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Relieve Trigeminal Neuralgia with Acupuncture Treatment!

11/1/2014

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(NaturalNews) Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medical technique that involves the insertion of extremely fine needles on carefully chosen points throughout the body for therapeutic benefit. A recent study in the journal Medical Acupuncture demonstrated a significant beneficial effect when acupuncture treatments were administered to patients who were suffering from Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN). Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) manifests as a severe stabbing or electric shock-like pain along the path of the trigeminal nerve. The discomfort is usually felt on only one side of the face, generally in the area of the cheek, eye, and lower portion of the face. The mechanism of pain production is not fully understood, but studies suggest that TN is often associated with demyelination of trigeminal sensory fibers.

While some patients respond to moderate doses of single-drug therapy and microvascular decompressions (MVD`s), many others suffer through prolonged unsuccessful treatment approaches. This includes large doses of medications with adverse effects, complications related to surgery, and postoperative relapse of symptoms. The side effects of the various antiepileptic medications often prescribed for TN patients include dizziness, ataxia, nausea, vomiting, hematological abnormalities, and cardiac arrhythmia. In addition, a high proportion of TN patients take pain medications including narcotics.

All 7 female participants and 4 of the 5 men in the study responded favorably to acupuncture. Five of the patients were even able to discontinue their medications following complete remission of the TN. One of these 5 participants required only 2 acupuncture treatments to reach complete remission, while the others required from 3 to 9 treatments to get this result.

Acupuncture has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health as a scientific therapeutic modality with an effective pain-relieving ability. The beauty of acupuncture treatments is that they are virtually devoid of side effects, non-invasive and extremely safe. It is postulated that the insertion of acupuncture needles causes enhanced blood flow to the affected area. With multiple acupuncture treatments, the cumulative effect may actually lead to nerve repair in the case of the demyelinated trigeminal sensory fibers mentioned in the first paragraph.

Herbal medicine can also be used together with the above acupuncture protocol to enhance the effect. An often used Chinese Herbal Formula for TN patients is known as xue fu zhu yu tang. This combination of 11 Chinese herbs includes peach kernel (Persicae Semen), safflower petals (Carthami Flos), Szechuan lovage root (Chuanxiong Rhizoma), and Chinese angelica root (Angelicae sinensis Radix) as the first 4 herbs. These herbs are considered in the Traditional Chinese Medicine theory to have a strong invigorating or circulating quality, and serve the role of alleviating pain by eliminating blockages or stagnations in the body.

The TN study mentioned above concludes that acupuncture treatment should be considered before more invasive intervention is attempted. This agrees with clinical results that many acupuncture clinics have been reporting. However, it should be noted that this particular study had a relatively small group of participants, and did not employ a randomized, double-blind format. It will be useful to seek further scientific validation of the effect of acupuncture in TN treatment.

Sources for this article:

http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089...

Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica, 3rd edition, by Dan Bensky, et al.

Handbook of Oriental Medicine, 3rd edition, by Hyunbae Kim.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/026126_acupuncture_chi_treatment.html##ixzz3HkUNFEqD
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Chiropractic Care for Gouty Arthritis

7/1/2014

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What is Gout?

Gout is a type of arthritis that frequently occurs in the big toe. The pain that gouty arthritis can cause in a big toe (or other joint) can be quite severe. When you add the swelling and stiffness that accompany the pain, you've got an uncomfortable condition that’s a recipe for misery.

This painful type of arthritis is caused by too much uric acid in the blood. Uric acid is the waste product that’s a result of body processes, but it can also be found in various foods. The kidneys are usually able to remove uric acid from the body via urine, but when the body produces too much uric acid or the kidneys cannot eliminate it properly, gout can occur.

Gout can strike anyone, but it’s most often diagnosed in patients who are overweight, frequently indulge in alcohol or who eat a diet that’s rich in purine-laden fish and meat. In addition, some medicines like diuretics may cause gout.

While gout attacks can occur in joints in the knees, foot, or ankle, the most common sign is nighttime pain and swelling in the big toe. These painful attacks can last for days or even weeks before going away for an indefinite amount of time. It’s not uncommon for a gout patient to go years without another attack.

