Causes of PMS
The real cause of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is not yet fully known, though many likely factors can be responsible for its symptoms. These factors may involve:
Hormone changes – Your hormone levels (progesterone and estrogen) fluctuate during your menstrual cycle. These hormonal changes are considered to be the biggest reasons for your PMS symptoms. The improvement of your PMS symptoms during pregnancy and after your menopause when your levels of hormone are stable validates this theory.
Chemical changes – As with your hormone levels, there are specific brain chemicals like serotonin that rises up and down during your menstrual cycle. Since serotonin is a chemical that causes you to feel happy and also one that regulates your mood, women with low serotonin levels are especially prone to PMS symptoms. Certain symptoms may also come about when serotonin levels are low. These symptoms can include:
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- Food cravings
- Fatigue
Lifestyle factors
Exercise and weight – If you perform no or very little exercise and if you have a body mass index of 30 or more (which means you are considered obese), then you are very likely to develop PMS.
Stress – As you get more and more stressed, your likelihood of getting PMS becomes high and if you already have PMS, its symptoms then only becomes worse. Stress is not a direct cause for PMS but it can surely aggravate its symptoms.
Diet – Consuming a lot of certain foods while eating little of others can also be a contributive factor for PMS. Eating a lot of salty foods, for example, can cause fluids to accumulate in your body and cause bloating. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol can interfere with your energy levels and your mood. Low levels of minerals and vitamins can likewise cause your PMS symptoms to worsen.
PMDD Causes
Like PMS, the cause of PMDD or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder is also unknown although it is theorized that PMDD (as with PMS) can come about due to the interaction of hormones (like progesterone and estrogen) coming from the ovaries at various stages in the menstrual cycle with neurotransmitters located in the brain. The ovarian levels of hormone of women with PMDD may be normal but the response of the brain to the fluctuation of these hormones is abnormal.
Studies done indicate that PMDD and PMS are not caused by specific personality types or personality traits. Like PMS stress is not considered to be one reason of PMDD. Stress is rather likely to be the result of PMDD or PMS symptoms. Nutritional deficiencies like lack of vitamins in the body have not been observed to cause PMDD or PMS symptoms either.
Dr. Jack Handlin is an experienced acupuncturist, Chinese herbalist and oriental reproductive medicine specialist at Tree of Life Acupuncture & Chinese Herbal Medicine in Bellevue, WA.
Anxiety – Preparing for Your Appointment
If you feel that your anxiety is starting to affect your physical health, it may be time to go and see your doctor for treatment. Your doctor will look for symptoms and signs of the primary cause of your anxiety and find treatment for it.
If you suffer from extreme anxiety, you may need the service of a specialist instead of your family doctor. The specialist may be a psychiatrist who is a medical doctor in his own right. The job of a psychiatrist is diagnosing and treating mental health issues. The job of a psychologist, on the other hand, and similar types of health specialists is to diagnose anxiety and other mental problems; however, instead of giving treatment they offer counseling instead.
Listed below are some things you need to do to make you better prepared for your psychiatrist or psychologist appointment, and the things the specialist may do and/or ask you.
Things you can do:
Make a list of your symptoms and signs of anxiety. Describe what happens to you when you feel anxious. Are you filled with worries? Do you feel nauseous, get palpitations in your heart or get dizzy?
In your writing, include the time you feel anxious. Make a record the times of the day when anxiety strikes you as well as the events, places and situations when you are more anxious than normal.
In your note, list down the biggest stressors in your life – Are you in the midst of a life change like a new job, relocation, divorce, new baby, marriage or the loss of a loved one? Are some past traumatic experiences keep on recurring in your mind?
Write down the length of time you’ve had your anxiety. Is it a recent problem or something you have dealt for many years now?
You can list the medical conditions besides your anxiety that you now have including the one that you consider petty or minor.
You need to also jot down the medications you are presently taking. Include the vitamins, herbal meds or teas, supplements, minerals, prescribed and OTC medications you are taking on a regular basis.
This information can be very helpful to your specialist and make it easy to properly diagnose your anxiety and give you a better understanding of the reasons for your anxiety.
You can also write down a list of questions you want answered by your specialist or doctor. In addition to information about you, you may also want to write down any questions you have in order to be able to actually ask them instead of forgetting all or some of them during the time of your appointment itself.
Questions You Can Ask your Specialist
- Will the signs and symptoms of my anxiety return in the future?
- Is there a big chance for recovery if I follow your treatment course?
- How soon can I feel the effects of the treatment once I’ve started the treatment plan?
- Do I need to change some or all of my lifestyle to be able to remove my anxiety symptoms?
- Can therapy help my case? What kind of therapy should I undergo? Can you recommend a good therapist to help treat my anxiety problems?
