Emerge Acupuncture

Health Insurance and Acupuncture

The cost of health insurance is going up and many potential patients are not utilizing acupuncture as a treatment option because alternative medicine is not covered under their plan.  I want to break down the costs of illness and how NOT going through your insurance company can actually save you money and time. 

The average insurance premium cost for an individual is anywhere from $100-500 per month.  This does not include co-pays or insurance deductibles.  The big question is “Are you healing your condition by utilizing your insurance coverage?”  Does using medical insurance deal with the root of your illness, or are you going from specialist to specialist trying to manage your condition?

Did you know that it is cheaper for you to be treated with acupuncture then other health care professionals?  In comparison, even though acupuncture is not an option under most insurance plans, it proves to be more cost effective and efficient over the long run. 

Acupuncture is a comprehensive medicine that has evolved over time.  It can alleviate and treat anything that its Western medical counterparts can.  We are educated in anatomy, physiology, nutrition, supplements, pathology and preventative medicine.  Acupuncture treats the root of illness and usually takes less time to heal, has no side effects and ultimately will save you money. 

This is a true story.  One of my patients, we will call her Jane, had been in a terrible car accident.  The result was sciatic pain that shot down the back of her leg constantly.  She was fortunate enough to have insurance coverage.  She began with a trip to her general physician who confirmed she did in fact have sciatic pain.  He wrote her a prescription for Vicodin for pain and a referral to a specialist. 

Jane goes to an osteopathic physician for her sciatica.  The medication has helped her deal with her pain but doesn’t like how she gets drowsy when she takes it.  When she does not take the Vicodin her pain is feels worse and is unbearable.  The osteopath does an MRI and also confirms it is sciatica.  The sciatica, he tells her, she the result of her vertebrae shifting in the accident causing osteostenosis (a condition wherein the spaces through which the spinal cord runs narrows and compresses the spinal cord or in her case the sciatic nerve).  He suggests surgery.

She does not want to have surgery, so Jane decides to seek out a chiropractor. Her family has used chiropractic medicine for years, so she finds a chiropractor who accepts her insurance.  He takes an x-ray and also agrees it is sciatica, but not stenosis.  After an adjustment, she feels great.  The pain is gone but returns after 2 days.  She starts seeing the chiropractor 3 times a week for the next year to deal with her condition.

Jane continues chiropractic care for the next 5 years.  She feels that her condition has gotten better; she is not taking pain medication and has consistently seen the chiropractor twice a month for the last 4 years to manage her condition.  However, Jane wonders if she will have to see the chiropractor indefinitely to deal with this. 

After reading an article in a magazine, Jane decides to give acupuncture a try.  After 5 years of chiropractic care, her sciatica seems like it is not getting worse, but it is not getting better either. After two acupuncture treatments, Jane’s sciatic pain is completely gone.  It has been 6 months since she has come in for a treatment for sciatic pain. 

Though I am happy Jane came in to get acupuncture for her condition, how much time and money did she waste trying to resolve her issues through insurance?  Here is the breakdown…

Total amount spent WITH insurance over 5 years: $6,425

Total amount spent WITHOUT insurance in two treatments: $140

How much are you really saving when you use insurance for medical treatment?  Is insurance treating the root of pain and illness?  Through my experience as an acupuncturist, I have been able to produce results in patients that specialists have been treating for years with minimal results. 

There is an easier way.  Not everything is fixable or affordable with insurance coverage.  In the long run, acute conditions turn chronic and cost a bundle to manage/treat over the long haul.  Don’t wait to seek out acupuncture treatment.  The more chronic the injury, the longer it could take to reverse. 

Jane is a happy camper now, however the money she spent on prior treatments, could have gone towards a house or taken a vacation.  If Jane would have used acupuncture the first stop, she could have saved $6,285 and 5 years worth of pain. 

If you or someone you know are suffering from pain, consider acupuncture as one of your top treatment options.  For more information on Emerge Acupuncture check out our website at www.emergewith.us

Thanks for Reading,

Dana Bairen, L.Ac.

