Tag Archives: acupuncture for anxiety

Acupuncture For Pain

In a recent article published by the Associated Press, “Acupuncture gets a thumbs-up for helping relieve pain from chronic headaches, back aches and arthritis in a review of more than two dozen studies . . . The results provide the most robust evidence to date that acupuncture is a reasonable referral option” wrote the authors.

 I love to see positive mention of acupuncture in the media!  There are many things about acupuncture and the treatment of pain that go unmentioned in the article, and that people untrained in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) do not realize. 

 Acupuncture can treat a wide variety of medical conditions that involve pain, including emotional pain.  Depression, anxiety, guilt, fear, insecurity and frustration: all of these emotions have a clear cause within the framework of TCM and can easily be treated with acupuncture and also Chinese herbs.

Acupuncture is not just a way to relieve the symptom of pain: it also helps to treat the root-cause of the disease or medical condition causing the pain.  By increasing the circulation of Chi or energy and also blood to the pathological or injured area of the body, it expedites the healing process, thereby helping to remove the cause of the pain, not just the pain itself.

 Acupuncture helps to eliminate the things that go along with pain: in particular, fatigue.  Acupuncture is extremely effective at improving fatigue.  Acupuncture reduces swelling, inflammation, and even depression from longstanding unresolved pain: all of these will improve along with the reduction of pain from regular acupuncture treatments.

 In upcoming posts I will be covering specific kinds of pain and their treatment with acupuncture and TCM, such as back pain, sciatica, menstrual pain, and also emotional patterns such as anxiety and depression.   

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Turtle Shell for Yin-Deficient Conditions such as Hot Flashes, Night Sweats, Rosacea

The turtle exemplifies the quality of Yin in Traditional Chinese Medicine.  Gui Ban, or turtle shell is used in Chinese herbal medicine to replenish deficient yin.  Disorders that are either partly or entiredly a result of “yin deficiency” according to Traditional Chinese Medicine include:

Night sweats

Rosacea

Insomnia

Restless Leg Syndrome

Infertility

Hot Flashes

Menopause-related hypertension

Dry, non-productive cough

Psoriasis

Dry & Bloodshot eyes

Heart palpitations

Anxiety

All of these conditions can be successfully treated with a combination of acupuncture treatments, dietary modifications and an herbal prescription which replenishes the patient’s yin and includes Gui Ban, or turtle shell.

The turtle shells used in Chinese herbal medicine come from farm raised turtles so the wild populations of turtles are not compromised or damaged by consuming an herbal prescription with Gui Ban in it.

For patients who are vegetarian, there are many herbal prescriptions for yin deficiency that are 100% plants and do not contain any animal products or turlte shell.

If you have questions about acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, yin deficiency, or the treatment of yin-deficient conditions please do not hesitate to contact me!  Monica Legatt