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Author: Ericca Burke

Acupressure for the holidays

Keep yourself healthy this holiday season by practicing acupressure

Acupressure can be a great way to boost your immunity this holiday season. Acupressure is the application of gentle pressure to acupuncture points. This is an at home treatment that can be done simply and easily using just your fingers. In this blog, I’ll provide instructions for how to perform acupressure and share information on some points you can try at home to boost your immunity.

 

How to perform acupressure

  • Use your index and / or middle fingers to apply a downward pressure with small circular motions (about a quarter of an inch) to the acupuncture point.
  • Feel for painful areas or areas of tightness or emptiness.
  • Massage for at least ten seconds, and up to a few minutes.
  • Stimulate points at least two times per day, for example, once in the morning and once at night.

 

Try acupressure to boost your immunity with these acupuncture points

 

Kidney 27

The Chinese name of this point is Shufu. It means “Shu Mansion” or “Storehouse”. It is the last point on the Kidney channel.

  • Location: Slide the finger below the clavicle from the shoulder toward the sternum. The sternum is the bone at the center of the chest. Stop about two finger widths before you reach the sternum.
  • Uses: In addition to boosting immunity, this point is also helpful for unbinding the chest, transforming phlegm, alleviating cough and wheezing, and harmonizing the stomach. It is especially useful for people who are experiencing upper respiratory symptoms.

 

Large Intestine 10

The Chinese name of this point is Shousanli. It means “Arm Three Miles”. This point is the 10th point on the Large Intestine channel. It is considered to be one of the master immune points in Japanese acupuncture.

  • Location: Bend the arm at the elbow and on the radial (thumb) side of the bent arm, place the finger(s) at the bed of the elbow, then slide the fingers about two finger widths down the arm toward the hand. Feel for a tender spot.
  • Uses: In addition to boosting immunity, this point can also help with disorders of the arm and stiffness of the neck.

 

Large Intestine 4

The Chinese name of this point is Hegu. It means “Joining Valley”. Hegu is the fourth point on the Large Intestine channel. It is a principle point used with any issues of the head and face, including headaches.

DO NOT USE THIS POINT IF YOU ARE PREGNANT. This point has a strong downward action and is contra-indicated in pregnancy.

  • Location: Slide the finger from the joint of the index finger towards the wrist stopping in the depression where the thumb and index finger bones meet.
  • Uses: In addition to boosting immunity, it is a master point for headaches. It is useful for headaches in the front of the head, toothaches, pain, cold symptoms, as well as constipation.

 

Stomach 36

The Chinese name of this point is Zusanli. It means “Leg three miles”. It is the thirty-sixth point on the Stomach channel. This point is the leg version of Large Intestine 10, the “arm three miles” point. This point is so powerful that in ancient times, it was said that stimulating this point would give a dying person enough energy to walk another three miles.

  • Location: Place the finger below the knee on the outer side of the leg. Feel for the curve of the curve of the tibia, the bone in the center of the lower leg. Alternatively, place the fingers on the outer edge of the tibia on the lower leg and follow the tibia up the leg toward the knee and stop where the bone starts to curve. As with the other points, feel for a tender spot.
  • Uses: In addition to boosting immunity and energy, this point helps harmonize the stomach and spleen, nourishes blood, calms the spirit, and relieves pain.

 

Questions?

If you have any questions or trouble locating any of the points, please reach out and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269. I’d love to hear from you!

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.

What do you want to let go this fall?

let go this fall

What are you ready to let go this fall?

Fall is a beautiful time of year, and a great time to release what no longer serves you. The weather shifts, giving a break from the summer heat. Cool breezes gently loosen leaves from the trees. The leaves start to change color, in beautiful shades of gold, orange, and red. Then, the leaves start to fall.

 

This is the time of year when many people start feeling a little sad, or even a little stuck or unfocused. This can result in depressed feelings or digestive issues, for example. In Chinese medicine, our organs are associated with phases or elements. In the fall, the metal element is dominant, and the associated organs are the lungs and the large intestine. Feelings of sadness and needing to let go are right in line with the energetic shift of the changing seasons.

 

Alignment with the seasons and phases

People are often fascinated to hear about how their organs are associated with the different seasons and how this relates to symptoms they experience in their bodies.