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Severe Back Pain Treated with Acupuncture

One of the top reasons people seek medical treatment is for severe back pain.  Millions of Americans suffer from this condition, and when left untreated, will only worsen in time.  The result of severe back pain left untreated is debilitating and causes further issues in other parts of the body.  Part of the reason severe back pain is difficult to treat with Western medicine is because the root (origin) of back pain is not addressed. This is the path acupuncture uses to successfully treat severe back pain.  The treatments have been so successful, in fact, that back pain is the most documented ailment researched in the field of acupuncture.

Anatomy of Back Pain

The sources of back pain may differ, but human anatomy does not.  The lats (latissimus dorsi) are broad muscles that fan out to cover a large portion of the back.  They originate (begin) at the spinous processes of T7 through T12 and spread throughout the entire lower and mid back.  The lats cross many anatomical landmarks and muscles on the posterior of the body.  It comes in contact with the top of the hip bone (the iliac crest), most of the ribs and bottom of the rotor cuff (lower angle of the scapula) and attaches on floor of the intertubercular groove of the humerus bone (the upper arm). 

The functions of the latissimus dorsi muscle include extension, adduction and transverse extension of the arms, internal rotation of the shoulder joint, extension and lateral flexion of the lumbar spine and well as stabilizing the torso during many movements that involve back, shoulders, abdomen and arms.     

Severe lower back pain almost always involves the lat muscles.  This is mainly because of their size and contact with other main muscle groups (shoulder, hip, arm, neck muscles).  When a muscle is pulled, strained or even just weak, the body’s defense mechanism is to tighten to protect the body.  In the case of the lats, the muscle tightens to protect the spine and, in that mission, becomes inflamed.  Once these back muscles are inflamed, it affects other muscle groups that the lats come in contact with. This is the reason pain travels to other parts of the body, particularly causing middle back pain, upper back pain and shoulder pain. The longer pain persists, the harder it is to treat because it is no longer confined only to the lower back.

Causes of Back Pain

Excessive weight, obesity/ anorexia                                                        Poor posterior

Weak abdominal muscles                                                                         Excessive physical work

Trauma (fall, accident, pull or strain)                                                      Depression/Lack of support in life

Pregnancy                                                                                                       Lack of sleep/too much sleep

Herniated disc, disc degeneration or nerve impingement                  Kidney or bladder infection

Sleep position                                                                                              Referral pain  

Bone vs. Muscle

The skeletal system is the frame of the body that gives form and shape.  The muscles are what propels the body and gives the body function.  Although these two systems have completely different functions, they are co-dependent in their individual functions. 

When talking about how to correct the root of severe back pain, knowing if the pain is originating from a disc or from a weak or strained muscle is difficult without an x-ray.  The muscles strain or tighten under stress resulting in bone (or vertebrae) to become more compressed.  This compression can lead to pinched nerves, stenosis (the narrowing of foreman) or a disc sliding out of place.  The muscles can cause the skeleton to shift, creating pain.  The muscles insert through and onto bone.  As bones shift, the muscles can become strained, creating inflammation and pain.   The muscles must be relaxed, limber and stretched to adjust bone back into proper alignment. 

If the body is adjusted with chiropractic treatment, without relaxing the muscles prior, more pain will occur as the body’s defense mechanism turns on to protect itself from greater harm.  This is why half of all back pain sufferers do not get relief from chiropractic treatment alone, although chiropractic care for back pain has become more effective with the recent addition of massage therapy and electro stimulation.  Still, if the muscle is large and deep in the body (as the lats are), these additional therapies are only superficial techniques that cannot penetrate the muscle to induce relaxation.  

The same experience can happen with massage therapy.  Even though pain goes away temporarily, massage is not able to penetrate deep enough for the muscle to relax.  The back pain usually returns within a few days.  Physical therapy can assist in strengthening weak muscles (especially the abdominal muscles). However, if the source of pain is not dealt with, it will cause a patient more pain, inflammation and weakness in the long run.  Before strengthening another part of the body, pain must be addressed and eliminated. 

