Injuries are a common but unfortunate part of sports and exercise participation. The nature and severity of an injury will dictate the recovery and rehabilitation time, and protocols followed. Muscle mass, strength and function are lost quickly when injuries result in reduced movement or immobilisation, and this can also lead to unwanted weight gain. While […]
Tag: inflammation
Migraines
Migraines are characterized by intense, throbbing pain on one side of the head, often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound. The exact cause of migraines is not fully understood, but they are believed to be related to changes in brain chemistry and blood flow. Migraine sufferers may experience significant stigma among […]
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!
As we wind down towards the end of the year, it is for many a time for holidays, celebrations, and gatherings of friends and families, and inevitably lots of eating and sometimes overconsumption of alcohol. It can also be a very stressful time of year, making it difficult to remain calm and healthy, and to […]
Acupuncture for the relief of pain, inflammation, and anxiety
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treats the mind and body as a whole system – not separate parts. Conventional Medicine has come to accept that the mind affects the body. Stress is a perfect example of the interrelated connection between the body and mind – any perceived threat triggers a fight or flight response in your […]
Calm down inflammation with food
Have you ever sprained your ankle, cut yourself or stung by a bee? The pain, redness, swelling, and heat that it produces are the body’s defence mechanism to fight the acute inflammation and to repair tissue damage. Acute inflammation typically resolves quickly, within a period of hours to days. Have you ever heard of chronic […]
Goal Setting post Lockdown
With gyms set to re-open after four gruelling months of lockdown, it’s natural to want to return in an absolute blaze of glory and pick up right where you left off. As tempting as it is, it’s something I would be strongly recommending to resist against. Not only is it going to increase your risk […]
Do You Need To Stretch or Roll Out Your ITB?
With NSW about to enter its fourth month of lockdown, I’m not surprised that many people have taken up running as a means to get moving and exercising (and have an excuse to get out of the house!). A common presentation that we’ve had in the clinic over the last few months is pain on […]
Kids & posture
How is your kid’s posture ? Tips to help keep your kids spine growing in a healthy way. The change from adults working from working in an office to home has caused many adults to experience an increase in neck and upper back pain. This change also impacts the smallest members of the family, kids. […]
Stress vs anxiety & Acupuncture
Stress and anxiety manifest in similar ways but defined differently. Both are emotional responses, but stress is typically caused by an external trigger. The trigger can be short-term, such as a work deadline or a fight with a loved one or long-term, such as being unable to work, discrimination, or chronic illness. People under stress […]
A-Z of Immune Support
Your immune system is a network of organs, tissues, and cells that work together to keep you healthy by fighting off harmful bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Your immune system acts as an interface between your body and the things you encounter (germs, bacteria’s etc) that can make you sick. When your immune system is compromised, it’s […]
An Acupuncturist’s Take on Acupuncture and Immunity
This paragraph from this article* by Liang et al. summarises my understanding of acupuncture and it’s possible effect on immunity. “The characteristic that acupuncture enhances resistance is closely related with the immune system, which functions in defense, homeostasis, and surveillance. More and more research has revealed that acupuncture can regulate immunity, for example, to enhance […]
Pain by Kym Belling
Pain, anxiety and inflammation, the vicious cycle many of our patients can get stuck in. While stress on the body isn’t always a bad thing, we need certain levels of it to survive and adapt however too much in the form of poor diet, mental and emotional stress, hormonal disruptions as well as a lack […]
Pain And Inflammation in the Body
Western medicine doesn’t recognize the concepts of qi and meridians. However, scientific evidence suggests alternate explanations for why acupuncture might provide pain relief. “There’s a lot of research that says when we put an acupuncture needle into the body, a number of physiological mechanisms occurs,” says Brian Berman, MD, professor of family and community medicine and director […]
Out of the Woods
Who wants to be the best version of themselves? Let’s face it, most of us do! However sometimes it’s hard to actually commit to healthy habits that contribute and help us to be the best version of ourselves. Sometimes finding a balance can be hard. We all know at least one person that is so […]
Acupuncture and Inflammation
Inflammation is commonly a response to some form of injury or trauma. The idea behind inflammation is to flood the injury site with white blood cells, natural killer cells, etc to help clear the site from foreign debris or pathogens, in order to promote healing. But with all these extra cells in a location where […]
Acupuncture, the Gym and Injuries
Muscles are a bunch of fibers in muscular groups and work by contracting when fired by an electrical impulse from the nerves. I think of these as a bunch of cables bundled together and when tension starts due to poor posture, overwork or injury, the tension or the cause of muscular dysfunction tends to start […]
Training around your rotator cuff related shoulder pain
Time and time again, I can see the stress caused when asking patients about how their sore shoulder has effected their lifestyle. They usually respond with something along the lines of: “I have stopped going to the gym and rested for the last few months” Or “ I can’t do certain exercises / have stopped […]
How is Chronic Inflammation Affecting Us?
How is Chronic Inflammation Affecting Us? Inflammation has been receiving more and more attention as researchers are developing a better understanding on how it is expressed in the body. Gone are the days of the idea that inflammation is just a reaction when you get a paper cut or catch the common cold. Chronic inflammation […]