The Chinese Medicine rocks! blog: why do I need more than one treatment?

Why do I need a number of acupuncture treatments when I only need to see my MD once?

Ahhhh .... the ever frequent question about why you need more than one acupuncture treatment in order for your chronic symptoms to go away ..... i.e., be miraculously cured. My pet peeve: when people get one acupuncture treatment after suffering through 10 years of back pain and then say it didn't work. Healing takes time. Even a small cut takes time to heal and sometimes healing takes effort (i.e., more than one treatment, change in lifestyle, etc.).

So here's the deal. You see your MD once and come home with Vicodin for your pain, birth control pills to control your PMS, diuretic for your high blood pressure, Protonix for your acid reflux or GERD, Imitrex for your migraines, etc. etc. You need a pill box. If you really think about it, theoretically you are seeing your MD every day - in fact sometimes more than once a day since you need to take your pain meds more than once a day. Further, some of these pharmaceuticals are only masking the cause of your pain or other symptoms while the promise of Chinese Medicine is to find the cause and treat it; treat the root.*

Take my own back pain as a case study. I've had years of back pain probably mostly sports induced (structural damage). I was at the point of seeing surgeons for opinions, being offered all manner of prescriptions, etc. etc. .... the story of many people who have back pain. But I KNOW that the body can change despite what some diagnostic tests show - I see it in my patients every day.

I wanted to change my situation. Bone on bone. You might rightfully ask, how can any treatment besides surgery and pain meds deal with that? Well, acupuncture, structural yoga therapy, and deep tissue massage seem to have me on the very right path! WHY DID I CHOOSE THIS PATH? - I want to be healthy and active not drugged with the condition that is causing the pain continuing to get worse. I am now faithful in receiving regular acupuncture treatments and taking Chinese herbal formulae. I see a dynamite structural yoga therapist and do the postures that she teaches me and receive MT. I am considering canceling my next MD/spine specialist appointment because the AM crookedness, stiffness, and pain are minimal now and I am back to being able to do my AM workouts which I couldn't do 4 months ago. Yay!!

Your body CAN change; it's a matter of whether you are willing to find the proper cache of treatments/practitioners and then DO the work! Do I get discouraged sometimes, wish I didn't ever have to do any work to be pain free or not stiff? I do. But when I look at the alternatives, I'm super happy that I have found therapies that work.

*Naturally there are some conditions that can't be "cured" by dealing with the cause when they are too far gone. But, quality of life, for example pain reduction, chemo induced nausea relief, etc. etc., can be much much better.

Photoacupuncture, Cold Laser, Low Level Laser Therapy = pain relief and more

I started my interest in Chinese Medicine via becoming a Colorpuncturist. Colorpuncture is the use of light rather than needles to treat a variety of conditions. Now I am going back to my roots and offer low level laser therapy or cold laser. Cold laser stimulates the regeneration of tissue (and is therefore used for cosmetic purposes), reduces inflammation (helps reduce pain and stiffness), relieves pain (by reducing inflammation and regenerating cells).

For cold laser treatment along with proper Chinese Medicine evaluation and diagnosis call 303-947-6224 or email DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com.

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Acupuncture: another study showing its effects on the brain - and therefore the body

I love these studies that show how acupuncture affects the brain. Yes, it's true. Why do you think it works so well to reduce the effects of stress?

If that's not a strong enough reason to receive acupuncture, how about these?

- it improves immune system function

- reduces inflammation (one of the ways it improves the immune system)

- rebuilds digestion so you make better quality qi (energy)

- can help you avoid surgery for chronic issues like back pain (true!!)

- got sciatica? Acupuncture works!

- and it can help reduce lines and wrinkles if you are interested in maintaining your youthful appearance.

Call 303-947-6224 or email me at DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com.

We bill health insurance.

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New services!!

New services at the Colorado Center of Traditional Medicine

- low level laser therapy: no needles, used for pain relief/healing, fertility issues, stiff back, and much more! Half hour treatments available (initial treatment is one hour).

- supplement discounts through Emerson Ecologics (you order online and the products are shipped to your door - no need for me to be the middle man)

- Mei Zen skin care products - Golden Radiance pearl cream, Immortelle toner, Mei Zen Revitalizing serum, Neroli eye cream, Juniper cypress oil (for stagnation i.e., fat, cellulite), Angelica fertility oil, and two fantastic masques (Shea rose and sea pearl). All products are natural and contain Chinese herbs.

- Colorpuncture treatments for emotional issues that can stem from prenatal and early childhood times. Those can be released or recognized to give you a better understanding your current patterns

- Axiatonal Alignments - these treatments, based upon Sacred Geometry, release emotional "stuckness" that is in our etheric bodies but that may be causing physical distress.

Email me (DrMLucas@AcupunctureWoman.com) or call (303-947-6224) for more information or to set up an appointment!

Acupuncture reduces negative effect of stress on the body.

Have some stress in your life? Acupuncture reduces negative effect of stress on the body. I tell people this all the time but no Georgetown U says so!

http://www.healthcmi.com/index.php/acupuncturist-news-online/473-acupuncturestressgeorgetownstudy

Physiological affects of acupuncture: It affects our brains ... why do you think it's so relaxing?