Western Medical Treatment for Back Pain

Conventional Western medical treatment is rarely effective in cases of severe back pain.  Part of the reason is Western medicine does not treat the muscles themselves.  Patients are typically prescribed medication to alleviate pain and receive no further treatment.  The biggest concern about medication is that it simply numbs the body and eventually wears off leaving the patient needing more.  When a patient is on medication for severe back pain resulting in numbness, they continue to damage the back muscles. The result is more pain in the low back that will, over time, spread to other muscles.    

The second option for dealing with severe lower back pain is cortisone shots.  These shots temporarily block the nerve endings of the muscles.  This effect usually can last anywhere from a month to three months. Again, this modality does not correct the muscular problem causing pain.  The patient continues to use the back because they can no longer feel pain and creates more pain in more areas of the body when the shots wear off. 

The third option and last option is back surgery.  Back surgery has a very low success rate for various reasons. Statistics on back surgery convey that more than half back surgeries fail to correct back pain and in many cases create more pain. Surgery itself is an invasive technique that causes inflammation (swelling) to muscles that are already inflamed.  The recovery after back surgery can lapse into years.  This is mainly because when muscles are not being used, they atrophy and become weaker. After back surgery, the back is not able to be used adequately.  The inflammation caused by traditional surgery restricts range of movement, inflicts more pain and has a long recovery time.  The results of traditional back surgery often create more complications and pain then before surgery is performed.  The strategy of conventional back surgery is alleviating pressure from a pinched nerve or adding stability to a painful joint.  It is difficult to completely cut out a patient’s pain altogether using these “solutions”.

Acupuncture for Severe Back Pain

Acupuncture has been researched more on severe back pain than any other issue within the body, primarily because it is incredibly effective. Acupuncture cuts pain levels in half almost immediately.  Patients report that they feel relief from severe back pain before even getting off the treatment table.   Acupuncture is able to work so well because it is able to penetrate back muscles that lie deep in the spine. Your acupuncturist can further warm the needles while inserted to allow further relaxation, or stimulate the muscle by adding electoral stimulation to the needle. 

Either way, relief can be achieved immediately with the use of acupuncture.  Of course, the more chronic the back pain the more treatments one may need.  But usually, pain can be completely eliminated within a few treatments.  Acupuncture is more effective than other treatments and has no side effects. Due to the shortened treatment time, acupuncture is considerably less expensive. 

If you or someone you know is suffering from severe lower back pain and not seeing promising results, feel free to contact me to schedule an appointment. 

Thank you for Reading,

Dana Bairen, L.Ac.  

www.emergewith.us                    

dana@emergewith.us

Severe Lower Back pain, Lower back Pain, Mid Back Pain, Upper Back Pain, Shoulder pain

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Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine have existed together under the title of Oriental Medicine for thousands of years. As time and culture has evolved, so has this comprehensive system of healing. Today’s, society mainly seeks out acupuncture treatments to deal with pain, for that has been acupuncture’s claim to fame in American culture. However, this system of medicine has more to offer then just dealing with aches and pains.

What Acupuncture Can Offer You

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can offer everyone something.  It does not matter if a patient believes in it or not, because acupuncture always benefits the body in some way when applied.

One of the basic functions of acupuncture is increasing the immune system.  Properly placed, acupuncture stimulates circulation.  This increased circulation acts as a “wake up call” to the body.  When the body awakens, the body becomes stimulated and increases organ function, cell growth and chemical balance, thus increasing immune functions.  Similar to a light switch turning on a light, acupuncture is capable of turning the body on.  The specific points used connect with places/organ systems that are being sluggish.  Increased energy translates into an increase in the immune system. 

Even in the case of over stimulation in the body (such as diarrhea, acid reflux and insomnia), acupuncture applied properly shuts off those functions and creates an effect of sedation to the body.  This sedation technique is often used to counter emotional issues such as anxiety, panic and restlessness. 

