Acupuncture News

Great news in acupuncture study, but poor conclusion.

2010-03-08T09:50:00.002-06:00

Pregnancy: Some Depression Relief, Without Drugs

The big win in this study is that it shows that acupuncture was used choosing points specifically targeted at depression and it worked, better than massage and better than points chosen at random. However, the lead author's conclusion was that, "results suggested that some symptoms of depression during pregnancy might be related to physical discomfort that is alleviated by acupuncture."

Really, you choose points for depression and anxiety but they work on pain? Could it be that maybe those points worked as predicted and don't require falling back to the old acupuncture analgesia response? Maybe.

Austin American Statesman Article on Cedar Fever Remedy

2010-01-14T10:56:00.001-06:00

Herbalogic got a mention in the Austin American Statesmen today with its Easy Breather as a Cedar Fever Remedy. We are happy to see this as it is very helpful for the worst of the symptoms people suffer.

Stop worrying about your health

2010-01-08T11:56:00.005-06:00

Chalk up one more thing to worry about this year, now you can worry about worrying too much. It turns out that worrying about your health can actually be as bad for you as a lot of the things you are worrying about.

The researchers who wrote this report (can't find the darn link) said that most people are healthier than they think they are and there is no such thing as optimal health. Being underweight can be as bad for you as being overweight and that there is such a thing as too much exercise. They reported that in terms of overall mortality you are better off to be a couple of pounds heavy. They say that moderation is the key. It is more important to control how much you eat than to control what you eat. A couple of 20 minute walks with the dog are better for you than one long run a week and people tend to downplay carrying kids and groceries and mowing lawns as not exercise, when they are perfectly good activity.

Dave's 5 tips to better health: (except there are really 7)

1. Breathe
Try to take 1 minute a day to close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply. Even as little as 60 seconds can help engage your parasympathetic nervous system and help reduce stress. If you like this, do it often.
2. Move
You can run or walk around the lake if that suits you but the most important way to exercise is to PLAY. Do something functional like ride your bike to work. Look into adult education for things like dodgeball, or ultimate frisbee, have fun, play with your dog, run around be silly.
3. Drink
lots of water and moderate amounts of wine and dark beer (those seem to be the best for you)
4. Eat
You can use Michael Pollan's advice of, "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants" by food, of course, he means not processed food, real food. Eat a hamburger and fries, just don't do it every day. What is really important is to be engaged in the food you eat. Cook something at home that just makes your mouth water and enjoy every bite.
5. Sleep
You don't have to get 8 hours a day. Get what is right for you, but try to get it consistently.
6. Learn
Never stop learning- it makes your brain last longer. Research has shown that middle aged brains do better when we learn by challenging our long held beliefs. If you are a hard core atheist, start talking to people of faith, you don't have to change your mind just open it. Certainly that example works in reverse too.
7. Socialize.
Number of close friends is a consistent marker for longevity. Make note, these are face to face friends, not facebook friends.

New Practice Space

2010-01-07T09:27:00.002-06:00

After all the drama that was Ann Kelso going out of business, I have finally landed in a great space. If anyone is interested-Barbara Kelso, the owner of Ann Kelso (confusing, I know) was evicted from her space on S. Congress for not paying rent. The sheriff literally told us to get our stuff and get out. Since I had hundreds of gallon glass jars full of herbs, it was impossible for me to get my stuff out and for the last two months the people at 04 developments have been really great in letting me keep my stuff there until I find a new home. In particular the property manager has been really understanding and I appreciate that a lot.

Duke Surgery Patients Benefit From Acupuncture During Anesthesia - Durham County - MyNC.com

2009-08-10T10:41:00.001-05:00

Duke Surgery Patients Benefit From Acupuncture During Anesthesia - Durham County - MyNC.com

Posted using ShareThis

Cholesterol and supplemements

2009-02-10T08:21:00.002-06:00

Two years ago I went to my MD for a physical and standard blood tests. My total cholesterol came back at a whopping 320 with triglycerides at over 700. Ouch. These are the sort of readings that make your doctor give you the concerned voice.

I didn't do anything about it for a long time, but recently thought it might be a good idea to try to get a handle on these sorts of things, in other words: be an adult about it.

So I did some research and started taking red yeast rice and Omega 3 fatty acids. About 6 months after that I had my blood drawn and tests done. Amazingly my total cholesterol is 191 and triglycerides are normal.

Red yeast rice is a natural form of Lovastatin. I would recommend RYR as a great first step instead of going on a drug company statin. If you have moderately high cholesterol and eat a sensible diet and get some exercise you may be able to bring your numbers down with a natural product that costs about $15/month and if you have private health insurance taking RYR should not make your premiums go up because it is a food. That would be like raising your rates because you are eating more fiber.

Acupuncture works better drugs for treating hotflashes.

2009-02-09T17:11:00.002-06:00

Turns out that what thousands of women already know has been the subject of a study conducted by researchers from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and presented at a meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.

Acupuncture works better and has fewer side effects than standard drug treatment. Oddly enough, this matches my findings in clinic perfectly. Some of the women who got the most relief were undergoing cosmetic facial rejuvenation acupuncture. Those patients were all thrilled when they saw a dramatic reduction in wrinkles and lost the night sweats and hot flashes.

More health care spending

2009-01-11T15:41:00.006-06:00

Here is a fun thing to do with this graph. Let's see what the annual per capita spending looks like over a life time. Let's take Japan first. The average lifespan is 81.5 according to this graph and they spend about 2,000 standardized international dollars. That comes to a lifetime cost of $163,000. Now lets take the US. Per capita annual spending $4,500 times 77 years $346,500. Finally we take Cuba with a life expectancy of 76ish and about $150 annual expenses. This comes to$11,400.

I'm encouaged by these numbers because they suggest to me that our spending is way out of line with our goals and those goals are being achieved around the world for much less money. This means that even some marginal changes in how we do things could have a big impact on our longevity.

Health costs around the world

2009-01-11T15:20:00.004-06:00

Here is a very interesting graph. Countries above and to the left of the line have lower per capita health care expenditures compared to average longevity. It looks like, from the line, that there seems to be a point where the gain from more money spent on health starts to produce smaller marginal to diminishing returns in life expectancy. You will notice that the United States us WAY below the line with the highest per capita expenditures and an estimated longevity of, well.... Cuba (who spends about 1/40 of what we spend) This, of course, assumes that the goal of healthcare spending is to produce longevity.

