Headaches/Migraines

Unearthing The Benefits Of Acupuncture: An Ancient Practice With Modern Benefits

Acupuncture, an ancient healing technique rooted in Traditional Chinese medicine, has been practiced for over 3,000 years. It involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body, known as acupoints, to stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities. This gentle yet effective therapy has gained widespread recognition for its potential to alleviate a wide range of health concerns.

Pain Management: A Promising Approach

One of the most well-established benefits of acupuncture is its effectiveness in managing pain. Numerous studies have demonstrated the positive impact of acupuncture in reducing chronic pain associated with conditions such as osteoarthritis, low back pain, neck pain, and headaches/migraines. By stimulating the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers, acupuncture helps to alleviate pain and improve overall well-being.

Beyond Pain Relief: A Holistic Approach to Health

Acupuncture’s benefits extend far beyond pain management. This holistic therapy has shown promise in addressing a variety of health concerns, including:

Stress and Anxiety: Acupuncture can effectively reduce stress and anxiety by promoting relaxation and enhancing the body’s ability to cope with stress.

Digestive Issues: Acupuncture has been shown to alleviate digestive problems such as nausea, vomiting, and constipation.

Sleep Disorders: Acupuncture can improve sleep quality by regulating sleep patterns and reducing insomnia.

Reproductive Health: Acupuncture has been used to address menstrual cramps, menopausal symptoms, and fertility issues.

A Safe and Effective Treatment Option

Acupuncture is generally considered a safe and effective treatment option. When performed by a licensed and experienced acupuncturist, the risk of side effects is minimal. Most people experience little to no discomfort during acupuncture treatments, and in fact, usually fall asleep after becoming deeply relaxed.

Embracing Acupuncture for Holistic Wellness

As research continues to unveil the multifaceted benefits of acupuncture (with over thousands of clinical trials already documenting clinical success!), acupuncture is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for promoting overall health and well-being. Whether seeking relief from chronic pain, managing stress, or enhancing overall wellness, acupuncture offers a safe, effective, and holistic approach to healthcare.

The Best Way to Find the Best Acupuncture Clinic for You

Whether you’re suffering from low back pain, or neuropathy, infertility or headaches, you’ll want to find the best acupuncture clinic that suits your needs the best.

The very best way is to call and speak with the receptionist of your clinic of interest and ask them if they have experience in or specialize in your primary condition you are seeking care for. While most acupuncturists have trained extensively for 3-5 years in graduate level study acupuncture programs, and receive a Master’s degree or a Doctorate (also known as a Acupuncture Physician), it’s still best to work with an acupuncturist or clinic that has experienced success in treating your condition.

Some questions you can ask when you phone a prospective acupuncture clinic:

Has the acupuncturist treated my type of condition before?

What is the success rate of treating my condition at this clinic?

How many years of experience does the acupuncturist have?

Do you offer any additional therapies beyond acupuncture to help address my condition?

What can I expect during my first visit? (Is it just a consultation, or will I receive treatment that day?)

Most of our patients are referred by word of mouth, from former patients who have also experienced success. Our acupuncturist Dr. Laura Parks does specialize in chronic, complex conditions and has been practicing for over 13 years. She received her acupuncture doctorate from Five Branches University, and acupuncture masters from Maryland University of Integrative Health (formerly Tai Sophia). Dr. Parks has been treating Fertility patients for over 13 years and specializing in neuropathy for over 4 years, with over a 85% success rate.

Becoming Resilient to Stress

I once had to write an essay on the book, “Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers” by Robert Sapolsky and I can summarize it to this day… The sympathetic nervous system elicits the “fight or flight” response. A third response is to freeze in place.

Modern humans often freeze in place, stall. Usually, we do not fight others or run (flight) like zebras run away from lions, but we just sit or stand in place, doing the same exact thing physically we were doing prior to the stress trigger. The cortisol elevates with the stressor, the adrenaline surges… and we sit (or stand) in place instead of using that fuel to launch into a sprint away from a predator (lion, tiger or bear, oh my!)