 

In Chinese Medicine, there are five phases of transformation: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. While in Traditional Chinese Medicine these are called elements, Classical Chinese Medicine refers to them as phases because they develop and change into one another. The five phases or elements correspond to the seasons spring, summer, fall, and winter. Chinese medicine further divides summer into two parts: summer and late summer. Late summer refers to the transformation between the warmer summer weather and cool fall weather. The seasons and phases (or elements) are associated as follows:

 

  • Spring: Wood. This is when nature starts stirring from winter’s dormancy. Trees and plants blossom. New branches grow out of old wood, and new growth begins.

 

  • Summer: Fire. This is the time of warmth and activity. Nature is moving actively, and as a result is growing and flourishing.

 

  • Late summer: Earth. This is the time of harvest. It is also is the pause between the rising of the warming and active phases of wood and fire and the declining and cooler phases of fall and winter.

 

  • Fall: Metal. This is when nature lets go of what is not needed. Leaves fall from the trees. The compost from dead leaves enriches the soil so it can prepare for the next cycle of growth in the spring.

 

  • Winter: Water. This is a time of rest. Animals hibernate, the days are shorter, and nature gets still and goes within to build up reserves.

 

How the fall season influences the lungs and large intestine

As I shared earlier, the lungs and large intestines represent the metal element and fall. Just as the trees let go of their leaves in the fall, this is the perfect time to let go of what we no longer need. When we hold on to grief rather than letting it move through us, we can feel depressed and sad. When our large intestine does not let go of waste the body does not need, we can feel bloated and uncomfortable. Additionally, we can feel foggy and unfocused when our lung and large intestine energy are weak. The metal energy is not strong enough to cut through to reveal what’s really important.

 

In Chinese Medicine, the skin belongs to the metal element. This is a time of year where people frequently experience dry, itchy, skin. There can also be an increase in acne and rashes, among other skin conditions. A dry, itchy condition can indicate an energetic deficiency. On the other hand, a hot and red condition can indicate excessive energy.

 

 

Help your lungs and large intestine release what no longer serves you

Every individual is unique, and no two people will experience the same symptoms for exactly the same reason. When I see a new patient, I make the time to ask a lot of questions and review their health history. This allows me to determine what is going on with their energy. For example, it is important to determine whether their energy is getting stuck or is deficient. I develop a customized treatment to address their specific needs and restore the balance of energy. This might involve acupuncture needles, ear seeds, qigong exercises, and diet and lifestyle advice.

 

What are you ready to release this fall? Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you let go of what no longer serves you? I’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.

Ease into the transition of late summer with Chinese medicine

late summer

Late summer – the fifth season

Chinese medicine recognizes five seasons: spring, summer, late summer, fall, and winter. Late summer is important because it is the shift between the warm seasons to the cool seasons. It is the time when the hot yang energy of the summer starts to shift into the cool yin energy of autumn.

 

Chinese medicine associates our organs with phases or elements. In late summer, the earth phase is dominant. The organs associated with earth are the stomach and spleen. The earth element is all about transformation. It signifies the turning point between the peak of summer and the gradual change into fall. The earth element demonstrates an inflection point, just like the space between an inhalation and exhalation.

 

Alignment with the seasons and phases

People are often fascinated to hear about how their organs are associated with the different seasons and how this relates to symptoms they experience in their bodies. In Chinese Medicine, there are five phases of transformation: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. While in Traditional Chinese Medicine these are called elements, Classical Chinese Medicine refers to them as phases because they develop and change into one another. The seasons and phases (or elements) associate as follows:

 

  • Spring: Wood. This is when nature starts stirring from winter’s dormancy. Trees and plants blossom. New branches grow out of old wood, and new growth begins.

 

  • Summer: Fire. This is the time of warmth and activity. Nature is moving actively, and as a result is growing and flourishing.

 

  • Late summer: Earth. This is the time of harvest. It is also is the pause between the rising of the warming and active phases of wood and fire and the declining and cooler phases of fall and winter.

 

  • Fall: Metal. This is when nature lets go of what it no longer needs. Leaves fall from trees. Compost from the dead leaves enriches the soil so it can prepare for the next cycle of growth in the spring.

 

  • Winter: Water. This is a time of rest. Animals hibernate, the days are shorter, and nature gets still and goes within to build up reserves.