Herbalogic Testimonial

2009-01-10T13:21:00.004-06:00

My boyfriend and I both have been taking Herbalogic Easy Breather formula. We both suffer from seasonal allergies. I have had great results with the formula. I especially notice a difference in the morning on the first dose of the day. I haven't had to supplement with any over the counter allergy medications. My energy is higher, breathing and sinus headaches less frequent. My boyfriend suffers from sever allergies but the formula, in conjunction with his other medications has helped him to feel better and miss less work. I highly recommend it to anyone who lives in the Central Texas area.

MS

Shoulder Pain and Acupuncture.

2009-01-10T13:02:00.004-06:00

This points to another good reason to get in for two a week sessions. You get better results.

A recent trial in Sweden showed Acupuncture to be more efficient than traditional treatments such as Physio and Ultrasound. 85 adults, aged between 30 and 65, who were identified as having some form of shoulder impingement syndrome for at least 2 months were qualified for the study. Randomly they were allocated to receive Acupuncture or Physio.

The Acupuncture group received 10 treatment sessions over a 5 week period. The Physio group received ultrasound therapy twice a week over the same 5 weeks. Additionally, a home exercise program was regularly performed and logged by both groups. Testing of the patients at the end of the 5-week period demonstrated more rapid improvement in the Acupuncture group. And, while members of both groups continued to improve in tests conducted in the year to follow, the Acupuncture group continuously showed greater improvement.

Weight Loss & Stress Management Classes this Fall

2008-09-03T17:16:00.005-05:00

The Dragon's Way
Last month we held an informal session about the Dragon's Way - a weight loss and stress management program based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. The program includes simple qi gong movements, a diet designed to heal the digestive system, and herbs (optional) to balance the body. Our colleague, Meg Coons, will be holding 2 sessions this fall.

September 15 through October 20
Monday eves, 6:00 - 7:00pm
Harmony ~ Balance (next to Russell's Bakery)
3321 Hancock Dr.

October 7 through November 11

Tuesday eves, time to be determined

Academy of Oriental Medicine (Village shopping mall, next to Fuddruckers)

2700 W. Anderson Lane

Cost for the program is an introductory $99.00, regularly $199.00 and includes an audio CD of guided Qigong movements and meditation music. Checks or cash, please.

Please e-mail Meg at acumeg@hotmail.com for questions OR to register.

"Acupuncture May Ease Chronic Headaches"

2008-08-27T14:52:00.002-05:00

On the Today Show's website is an article posted about the effectiveness of acupuncture in managing chronic headaches. Check it out!

Heather in Las Vegas

2008-08-15T12:08:00.002-05:00

No one will be sadder than I am for Heather to leave our fair city and our business. I couldn't imagine having a better business partner or friend.

Our business would not be the same without the healing she brings to her patients, the zeal she can show (even for the less fun aspects of business) and her sense of humor even in the face of crisis.

I know that where ever Heather lands she will make good things happen for herself and all those around her. She will be missed by many and I put myself at the top of that list.

Dave

News from Heather

2008-08-13T09:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Many of you already know that this fall I will be relocating from Austin and New Braunfels to the Greater Las Vegas area. After living in Austin for over 7 years I have made some great friends and really have come to see this area as my home. I will miss everyone and all that Austin has to offer. However, with each life transition comes an opportunity to explore not only a new town and new ideas, but also to look inward and discover new facets of oneself. This is a very exciting time for me.

For my patients, past, present, and future, I wish to allay any of your fears because I will be leaving you in excellent hands. My business partner, David Jones, LAc, is not only an excellent acupuncturist and herbalist, but a gentle and compassionate person and friend. I trust him to do what is right for each of you. Dave and I both realize that for some of my patients a woman practitioner is preferable as is a location closer to home. I have a list of trusted practitioners in various locations. Please feel free to contact me for a list of these practioners.

I will be available to see patients through Saturday, October 4th.

It has been a pleasure and an honor to know each and every one of you. Thank you for entrusting me with your care.

Yours in health and kindness,

Heather Brookman, RN, LAc

Acupuncture Happy Hour in 1 Week!

2008-08-06T14:03:00.002-05:00

A Free Community Event

You're invited! AH!HA is pleased to present another Acupuncture Happy Hour! Join us for our special event from 6 to 8 PM at 3321 Hancock Drive in Austin, TX.. We, Heather and Dave, will help you sample acupuncture during the first hour followed by a presentation by a guest speaker or teacher. The purpose of these events is to expose the public to acupuncture and dispel any fear surrounding the therapy. Additionally we hope to provide information to newcomers and old friends on a variety of topics related to the wellbeing of the whole person. This month our guest presenter will be Meg Coons, LAc, who will talk about The Dragon's Way, which is a wellness program that utilizes simple qi gong movements in conjunction with nutritional guidance to promote a healthy and balanced body and mind. This program was originally designed for weight loss, but can also be used for a variety of problems such as stress, insomnia, and fatigue. Space is limited so please call us at 512 458 2442 or e-mail us at contact@ahha-clinic.com to reserve your space.

Meditation Resources from the July Acupuncture Happy Hour

2008-07-17T20:44:00.005-05:00

On Wednesday, July 16th we held yet another successful Acupuncture Happy Hour! Thank you to everyone who came and to Rebecca Warner-Hindman for speaking to the group about meditation. For those of you who were unable to attend, Rebecca was kind enough to lead the group in a short meditation and provided a list of references and local Austin resources where one can learn about meditation and/or meditate in a group setting. Below we have provided this list for you.

Book Suggestions

Start Where You are by Pema Chodron
Zen Mind Beginners Mind by Shunryu Suzuki Roshi
Turning the Mind into an Ally by Skayong Mipham Rinpoche
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Don't Just Do Something. . . by Sylvia Boorstein

Meditation Resources around Austin

Austin Zen Center - austinzencenter.org
Shambhala Center - austin.shambhala.org
Siddha Yoga Center - siddhayoga.org
Yoga Yoga - yogayoga.com
Chittamani Buddhist Center (added by AH!HA) - meditationinaustin.org

The above list is not exhaustive, but is a good starting point. There are numerous yoga studios around town - some are more geared toward meditation than others.

There are a number of ways to find meditation instruction and groups that are free to the public. An informal way to find others with similar interests is meetup.com. However there are regularly scheduled events around the city that are free.

Free Meditation Groups/Instruction in Austin

Shambhala Center has free instruction on Sundays and Wednesdays and free public meditation on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Visit the website for more details.

