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Telehealth now available to patients in North Carolina

Telehealth in North Carolina

HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine is now offering Telehealth in North Carolina

People often ask me, “How can you practice acupuncture and Chinese medicine in North Carolina through Telehealth? What do you do when you can’t use needles?” People are surprised to learn that Chinese medicine covers much more than acupuncture. Telehealth is a great option for someone who is scared of needles or reluctant to try acupuncture. One of the techniques used during a Telehealth session is acupressure. Acupressure is the application of gentle pressure to acupressure points. Many people don’t know that acupressure can be just as effective as using needles on acupuncture points. It is easy to learn and do.

 

Telehealth is a great option for people who cannot or do not want to leave their home. This is beneficial to parents when childcare is not available, and they don’t have an option to leave the house. Sometimes personal protective equipment is not available, and people don’t feel safe leaving their homes. With Telehealth, you do not need to go into an office. Instead, you relax comfortably in your own home during a session. Another benefit of Telehealth is that patients can be located anywhere in North Carolina. You don’t have to travel to Wilmington. You can still get a customized treatment without leaving your home.

 

How it works

All you need is a computer, tablet or phone, and an internet connection. Just like in an office session, we’ll go through a comprehensive health history. This includes the medications and supplements you are taking, and previous and current conditions. We’ll discuss your primary concerns and goals.

 

Patients send me a picture of their tongue and ears before their appointment. This sounds weird, and it is! It’s also really easy to do. The pictures give me a lot of information about what is going on in the body.

 

When I review tongue pictures, I look at the size, shape, color, and qualities of the tongue. The tongue shows the status of  the major organs in the body. Looking at the tongue gives insight into how the organs are processing energy.

 

The ear is a microcosm of the body. This means that the different areas of the ear represent all of the parts of the body. For example, issues with the head can be seen on the earlobe. When I review ear pictures, I look for areas of redness, swelling, and dark or white patches. Recently, when reviewing ear pictures, I noticed markings on a patient’s ear that coincide with lower back pain. The patient had not mentioned lower back pain. During our appointment, I asked them if they had any trouble with their lower back. The answer was a surprised “Yes!” Patients are often amazed at what I am able to see just by looking at the ears.

 

Finally, I can also see what’s going on in your body by examining your face over the camera during a Telehealth session. Chinese face reading and facial diagnosis can be a very powerful tool. Various colorings, markings, and lines can give clues about overall health and what’s going on in the body.

 

Telehealth can help with many health concerns

The Telehealth sessions I offer can address many of the conditions commonly treated with acupuncture. This includes pain, headaches, digestive, respiratory, dermatological, neurological, reproductive and sleep issues. Sessions are also very effective in supporting emotional well-being, including stress, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and addiction. Sessions can also focus on boosting immunity.

 

A customized treatment plan is developed during a Telehealth session. This may include acupressure, ear seeds, gua sha, moxa, qigong, as well as nutrition and lifestyle advice. Any tools needed are delivered or sent to the patient for home use. Detailed instructions are provided.

 

Available treatment modalities

Here’s a quick overview of the different modalities that are available:

  • Acupressure is the application of pressure to acupuncture points. This is done through gentle massage or tapping on acupuncture points.
  • Ear seeds are small seeds that are held to acupuncture points on the ear with adhesive tape. They can treat conditions throughout the entire body and often have a very calming and relaxing effect.
  • Gua sha is a gentle massage technique that incorporates a smooth-edged tool that stimulates blood flow, removes stagnation, improves circulation, produces an anti-inflammatory effect, and increases immunity to promote healing.
  • Moxa is a Chinese herb that is lit like incense. Moxa burns close to the surface of the skin and stimulates acupuncture points. It is a great tool for building immunity. It helps relieve pain, and also warms and encourages the flow of blood and “qi” (energy) in the body.
  • Qigong refers to gentle exercises that help smooth and strengthen the body’s energy.
    “Qi” means energy and “gong” means work. Qigong is a practice of working with the body’s energy.
  • Nutrition and lifestyle: We’ll discuss your current diet, exercise, stress-reduction and sleep habits. I’ll share advice on what foods may help balance your energy from a Chinese medicine perspective. I’ll give lifestyle recommendations to support you and your goals.

 

Telehealth for facial health and beauty

With so many offices and salons closed, people are excited to learn that facial procedures can easily be practiced at home. This includes lifting, toning and brightening the skin and minimizing wrinkles. I offer a facial gua sha protocol that I teach you during a Facial Gua Sha Telehealth session. I’ll give you instructions and the tools you need to practice at home. Read more about facial gua sha by clicking this link.

 

Are you located in North Carolina and interested in Telehealth? Call 910-622-4269 to learn more.

 

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. HAVEN now offers Telehealth in North Carolina. Click this link for contact information and directions. Click this link for a listing and description of services offered.

How Acupuncture and Ear Seeds help PTSD

PTSD treatment acupuncture ear seeds

PTSD treatment with acupuncture and ear seeds

Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a condition that can occur after a person experiences or witnesses a traumatic event. Triggers can cause the event to be relived. This can create intense emotional and / or physical reactions that can be debilitating. Many people who have PTSD experience anxiety, fear, anger, agitation, difficulty concentrating and / or sleeping. In other words, PTSD can have a profound impact on body, mind and spirit. Acupuncture and ear seeds can be an effective treatment for PTSD.

One of the best treatments I’ve found for PTSD involves auriculotherapy, or ear acupuncture. The external ear contains a microcosm of the body, and all of the parts of the body can be accessed through acupuncture points on the ear. There are six specific points that were researched and tested by a team of doctors that have proven to be beneficial when using auriculotherapy to treat PTSD. The points are as follows: hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, point zero, and shen men. The majority of these points directly affect specific parts of the brain.

 

Acupuncture points can help balance and heal the brain and help PTSD

The hypothalamus point balances the autonomic nervous system and calms the overexcited sympathetic nervous system. The amygdala point is also referred to as the “irritability point” and calms the emotions. The hippocampus point helps with memories, specifically, the ability to distinguish old memories from current events. The prefrontal cortex helps you take “right action” on thoughts. Point zero, which is located at the center of the ear, helps bring the body, mind and spirit to homeostasis or balance. Finally, shen men is a point that calms stress, anxiety, and pain.

While these six points can be stimulated with acupuncture needles during an acupuncture treatment, I prefer to apply ear seeds to these points. I am a huge fan of ear seeds. I love that they give the patient something physical to work with after they leave my office. Ear seeds are literally just that – seeds that applied to the ear. The type of ear seeds that I use most contain small black seeds from the vaccaria plant. These seeds are the perfect shape and size to activate acupuncture points on the ear. The seeds are held to the points with small squares of adhesive tape and look like tiny Band-Aids. They also come in different finishes like Swarovski crystal if you want some sparkle in your ears.

 

How ear seeds work and help PTSD

Ear seeds stimulate acupuncture points by exerting a gentle pressure from the adhesive tape. They can also be pressed with the fingers to provide stronger stimulation as needed. For example, if you are wearing ear seeds and you start to experience anxiety, you can press on the ear seeds with your fingers to get some quick relief. Ear seeds can be worn in the shower and left in place for up to five days in a row.

It’s important to work with your doctor to make sure that you have the proper diagnosis and treatment options for PTSD, and acupuncture and ear seeds can be a great addition to your toolkit.

 

About the Author

Ericca Burke is the owner of HAVEN Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine where she treats patients with PTSD with acupuncture and ear seeds 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.