Preventative Medicine

Interestingly, through diagnosing the pulses in the wrist, an acupuncturist can tell if the body/immune function is sluggish or weak.  When acupuncture treatments are used on a regular basis, it can be classified as preventative medicine.  Acupuncture is able to increase immunity before sickness even occurs through the pulse diagnosis. 

Particularly true of auto-immune diseases, acupuncture used on a regular basis keeps the body functioning and keeps the disease manageable.  Auto-immune diseases fall usually fall into stages.  There is a fire stage which is the over production of symptoms in the body.  The water stage occurs when the symptoms seem to go into hibernation and the person’s energy is low or fatigued.  These stages usually coincide with the seasons.  Acupuncture is not only able to control symptoms of auto-immune diseases; it is able to control these stages from occurring.  Though auto-immune diseases are not curable, they can be managed when Oriental Medicine is used on a regular basis. 

How Acupuncture Works

Oriental Medicine is a very individualized medicine. To properly diagnose a patient with Chinese Medicine, health symptoms only serve as part of the picture. The big picture in Oriental Medicine looks at the constitution of a patient. The constitution is a list of facts that is observable. For instance, a patient’s size, weight, voice, personality, body temperature, diet and so on is all evaluated. The result leads to a unique, customized treatment that is different from any other patient’s.

Another big factor in Oriental Medicine is treating the root of dysfunctions, not only the symptoms themselves. Two women may both suffer from migraine headaches but the source of the headache could be very different. One woman could have started having migraines after moving to a new climate. The other could have started after giving birth. Two different sources (roots) of pain are treated differently in comparison to Western Medicine. Now let’s couple the root of dysfunction with a person’s constitution. Chinese Medicine gives a custom, effective treatment. For these reasons, Chinese Medicine cannot be researched in conventional methods. Western Medicine treats all headaches the same, going after the symptom of the pain, giving no credence to the source.

Oriental Medicine not only treats the root of dysfunction, it treats the symptoms causing the discomfort.  The sooner acupuncture is utilized; the easier it is to reverse the symptoms of illness.  When patients use acupuncture as a last resort, it takes more time to reverse the symptoms.  Because Oriental Medicine is a natural medicine, relief is subtle and begins to make big differences with a few treatments. 

In China, acupuncture is used as a common method of health care and preventive health. The Chinese use moxa to boost their immune systems, cupping to detox between seasons, Oriental nutrition to modify organ dysfunction and incorporate herbal medicine daily.

Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine can treat ANY issue or disease effectively.  A positive side effect of treatment and addressing the root causes of disease/illness in the body is that other symptoms begin to disappear that patients did not think was related to their current health care issue. 

View from an Acupuncturist

Acupuncture is an amazing system of medicine.  There is nothing to big or small that it is not able to address.  Part of the reason I chose to practice acupuncture is because it is logical.  When the body is hot, we sedate and incorporate cold.  When the body is cold, acupuncture is able to produce heat.  There are no fancy machines or complicated equipment. The simplicity of Oriental Medicine is effective.

Acupuncture treatments are personal and all about the patient.  They are thorough in assessments and the patient feels better almost immediately after being treated.  The only side effect is getting better. 

Even if a person does not know where to start, acupuncture and Oriental Medicine offers people a direction.  It is nurturing in the fact that it is able to assist people where they are at, without judgments or criticism.  NO OTHER medicine offers more in one treatment. Acupuncture can treat and address every issue within a single treatment.  No going to a specialist or waiting months for an appointment with a specialist.  Acupuncture is the specialty!

Though I realize that I am biased in my opinions, I also chose this medicine over all others for these reasons.  To be able to assist in a patient’s in all of their health care concerns, address emotional issues and educate people in ways to empower themselves through achieving their goals is the greatest job.  I love my work and am honored to be able to teach others a different way.  A realistic, nurturing and encouraging way to feel better and be better is rewarding on so many levels. 

