks, it can be highly stressful. The mind feels an overload and whatever coping mechanisms you try, they do not work. An irregular heartbeat, negative thoughts, panic or a chemical imbalance in the brain contributes to extreme anxiety disorders. Acupuncture identifies a correlation between the heart and the kidneys based on the five elements, which causes an anxiety attack. An overabundance of heat in the heart causes a flutter with the kidney because the fire and water are not contained resulting in an overcrowded mind. To treat the condition, an acupuncturist works on strategic points in the body, primarily around the kidney, spleen, ear, and the heart to treat the condition.
Causes
Clinical depression is quite a constant in today’s time where one in six people experience the symptoms. We can attribute this to the lifestyle choices, exhaustion, bad sleeping patterns, a sense of hopelessness, and so on. Acupuncture identifies that the ‘chi’ in the body is trapped midway and needs a boost to get the energy flowing to the right corners and parts of the body. The treatment used is known as the four gates where certain pressure points are stimulated between the index finger and the thumb and on the feet between the second toe and the big toe.
An overview
Depression and anxiety pretty much go hand in hand. They are considered two of the most likely causes for acute fear psychosis. Aside from finding out remedies through alternative sources, aside from medication, though both are necessary, a change in lifestyle and diet will make a huge difference. Acupuncture gets to the root cause of the problem and through the balancing of energy, one can certainly live a robust life without the headache of stress and fear. A varying lifestyle and exercise also change the way we think, as we look at the better qualities that life has to give, rather than letting the inner demons play havoc.
Anxiety can affect your lifestyle to a great extent, hence, it is recommended that you get help as soon as possible. Acupuncture is performed by licensed practitioners in Columbus, OH.
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 7, 2017 | Acupuncture
Treat Stress With Acupuncture
Acupuncture, one of the main components of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), helps to relieve stress. Although it was in use for thousands of years, a new study finally helps us understand why acupuncture helps in relieving stress.
The study done by researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center explores how acupuncture uses the biological mechanisms to relieve stress, an area that science didn’t completely understand. According to the study, the researchers found that the level of stress hormones was lower when the rats were given electronic acupuncture. The researchers published the results in the Journal of Endocrinology.
The associate professor of nursing at Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, Dr. Ladan Eshkevari was one of the researchers. According to her, the practitioners of acupuncture found that this ancient practice was capable of reducing stress in their patients. However, they didn’t have any biological proof to back their observation. By understanding what takes place at the molecular level when patients receive acupuncture, helps in understanding the benefits of this ancient practice.
The study
The researchers designed a handful of tests to ensure the rats receiving electronic acupuncture, got the same dosage of pressure. Eshkevari targeted the needle on the ‘Zusanli’ point or the area that is just below the knee. By stimulating this area, acupuncture relieves stress in humans and rats.
The rats were split into the following four groups to understand the effects of electronic acupuncture:
- The first group was the control group; no stress and no treatment.
- The second group was stressed out every day for an hour. However, they didn’t receive acupuncture.
- The third group had to face stress for an hour every day. Fake acupuncture treatment was administered to their tails.
- The fourth group got acupuncture on the Zusanli area after the rats faced stress.
The result
When the body is under stress, it secretes a variety of hormones into the rat’s bloodstream, which was measured by the researchers. They also measured the level of hormones secreted by the adrenal gland, pituitary gland, and hypothalamus. Together, these three areas are called hypothalamus pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. They also observed a peptide which is a component of fight or flight response in animals, known as NPY.
The researchers found that acupuncture is effective in blocking out hormones and peptides of HPA axis and NPY pathway respectively. As a result of this, rats that had to face stress felt relieved when they received electronic acupuncture.
As stress can lead to brain shrinkage, heart diseases, and many other medical conditions, these findings were extremely useful. Also, they support the fact that acupuncture is effective in fighting against stress. The best part about acupuncture is that it isn’t like Western medicine; there are no side effects after you receive acupuncture.
Are you interested in getting acupuncture to relieve your stress? If yes, then why don’t you take an appointment at Acupuncture of Columbus. This acupuncture clinic has been open since 2006 and has been effectively treating patients that are under large amounts of stress.
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 2, 2017 | Art, Community
A new exhibition of artwork by Jonathan Juravich’s first grade students at Liberty Tree Elementary School is on display at the Clintonville location.
French Impressionistic painter Claude Monet loved painting water lilies and the Japanese bridge that crossed this pond. He painted with a style that was loose, expressive, and gave the impression of floating flowers…not a photo-realistic view.
Peter Max is a contemporary artist who works with layers of paint, oil pastels, and other mixed-media to create works of art. Max often produces images that are based upon famous works of art. He says that he is not out to “fix” a beloved image, but to honor the artist and put his own spin on the painting!
First grade students worked like Peter Max as they paid homage to the famous painter Claude Monet. They collaged photographs of water lily flowers on to photocopies of Monet’s paintings. They then built up layers of marker, paint, and oil pastels to create images inspired by these two diverse artists. Each completed image is as unique and expressive as the individual student artist.