Siddha Yoga has a Saturday morning medition that appears to be free.

Master Li Junfeng leads Zhongtian Yiqi meditation every Sunday at 5pm in the Academy of Oriental Medicine at Austin dojo. No experience necessary. Zhongtian Yiqi is a non-moving qigong practice that trains the mind. As this practice quiets the mind, one is able to return to the Beginning - to connect with Heaven, Earth and all of humanity.

For those of you interested in meditation, we hope this serves as a good starting point.

In August we will be hosting yet another Acupuncture Happy Hour and this time our presenter will be Meg Coons, LAc., who will talk about the Dragon's Way which is a Wellness and Weight Loss Program based on Traditional Chinese Medicine Theory. For more information on the Dragon's Way please visit the Traditional Chinse Medicine World Foundation website. We will be posting more information soon.

Acupuncture being used as complement to anesthesia in surgery

2008-07-11T13:14:00.002-05:00

This is a good bit of video from a local Chicago newscast about the increasing use of acupuncture in hospital settings. It comes on the heels of, and mentions, some recent research that found that acupuncture, when used before and after surgery, can be amazingly helpful in lessening the amount of pain meds needed and thus reduce the side effects of those meds. Go watch it.

Acupuncture Happy Hour in July

2008-07-06T08:35:00.002-05:00

Acupuncture Happy Hour now with Meditation
Wednesday, July 16th
6-8 PM
Located in Shirley Norwood's Harmony~Balance Studio at 3321 Hancock Dr. Austin TX.

Austin Healing Herbs and Acupuncture will be hosting our 5th Acupuncture Happy Hour on Wednesday, July 16th from 6 to 8 PM. As always the first hour will be devoted to community style acupuncture, where acupuncture is delivered to participants in a group setting. The second hour is always devoted to a health and wellness topic that you can use at home. For this round, the topic is meditation and our guest presenter is Rebecca Warner-Hindman, LAc.

Rebecca began her meditation practice as a teenager and now has over 15 years of experience. Before studying Chinese Medicine, she received a bachelor's degree from Naropa Univeristy in comparative religion, with an emphasis in Buddhism which is heavily steeped in many forms of meditation. Additionally she volunteers with the Shambala Center in South Austin and has her own acupuncture practice in Pflugerville. Rebecca will talk about what meditation is, how it has been used throughout history, and the mental and physical health benefits one can receive from meditation. She will also guide participants in a simple form of meditation which can be used to begin a practice at home. Finally she will talk about the numerous resources in the City of Austin that offer more thorough meditation instruction.

There is no charge for this event and we would love it if you brought a family member or friend. Space is limited so please RSVP for this event by e-mailing us at contact@ahha-clinic.com or calling us at 512 458 2442.

What is alternative?

2008-07-02T19:58:00.002-05:00

The lines between different modalities keeps blurring and that is a good thing. Just today, I sent a patient to the ER because that is where she needed to be. I'm thankful for a couple things, that I had sufficient training in Western Medicine to recognize when things look bad and that Heather was in the clinic today. Had Heather not been in today, I still would have sent my patient to the MD, but it was great to be able to have access to her nursey knowledge to confirm my suspicions. Anyway, check out the Newsweek article that this post links to, I thought it was pretty interesting.

How Long Will It Take - The Million Dollar Question

2008-07-01T22:15:00.002-05:00

People have many concerns about acupuncture. Aside from "does it hurt?" I believe the most common question is "how many treatments will it take?" I really wish there was a set answer for this question and I'm pretty sure acupuncture would be a lot more popular if I could truthfully say "one treatment and you will be cured!" Alas, this is not the case at least 95% of the time. Answering the question "how long will it take" is not a simple as it seems.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which includes acupuncture, is based on the idea that energy and blood flows throughout the body. When our body is in harmony then a state of health exists. When our body is out of balance we begin to exhibit symptoms of distress ranging from the relatively benign, such as neck tension, to the extremely serious, cancer for example. Most of us fall somewhere in between and thankfully closer to the neck tension side of things. Acupuncture is used to correct these imbalances in the body by placing needles in specific places called acupuncture points. Correcting an imbalance involves correcting an underlying cause of a problem and this takes time. Yes, ibuprofen may take away a tension headache in 30 minutes, but it doesn't address the underlying imbalnce(s) that caused it.

You're still waiting to hear how long and I promise I am getting to it. Let's address acute vs. chronic imbalance. In general, it is much easier and faster to correct a condition where there is an excess of energy and blood than to correct a deficiency. And example of excess is acute pain, which is an imbalance of energy and blood becoming stuck in an area obstructing flow of energy and blood. Imagine a painful ankle sprain - the injury occurs and immediately swelling and shortly thereafter pain and bruising - congestion of energy and blood. In relatively few acupuncture treatments the pain and swelling will be greatly reduced. Now compare this to a poorly functioning thyroid gland. In this imbalance the body experiences a state of not enough energy flowing through the body resulting in fatigue and often weight gain. It takes a lot longer to correct a problem such as hypothyroidism - so one would need acupuncture over a long period of time. So excess conditions generally take less time while deficient conditions take longer.

Now it's time to address the goals of the patient. Let's use chronic low back pain as an example. If a patient comes in for acupuncture after he has experienced an acute flare up of this chronic low back pain the question becomes what does the patient hope to accomplish. Does he want to get over this flare up and get on with his life? Or is he willing to make the commitment to corrective care - correcting the underlying imbalance that allowed this flare up to occur? Or is he willing to go beyond even corrective care and engage in preventative maintenance? Most of the time patient's choose the first option, eventhough it's probably the least efficient and cost effective way of dealing with this problem over the long term. Many patients will cease treatment once the pain is gone, only to have to return and start all over again or perhaps decide on a more conventional and potentially costly route. Why does this happen? To be frank, it's because I did not do a good job at educating my patient. Really, the best and most cost effective care an acupuncturist can give her patient is over the continuum of acute, corrective, and preventative care.

So the million dollar answer to the million dollar question is - it depends. It depends on whether the problem is excess or deficient. It also depends on whether the patient tends to be robust or frail. And it depends on the goals of the patient. In my experience and that of many of my colleagues one or two treatments is almost never enough. Somtimes it takes several treatments before a patient experiences a change in their condition (this to be addressed in a future commentary). If the patient has acute pain and that's all they intend on correcting then I'm going to have to ballpark it at about 5 treatments over 10 days to 2 weeks. For more chronic conditions and corrective care it's going to take more time. In most clinical studies showing positive results for acupuncture, the patients are treated 2-3 times per week for 5-6 weeks. That's 10 treatments minimum. In my own clinical experience, those patients who are committed to at least 10 treatments tend to either see longer lasting results or are pleased with their progress and decide to continue treatment toward a preventative maintenance program.