I tell my students all the time that acupuncture affects the brain. Here is an interesting read about MRI studies and acupuncture.

http://www.healthcmi.com/index.php/acupuncturist-news-online/474-mristudyrevealsacupuncturemechanisms

I do insurance billing for acupuncture

Not all Chinese Medicine Practitioners/Acupuncturists accept insurance. However, I understand the importance of allowing you to pay for acupuncture or manual therapy (gua sha, cupping, etc.) through your insurer. Not only do I work with all insurance carriers that offer acupuncture benefits but I also work with auto insurers. My billing person processes all the paperwork and deals with the insurance companies so that I may concentrate on improving your health and overall well being (what I love to do!).

Happy year of the Yang Water Dragon!!!

The energy of the Yang Water Dragon year: it's likely to be a good one!

The Yang Water Dragon year is here! I am so excited about this year's energy that I started to feel it even before today.

Dragons are associated with power and good fortune. When we examine Chinese lore, we see that Dragon years can be dramatic. Why? In Chinese astrology, the Dragon is the mightiest of the signs. Dragons symbolize character traits such as passion, dominance, and raw ambition. They are unafraid of challenges or change and do everything on a grand scale.

What does a Yang Water Dragon year have in store for you? If you enjoy Chinese astrology, then this could be an exciting year, providing you read the landscape with attention. You would do well to complete unfinished business from 2011 as quickly as possible. When Dragon begins its procession through 2012, you want his route unimpeded and smooth, even though it may climb and twist.

The Dragon is a sign of good fortune and the Year of the Dragon is considered an auspicious time for new beginnings. Be watchful for opportunities that present in late January. Entrepreneurs and new ventures are particularly favored to experience success this year – business, marriages, projects, children born in 2012 or in previous Dragon years all benefit from the outstanding luck often associated with this zodiac sign. 2012 can also be an auspicious year to plan a celebration or throw a big party. Those compatible with the Dragon — Rat and Snake in particular — will also find 2012's circumstances inspiring them to greater personal happiness and professional success. But, the Dragon, perhaps because of its passion, may also bring a rougher style of communication - less diplomacy and more directness, so be prepared

The energy of the year will move grandly and quickly right away, and you want to be ready for it. The Dragon is associated with Spring, and the energetic high point of the year is the Dragon Moon, from May 20^th (New Moon) to June 18^th. Dragon energy favors the bold. The grand scale of Dragon energy encourages you to reach for the proverbial brass ring or to act on your dream. If you want to succeed at something major, according to Suzanne White, author of THE NEW ASTROLOGY, start early in the year and persist. Don’t give up; express yourself openly. She writes, "Any and all events will be dramatic and charged with a rare intensity. In short, 2012 will be a year of derring-do, hell-raising and exorbitant fun.

What of the Yang and Water aspect of 2012? Water has a calming effect on Dragon’s fearless temperament. Yang Water is like a flowing river rather than a still lake. Things move, ideas flow, creativity abounds, business booms, and love blossoms in this environment. It is likely to be an exciting year. Because this year is the Year of the Water Dragon, affairs maybe tempered because water helps calm the Dragon’s fire. That’s why Water Dragons tend to be less stubborn than your regular old Dragons. But just as the ceremonial dragon is put away after the festival, the dragon “effect” can be fleeting. A project or relationship or romance may be more transitory than long-term. This year can point to either spectacular successes or epic fails. Your luck can be good or bad, and your actions may enhance your fortune or derail it. While this is, of course, true in any circumstance, it’s the extreme nature of the outcome that is attributed to Dragon. Remember that Dragon is mythic and larger than life; so are Dragon-based experiences. Be mindful and try to understand your circumstances deeply and with insight. Consider risk carefully, for an extravagant gesture can leave you at risk when the moment passes.

Summer will present as a relatively quiet period in 2012, but one should not relax during this period since all activities of the unfolding year have acquired a certain momentum and intensity. Therefore vigilant management of your affairs is needed. Fall is a good time for wrapping up loose ends, reflecting, taking stock. At the end of the year, it is beneficial to engage in self-education and planning for the next year.

Acupuncture + LLLT (low level laser therapy aka cold laser)

My patients are preferring the combination of acupuncture plus LLLT to the cortisone or lidocaine injections that they have received for their acute or chronic pain. And, a massage therapist to whom I refer people says that they are much easier to work on after the addition of the LLLT.

Research recently published demonstrates the effectiveness of low level laser therapy for treating carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a big deal because so many people suffer with carpal tunnel and it is often extremely debilitating. The effective clinical protocol consisted of 24 treatments which is consistent with the time frame and number of treatments demonstrated in the literature. If you or someone you know has carpal tunnel find a doctor that uses low level laser therapy (ME) … otherwise, you are likely suffering needlessly.

24 treatments?! you say ...... Acupuncture works but is it a miracle, one time treatment cure? Not very often. Chronic pain, chronic health issues require treatment to get your body into a balanced, healthy, pain free state. Back pain that you have had for 10 years will take time to cure, not 3 treatments. But often, because for some things we can "take a pill", the immediate cure is an expectation. But the problem w/ some pharmaceuticals (pills) is that they are NOT curing, they are ameliorating a symptom. Face it. It may be a late-life-long effort to keep it in the kind of shape that allows you to continue to live the active lifestyle that you enjoy. I know it is for me so that I can continue playing soccer.

In my practice we talk a lot about a healthy life plan - it's not a magic pill. To those of you who say "but I don't have to go see my MD twice a week or three times a week or even once a week to get well" ..... really? If you are taking daily medication, that pill taking is akin to seeing your physician EVERY DAY and sometimes the pharmaceuticals are just treating the symptom. Get to the cause! A Chinese Medicine practitioner with good diagnostic skills can help you do that.