Stress & Anxiety

Healing Trauma with Acupuncture

Trauma can be emotional or physical and carries a weight with it for those who suffer from a traumatic event and the longer post-traumatic stress that can come from it. Fortunately, we live in a time where help is available. Since acupuncture subscribes to the whole mind/body/spirit healing approach to balancing energy and achieving complete wellness, it makes sense that acupuncture could be a helpful tool to treating various forms of trauma and its impact on both the mind and body. continue reading »

Three Reasons to Add Deep Breathing to Your Daily Routine

You might think breathing is second nature, right? You’re doing it right now as you are reading this. But did you know that there are different kinds of breathing and that what is called deep breathing can have important health benefits? Read on to learn just three of the most important reasons you should add deep breathing to your daily routine. continue reading »

Acupuncture for Rheumatoid Arthritis: How Can It Help?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in the joints. It can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and fatigue. There is no cure for RA, but there are treatments that can help manage the symptoms.

Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatment that has been used for centuries to treat a variety of conditions, including RA. Acupuncture involves inserting thin needles into specific points on the body. These points are believed to be connected to the body’s energy pathways, or meridians. When needles are inserted into these points, it is believed that they can help to balance the body’s energy and reduce inflammation.

There is some evidence that acupuncture can be effective in treating RA. A 2018 systematic review of randomized controlled trials found that acupuncture was effective in reducing pain and improving function in people with RA. The review also found that acupuncture was well-tolerated and did not have any serious side effects.

Another study, published in 2019, found that acupuncture combined with conventional RA treatment was more effective than conventional treatment alone in reducing pain and improving function.

The evidence suggests that acupuncture can be an effective treatment for RA. If you are considering acupuncture for RA, it is important to talk to your doctor first. They can help you decide if acupuncture is right for you and can recommend a qualified acupuncturist.

If you are interested in learning more about acupuncture for RA, please visit our website or call us today. We would be happy to answer any questions you have and help you find a qualified acupuncturist in your area.

Avoid Side Effects of Anti-Depressants with Natural Alternatives

Anxiety and Depression are at all time highs over the last few years. Mental health has become a crucial focus in health care and many folks have newly sought out relief with anti-depressant medications.

However, many do not enjoy the unwanted side effects of anti-depressants. Whether it’s weight gain, fatigue, a completely flat affect (never feeling “big emotions” of anger, sadness, or joy), low libido, or impotence, patients seek out alternative options.

Acupuncture helps with anxiety and depression by improving the neurotransmitter response in the brain, and providing a balancing effect to the different bio-hormones in the body. Dr. Parks has extensive experience treating anxiety, depression, and PTSD using acupuncture, helping patients to either reduce or eliminate medications and side effects.

For the last 3 years, Dr. Parks has added an additional therapy to help called Brain TapTM, a headset that utilizes light and sound with guided meditations designed to create new synapses and open new pathways in the brain, allowing patients to experience faster and deeper states of relaxation using similar techniques to hypnosis and neuro-linguistic programming. Most patients report becoming so relaxed that they drift asleep during their session, especially when combining acupuncture with the Brain TapTM headset.

Certain vitamin injection therapy provides a significant reduction in inflammation within the brain and nervous system, which has created vast improvements with anxiety and depression.

Each patient is considered on a case by case basis as to what therapies will be most appropriate for their treatment goals, after a thorough medical consultation and intake with Dr. Parks, with over a 90% success rate in reducing anxiety and depression naturally.

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.