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Acupuncture for painful periods

painful period

Background on painful periods

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can be a great support for painful periods. This condition is called dysmenorrhea. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists shares that more than half of women who menstruate have some pain for 1 to 2 days each month. For some women, this pain can be mild. But for other women, the pain can be so severe that it keeps them from doing their normal activities for several days a month or more. Women have many options to get support for dysmenorrhea. One of those options is acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

 

Why acupuncture and Chinese medicine are a great option for supporting painful periods

Here are some of the many reasons why acupuncture and Chinese medicine are a great option for supporting dysmenorrhea:

  • It is oldest recorded medicine and is thousands of years old
  • It focuses on whole body wellness
  • It takes a holistic approach – body, mind, and spirit
  • An emotional or mental event is just as important as a physical one
  • It focuses on the individual
  • It is complementary to other healing modalities, including western medicine, massage, chiropractic, therapy, and others

 

Getting to the root cause

When I’m working with a patient who has painful periods, it’s important to understand the root cause. Chinese medicine is individualized. There is no one size fits all treatment strategy. For example, we might have five women experiencing painful periods. But each one may be experiencing pain for very different reasons, and it’s important to understand why and what’s going on with each woman at a foundational level so I can understand the root cause and give her the specific support she needs.

 

I ask a lot of questions about menstrual cycles, including:

  • Average cycle length
  • How many days of bleeding
  • The quality of the blood (color, thickness)
  • Where is the pain, how many days does it last, and when in the cycle does it occur
  • Are there any premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or post-menstrual symptoms that are noteworthy
  • Is there spotting before or after the period
  • Has the patient had any diagnoses of cysts, endometriosis, fibroids, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

 

Diagnosing from a Chinese medicine perspective

In addition to the menstrual cycle questions that I shared above, I ask questions about all facets of the patient’s overall health, health history, and lifestyle. I start to form an opinion on the root cause of the pain, and then when I see the patient in my office, I also feel their pulses and look at their tongue. This gives me additional insight into what is going on in their body.

 

Dysmenorrhea can result from a number of different kinds of disruptions to the body’s energetic pathways and energy flow. For example, painful periods often result from qi stagnation, cold stagnation, or blood stagnation. Qi refers to energy, or life force. We have channels of energy that flow through our bodies just like we have arteries and veins. One thing that’s key for optimal health and wellbeing is the free and smooth flow of qi. When our qi stagnates, pain can result. Additionally, if we have too much cold energy in our body, in particular in the uterus, the accumulation of cold can result in painful periods. I gather all of this information to create a diagnosis to treat the root cause and balance the patient’s energy so that their body can then heal itself and restore smooth menstrual cycles.

 

Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you with painful periods? If so, 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.

 

Enhance your vitality this spring

enhance your vitality

Spring is a great time to enhance your vitality

This is the time of year when many people are feeling a little off. They may experience allergy symptoms, headaches, irritability, or even problems with muscles, tendons and ligaments. Women might have menstrual or fertility issues, and people may find it more difficult to make decisions. Are you sighing more than usual? This may be your body’s way of releasing stagnant liver qi. “Qi” is the Chinese word that means life force or energy. Spring is a great time to support your liver and gallbladder and enhance your vitality.

 

In Chinese medicine, the organs are associated with phases or elements. The liver and gallbladder are the organs that belong to the wood element which is dominant in the spring.  Often, symptoms that people experience 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 Traditional Chinese Medicine calls these the five 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, summer further divides 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) 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, as seen in the falling leaves from the 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 spring affects the liver and gallbladder

As I shared earlier, the liver is the organ that is associated with the wood element and spring. In Chinese medicine, the gallbladder is paired with the liver, and it is also part of the wood phase or element. Like the new shoots of growth in plants, similarly, our energy rises up in the spring. When too much energy rises up too quickly, we can get headaches and feel irritable.

 

When this uprising energy gets stuck or is not balanced, we can experience issues with our muscles, tendons and ligaments. For example, this is often a time of year when people experience knee problems. When the liver energy is not flowing smoothly, it can also result in PMS symptoms or fertility issues.

 

The eyes are the sensory organ associated with the liver. This is a time of year where people frequently experience itchy, red, painful eyes or blurred vision.

 

Sometimes the energy of these organs can be deficient, and people may experience twitching in their muscles, or find that they have trouble making decisions or gathering the energy to move forward in life.

 

 

Support your liver and enhance your vitality this spring

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 rising up too quickly, 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 enhance your vitality this spring? If so, 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.