 

How the late summer season influences the organs

As I shared earlier, the spleen and stomach are the organs associated with the earth element and late summer. This is a good time of year to focus on digestive health, centering, and stability. Ancient classical Chinese texts share that spleen and stomach energy are the foundation of health. The stomach takes in nutrition and works with the spleen to transform the nutrition into qi (energy) and blood. Spleen energy then transports the qi and blood to various organs.

 

Spleen energy is also responsible for holding and ascending energy. It holds the blood in the vessels. It helps keep organs like the bladder and uterus lifted. Weak spleen energy can result in prolapse of these organs, or varicose veins, for example. Stomach energy, on the other hand, is a descending energy. This energy helps food descend into the body to be transformed and utilized. When stomach energy is weak, the energy is said to rebel and go upward, which can result in indigestion, burping, etc.

 

Additionally, earth energy is responsible for the digestion of thoughts and emotions. Energy stagnates when we don’t express ourselves. As a result, we can feel mentally stuck. We may have a repetitive thought that we can’t get out of our head. We might even feel physically stuck with issues like constipation and bloating.

 

Help easing into the transition of late summer

Every individual is unique, and no two people will experience the same symptoms for exactly the same reason. When I see a new patient, I make the time to ask a lot of questions and review their health history. This allows me to determine what is going on with their energy. For example, it is important to determine whether their energy is getting stuck or is deficient. I develop a customized treatment to address their specific needs and restore the balance of energy. This might involve acupuncture needles, ear seeds, qigong exercises, and diet and lifestyle advice.

 

Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you? I’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.

 

The benefits of acupuncture and therapeutic massage

therapeutic massage

Acupuncture and therapeutic massage

Acupuncture and therapeutic massage are a powerful healing combination. Over the years, many patients have asked me about massage, and I recently decided to expand my practice to include therapeutic massage. I am a strong believer in complementary healing modalities, and I personally love massage. It’s a wonderful tool to include in your self-care toolkit.

 

Therapeutic massage

Therapeutic massage is a type of massage that involves focused work on soft tissues of the body, specifically, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It is sometimes referred to as a medical massage. Therapeutic massage helps release tension, improve range of motion, and heal injuries. This type of massage can also help relieve pain, elicit the relaxation response, reduce stress, and improve your mood. Each individual receives a massage customized to their specific needs.  Many pioneering medical institutions like the Cleveland Clinic advocate the benefits of massage, as shown in this Cleveland Clinic article titled Why You Should Try Medical or Therapeutic Massage.

 

Chair massage

 As I was brainstorming on massage offerings, the licensed massage therapist who joined my practice suggested offering chair massage in addition to the traditional 60- and 90-minute full body massage sessions. I was excited to find a variety of research articles detailing the benefits from a 15-minute chair massage. Specifically, research has shown that just 15 minutes in a massage chair has many benefits including reducing tension, stress and anxiety, lowering blood pressure, increasing blood circulation, and strengthening the immune system.

Here are links to a sampling of research studies showing the benefits of a 15-minute chair massage:

 

How a chair massage works

A chair massage is a massage performed while you are seated in a specialized massage chair that is ergonomically positioned. Your face rests in a comfortable headrest, and special arm rests support your arms. This allows the body to relax, and the massage therapist focuses on relieving tension in the neck, shoulders, and back. The massage is done through the clothes, so there is no need to change or shower after the session. It’s a very efficient way to get quick tension relief.

 

How to combine acupuncture and massage

I have found many conflicting recommendations on how to best combine acupuncture and massage. Some suggest massage first, then acupuncture. Some suggest the opposite. Others suggest separating the two by varying amounts of time.

 

In my Classical Chinese medicine training, we were taught to recommend separating treatments by at least 24 hours. This is because our energetic body follows a schedule called the Chinese organ body clock. Every two hours a different organ system is either at its peak function of activity or its lowest activity or time of rest, just like the tides in the ocean. There are 12 different organ systems that follow this schedule over a 24-hour period. You can learn more about this topic in my blog about the Chinese organ body clock.

 

Waiting 24 hours after an acupuncture treatment or a massage gives your body time to fully take in and process the energetic message you received from your treatment. I often suggest to patients that they consider alternating weekly acupuncture and massage treatments. For example, they have an acupuncture treatment one week and then a massage treatment the following week. This is not to say that following a different schedule will not be effective, rather, it’s a way to ensure the body fully processes the benefit from the specific treatment with no other influences.