I hope I was able to clear up this question in a somewhat satisfactory manner. The above information is merely meant to serve as a guideline and should not be taken as a rule or a guarantee of results. However, before a treatment plan is devised the acupuncturist should ask and the patient should make clear what her goals are and what level of commitment she is willing to make toward her recovery.

Acupuncture: Does It hurt.?

2008-06-27T23:28:00.003-05:00

Many people are hesitant to try acupuncture. Some are skeptical about it's merits and others are worried about the cost of time and money. There are many concerns and we will address them over time. But today I'd like to address what is probably the most common concern: does it hurt?

Acupuncture doesn't hurt. That is to say that it doesn't hurt like stubbing your toe or a migraine or after surgery or that nagging neck or low back pain that led to thinking about acupuncture in the first place. It doesn't even hurt like getting your blood drawn or even as much as accidentally pricking your finger. However, you will probably feel something - something that, at it's worst, is more like a mild mosquito bite. Acupuncture needles are hair thin and designed to cause minimal discomfort. Many acupuncturists use a guide tube to "tap" the needle past the most sensitive areas of the skin as quickly as possible. In most cases after the initial sensation patients are unable to tell that they still have needles in and are able to reach a state of deep relaxation. Many people are surprised to find that they fall asleep (I actually consider snoring a compliment).

Another way to think about acupuncture is that it can't hurt - it is well known that acupuncture is virtually side effect free. Occasionally a patient experiences an ache at the needle insertion site or sustains a small bruise - both of which are temporary and non life-threatening. Some people do feel a little dizzy afterwards, but this sensation is preventable by coming to an appointment with some food and fluids on board. The fact that acupuncture is so safe should make it an attractive complement or alternative to more conventional treatment.

And finally, acupuncture can't hurt - if you've already tried multiple medications and therapies without success or desire to find help in a more gentle and natural way, there's really nothing to lose and so much more to gain. Acupuncture has been used effectively for thousands of years and is gaining popularity among patients and respect in the conventional medicine community. Research has shown acupuncture as an effective therapy not only for pain, for a large number of other common problems such as anxiety, insomnia, depression, fatigue, and digestive imbalance to name a few.

If you have any questions about whether acupuncture might work for you email us at contact@ahha-clinic.com or call us at 512-458-2442. Part of our job is to advise you whether we think you benefit from treatment.

Additionally, it you have any concerns you would like us to address on our site, please e-mail us at contact@ahha-clinic.com.

Yours in Health,

Heather Brookman, RN, LAc

Need to Get Some Zzzzzzzs - Try Acupuncture!

2008-06-25T11:03:00.006-05:00

When people come to our clinic we ask "How are you sleeping?" and we ask the question regardless of whether our patient's main concern is insomnia or not. The reason for this is that our bodies need adequate sleep not only to function day to day in the world, but also to repair at the cellular level. During deep sleep our immune system kicks into high gear to clean up bacteria and potentially harmful cells that our own body makes. No sleep = poor healing. Millions of Americans have some difficulty with sleeping. Either we can't fall asleep easily or we wake several times during the night for no apparent reason, or we've always been "light sleepers". According to a report published in the February 2004 issue of the Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences (1) acupuncture is promising as a method of combating insomnia. In this small study each patient received acupuncture 2 times per week for 5 weeks. The results showed a decreased time in falling asleep, improvement in maintaining sleep, and a longer duration of stage 3 deep sleep. By the conclusion of the study most patients experienced decreased day time fatigue and anxiety.

(1) D. Warren Spence, M.A., Leonid Kayumov, Ph.D., DABSM, Adam Chen, Ph.D., Alan Lowe, M.D., Umesh Jain, M.D., Martin A. Katzman, M.D., Jianhua Shen, M.D., Boris Perelman, Ph.D. and Colin M. Shapiro, MBBCh, Ph.D., FRCP(C) Acupuncture Increases Nocturnal Melatonin Secretion and Reduces Insomnia and Anxiety: A Preliminary Repor, Journal of Neurospsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, February 2004.

Another UT Informal Class

2008-06-12T11:56:00.002-05:00

Tell all your friends that Chinese Medicine for Home Use is a can't miss! Starting June 26th and running for just 3 sessions we are going to bring some of the secrets of Chinese Medicine home. We will cover which basic herbs to have on hand in your medicine cabinet, simple ways to perform scraping and cupping and when they should be used. We will even teach a great Shiatsu routine that can relax and invigorate. For more information visit www.informalclasses.org.

AH!HA proudly stocking Herbalogic

2008-06-11T08:33:00.003-05:00

Herbalogic's concentrated herb drops are now available at AH!HA. This locally owned and fully licensed company uses the most natural ingredients possible to create 5 products for common American maladies.

Deep Sleeper is based on an ancient Chinese formula with slight modification for increased effectiveness in promoting sleep.

Easy Breather is used to help prevent and treat allergies and was specially formulated for allergy sufferers in the Hill Country area.

Decompress is based on an ancient Chinese formula that is so effective for stress and tension that it needed no modification. It is also effective for treating irregular periods and PMS.

Peak Power is a formula designed by Herbalogic's Senior Adviser to improve energy. This formula is not a stimulant, but rather it provides the body with the tools to create sustained energy over long periods of time. It can also be used by athletes or those who plan on spending time at high altitude.

Back in Action is based on a lost Shaolin Monk formula. These monks would use a formula similar to this one to recover from the aches and pains of intensive training. This formula can be used for recovery from many kinds of musculo-skeletal injury.

If you are interested in more information about any of these products please call us at 512 458 2442.

World Wellness Weekend & The Remarkable Women's Conference

2008-06-11T08:24:00.004-05:00

Once again, AH!HA was at both World Wellness Weekend and the Remarkable Women's Conference - only this year they occurred on back to back weekends. Phew! Now that the conferences are over it's time to recognize and give thanks to the organizers of both, who put forth hours and hours of time and effort to make each weekend a great experience for vendors and participants alike. Additionally, we would like to thank all of those who stopped by our booths to talk with us about acupuncture and herbs. Anyone who entered our drawing is eligible for a free consultation in our clinic as well as 10 treatments for $499 - HUGE savings! Call us at 512 458 2442 to set up your appointment.