Oriental Medicine looks at the whole person not a list of symptoms.  Its customized approach to health care is the reason so many people are turning to acupuncture to heal.  Diet, massage, acupuncture and herbs are the tools we use.  As long as a patient has a pulse, there is the ability to assist a patient in living a better life.  

Thank You for Reading,

Dana Bairen, L.Ac.

dana@emergewith.us

www.emergewith.us

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For the last several months I have been working with oncology patients.  Almost all my patients come as a last resort because they have been told to go home and call hospice.  They are all in the late stages of cancer and their physical body is dying. 

Sitting across from one of my patients with stage 4 breast cancer, she tells me she cannot sleep because of a nagging cough that wakes her up at night. Her cancer has metalized to both lungs.  The docs don’t know how to treat the cough and give her robitssin with codeine in hopes that she will sleep.  She is exhausted from a lack of sleep and just wants to rest.  After applying a protocol for cough, she falls asleep on my table, with needles in and all.  I smile knowing that this is the most she has slept in a week. 

The amazing thing about Oriental Medicine is we are taught to treat what we see.  This protocol changes every time I see a patient and through this method, symptoms begin to disappear.  If someone cannot sleep, they cannot heal.  At this point, the fact that she has cancer is irrelevant. 

A few days later while talking further with my patient, she states that she wants to get rid of the cancer and heal.  Nobel idea, but I ask does she want to heal the cancer or does she want to heal herself?  After a long pause she states that the cancer has now become a part of her and she has to heal herself if she wants the cancer to stop.  Continuing, she tells me that if she had not gotten cancer, she would never have been motivated to change.  Her humility is beautiful and I deeply respect her journey and regardless of the outcome of her cancer, she has found peace. 

Unfortunately, sometimes people have to be confronted with a big scary disease to propose self change.  The same routines and patterns of behaviors at some point stop working, but we still insist on using a hammer to change a light bulb.  Wrong tool, wrong job.  However, at one point this method worked or perhaps all you have is a hammer.   Our mechanisms of coping can be proven to be toxic and harmful, creating more of a mess.

My experience with some cancer patients is that they do not get to the “humbled” stage.  They hold on to their story of pain and victimization and now, their cancer is also feeding that same “why me” mentality.  The story we create and have lived by becomes more important than surviving, because then if we die of the cancer, then we know that we were again, just a victim (which makes us die being right).  The pride of our mentality is, in my opinion, what creates illness.  Stick with the same attitude over a long period of time and it manifests in the cells as illness (or ego). 

I think of a stream flowing gracefully, the sound is soothing and the movement is perfect, not too fast and not too slow.  Then a downpour of rain hits.  Branches fall into the stream and the water levels rise and what once was balanced begins to flow faster and the water becomes muddy.  The branches wedge themselves into the stream and debris begins to collect.  After a period of time, the first thing that we notice is that there is a lot of debris in the stream and it looks dirty.  We hardly recognize that underneath is all the junk is the ability for the stream to be balanced again.

 We are so attached to our garbage that the focus is only on the dysfunction and not the clarity that lies just under the surface.  Maybe this is because our garbage (or baggage) has been there so long that potential becomes foreign.  Or because of the work involved in dredging the stream is harder then living with the reality that we have neglected ourselves.  Maybe nobody will notice that my stream is flooding because the people in my life have dysfunctional streams too.  Comparing my stream to the people around me makes me feel better, because their stream is really a dam mess!  So we continue to function in ways that are not optimal for clarity.  We continue the cycle until we have to stop. 

When it is time to stop the cycle of abuse on our minds and bodies, do not wait until it is too late.  After damage has occurred that cannot be reversed, it serves as a reminder of how we betrayed ourselves from the clarity and nurturing that we so needed.  When we find ourselves overwhelmed in a place where there is damage on several layers, we begin with where we are.  That place is today. We treat what we see, right now and work backwards to untie the knot that has scared us from truly living in absolute freedom.

The reality is that the chaos of staying true to our perceptions is exhausting.  Sometimes all we need to do is sleep in order to heal.  Put to rest that theories that has caused damage and be open enough to accept that we do not know how to live in a balanced way.  This is my definition of true humility and truly living. 