Acupuncture for Menopause

acupuncture for menopause

Background on acupuncture for menopause

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine can be a great support for menopause. The National Institute on Aging defines menopause as a point in time 12 months after a woman’s last period.  The time leading up to and after that event is called perimenopause. It typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. During this time, women can experience a variety of symptoms including hot flashes, palpitations, digestive issues, insomnia, and mood changes.  Women have many options to get support during this important life change. One of those options is acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

 

Why acupuncture and Chinese medicine are a great option for supporting menopause

Here are some of the many reasons why acupuncture and Chinese medicine are a great option for supporting menopause:

  • It is oldest recorded medicine and is thousands of years old
  • It focuses on whole body wellness rather than the treatment of or fighting a disease or painful condition
  • It takes a holistic approach – body, mind, and spirit
  • An emotional or mental event is just as important as a physical one
  • It focuses on the individual
  • It is complementary to other healing modalities, including western medicine, massage, chiropractic, therapy, and others

 

A holistic and individualized perspective

An important facet of Chinese medicine is that all signs and symptoms are understood in relationship to the others. In western medicine, you’re likely to get prescribed different medications for each of your symptoms, and perhaps referrals to various specialists. In Chinese medicine, the symptoms often relate to underlying patterns of disharmony that can be addressed as a whole.

 

Additionally, Chinese medicine is individualized. There is no one size fits all treatment strategy For example, we might have five women experiencing hot flashes. But each one may be experiencing hot flashes for very different reasons, and it’s important to understand why and what’s going on with each woman at a foundational level so we can understand the root cause and give her the specific support she needs.

 

Yin and yang in relation to menopause

One of the most fundamental concepts in Chinese medicine is yin and yang. Yin is nurturing, cooling energy. Yang is warming, quick energy. They complement each other and are defined in comparison to one another.

 

When yin and yang are out of balance, disorder and discomfort can arise. I see this often in patients going through menopause. Typically, they have an excess of yang energy and a deficiency of yin energy. The yin energy is needed to hold down the yang energy. When there is not enough yin, it does not adequately hold down the yang, and hot quick energy flows upward in the body. In other words, a hot flash.

 

Why does this happen, you might ask? Well, it can be quite simple. Women today have a lot of responsibilities. We do it all. We take care of everyone and everything. We’re also rewarded by how productive we can be, how many accomplishments we can have, how many plates we can juggle.  That is all yang energy. Most of us are not balancing this with yin activities, like resting, meditating, quiet stretching. Too much yang, and not enough yin.

 

Qi and menopause

Another important concept in Chinese medicine is qi. Qi refers to energy, or life force. Qi is running through our body, and in particular, in what are called channels or meridians. We have channels of energy that flow through our bodies just like we have arteries and veins. One thing that’s key for optimal health and wellbeing is the free and smooth flow of qi. When our qi stagnates, dis-ease can result. An injury can cause stagnation of qi, for example, a broken bone, a cut, or stitches.

 

An interesting emotional situation that can cause qi to stagnate is when we feel mentally stuck. Have you even been in a situation where you feel like you have no ability to change it, and no outlet for your frustration? That kind of stuck mental feeling is a reflection of qi stagnation.  How about feeling like you have no down time, are you always behind, running late, don’t have enough time to do all that you need or want to do? That’s also what qi stagnation feels like.

 

One of the things I like most about Chinese medicine is that if focuses on optimizing the flow of energy so that they body can heal itself. The body has innate wisdom and knows what it needs to be healthy. When our energy is not balanced, disharmony, illness, and pain can result. Chinese medicine helps restore the smooth flow so the body can focus on healing itself.

 

Aging beautifully

As we age, what we look like changes. It can be unsettling.  It can even be scary. As we enter this phase of life, some of us may question our worth, our value, or our purpose. Our intrinsic beauty and wisdom that is emerging may not be obvious to us.

 

How we look, and more importantly, how we feel about how we look, can have a big impact on how we feel about ourselves. It’s ok, and normal, to want to be the best version of ourselves and to want to enhance and maximize our beauty.  That can be an important part of self-care. Some of us might consider face lifts, botox, injectables, and things of that nature. Others may want to do those things but are concerned about the invasiveness and possible side effects of those procedures.

 

Light therapy is a wonderful non-invasive way to enhance your natural beauty. Light therapy is the use of specific wavelengths of light to produce therapeutic benefits. The light we have at HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese medicine has red, blue and yellow lights which provide a number of benefits, that include things like stimulating collagen production that helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles, healing acne and skin conditions like eczema and rosacea. It does not have any UV rays and in fact helps heal sun damage. It can also stimulate hair growth. You can read more about light therapy in my blog The benefits of light therapy.

 

Relaxation is key

Another thing to consider is relaxation. Chinese face readers say that when we get to be in our middle ages, our faces reflect what we think and feel. Relaxation is a key to good health, beauty, and menopause. Relaxation is the ultimate way to nurture and increase your yin energy to balance that busy yang energy. Consistency is important. Ideally, something you do every day for yourself, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Want to know more and get some ideas? Read my blog on Healing yourself with the relaxation response.

 

Ear seeds for menopause

Ear seeds can also be very helpful for menopause. An ear seed is a small sphere placed on an acupuncture point on the surface of the ear. Adhesive tape holds the ear seed in place. It works by exerting a gentle pressure on the acupuncture point. A patient can wear ear seeds for up to five days. They are a great way to continue treatment at home. Ear seed kits are also available for people who are afraid of needles. You can learn more about ear seeds in my blog All about ear seeds and auriculotherapy.