Adrenal Fatigue

2008-05-21T15:06:00.002-05:00

If you seem to have more responsibility than you can handle, can't get going in the morning without coffee, crave and eat a lot of carbs, need a nap during the day, and stay up until the wee hours because you're too wound up, then you might have some trouble with adrenal fatigue. Womentowomen.com recently released are really excellent article (see link above) on how to beat adrenal fatigue. In Traditional Chinese Medicine adrenal fatigue is generally related to Kidney deficiency that is brought on by long term stress or a life style where one "burns the candle at both ends". Acupuncture and Chinese herbs are very effective at reducing stress and balancing the body to subdue the symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

May Acupuncture Happy Hour

2008-05-05T14:15:00.003-05:00

Acupuncture Happy Hour - May 14, 2008

You're invited! AH!HA is pleased to present another Acupuncture Happy Hour! Join us for our special event from 6 to 8 PM at 3321 Hancock Drive in Austin, TX.. We, Heather and Dave, will help you sample acupuncture with "Window to the Sky" points, intended to connect your spiritual and physical selves. Then we'll have a presentation with Modern Mystic Susan K. Morrow, who will "read" the energies of some of the audience and discuss the connection of your spirit to your body and health. And oh, yeah, there will be some "spiritual mushroom tea" and other beverage or two (all legal!), plus a snack or two. Not to mention fellowship and camaraderie! All this for only $35! Register now on line through Susan's website using Paypal or call us at 512 458 2442 to pay over the telephone.

Tummy Trouble?

2008-04-23T19:47:00.004-05:00

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a complicated set of chronic symptoms that can effect quality of life significantly. Approximately 20% of Americans have symptoms that are compatible with this diagnosis but don't seek treatment. Common symptoms include abdominal distension, relief of pain after bowel movement, more frequent and looser stools at onset of pain, a sense of incomplete rectal evacuation, and passage of mucus with the stool. Traditional Chinese Medicine sees a link between these symptoms and our emotions, diet, and lifestyle. Along with diet modification, acupuncture and Chinese Herbs can help with this symdrome. To learn more check out our article on IBS.

Womentowomen.com just published an informative and clear article on IBS, which you may also find helpful.

Cupping on CBS

2008-04-09T07:24:00.002-05:00

Many acupuncturists use a therapeutic modality called cupping. In theory cupping is used to remove old stagnant blood from an area and bring in fresh new blood to improve circulation and healing. It's often used for various pain conditions, but can also be used for menstrual and digestive problems AND the acute stages of cold, flu, or allergies. Many of our patients have had cupping done, but have never seen it. In 2004, Michael Gaeta, President of the Acupuncture Society of New York, shows and explains the process of cupping to CBS Early Show co-host Harry Smith.

AH!HA in New Braunfels

2008-04-03T06:55:00.005-05:00

Hours: 9-5 pm M-F
Contact: Stamps Creating Wellness Center 830-625-6011

In a few short weeks AH!HA will transition its practice in New Braunfels over to two in-house acupuncturists for Stamps Creating Wellness Center. Currently Dave is no longer practicing in New Braunfels and Heather's last day will be Thursday, October 9th. Both of us have enjoyed our time working with Dr. Stamps and his staff, but each has reached a point in our lives where we are needed elsewhere (see the blog for Acupuncture New Braunfels for more). This does not mean that you should not call for an appointment, but rather you will be scheduled with one of the two new acupuncturists, who happen to be good friends of ours. They are Kevin Laux, LAc and Rebecca Benson, LAc.

Please let your friends and family in the area know that Kevin and Rebecca are there and are looking forward to helping them.

AH!HA Newsletter, March 2008

2008-03-16T19:39:00.004-05:00

What's Going on at AH!HA
Greetings! We know you've all been anxiously awaiting for our first newsletter of 2008 - well the wait is over. We've been very busy planning some fun events and taking GREAT pains to write an article on insomnia that we hope you'll enjoy.

Just a quick reminder we are Heather Brookman and David Jones, owners of Austin Healing Herbs & Acupuncture on Balcones Drive in Austin, TX. For more information about us, please visit our website www.ahha-clinic.com .

Exciting Events

Acupuncture Happy Hour in Just 10 days!
On Wednesday March 26th we will hold our 3rd Acupuncture Happy Hour at The Sol Community Counseling center in their yoga space. The theme for March is stress! We all have stress in our lives, and luckily Traditional Chinese Medicine is particularly great at addressing the effects of stress on the body - otherwise known as an imbalance in the mind-body connection. At 5:45 we will administer free acupuncture in a group setting - the points used will be commonly used to relax the body and mind. At around 6:45 we will talk about what you can do at home to combat stress and teach a few Tai Chi moves that are particularly excellent for stress relief. Additionally we will provide a couple of traditional herbal teas that will help you to chill and relax. Please RSVP so that we can hold a spot for you -- space, unfortunately, is limited. E-mail us at contact@ahha-clinic.com or call us at 512 458 2442. BTW there will not be an Acupuncture Happy Hour in April due to the planned UT Informal class. Which brings us to....

UT Informal Class in April!
Tell all your friends that Chinese Medicine for Home Use is a can't miss! Starting April, 10th and running for just 3 sessions we are going to bring some of the secrets of Chinese Medicine home. We will cover which basic herbs to have on hand in your medicine cabinet, simple ways to preform scraping and cupping and when they should be used, great Tui Na routines for neck pain and tension. We will even teach a great Shiatsu routine that can relax and invigorate. For more information visit www.informalclasses.org.

Hill Country Ride for AIDS
Hill Country Ride for AIDS, which takes place Saturday, April 26th, is an annual event that raises awareness and money for those living with HIV and AIDS. Last year AH!HA volunteered at the Hill Country Ride for AIDS providing acupuncture free of charge to all riders and we are proud to be doing it again. There are more people living with AIDS than ever before, and they need our help. Access to enough food, adequate medical care, or even friends or family for assistance can be very challenging for many people with AIDS. The agencies supported by this Ride provide all of these services and more. This year AH!HA would like to take our participation in this event further by raising money (and awareness) for this extremely worthy cause and for this we need your help. For every new patient we see between now and April 26th, we will donate $10 to the cause - so you can help by referring your friends and family to us for that much needed acupuncture treatment or herbal consult. Our telephone number is 512 458 2442 and we also make appointments via e-mail - contact@ahha-clinic.com. If you prefer a more traditional method of giving you can also donate online, click here, or send a donation to our clinic:

Austin Healing Herbs & Acupuncture
5750 Balcones Dr., #117
Austin, TX, 78731-4267

Please make all checks payable to Hill Country Ride for AIDS.