Zebras have no choice. They run or they die, or they run and die. Either way, they really must run. In turn, their bodies burn off the adrenaline surge and other stress hormones. This is why they do not get ulcers.

However, humans do get ulcers, because their ancient wiring “fight or flight” response designed to keep them alive during times of war with neighboring tribes, or being hunted by predators, simply goes off at very inopportune times… like when we’re stuck in traffic, or getting flack from our boss, or a friend phones with bad news … goes off, constantly, daily, sometimes multiple times per hour. This creates a cascade effect with the nervous system, the neuro-endocrine hormones and creates inflammation, extra body fat, cardiovascular disease, digestive disorders, anxiety, panic attacks, headaches, autoimmune disease, insomnia, and more. Everyone responds to stress differently.

Most people respond very well to acupuncture because it brings the nervous system and endocrine system into balance. Over time, with regular acupuncture treatment, patients become less triggered by stress as the “fight or flight” response becomes much more self-regulated.

What’s Our Medical Director Been Up To?

Have you heard? Our Medical Director, Laura Parks, M.Ac., L.Ac. went back to school and will be graduating at the end of April 2023 with her Doctorate in Acupuncture. 13 years after graduating with her Masters degree in Acupuncture, we’ll be calling “Dr. Laura” to the clinic with all her new wisdom on how to help patients.

Here’s what she had to say about her doctorate experience so far: “It’s been so great studying advanced, complex conditions like Lyme’s disease, advanced fertility and gynecological issues, pediatrics, and autoimmune conditions, weighing in with some of the most brilliant minds in the country. Last semester I got to celebrate getting straight A’s in all my classes while juggling family life and running a very busy clinic, all while completing medical internships, studying modern acupuncture research, and learning from live case studies. I’m so grateful for this opportunity to take my training to the next level and serve thousands of patients in the future with this centuries old medicine.”

We can’t wait to see what the future holds upon completing her doctorate this April!

If you’re interested in working with our Medical Director, Laura Parks, this spring, give us a call at 410-847-4766.

Bell’s Palsy Solutions

Bell’s Palsy is more common than you may think. If you’re lucky, it’s only temporary, lasting a few weeks, or up to 6 months. Unfortunately, on rare occasions, some experience bell’s palsy permanently.

Bell’s palsy creates a very noticeable paralysis of one side of the face with facial muscle weakness. Classically, it presents all of a sudden, worsening over 48 hours. Pain or discomfort occur, stemming from damage to the 7th cranial nerve of the face. It can occur at any age, but is most common age 15-60.

Symptoms include diminished ability to smile, squint, blink, or close the eyelid, headache, tearing, drooling, loss of feeling in the face, loss of taste in part of the tongue, sensitivity to sound, inability to close the eye.

Bell’s palsy is usually unknown cause, it is sometimes associated with:

Diabetes
High Blood Pressure
Injury
Toxins
Lyme disease
Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Sarcoidosis
Myasthenia gravis
Multiple Sclerosis
Infection (especially viruses, from Herpes simplex virus that causes “cold sores” to Covid, Influenza, etc.)

Traditionally, bell’s palsy is treated in western medicine possibly with steriods, antivirals, pain relievers, or physical therapy.

Acupuncture is a great option for speeding up the recovery of bell’s palsy.

At Cloud 9 Acupuncture & Integrative Medicine, we have over a 90% success rate in reversing Bell’s Palsy. However, we always begin with a consultation to determine if you are a good candidate for treatments.

With bell’s palsy, it is absolutely imperative to begin treatments as soon as possible. Once a patient has had bell’s palsy for over 18 months, it is much harder to reverse it, but not impossible, so be sure to call today.

Call 410-847-4766 to begin with a consultation and evaluation with our medical director today.