 

Want to talk about how acupuncture and therapeutic massage can help you? I’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.

Embrace the joy of summer

embrace joy

Make time to embrace the joy of summer

Summer is a time of abundance, and it is a great time to cultivate and embrace joy. It is the time to harvest the fruits of our labor. We are at the peak of fiery yang energy, and then the season shifts into one of transformation. Chinese medicine associates our organs with phases or elements. In the summer, the fire and earth elements are dominant. The organs associated with fire are the heart and small intestine. The stomach and spleen belong to the earth element. The fire element brings in a quick and lively energy associated with joy. The earth element is all about transformation. It signifies the turning point between the peak of summer and the gradual change into fall. The earth element demonstrates an inflection point, just like the space between an inhalation and exhalation.

 

Alignment with the seasons and phases

People are often fascinated to hear about how their organs are associated with the different seasons and how this relates to symptoms they experience in their bodies.

 

In Chinese Medicine, there are five phases of transformation: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. While in Traditional Chinese Medicine these are called elements, Classical Chinese Medicine refers to them as phases because they develop and change into one another. The five phases or elements correspond to the seasons spring, summer, fall, and winter. In Chinese medicine further divides summer into summer and late summer. Late summer refers to the transformation between the warmer summer weather and cool fall weather. The seasons and phases (or elements) associate as follows:

 

  • Spring: Wood. This is when nature starts stirring from winter’s dormancy. Trees and plants blossom. New branches grow out of old wood, and new growth begins.

 

  • Summer: Fire. This is the time of warmth and activity. Nature is moving actively, and as a result is growing and flourishing.

 

  • Late summer: Earth. This is the time of harvest. It is also is the pause between the rising of the warming and active phases of wood and fire and the declining and cooler phases of fall and winter.

 

  • Fall: Metal. This is when nature lets go of what it no longer needs. Leaves fall from trees. Compost from the dead leaves enriches the soil so it can prepare for the next cycle of growth in the spring.

 

  • Winter: Water. This is a time of rest. Animals hibernate, the days are shorter, and nature gets still and goes within to build up reserves.

 

How the summer season influences the organs

As I shared earlier, the heart and small intestines are the organs associated with the fire element and summer. Just as the flowers are bursting with vitality and many crops are at their peak in the summer, this is the perfect time to celebrate the gifts we have in this life and enjoy the fruits of our labor. It is a time to find things that make your heart happy. Do things that you love, and have fun. Plan enjoyable activities like taking a vacation with loved ones. Hike in the woods. Play at the beach. These are great ways to cultivate and embrace joy and bring yourself in line with the fire element and the energy of the season.

 

The sensory organ associated with the fire element is the tongue. This is a good time to speak your truth and share what is in your heart. Also, expressing ourselves and moving our body facilitates the heart’s ability to circulate blood throughout the body. Since the fire element and heart are also associated with love, try to express yourself in the most loving way possible. Sometimes, it’s most important to direct that loving energy toward yourself.

 

Additionally, the earth element is all about digestion. This refers to literal digestion as the stomach digests food and the spleen transforms and transports the energy to be used by the body. It also refers to the digestion of thoughts and emotions. When we don’t express ourselves, the energy can get stuck and we can feel mentally stuck. We may have a repetitive thought that we can’t get out of our head. We might even feel physically stuck with issues like constipation and bloating.

 

Help learning to embrace joy this summer

Every individual is unique, and no two people will experience the same symptoms for exactly the same reason. When I see a new patient, I make the time to ask a lot of questions and review their health history. This allows me to determine what is going on with their energy. For example, it is important to determine whether their energy is getting stuck or is deficient. I develop a customized treatment to address their specific needs and restore the balance of energy. This might involve acupuncture needles, ear seeds, qigong exercises, and diet and lifestyle advice.

 

Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you? I’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email me through our website or call or text 910-622-4269.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she provides acupuncture and Chinese medicine treatments in Wilmington, NC. Click this link to read more about Ericca. 

 

About HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine in Wilmington, NC

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is an acupuncture and Chinese medicine practice located in Wilmington, NC just minutes from beautiful Wrightsville Beach. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.