Yesterday morning, . . . → Read More: Treating Elbow Pain with Acupuncture]]> I (Lynn) have been going to a boot camp class for the past six months. Twice a week, I get up at 5:45 am. to be at class at 6:15, so I can have my butt kicked for an hour. It’s a great workout, and over time, it’s getting a little easier.

Yesterday morning, when my alarm went off at 5:45, I turned it off and went back to bed. Five minutes later, the guilt of not getting up pulled me out of the sack. I brushed my teeth, got dressed in my workout clothes, and…went back to bed.

It’s not that I didn’t want to get up. It’s that my elbow was hurting. Just the thought of planks, burpees, and bicep curls made it hurt more. As an acupuncturist, I know exactly what’s going on; I have Tennis Elbow–without ever hitting a single tennis ball.

The technical term for Tennis Elbow is lateral epicondylitis, which simply means the tendons on the outside of my elbow are inflamed. Tendons attach muscle to bone, and the muscles involved in Tennis Elbow are those at the top of my forearm. Tendonitis is usually the result of overuse or repetitive movements that put extra pressure on the tendon. The constant stress on the tendon causes small tears, which my body will repair…if I just give it a rest. While the thought of a little more sleep yesterday was appealing, it was knowing that boot camp would slow the healing process that sent me back to bed. Honest.

Typically, the pain you feel with Tennis Elbow is on the outside of your elbow, and it becomes worse when you’re grasping or twisting objects, like a tennis racquet, hammer, or opening jars. The pain often is worse in the evening and can even make it difficult for your to sleep. Over time, the pain may radiate up or down your arm, especially as you try to compensate for the pain by using other parts of your body. Interestingly, there is rarely swelling associated with Tennis Elbow.

Golfers can also develop Tennis Elbow, but it presents itself in a slightly different way (besides being caused by golf, not tennis). Tendonitis associated with tennis most frequently affects the outside of your elbow with the pain radiating down the outside of your forearm and into your wrist. Golfer’s Elbow usually affects the inside of your elbow (closer to your body) with the pain radiating down the underside of your forearm and into your wrist.

Whether from tennis, golf, boot camp, or anything else, tendonitis is a fairly common condition. Its prevalence increases with age as our tendons become less flexible. The incidence of tendonitis is higher in athletes for obvious reasons, and Golfer’s elbow is more common in men.

Our bodies are programmed to heal themselves, but sometimes that doesn’t happen, or we just don’t give it a chance before going out and aggravating the injury. When that happens, acupuncture can be very effective, either as an adjunct to standard Western treatments or on its own. One of the theories of how acupuncture works is that the tiny needles, when inserted, create a microtrauma, or tiny injury, that signals your body to get busy and heal itself. Researchers have also documented that acupuncture blocks the production of adenisone, which is a chemical that transmits pain signals to your brain. According to Chinese medical theory, however, acupuncture works because it increases the flow of energy and blood to the injured area, helping your body to heal.

Other tools that an acupuncturist may use to heal tendonitis include heat therapy to increase circulation; electric stimulation or microcurrent (devices that stimulate healing through electric impulse); massage; and in some cases Chinese herbs.

So, as an acupuncturist, what will I do for my…uh, boot camp elbow? A little acupuncture, some heat, some microcurrent , and rest. Also, I’ll lay off the burpees and push-ups for a couple of days, and should be as good as new asap.

More . . . → Read More: Seven Steps to Faster Healing]]> A twisted knee, a blown out back, or an unexpected illness are all it takes to put your life on hold and abruptly curtail you activities. Whether your recovery takes days, weeks, or even months, there are things that you can do to help or hinder how well or quickly you will heal.

More than once, I have treated patients who have had illnesses or injuries, in which they slowed or actually reversed the healing process.  One that comes to mind is a woman who was an ultra-distance runner.  She came to me because she was training for a 100-mile race while nursing a foot injury.  She was healing just fine with a little acupuncture and rest, but felt compelled to test the foot out with a 50-mile training run, just to see how it was holding up.  The results were predictable—on race day, she started out well, but was ultimately hobbled by her injury and had to drop out of the race.