Dana Bairen, Licensed Acupuncturist

Emerge Acupuncture
www.emergewith.us
dana@emergewith.us

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Controlling Menopause with Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine

Most women in the United States dread going through menopause. Occurring within the age range of 45-55 years old, the symptoms of menopause can be severe.  It can alter everything function of the body including weight, sleep and mood.  There are a lot of medical options out there for dealing with the terrible side effects.  However, are women doing more damage if they are not correction the source of the problem?  In this article I will write about the root of menopausal symptoms and give another prospective, as well as how Chinese Medicine treats the root as well as the symptoms. 

Western Medical Prospective

Menopause is a natural part of a women’s life cycle.  It marks the end of menstruation and the exhaustion of egg production.   Women are born with a pre-set number of eggs.  The sooner a woman begins her menses, the sooner menopause begins.

The stimulation of follicles and egg production in the body are what produces estrogen.  Menopause begins when egg production declines and the follicles cannot be stimulated to produce estrogen.

 Estrogen decline massively affects the hypothalamus.  Located in the brain, the hypothalamus controls and regulates many of the body’s responses.  Things such as sleep, appetite, body temperature, blood pressure and water balance are all controlled essentially through the production of estrogen.  This may explain why women put on weight, have vaginal dryness and sleep deprivation while struggling with menopause.  The Chinese Medical approach is that menopause is the decline of yin in the body. 

Yin and Yang

The two primary balancing factors in all things and in every body are yin and yang.  In not only Chinese Medicine but in the Taoist religion, yin and yang are the essential balancing forces at work .  It is similar to Einstein’s findings on the laws of physics.  An object at rest will stay at rest can be considered yin.  An object in motion, stays in motion is yang.  Take a car for example.  When it is parked is at rest, which would be in a yin state.  Once the car moves forward, it becomes yang.  The same can be seen within the body.

Estrogen in Chinese Medicine is considered yin.  Yin is also associated with body fluids, sleep, cold limbs, and constipation.  Yang would be linked to testosterone, physical movement, the thought process, heat or fever and digestion. 

These two energies should be as balanced as possible to remain healthy.  When one is deficient, the other dominates and causes symptoms in the body leading to illness.   

Chinese Theory of Menopause

In menopause, yin becomes depleted.  One of yin’s characteristics is cold. In Western Medicine, estrogen regulates body temperature in the hypothalamus.  When there is not estrogen present, hot flashes and night sweats occur.  The same is seen when yin declines and the yang takes over in the body.  Yang is associated with heat, without yin, the body temperature heats and becomes out of control.  Through the heating process of yang, dryness occurs, insomnia and the body feels constantly hungry.  If the body is left untreated in a yang state, this will create long term effects on women.  The process of menopause can last years from beginning to end with miserable side effects.

How Chinese Medicine Treats Menopause

When menopausal symptoms begin and Chinese Medicine is utilized, the transition into menopause becomes comfortable.  Acupuncture is a great method to remove heat and heat type symptoms from the body.  It is also able to deal with insomnia and mood swings.

 Chinese herbal formulas are beneficial in building and nourishing the yin.  Herbs can be used to deal with dryness, appetite control and regulating water.

Together, acupuncture and herbal medicine is able to recreate balance and eliminating menopausal symptoms.  Dietary suggestions may also be incorporated into a women’s lifestyle to stabilize the body once balance is obtained. 

Oriental Medicine has been used for generations in helping women deal with menopause.  It is a completely natural method of balancing the body without side effects.  In comparison, the Chinese medical approach is a fraction of the price of hormone replacements, creams and other methods.  In my experience as an acupuncturist, generally I see hot flashes and night sweats dissipate within a week of herbal supplementation and regular acupuncture treatments.

Contact me at dana@emergewith.us  for more information about acupuncture treatments or call (480) 238-1252.

Thank You for Reading,

Dana Bairen, L.Ac.