How Can Chiropractic Help?

Your chiropractor can help alleviate the symptoms of gout. First, your doctor of chiropractic will ask you some questions about your symptoms. He or she will then perform a physical examination to test for gout. If you do have gout, your chiropractor will probably prescribe several different treatment methods to combat the pain and inflammation.

First, your chiropractor will most likely advise you to reduce your intake of alcohol, meat, or other foods that are high in purine. Lowering the purine levels in your body is one of the most effective ways to manage gouty arthritis. Your chiropractor may suggest certain foods like cherries that have been shown to reduce uric acid levels naturally. Other foods and herbs may be recommended to support kidney function and reduce the inflammation that you’re experiencing.

In addition to dietary advice, your chiropractor may perform adjustments to help alleviate the pain in your joints. He or she may also suggest certain exercises that you can perform at home or heat treatments that will give you relief away from the office.

Gouty arthritis is extremely painful, but it can be managed. If you’re suffering from pain, redness, or swelling in your big toe or other parts of your body, contact your chiropractic team. They’ll be able to work with you to relieve your symptoms naturally without medication or surgery.


Resources: http://chiropractordallas-thejoint.com/preston-royal/chiropractic-care-for-gouty-arthritis/


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Stop Dreaming About Quality Sleep and Do Something

8/1/2011

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An old Chinese proverb states, "Only when one cannot sleep does one know how long the night is." Anyone who's ever experienced an occasional bout with insomnia—and that's most of us—can relate to this all too well.

In fact, surveys have shown that between 40 and 60 percent of the general population has trouble sleeping. Daily stress and worries, pressures from job and family, body aches and pains caused by uncomfortable beds or pillows, and a host of other issues can keep a person from getting enough quality sleep.

Sleep is critical to good health and functioning, so lack of it is a serious matter. "Sleep is one of the most important functions of the brain," says Frederick R. Carrick, DC, PhD, president of the American Chiropractic Association's Council on Neurology. Through it, our bodies recharge and renew for the next day's challenges.

As wellness experts, doctors of chiropractic can provide patients with a different approach to their sleeping problems-without the use of sleeping pills, which leave many people in a mental haze the next morning. To start, here are a few helpful tips they would recommend:
  • Exercise regularly. Exercising in the morning is best, but if you must exercise in the evening, do so at least two or three hours before bedtime. Any later, and your increased heart rate can interfere with your sleep.

  • Limit your intake of caffeinated beverages such as coffee, colas and tea-try to avoid them altogether late in the day and near bedtime. In addition, for each cup of caffeinated beverages you drink each day, drink an equal amount of water.

  • If you have trouble sleeping and then get thirsty, drink tap water at room temperature (cold water may disturb the digestive system).

  • Eat an early dinner. Eating after 6 p.m. may interfere with sleep as your body works to digest the food you've eaten.

  • Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning. The routine will help your body know when it is time to rest.

  • Keep your bedroom at a cool, comfortable temperature and try to make it as dark as possible when you're ready for bed.
Creating a comfortable place to sleep by choosing the correct mattress and pillow is also essential to getting the quality sleep that your body needs to function at its best.   A mattress, for instance, should support the body's weight evenly and allow the spine to stay in its natural alignment. Choosing the right one is a personal matter. Give your mattress a good trial run before you buy it by lying down on a mattress for a minimum of three to five minutes to get a good feel. Sitting on it simply won't do.  After investing in a quality mattress, don't forget to choose an equally supportive pillow. A good pillow will keep the cervical (neck) section of the spine aligned with the thoracic and lumbar (chest and lower back) sections. "[The sections] move together and should be supported together."

Chiropractic Care Can Help...
If you continue to experience pain and discomfort at night or have difficulty falling asleep, visit your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are trained to treat spinal problems that can interfere with a restful night's sleep. They can also offer nutritional and ergonomic advice that can help improve the quality of your sleep.


2011; American Chiropractic Association, Massachusetts Chiropractic Society at MassChiro.org
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