While it may seem fairly simple to just get out of the way and let your body heal, there are actually a few things you can do (or not do) to help the healing process along.  Among them:

1. Listen to your body.  With its incredible wisdom, your body has everything it needs to heal, and will let you know when you’re good to go.  If you’re still feeling fatigued, in pain, or just not quite right, you’re still in the healing process, so don’t push too hard.  Let your body do its thing.
2. Get enough rest.  Your body heals while you rest and sleep.  In fact, you may feel deeply fatigued after an illness or surgery.  So grab a book, watch TV, sleep, and allow your body to use its energy to heal.
3. Let the glue dry.  Allow your injury or illness to heal completely.  Resist the urge to “test” your injured limb or your ability to function at 100 percent.  You’ll be back soon enough.
4. Realize that the older you are, the longer it takes to heal.  Children tend to heal before your eyes due to their expansive nature and the fact that they are growing very quickly.  As you get older, your body will still heal completely, but it takes a little longer.  Don’t compare yourself to your 12-year-old with a broken arm.
5. Eat to heal.  While you’re healing, it’s even more important to eat as healthfully as possible.  Your body is using building blocks to heal based on the food you eat.  Make sure you’re getting enough protein, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.  At the same time, if you’re laid up and worried about gaining a few extra pounds, realize that once you’re up and around, that weight will come off fairly quickly.
6. Heal your spirit.  Stress, depression, boredom, fear, and frustration are all common feelings associated with illness and injury.  Recognize that these feelings are normal under the circumstances.  Talking to friends, family members, or a health professional can be extremely helpful.  In addition, finding activities that are relaxing and enjoyable (reading, old movies, learning something new) can help, too. 
7. Get some acupuncture.  Acupuncture can speed up the healing process, alleviate pain, and is excellent for treating stress and mood disorders.  It works by affecting brain chemistry in a number of positive ways, as well as increasing the concentration of white blood cells locally where the needles have been inserted.  While you’re healing, let your acupuncturist help—you’ll feel better and heal faster.

It usually begins gradually—until you can no longer ignore the pain. You may feel a sharp jab when you’re shaking hands, playing golf, or on the tennis court. Tennis Elbow can plague all kinds of athletes, not just tennis players. The pain usually begins with a dull ache or . . . → Read More: Acupuncture for Tennis Elbow]]> by Shelley Conn, L. Ac.

It usually begins gradually—until you can no longer ignore the pain. You may feel a sharp jab when you’re shaking hands, playing golf, or on the tennis court. Tennis Elbow can plague all kinds of athletes, not just tennis players. The pain usually begins with a dull ache or tenderness on the outer part of the elbow. At first it may come and go, with the pain usually subsiding a day or so after the aggravating physical activity. After a while, you may notice that the nagging in your elbow is a constant and unwanted companion, achy all the time with intermittant jolts of pain if you use it in just the wrong way.

Tennis Elbow is also known as tendonitis, which means that the tendons in your elbow are inflamed. Tendons attach muscle to bone, and the muscles involved in Tennis Elbow are those on the top of your forearm. Tendonitis is usually the result of overuse or repetitive movements that put extra pressure on the tendon. This constant stress on the tendon causes small tears, which your body tries to repair, but the continual activity slows down the healing process, resulting in more tears and more pain.

Usually the pain you feel with Tennis Elbow is on the outside of the elbow, and it becomes worse when you’re grasping or twisting objects (Tennis racquet, hammer, opening jars, etc.). The pain may increase in the evening and can even make it difficult for you to sleep. Over time, the pain may radiate to other parts of your arm, especially as you try to compensate for the pain by using other parts of your body. Interestingly, there is rarely swelling associated with Tennis Elbow.

Golfers can also be affected with Tennis Elbow, but it presents in a slightly different way. Tendonitis associated with tennis tends to affect the outside of the elbow with the pain radiating down the outside of the forearm and into the wrist. Golfer’s Elbow usually affects the inside of the elbow (closer to your body) with pain radiating down the underside of the forearm and into the wrist.

Tendonitis, whether from tennis or golf is a fairly common condition. It’s prevalence increases with age as our tendons become less flexible. Incidence is higher in athletes for obvious reasons, with Golfer’s Elbow being more common in men.

Acupuncture can be a very effective treatment for tendonitis, either as an adjunct to standard Western treatments or on its own. According to Chinese medical theory, acupuncture works because we humans have a natural flow of energy throughout our body. Actually, we know that every cell in our body produces this energy, the Chinese simply believe that it flows through a series of pathways. When that energy becomes blocked in one or more of the pathways, the energy becomes like a dam in a river. There is too much pressure on one side of the dam, and a restriction of flow on the other. This “energy dam” in the body can produce a variety of symptoms; one of the most common being pain.

By inserting very fine, sterile acupuncture needles into specific points on your body, an acupuncturist can break up these blockages that restrict the flow of energy. By stimulating these points, the energy can move smoothly, enabling your body to heal itself.