 

Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you with menopause? If so, 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.

What acupuncture can treat – it may surprise you!

acupuncture can treat

I had no idea that acupuncture can treat all that!

People often ask me what acupuncture can treat. They are usually surprised by my response. I tell them that acupuncture can treat almost anything that is causing someone to feel unwell. That is, except for life threatening or acute conditions like a heart attack, stroke, or severe bleeding. In those cases, I advise a prompt trip to the emergency room. So, why would I make such a broad statement about acupuncture? Acupuncture and Chinese medicine focus on identifying where the body’s energy flow needs support. If a person’s energy is blocked, excessive or deficient, then pain, discomfort, and illness can result.  Acupuncture and Chinese medicine help restore the optimal flow of energy so the body can heal itself. Therefore, it is effective in helping with a multitude of challenges people face.

 

Examples of conditions that acupuncture can treat

Dermatological

  • Acne
  • Eczema
  • Pruritus
  • Psoriasis
  • Rosacea
  • Rashes / hives
  • Dryness
  • Swelling
  • Wrinkles
  • Sagging skin

Digestive

  • Heartburn
  • Acid Reflux
  • Bloating
  • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
  • Chronic indigestion
  • Diarrhea
  • Constipation
  • Hemorrhoids
  • Peptic ulcer
  • Acute and chronic gastritis
  • Morning sickness
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Side effects of chemotherapy

ENT / Respiratory Pain

  • Sinusitis
  • Colds / Flu
  • Cough
  • Allergies / wheezing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sore throat
  • Hearing issues
  • Tinnitus
  • Symptoms from long COVID

A note on allergies – people are surprised to learn that acupuncture can even treat the “red meat allergy” to alpha gal, where someone is not able to consume red meat or products containing alpha galactose. You can read more about the treatment for the alpha gal allergy in my blog How auricular acupuncture can help the alpha gal allergy.

 

 Mental & Emotional Wellbeing

  • Stress
  • Anxiety, palpitations
  • Insomnia
  • Depression
  • Grief, healing from trauma
  • Weight loss / loss of appetite
  • Smoking cessation
  • Addiction

Neurological

  • Dizziness
  • Vertigo
  • Vision issues
  • Twitches, tics, tremors
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Trigeminal neuralgia
  • Bell’s palsy
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Recovery from stroke

Pain

  • Sports injuries
  •  Muscle pain and cramps
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Sciatica
  • Back, neck and shoulder pain
  • Leg, ankle and foot pain
  •  Arm, wrist and hand pain
  • Knee pain
  • Hip pain
  • Tennis Elbow
  • Repetitive strain injuries
  • Jaw pain (TMJ)
  • Dental pain
  • Arthritis
  • Tendonitis
  • Myofascial pain
  • Headaches and migraines
  • Eye pain
  • Postoperative pain
  • Cold hands / feet

Reproductive / Genitourinary

  • Menstrual issues
  • Fertility
  • Menopause
  • Hot flashes / night sweats
  • Incontinence

 

Articles about what acupuncture can treat

Here are links to articles from the Mayo Clinic,  Johns Hopkins Medicine, and the Cleveland Clinic that describe conditions that acupuncture can help.

Want to talk about how acupuncture and Chinese medicine can help you? We’d love to hear from you. Reach out and email us through our website or call or text us at 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.

 

Support your liver this spring

support your liver

How to support your liver this spring

This is the time of year when many people start feeling a little off, whether they are experiencing allergy symptoms, headaches, irritability, or problems with muscles, tendons and ligaments. Women might have menstrual or fertility issues, and people may find it more difficult to make decisions. Are you sighing more than usual? This may be your body’s way of releasing stagnant liver qi. “Qi” is the Chinese word that means life force or energy. Spring is a great time to support your liver.

 

It’s “liver time”! In Chinese medicine, the organs are associated with phases or elements, and the liver belongs to the wood element which is dominant in the spring. I share that the symptoms they are experiencing align 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. In Chinese medicine, summer is further divided 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) 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, as seen in the falling leaves from the trees. The soil is enriched with the compost from the dead leaves 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 liver and gallbladder are affected in the spring

As I shared earlier, the liver is the organ that is associated with the wood element and spring. In Chinese medicine, the gallbladder is paired with the liver, and it is also part of the wood phase or element. Like the new shoots of growth in plants, similarly, our energy rises up in the spring. When too much energy rises up too quickly, we can get headaches and feel irritable.

 

When this uprising energy gets stuck or is not balanced, we can experience issues with our muscles, tendons and ligaments. For example, this is often a time of year when people experience knee problems. When the liver energy is not flowing smoothly, it can also result in PMS symptoms or fertility issues.

 

The eyes are the sensory organ associated with the liver. This is a time of year where people frequently experience itchy, red, painful eyes or blurred vision.

 

Sometimes the energy of these organs can be deficient, and people may experience twitching in their muscles, or find that they have trouble making decisions or gathering the energy to move forward in life.

 

 

Support your liver so you can stay healthy this spring

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 rising up too quickly, 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 stay healthy this spring? 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.