If you personally would like to participate as a rider or volunteer go to www.hillcountryride.org - if you need a little inspiration this video of a past ride may do the trick.

World Wellness Weekend
The mission of World Wellness is to inspire, empower, educate and connect people so that they can create happier and healthier lives for themselves, their families, and communities. This year the festival will be at the Austin Convention Center Saturday, May 31st and Sunday, June 1st and AH!HA is excited to participate again this year! There will be food, vendors, music and speakers, such as , Marianne Williamson, Joe Vitale, John Gray, and Bill Phillips, representing all forms of healthy living from A to Z. AH!HA will be set up all weekend giving free "mini" acupuncture or acupressure massage treatments and introducing ourselves and TCM to a larger public. We would greatly would love to see you at our booth throughout the weekend and greatly appreciate your support. All inclusive weekend passes are $59 and single day expo only passes are $15 and do not include the evening program (ie. Marianne Williamson). For more information visit www.worldwellness.org.

Remarkable Women's Conference
AH!HA will be at the Remarkable Women's Conference trade show Saturday, June 7th to Sunday, June 8th. We will be there to connect with the participants about acupuncture and Chinese herbs - we will, once again, be providing free "mini" acupuncture treatments to the curious in a fun no-pressure setting. The Remarkable Women’s Conference was created to fill a void in local conferences by providing a space for women from all cross-sections of the community to come together, make meaningful connections, and provide support and encouragement for one another while attending first class break-out sessions and keynote addresses from the best talent that Austin has to offer. The Conference provides a vehicle for women to grow their whole person and includes amazing speakers in topics such as family, workplace, health, relationships and business ownership. Seminars begin on Friday, June 6th and continue throughout the weekend. The trade show will be free to the public on Sunday, June 8th. For more information visit www.remarkableconferences.com .

Article on Insomnia

"...the innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the raveled sleeve of care, The death of each day's life, sore labor's bath, Balm of hurt minds, great nature's second course, Chief nourisher in life's feast."
- Macbeth in Shakespeare's Macbeth

Sleep: when we get it we don't think about it, but when we have difficulty with sleep it can make our whole next day miserable. As far back as the Iliad, the poet Homer describes sleep as a gift, and in Psalm 127 the bible says sleep is something God gives to his beloved. Sleep can take on poetic stature, especially when you lay there, wide awake, hoping to receive the gift of sleep, only to watch the clock make its way toward morning.

This article intends to answer some questions about sleep, why we need it, what happens when we do it, and what can be done when you're not getting enough. To read more please visit our website or click here to read it as a published google web document.

Blog, blog, blog, blog, blog
We now have a blog feed on our website - we are soooooo cutting edge! We've been using our blogs to update our visitors with AH!HA events and news as well articles related to acupuncture, herbs, and health in general. You can visit our website for regular updates or you can subscribe to our blog at http://ahha-clinic.blogspot.com/.

Austin Fit
We have changed up our ad in the Austin Fit magazine for the month of April. We have included a Spring Discount Coupon for new patients - the ad must be in hand at the time of the appointment. For the discounted treatments, we will still donate $10 to Hill Country Ride for AIDS.

New Braunfels
We are still practicing in New Braunfels and lovin' it. However, people in the area still do not know we are there. Please let your friends and family in the New Braunfels, Seguin, Canyon Lake, and San Marcos areas know that we are located in Stamps Chiropractic at 1551 N. Walnut Ave, Suite #40 in New Braunfels. The telephone number is 830 625 6011.

KASE 101
Soon AH!HA will be hitting the airwaves. . . well, sort of. Tell all your contemporary country music loving friends to start streaming KASE 101 on their computers at work and to keep an ear out for our new ad between Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood starting in early April.

Hill Country Ride for AIDS

2008-03-12T16:28:00.002-05:00

Hill Country Ride for AIDS, which takes place Saturday, April 26th, is an annual event that raises awareness and money for those living with HIV and AIDS. Last year AH!HA volunteered at the Hill Country Ride for AIDS providing acupuncture free of charge to all riders and we are proud to be doing it again. There are more people living with AIDS than ever before, and they need our help. Access to enough food, adequate medical care, or even friends or family for assistance can be very challenging for many people with AIDS. The agencies supported by this Ride provide all of these services and more. This year AH!HA would like to take our participation in this event further by raising money (and awareness) for this extremely worthy cause and for this we need your help. For every new patient we see between now and April 26th, we will donate $15 to the cause - so you can help by referring your friends and family to us for that much needed acupuncture treatment or herbal consult. If you prefer a more traditional method of giving you can also donate online, click here, or send a donation to our clinic:

Austin Healing Herbs & Acupuncture
5750 Balcones Dr., #117
Austin, TX, 78731-4267

Please make all checks payable to Hill Country Ride for AIDS.

If you personally would like to participate as a rider or volunteer go to www.hillcountryride.org - if you need a little inspiration this video of a past ride may do the trick

Plant Therapy for Hormone Balance

2008-03-03T08:27:00.002-06:00

Plants, or herbs, have been used for centuries to heal the body, and in recent years have generated a lot of interest in modern medicine circles for their ability to balance hormones. The great aspect of phytotherapy is that the body takes what it needs from the plants to balance the endocrine system, unlike conventional medicine that often overdoses the body with HRT.

read more | digg story

Premature Ovarian "Failure"

2008-02-18T15:02:00.002-06:00

The practitioners at womentowomen.com have posted yet another interesting article on women's health. This time a nod is given to the role acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine can play in overcoming POF.

Study out of Britain shows post-chemo fatigue eased by acupuncture

2008-02-11T15:38:00.000-06:00

Most Chemotherapy patients report being exhausted after treatment and not just the kind of tired that rest can cure. This new study shows that chemo patients given a short round of acupuncture treatments (6) reported about a third less fatigue than a control group.

Acupuncture study gives hope to those trying to conceive.

2008-02-11T15:30:00.000-06:00

Most of the studies that have been done about acupuncture and fertility have been done for IVF. The thoughts seem to be that acupuncture can increase blood flow to the uterus, relax the cervix and reduce stress hormones. These are all things that are thought to increase the chances of implantation. Whether you want to measure the effect by blood flow and hormones or something more subtle and energetic, this study suggests that acupuncture is a viable aid to those undergoing IVF.

