What Can Acupuncture Treat?

• Adenomyosis
• Asherman’s syndrome/Intrauterine adhesions
• Breech Baby (using Moxibustion)
• Cervical lesions
• Chronic Bladder Infection
• Endometriosis
• Fibroids
• Hormonal imbalances
• Infertility
• Irregular, Heavy, or Painful Menstruation
• Labor Induction
• Menopause
• Morning Sickness
• Ovarian cysts
• Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) and pelvic adhesions
• PMS
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
• Polyps
• Prolactinoma
• Urinary & Fecal Incontinence
• Vaginal and uterine atrophy & prolapse

Other health concerns are also effectively treated, so please discuss your condition with Karen to determine the best approach.

How Can Acupuncture Help?

The various stressors of modern-day life can easily upset delicate hormonal and other physiological systems in the body. This can cause a multitude of symptoms and discomforts ranging from no periods or painful, irregular periods in young adulthood; to abnormal flow, irritability, depression, and insomnia in later years; to hot-flashes, night sweats, sleep-disturbances, and depression during the menopausal and post-menopausal years.

In addition, many women suffer from the severe pain and heavy bleeding associated with endometriosis, fibroids, or cysts, while others experience periods that are either too long, or too short, or completely absent. Quite a few women who seem to have normal cycles and few or none of the above problems, find that, inexplicably, they are unable to get pregnant. In all these situations, acupuncture together with herbal medicine and food therapy, has a long history of bringing these physiological and emotional systems back into balance and good health.

Irregular Periods, Abnormal Bleeding

Chronic menstrual problems can take many forms and present a more complicated picture. Although we define a normal cycle as being 28 days in length, many women do not fit this pattern. Problems arise if a cycle shifts drastically from month to month or if periods are missed altogether. The same can be said for the duration of a cycle. Normal is seen as 4-5 days, yet for some women, it can last as long as six or seven days or be as short as three. Consistency is important.  Longer cycles with a continuously heavy, perhaps clotty flow, requiring frequent change of tampon or sanitary napkins, might be an indication of a more serious, underlying problem, while pale and scanty flow with spotting between periods would also warrant a closer look.

Irregular periods and abnormal bleeding can have a multitude of causes and should definitely be evaluated by a Western physician, so that serious diseases can be ruled out. However, Eastern medicine has been able to bring relief in many complicated situations as well. Endometriosis, fibroid tumors, and ovarian cysts, for example, respond well to an acupuncture and herbal protocol. Heavy, scant or continuous flow can also be normalized using acupuncture. In fact, Eastern medicine, which is safe, effective and without side-effects, would be a good first course to take, before more serious medical intervention, such as drugs, hormone therapy, or surgery is employed.

Infertility

Infertility is a condition for which many women (and men) are turning to acupuncture and alternative health practitioners. There are several reasons for this. Women in general are more likely to take advantage of available  alternative health therapies. Infertility is a condition that crosses into every aspect of a person's life- physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. Conventional medicine generally only addresses the physical aspect. Many women want to exhaust all options before going to powerful medications or invasive surgical procedures. On a final note, for all of Western medicine's successes, as many as 50% of couples facing infertility are not helped by conventional technology.

Menopause

Menopause is the point at which a woman stops ovulating and menstruation ceases, indicating the end of fertility. It is a natural progression in life, and despite its many annoying or even debilitating symptoms, not a disease. For most women, hormone production begins to slow down when they reach their thirties and continuous to diminish as they age. During this period of “peri-menopause” few women have any symptoms, although for some, brief intervals of anxiety, heart palpitations dry skin, fatigue, decreased interest in sex, insomnia and irritability, may occur.

On the threshold of actual menopause, the complete cessation menstruation for at least 12 months, these symptoms may increase in frequency and intensity. Hot flashes, night sweats, bouts of anxiety, depression, as well as insomnia and mood swings are probably the most frequent complaints during this time. Western medicine treats these symptoms primarily as arising from a hormone deficiency and tries to alleviate them by supplying the missing estrogens. This is ultimately not very helpful, as it not only interferes with the body’s attempts at finding its own, new hormonal balance, but can bring about a cascade of side-effects that can result in serious symptoms.

