There have now been many controlled trials of acupuncture for migraine, with some large, high-quality ones in recent years. The results of the latest reviews are quite consistent: acupuncture is significantly better than no treatment/basic care for managing migraine, and appears to be at least as effective as prophylactic drug therapy, with few contraindications or unpleasant side effects.
Watch the short video produced by the British Acupuncture Council.
In general, acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. These resulting biochemical changes influence the body's homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional well-being.
Stress is the feeling of being under too much mental or emotional pressure.
Many of life’s demands can cause stress, particularly work, relationships and money problems. And, when you feel stressed, it can get in the way of sorting out these demands, or can even affect everything you do.
Some stress can be positive. A certain level of pressure can help you prepare for actions and challenges. However, too much stress, especially over a long period of time, can cause physical and emotional problems.
Many of your body’s control mechanisms happen without you having to think about them. Your automatic stress response to unexpected events is known as your ‘fight or flight’ response.
When you have a shock or perceive something as a threat, your body releases hormones. These are chemicals produced by your body, such as adrenalin, that contribute to your ‘fight or flight’ response. These hormones increase your heart rate and blood pressure so that more oxygen and glucose can get to your muscles. You will also breathe faster and sweat more to cool these muscles down. All of these reactions prepare you to take action to deal with a possible threat.
Modern day stresses, such as money worries or deadlines at work, don’t cause an effective ‘fight or flight’ response like we once required for survival. However, the more often we are exposed to these types of stressors, the more overactive our fight or flight response becomes until we find ourselves operating at fever pitch level, constantly prepared for battle, perceiving potential threats everywhere. That is why people who are over stressed not only show physiological symptoms such as high blood pressure, rapid heart rate or shallow fast breath; they can seem overly sensitive or aggressive. Today many of us don’t take enough physical exercise to ‘burn off’ the effects of our response and we’re left with stress build up. We learn to control our reactions, but this does not counteract the stress response.
Long-term stress can have a negative effect on how you cope with situations and may damage your health.
Are you having trouble getting to sleep? Do you find staying asleep difficult? Have you experienced insomnia throughout your life? Are you looking for natural remedies without becoming dependent on medication?
Acupuncture can help provide the relief you seek and help you to get a better night’s sleep!
Insomnia is one of the more common ailments we treat at Acupuncture Balance. Recently, we have observed an increase in the amount of patients who have reported suffering from this condition. Traditional Chinese Medicine is very effective at treating this issue, yet large portions of the population are unaware of this as an option. We wanted to share some information about what insomnia is, how common it is and how effective acupuncture can be at providing relief.
Sleep is one of the most important factors when it comes to maintaining good health, as every human being requires a sufficient amount of it to function properly. Getting enough quality sleep time can become an issue at some point in almost everyone’s life.
This week, 20th - 26th April is Depression Awareness week.
Churchill made frequent references to his depression, which he called his "black dog".
"I don't like standing near the edge of a platform when an express train is passing through. I like to stand right back and if possible get a pillar between me and the train. I don't like to stand by the side of a ship and look down into the water. A second's action would end everything. A few drops of desperation." - Winston Churchill (1874-1965).
Depression is a common mental health problem that affects people of all genders, ages, and backgrounds. About two thirds of adults will at some time experience depression severe enough to interfere with their normal activities.
Although everyone occasionally experiences low mood, these feelings usually pass after a couple of days. When a person has clinical depression, these problems can become chronic or recurrent, interfering with daily life. Depression causes symptoms such as low mood, loss of interest in enjoyable activities, anxiety, irritability low self-esteem, disturbed sleep or appetite, weight change, tiredness, lack of motivation, concentration or libido, physical pain, and suicidal thoughts.
Depression is likely to result from a combination of genetic, biochemical, environmental, and psychological factors. It may be triggered by stressful events, such as bereavement, illness, relationship problems or financial difficulties.
In general, acupuncture is believed to stimulate the nervous system and cause the release of neurochemical messenger molecules. The resulting biochemical changes influence the body's homeostatic mechanisms, thus promoting physical and emotional wellbeing.
Don’t let the thought of those needles put you off – acupuncture can help ease everything from fertility to migraines.
ACUPUNCTURE AWARENESS WEEK 2nd - 8th MARCH 2015
*******The Amber Zone clinic in Maidenhead**********
The week aims to raise awareness and understanding around acupuncture and give consumers all the information they need about treatment and what to expect.
The focus of this year's Acupuncture Awareness week is Stress.
A brand new study by the British Acupuncture Council to mark 'Acupuncture Awareness Week' (2nd-8th March 2015) shows that over half of the UK residents surveyed are more stressed now than ten years ago and turn to junk food and booze in a bid to feel better. The study of 5,000 adults found that a third of us admit to comfort eating when stressed, a quarter confess to drinking alcohol and as a result 1 in 5 admit they put on weight.
There are many symptoms associated with stress including anxiety, nausea, insomnia, headaches and stomach pains.
Traditional acupuncture is an effective, evidence based therapy that aims at root causes, and it can be a positive step for anyone wanting to get their stress levels back under control.
Please PM me or call me on 07449 688908 to discuss any health issues you may have.
Check out this animation, explaining in short and simple terms the concept of traditional acupuncture.
Yin and yang was first conceived through patient observation of the forces of nature. The Taoists who developed the system of traditional Chinese medicine saw the universe as a unified field, constantly moving and changing while maintaining its oneness.
This constant state of change was explained through the theory of yin and yang, which appeared in written form around 700 B.C. in the I Ching ("Book of Changes").
According to the theory, nature expresses itself in an endless cycle of polar opposites such as day and night, moisture and dryness, heat and cold, and activity and rest.
Yin phenomena are those that exhibit the nurturing qualities of darkness, rest, moisture, cold, and structure. Its Chinese character depicts the shady side of a hill.
Yang phenomena have qualities of energy such as light, activity, dryness, heat, and function. Its Chinese character represents the sunny side of a hill.
Everything in nature exhibits varying combinations of both yin and yang. For example, the morning fog (yin) is dissipated by the heat of the sun (yang); the forest fire (yang) is extinguished by the rainstorm (yin); the darkness of night (yin) is replaced by the light of day (yang). Any phenomenon within nature can be understood in relation to another; one will always be yin or yang in comparison with the other.
Everything in nature can be expressed as the opposition of yin and yang. This is the energizing force of all aspects of nature. It is dynamic and the basic foundation for change in nature.
Yin and yang are also relative terms: A forest fire is more yang than a campfire; a campfire is more yang than a spark. Nothing is purely yin or yang; it is always a matter of comparison.
Yin and yang are interdependent. Even though yin and yang are opposites, one has no meaning without the other. For example, day would have no meaning without night; heat cannot be understood without knowing what cold feels like; fever and chills can't be determined without experiencing the normal body temperature.
Yin creates yang; yang creates yin. Numerous examples of this principle can be seen in nature. For example, on a hot summer day (yang), there is a sudden thunderstorm (yin). A person may get symptoms of chills and a runny nose (yin) that turn into a fever with a sore throat (yang). A hyperactive child runs around frantically (yang), then suddenly falls asleep (yin).
Yin and yang mutually control each other. This is the basic mechanism of balance in nature and the human body. When the body gets overheated from exercise, the pores open and sweating lowers the temperature. When the body gets too cold due to exposure, the muscles shiver to generate heat.
Arthritis is much more than the random aches and pains one often associates with "just getting older!" It is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in a joint, affecting people of all ages, including children. In the UK alone, around 10 million people have arthritis. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.