Acupuncture more effective for back pain

2008-02-11T15:19:00.000-06:00

With a relatively large sample size, this latest study shows that acupuncture is more effective than exercise or drugs for relieving chronic lower back pain. The results from the traditional acupuncture group only edged out exercise by a small, but significant, amount. Now imagine the relief you could get by combining the two.

Acupuncture Happy Hour on Feb. 13th

2008-02-06T15:57:00.000-06:00

Our second Acupuncture Happy Hour will be held at the Sol Community Center at 3400 Kirby Lane. Starting at 5:45 we will hold a community acupuncture session for all participants. At 6:45 we'll talk about Chinese New Year (2008 is the year of the Rat/Mouse) and review cold, flu, and allergy remedies. We will also provide some traditional Chinese New Year snacks - no we will not be serving rat.

Women - Get your Probiotics!

2008-01-28T14:36:00.002-06:00

Probiotics are supplements that support the the flora inhabiting our digestive tracts. Most of us already know that healthy intestinal flora is vital to preventing gas, bloating, and yeast overgrowth. What many do not know is how the microorganisms in our gut play an important role in immunity and hormone metabolism among others bodily functions.

read more | digg story

Acupuncture Effective for Smoking Cessation

2008-01-27T20:16:00.001-06:00

This is one of several studies showing that acupuncture can help smokers reduce the number of cigarettes used daily or quit smoking completely. While acupuncture alone works, acupuncture and structured patient education in combination is most effective

read more | digg story

Acupuncture on the Today Show - Jan. 23rd

2008-01-24T12:08:00.000-06:00

Check out this video of a Today Show host getting acupuncture.

Acupuncture on Today Show

Acupuncture Can Reduce Menstrual Pain

2008-01-18T22:43:00.000-06:00

This article describes a small study in which women who experienced menstrual pain resistant to NSAID (ibuprofen, naproxen) treatment found relief with acupuncture. The women in the study went for weekly acupuncture for 8 weeks and 13 out of 15 subjects experienced relief and reduction of NSAID use. This is excellent news for those who still have a lot of pain with NSAID use or those who have sensitive stomachs and can't take NSAIDS to begin with. Also, for those women who do not tolerate oral contraceptives or do not like some of their side effects, acupuncture is a good option. Additionally, in half of the women in the study, this pain relief lasted up to 6 months after the study was completed. Admittedly, weekly acupuncture treatments cost a lot more money than a bottle of ibuprofen. However, the additional health benefits from acupuncture and the lack of side effects are something to consider when weighing options for one's health.

First Acupuncture Happy Hour a Success!

2008-01-16T23:32:00.000-06:00

Today AH!HA hosted its first Acupuncture Happy Hour at the Sol Community Center at 3400 Kerby Lane. We would like to send out a HUGE Thank You to all of those who attended. We had a really great time providing a community atmosphere for acupuncture and introducing the attendees to some new teas and ways of treating the common cold or flu. In February we will still give community-style acupuncture to our attendees, but we will follow with a small Chinese New Year celebrations. 2008 is the Year of the Rat! We hope to see you there on February 13th.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-03T07:51:00.000-06:00

We would like to extend to everyone wishes for a happy and healthy new year.

We have a couple of reminders for all.

On Thursday, January 10th 4-6 PM we will be at For Goodness Sake in New Braunfels to talk about acupuncture and Chinese herb basics and to give mini-treatments to the curious.

On January 15th our modest price increase will take effect. Please visit our website in the next couple of weeks to review services and prices. www.ahha-clinic.com

On Wednesday, January 16th 5:45-7:45 PM we will be hosting our first Acupuncture Happy Hour. The first hour will be devoted to community style acupuncture treatments. Our second hour will include information and demonstration on home care for colds, flu, and allergies. Please call 458-2442 or e-mail contact@ahha-clinic.com to RSVP. We hope to see you there!

"Hold the Chemicals, Bring on the Needles"

2007-12-17T16:33:00.001-06:00

Facial rejuvenation with acupuncture is both safe, natural, and effective. If you want a surgical look it's not for you, but it will improve blood circulation and collagen production, leaving you with a natural and more youthful face.

read more | digg story

Womentowomen.com - Insulin resistance syndrome in women

2007-12-16T10:38:00.001-06:00

This article is excellent in giving the nuts and bolts of insulin resistance in women and is a good reference for patient and practitioner alike. We use the womentowomen.com site as reference frequently -- it's a fantastic resource for information on women's health.

read more | digg story

New Pricing Table

2007-12-11T19:27:00.000-06:00

The pricing table from the newsletter was cut off in the blog. It will be up on the website soon. Sorry for the inconvenience.

2007-12-11T19:00:00.000-06:00

AH!HA Newsletter, December 2007

Greetings and Happy Holidays!
Welcome to the holiday addition of the AH!HA Newsletter. We hope that the holidays find you and your friends and family in happiness and good health. We have some good articles and announcements to relay to everyone.

Acupuncture Happy Hour

Have you ever felt run down at the end of the work day and decided to go to happy hour but then later on wished you hadn't. Maybe the next time you should come to an acupuncture happy hour. Bring some friends to 3400 Kerby lane the SOL community center where AH!HA clinic will be holding the first of many Acupuncture Happy Hours. On Wednesday January 16th at 5:45-6:45 drop in and have a relaxing community-style acupuncture treatment and sip some green tea or be a little more adventurous and have some herbal "tea" made to be relaxing and revitalizing. From 6:45 to 7:45 will will demonstrate some techniques that can be used for home care. Our first topic will be Cupping and Gua Sha for colds and flu and we will go over some standard herbal remedies for the same. Join us - it will be fun! Please check our events and seminars section of our website (right click) for future happenings.

Holiday Stress

Holidays can be a great time with friends and family but, as is more often the case, they can be a very stressful time of being forced in a room with people you might not otherwise spend time with. One of the things a lot of people don't know about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is that we have the tools that can really make a difference in stressful times. Acupuncture is fantastic at reducing stress and can be phenomenally effective in the long run to help keep immunity low and the immune system in good shape. There's nothing like a nasty cold to enhance the holiday experience. Additionally, herbal formulas can be put in a purse or pocket and taken as needed for particularly stressful times. Call us at 458-2442 or e-mail us at contact@ahha-clinic.com to find out more.