Acupuncture and Eastern herbal medicine with its ultimate goal of harmony and balance, offer a simpler, safer, yet highly effective approach to these symptoms, especially excessive sweating, insomnia mood swings and anxiety. Furthermore, by stimulating the body to regain its balance within these new and greatly altered hormonal levels, Eastern medicine can help women to not only move through this transitional period with ease, but also to maintain a high level of overall health. This increased sense of wellbeing may make a woman’s “golden” years truly “golden.”

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness has always affected some women much worse than others. While the majority of women can suffer through the phase until it passes others need help because they have a particularly violent or lengthy case of morning sickness. Many of the standard medications do not work for some women or are very expensive.  Doctors and patients have long been searching for alternative approaches to help relieve the nausea and vomiting that makes morning sickness so hard to live with. Acupuncture has been one of the best techniques found to naturally do away with or lessen the symptoms of morning sickness. Not only is acupuncture natural, it is something that will not affect the mother or the baby in anything but positive ways.

 PMS

Symptoms, such as nausea, constipation, cramping, acne, backache, breast swelling and tenderness, headache, bloating and mood swings, among others, a few days prior to menstruation are so wide-spread, especially among young women, that they are seen as a normal consequence of the monthly cycle. Even women, who suffer debilitating pain, often go no further than an over-the-counter pain medication to find relief. Yet, painful periods are not normal and if not addressed, might lead to even more complicated problems down the line.

Although the underlying causes for painful periods are many and may vary greatly among individuals, from an Eastern medicine point of view, they are almost always related to some form of energetic blockage or deficiency, both of which are easily addressed with acupuncture, herbs, and, often, dietary changes. Sometimes only a few sessions are needed to resolve the issue and eliminate the need for pain medication, while occasional “tune-ups” may prevent recurrence of symptoms. Many women find acupuncture for PMS to be an overall calming and restorative experience.

Pregnancy

At no time in a women’s life is the harmony and balance of the hormonal system more important than during pregnancy. Here, Eastern medicine has much to offer, for both the mother and the developing baby. Acupuncture, alone, has a long history of relieving the symptoms of morning sickness, such as nausea and vomiting, tiredness, poor appetite and depression, and it can also bring relief to the mental restlessness, anxiety and insomnia that plague many women during the later stages. Through the regular use of acupuncture, some of the more serious complications associated with late-stage pregnancy, such as hypertension, dizziness, and edema, might even be prevented.

In Eastern medicine, the management of mother and baby during pregnancy is not just about achieving hormonal balance and alleviating symptoms; it is about achieving and maintaining an optimal level of health by also considering nutritional and life-style factors. The level of the mother’s health during pregnancy translates, quite directly, into the ease of delivery and subsequent health of the baby. The judicious use of acupuncture, herbal medicine and food therapy after childbirth can be most helpful in restoring the mother’s energy, insure a sufficient supply of milk, and prevent insomnia and depression.

Breech Baby

The turning of breech babies using moxibustion from week 33 onwards is a successful and natural method to avoid medical intervention. The success rates are as high as 81% in turning a breech baby. Women with a very late diagnosis of breech presentation have found the use of moxibustion and/or acupuncture to be beneficial also.

Moxibustion involves heating a special acupuncture point on the feet with special herbs to relax the muscles in the uterus allowing the baby to turn. It is extremely safe and relaxing and the great benefit of this treatment is that you can continue the treatment with your partner or friend in the comfort of your own home once we have taught you the treatment protocol. 

We are proud to carry Standard Process & Mediherb Products

My treatment process does not include drugs or hormones but does include gentle healing arts and lifestyle changes as may be appropriate.

 If you are looking for a safe, effective and drug-free treatment that is conducted in a peaceful and respectful manner; where the time is taken to fully listen to you and your concerns, then contact Karen.

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  281-222-9588 

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