Protect Your Neck with Acupuncture

necks

How is your neck feeling these days? There is no getting around it; necks are fragile structures and neck pain is a common complaint in our office. Regardless of statistics, there are very few adults who could honestly say they have never felt a twinge of pain in their neck. Much of this pain is a manifestation of muscle strain, ligament injury and nerve compression, all of which respond well to the treatment modalities we offer at Community Chiropractic and Acupuncture in Park Slope. While treatment depends on personal preference, I would like to give you some reasons why acupuncture is a viable and extremely effective method of treatment for neck pain. 

Western medicine is successful in many cases relating to neck pain, but there are chronic conditions that continue to elude more widely accepted methods in the US. With acupuncture, we use the insertion of needles to stimulate specific points of the body, creating a therapeutic effect. As a natural pain-killer, it is immensely effective: by stimulating endorphin release, the pain is masked. Furthermore, it inhibits the nervous system from sending pain signals to the brain. We focus on stopping the pain first, so that we can use other modalities, including chiropractic adjustment, to improve range of motion and reduce inflammation. 

Chronic neck pain is a blight on anyone’s life. Treating with over-the-counter medication is only scraping the surface. If you are looking to find the cause of your persistent pain and start treating it naturally, give our office in Park Slope a call.

Dr. Karen Thomas, D.C. 

Acupuncture for the Relief of Arthritis Symptoms

acupuncture

Essentially a family of conditions involving chronic inflammation and stiffness in the joints, arthritis prevalence is on the rise in the United States. According to the CDC, by the year 2040, some 78 million adults 18 years and older will be affected by some form of doctor-diagnosed arthritis. As there is no clear cure, there are naturally myriad remedies on offer, ranging from medication to lifestyle adjustment to specific dieting and exercise. At Community Chiropractic & Acupuncture, we offer another dimension to the arsenal against arthritis: acupuncture. 

Acupuncture is a particularly potent natural pain-killer. By stimulating the body’s release of endorphins, our brain’s natural pain threshold is heightened. This pain-masking effect is further enhanced because it inhibits the body’s ability to send pain signals to the brain through the nervous system. The fundamental benefit of acupuncture is that it provides these bonuses with minimal feasible downside, as compared with pharmaceutical and over-the-counter medication. Furthermore, we can combine acupuncture with chiropractic adjustment to effect great improvements in joint mobility. 

While there is no distinct cure for arthritis, the addition of acupuncture can be used to great effect within the framework of your already-established pain management plan. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you to create a plan for living beyond your arthritis pain. 

Dr. Karen Thomas, D.C. 

Acupuncture for Anxiety

feeling great

Acupuncture is a natural remedy for anxiety. Typical treatments for anxiety include interfacing with a therapist and anxiety medication which comes with unascertainable side effects to the individual. Each of these is effective in their own right, but a natural alternative to consider is acupuncture. While it may not be for everyone, we have found great success in easing the severity of anxiety symptoms with acupuncture. 

Acupuncture works by dealing with the roots of anxiety. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, anxiety would arise as the body’s response to an interference in the flow of energy, or Qi. It also makes sense from a traditional perspective: factors, both within our control and without, can affect our emotional health: injury and stress, poor dieting, and environmental changes are the most common. Chronically high stress levels often lead to serious health issues, especially down the road. At Community Chiropractic & Acupuncture, we want to help you in the fight against stress, to help you preserve a more quality lifestyle. 

An acupuncture treatment for anxiety involves the insertion of thin needles with the desired end result to stimulate the body’s production of painkilling chemicals and to stimulate the region of the brain that controls emotion. With the needles, we attempt to restore balance of Qi in the body, freeing you of pain and allowing you to feel less stress. It is not as far-fetched as it sounds: many people are finding great relief with acupuncture for anxiety. Give our office in Park Slope a call at (7180 398-3100. 

Dr. Karen Thomas, D.C.

 

Acupuncture to Reduce Inflammation

happy pig

Inflammation is problematic: while it is a crucial element of the body’s healing response, it can evolve to a point whereby it serves no purpose other than to create illness and irritation. At Community Chiropractic & Acupuncture, we are familiar with the kind of stress that is added to life when chronic inflammation is present. It can leave us stiff and sore, and is linked to diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. It is important to get a proper diagnosis which differentiates the back pain between inflammatory and mechanical. From here, we have a number of modalities which can reduce pain and improve the suffering from chronic inflammation.

Acupuncture is one of them: in Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are points that correspond to the elements: water, fire, earth, metal and wood. When a patient comes in with inflammation, we select water points along meridians that correspond to the location of pain. These have been shown to be especially effective in fighting back against inflammation. Furthermore, acupuncture stimulates the body’s production of cortisol, a hormone that is known to reduce inflammation.

Don’t let chronic inflammation define your daily existence! Begin fighting back today by calling our office in Park Slope at (718) 398-3100 and scheduling an appointment. We offer you acupuncture and chiropractic treatment modalities that can truly reduce your pain and help you live a life of less pain.

Dr. Karen Thomas, D.C.