Speaking of Colds and Flu

True or False: People get more colds and Flu when it is cold outside. You might be surprised to know that when your grandma told you do dress warmly or you would catch your death of cold that she wasn't as far off as you think. Modern research has shown that certain viruses multiply better when your body is slightly cooler than normal. This is why the body's response to an infection is often a fever. Find out more about this ailment that effects almost everyone from time to time by going to our website and reading our article about colds, flu and allergies and what TCM can do for you when you get one of them.

Right click here to go to our article or visit our website at www.ahha-clinic.com.

Price increase

As the AH!HA clinic comes to the end of its first calendar year, we have decided to institute a small price increase beginning Jan, 1 2008. While no one ever likes to hear that the price of something is going up, we have decided to extend a fantastic year end deal to our current friends and patients.

From now until the 15th of January you can buy a package of 10 treatments for the '07 price ($585) and we will take an additional $55 off. This means you can get 10 acupuncture treatments for $530. This is an exceptional price that won't be seen again. After the 15th of the year the 10 treatment package will cost $630, so act now and save $100.

Product or Service	07 price	08 price	Current patient price until 01/15/08
Initial Acupuncture or intensive 1.5 hr	$75	$85	$75
Follow-up Acupuncture	$65	$70	$65
Initial Herbal Consultation	$45	$50	$45
Followup Herbal Consultation	$30	$35	$30
10 treatment Package	$585	$630	$530
Acupuncture Facelift	$1200	$1300	$1200
Acupuncture Abdominal Tightening	$1200	$1300	$1200
1oz Tincture	$12	$15	$12
2oz Tincture	$20	$25	$20
1 Bag Raw herbs	$6	$7.00/bag $20 for 3 bags.	$6

Ultimate Women's Mixer

On Tuesday January the 19th AH!HA clinic will have a booth at the Ultimate Women's mixer. If you would like to check out this great networking event you should act now as they sold out of tickets last time.

http://www.ultimatemixer.com/

For Goodness Sake

For those of you who don't already know about this hill country gem, For Goodness Sake is a natural foods store in New Braunfels that has been family owned for almost 30 years. They offer natural foods, supplements, and books on complementary and alternative healing. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. AH!HA clinic is going to be giving a lecture series in store beginning in Jan. We will be giving 3 talks one on Tuesday the 10th, Saturday the 19th and Monday the 28th. The first will be a basic discussion of Traditional Chinese Medicine given by Heather Brookman, RN, LAc. The next talk will be given by AH!HA guest Alistair Jones, LMT, LAc who's talk is titled "Introduction to Tai Chi and the power of TCM" and the Third talk will be given by David Jones, LAc on the topics of Migraine headaches, PMS and insomnia and what TCM can do to help those conditions. For more information stay tuned to our website www.ahha-clinic.com (right click).

UT Employee Discount Program

If you are lucky enough to be staff or faculty at the University of Texas you can get a great discount on our services. 15% off regular treatments and 10% off of already discounted packages like the 10 treatment package and the year of wellness. Plus if you use your health savings account you can get a discounted treatment with pretax money. Let anyone you know who works for UT to come see us for this fantastic deal.

Out calls

Ever wish you could get acupuncture in your home. Or that your mobility impaired parent could get acupuncture? You might not know that you we here at AH!HA will do outcalls. We charge a travel fee of $75 and add that to our normal fee. So if you or a loved one are not mobile or in the kind of pain that makes getting around difficult, call us at 458-2442 to come to you.

Austin Fit Magazine

AH!HA clinic has its first print add and we chose Austin Fit to do it. If you bring in our ad from the magazine from now until the end of January we will give you a 10% discount on your treatment and herbs.

New Braunfels

Do you live in Kyle or San Marcos and have to come all the way to Austin for Acupuncture. Well no more! For 3 days a week someone from the AH!HA clinic will be at Creating Wellness (formerly known as Stamps Chiropractic) in New Braunfels. Chiropractic, Massage Therapy, NAET (right click), Nutritional and Lifestyle Counseling, AND Acupuncture under one roof! We would love to see you down there. To schedule an appointment please call 830-625-6011

Cold and Flu Season

2007-12-09T12:20:00.000-06:00

Across much of the country, in fact most of the northern hemisphere, we are getting into the worst of cold and flu season. Except here in central Texas where we are breaking high temperature records and keeping the AC on. The title to this post is a link to an article we did on colds and flu.

There has been some interesting research done on the transmission of the viruses that cause colds and the flu. This article looks at western medical research and explains how Traditional Chinese Medicine can help in this area.

We have had amazing success treating colds with Chinese Herbs. I had a professor once who told us that treating colds is good because it is easy and the patient will be so impressed that they will come back for other treatments.

Personally at the first sign of a cold I take Chinese herbs so it doesn't get any worse. So the next time you feel a cold coming on..... Call an acupuncturist who is good at herbs.

Fertility Treatment - Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine

2007-12-07T07:44:00.001-06:00

We found this post on digg.com - it's an excellent introduction to treating infertility with Acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

After years of taking birthcontrol and now having difficulty getting pregnant? How Acupuncture & Chinese Medicine can help you to get body back in balance after years of birth control. Learn how - alternative medicine can help you to create the optimal physical state to concieve naturally or in conjunction with western medical treatments.

read more | digg story

Frequent Acupuncture Sessions Effective for Fibromyalgia

2007-12-07T06:43:00.000-06:00

This webMD article discusses a study done at the Mayo Clinic during which the study group not only experienced less pain, but also less anxiety and fatigue. These are great findings! Like many other studies done, patients came 5 days a week for their treatments, which is much more similar to how acupuncture is practiced in China. Here, in the United States, it is the norm to see patients 1-2 times per week. While our patients do get better, and often quickly, those with more severe problems, such as fibromyalgia, may experience frustration at the slow progress of these once per week visits. In order to encourage more frequent visits when needed, we will be launching "A Year of Wellness" program in the new year. Keep an eye on our website www.ahha-clinic.com for updates.

Hello from Heather & Dave

2007-12-06T22:06:00.000-06:00

Greetings! Welcome to the first installment of the AH!HA blog. We will be using our blog to post health tips and articles on Traditional Chinese Medicine and anything else we think might benefit the public. And if you have any questions about acupuncture, Chinese herbal therapy, or other complementary and alternative medicine modalities, drop us a line and we'll post our answers here. Or you can try our website at www.ahha-clinic.com.

Have a fantastic and healthy day!