Beyond acuupncture, a practitioner of Chinese medicine might also use heat, herbs or a kind of bodywork called Tui Na to treat Tennis Elbow. Standard treatments for Tennis and Golfer’s Elbow include over-the-counter NSAIDs like Ibuprofen and Naprosen (Advil and Alleve), physical therapy, stretching, and rest.

The best first line of treatment for tendonitis of the elbow would be rest. By restricting movement of that affected joint, you’re allowing it to heal. If you absolutely must play tennis or golf, be sure to warm up your elbow first. A regular heating pad or rice bag is fine. After you’ve played, be sure to ice the tender area to keep the inflammation to a minimum.

By combining acupuncture with common sense and a dose of rest, you should be out playing pain-free in no time!

At one time or another 80 percent of Americans will experience some kind of back pain, and chances are that at one time or another, you will be among them.  Whether your pain is a nagging ache in your low back or stabbing pain and spasms that make . . . → Read More: Preventing Back Pain]]> by Lynn Jaffee and Shelley Conn

At one time or another 80 percent of Americans will experience some kind of back pain, and chances are that at one time or another, you will be among them.  Whether your pain is a nagging ache in your low back or stabbing pain and spasms that make even the slightest movement painful, there are some things that you can do to prevent the pain from occurring in the first place.  Among them:

-Lift correctly. Lift with your legs; keep your back straight and keep the object close to your body.  Don’t bend over what you are lifting and try not to twist or turn your body.  Always choose to push a heavy object rather than pulling.

-Get moving.  Regular exercise helps to strengthen your back and build flexibility.  Even regular walking is good for your back as it engages your core stabilizing (back and abdominal) muscles.

Stretch regularly. Before exercise or after a long day,  some simple back stretches can release tension and enhance your flexibility.

-Break it up. If you are driving long distances, stop regularly to stretch and give your back a rest.  If you’re a frequent flyer, get up and move around the plane to loosen up your back.

-How low can you go? Wear shoes with a heel that is one inch or lower.  High heels change the alignment of your back and contribute to back pain.

-Stand tall. If you stand a lot, rest one foot on a low stool, and alternate feet every 15 to 20 minutes.  This relieves pressure on your lower back.

-Check your posture.  Try to stand with your ears, shoulders and hips directly below one another.  Keep your head up (not pulled forward) and your stomach in

-Sleep well. The best sleeping position for your back is on your side with a small pillow between your knees.  If you’re a back sleeper, a pillow under you knees helps support the natural curvature of your back.

Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is a long, difficult name for simply one of the most painful conditions of the face. Also known as “tic douloureax”, Trigeminal Neuralgia is a condition that causes excruciating face pain that can be described as an electric shock or a bolt of lightening that can travel . . . → Read More: Acupuncture for Trigeminal Neuralgia]]> By: Shelley Conn

Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) is a long, difficult name for simply one of the most painful conditions of the face. Also known as “tic douloureax”, Trigeminal Neuralgia is a condition that causes excruciating face pain that can be described as an electric shock or a bolt of lightening that can travel across the face. Sufferers also describe the pain as stabbing or burning nerve pain. The pain is usually intermittent, and can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Trigeminal Neuralgia can strike at any age, but onset seems to be more prevalent between the ages of 40 and 60. TN pain is confined to the upper jaw, lower jaw, cheeks, and the forehead and eye area. In most cases the pain is limited to one side of the face, and can be triggered by touching or moving the face, dental treatment, eating, tooth brushing, or even wind.

Common medical treatments for TN pain involve prescription drugs or surgery. The most commonly prescribed drug for this condition is Neurontin. Surgery for TN is a complicated procedure involving the brain, and is not always successful.

Other treatments for TN pain include massage, chiropractic and acupuncture. As an acupuncturist, I have treated TN in my clinic with some success. I have found that acupuncture will keep the pain under control, and in some instances alleviate the pain for months at a time.

Within the framework of Chinese medicine and acupuncture, pain of this type is caused by a stagnation of energy and blood that normally moves smoothly throughout the body. Treatment involves opening energy pathways and moving blood in the area of pain. To do this, I typically use one or more modality, including acupuncture, heat, massage and herbal therapy. Treatments usually involve weekly visits until the pain is under control.

If you are suffering from Trigeminal Neuralgia and have exhausted other options, I recommend that you give acupuncture and Chinese medicine a try. This ancient healing art has been around for thousands of years because it works!