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Wound Healing with Oriental Medicine

Oriental Medicine (specifically acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine) is not particularly known for treating wounds on the body.  Most people associate Oriental Medicine with relieving pain and allergy relief, but wounds cause pain too.

Wound healing can be a long, drawn out process, achieving minimal results.  The Western approach of conventional wound healing treatments usually involves steroid creams and hormones.  The biggest obstacle to healing wounds is that convention medicine treats all wounds the same. 

The Chinese Medical approach is different.  There are many factors to take into consideration, how long has the wound been there?  Is it a result of body/organ dysfunction or due to trauma?  Is there discharge or is it dry? 

Through knowing this information, the Chinese Medical approach is incredibly effective in treating wounds.  Narrowing the characteristics down to yin and yang is only the first step.  If the wound is open, infection is a big consideration.  An acupuncturist can incorporate herbs with anti-bacterial prosperities into the formula.   If there is pain associated with the wound, then anti-inflammatory herbs are added. 

Chinese Herbal compresses can be used to heal wounds of all types and sizes. These formulas are topical and are best utilized if kept in contact with the wound as much as possible. 

Benefits of using Chinese Medicine for Wound Healing

 Using an herbal compress on the wound saves the patient from having to ingest the formula.  Raw Chinese formulas are created specific to each patient (as described above).  A raw formula means simply that the herbs in the formula are in their natural state without modification.  Traditionally, raw Chinese formulas are given in their organic form, cooked for several hours and then ingested.  A formula such as this tends to have an undesirable taste.

However, with wound healing, we can utilize the herbs in their natural state and with the most potency.  When used as a compress it is convenient, effective, and has no side effects.  Improvement usually occurs within a week. 

 Another benefit of a topical herbal compress is that it works rapidly to cut pain down to a minimum.  Many of my patients have reported that pain from their wounds was completely gone after only a few days. 

Lastly, a huge benefit is cost.  Chinese herbal formulas are inexpensive and one dose of herbs can last up to two weeks (depending on the size and severity of the wound).  In my experience, I have seen stubborn, long term wounds heal completely within 2 months.

Vasculitis

People suffering from vasculitis have inflammation that affects the blood vessels, leading to poor healing and pain.  This is classified as a yin deficiency in Chinese Medicine due to excessive heat in the body. Chinese herbal formulas can nourish the yin and sedate heat and generate the healing process.  

Cancer

One of the biggest side effects of cancer is the wounds that are left behind after ulceration occurs.  This is particularly true in cases of breast cancer.  In the late stages, the breast(s) completely fills with cancer, leaving the tissue hard and the skin stretched tight.   The breast has no option but to ulcerate, leaving a wound behind. Guarding against infection is the top priority in healing a wound properly of this nature.  Though this is true for every wound, cancer patients are more susceptible because they have overall compromised immune systems.  A Chinese herbal formula can also eliminate pain and discomfort associated with cancer.

Diabetes

Diabetic wounds are primarily caused by a lack of circulation; therefore the skin is unable to regenerate.  This leads to atrophy and ultimately amputation.  Chinese Herbal Medicine improves circulation in the affected area and allows healing to begin.  In addition to Chinese herbal compresses, dietary changes are important to maintain constant blood flow to the extremities. 

The most effective natural treatment for open wounds is Chinese Herbal compresses, in conjunction with acupuncture treatments.  Acupuncture improves blood flow to the area of the wound while decreasing inflammation.  This course of treatment can also loosen the ligaments and muscular tissue around the wound to increase range of motion resulting in flexibility. 

 If you or someone you know is suffering from an acute or chronic wound, please pass on this information to them. I have experience with closing all types of wounds and healing them completely using Chinese herbal formulas.   The Western approach to healing wounds is passive and costly.  Oriental Medicine offers a better and more affordable alternative with effective results.

Contact me directly at dana@emergewith.us

 Free 15 minute phone consultations are available and the patient does not have to be local. 

480-238-1252

Thanks for Reading,

Dana Bairen, L.Ac.

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