- What medications to I need to take for my anxiety? Will they be taken only when needed or on a daily basis? How long do I need to take them?
- What are the side effects of these drugs? Will these side effects disappear immediately or not? What side effects are deemed serious enough for you (the doctor) to warrant its discontinuance?
- Can you recommend some things that can help neutralize the side effects of my medications?
- What are the medical options I have for my anxiety problems?
- What is your diagnosis for my condition?
Questions the Specialist May Ask You
- Do you take recreational drugs?
- Do you drink alcohol?
- Are there things that make you less anxious or feel good?
- Do you avoid people or situations that may make you anxious?
- Do you have triggers to your anxiety?
- How long have you been feeling your anxiety?
- Are you worrying or feel anxious occasionally or regularly?
- Do you experience panic attacks?
- Are your anxiety symptoms affecting your daily activities?
- What are your symptoms? How serious are they?
- Do you have insurance? Will it cover your treatment?
- Do you suffer from associated conditions you may be aware of?
- Do you or any members of your family have a history of anxiety or any kind of mental health conditions?
What to Expect During your Appointment?
For diagnosing your anxiety, the doctor/specialist will perform on you a thorough physical examination and require you to undergo some lab tests. This is done to determine whether or not your anxiety is derived from physical causes. He will most likely ask you a number of questions which some have been listed in this writing a while ago. Some of the doctor’s questions may be from information which you have provided.
The doctor will pay close attention to your answers and can furnish you with advices and recommendations to help you better handle your anxiety symptoms. By doctor, we do not mean your family doctor but a specialist like a psychologist or psychiatrist that specializes in the diagnosing and treatment of mental health issues.
Alida van Heerden is a licensed New York acupuncturist and a NADA certified acupuncture detoxification specialist.
Anxiety – Coping and Support
Some proactive tips are effective for better coping with your anxiety disorder. These tips include:
Get to know more about anxiety – Read materials about anxiety disorder especially about the one you are suffering from. Knowing about your problem empowers you to take positive steps to help you overcome your anxiety problem perhaps even treating it permanently.
Do not abandon your plan of treatment – If you are prescribed medications by your doctor then it is wise to faithfully take them. This helps stabilize your symptoms and help prevent your problem from becoming worse.
Get over it – Oftentimes, the more sudden or the more serious the kind of crisis you faced, the longer it is to get over it. Give yourself time to heal – the saying “time heals all wounds” is very true though some wounds may end up as scars since the healing process was not really a good process to begin with. But the saying, “what does not kill you makes you stronger” is also true so it is up to you to end up a better and stronger person or end up otherwise.
Challenge negative thoughts – Try to think of things that would better your life and avoid the thoughts that prevent you from doing so. Thinking about counterproductive thoughts will only make your anxiety disorder worse or trap you into a never-ending cycle of worrying. Your friends can help.
Relax – Relaxing is basically the opposite of anxiety. Learn how to do breathing exercises like diaphragmatic breathing to calm your mind and body. Doing meditation and yoga is good for the person who suffers from anxiety disorder. Exercising is also a good way to calm the mind and body.
Avoid situations that may add to your problems – Try not to enter in a relationship with a person who may be too demanding or has problems which you eventually will be forced to face.
Be cooperative with your therapy – Help your mental health provider find good ways to address your anxiety disorder. If your anxiety problem stems from financial trouble, then try to adjust your lifestyle that will help you save money.
Group, friend and family support – Ask your friend or family to help you overcome your anxiety. A loving family and a real friend make a great difference in helping you overcome your problem. I recently read a story of a Florida woman who was going through a difficult grieving process and a friend recommended she see a Miami acupuncturist who helped her become herself again. A support group gives you a venue to express your concerns as well as find sympathy and solidarity with your problems. You can get valuable information for your problem when you join a support group and even find friends whom you can help and help you likewise to overcome each other’s anxiety disorder.
Interact socially – Be with members of your family or friends. Go out and interact with loving and understanding people who can allay your worries and fears.
Act positively – When anxiety strikes, try to divert your attention on a hobby or by going out and walking.
Some Pain Treatment Centers in Miami Offer Acupuncture Therapy
Individuals who have suffered traumatic injuries and damage to the soft tissues of their body (nerves, ligaments, tendons and muscles) can suffer from chronic pain which may require pain management and rehabilitation care. The medical profession provides a wide range of services and different kinds of therapies oftentimes used together to help the patient manage his pain well. These therapies can involve naturopathic medicine, physiotherapy, physical therapy, chiropractic medicine and acupuncture.
Pain Management Practitioners
The most common cause of soft tissue injury in the United States is that coming from motor vehicle accidents. Pain management experts are needed to assist vehicular accident victims to treat and overcome their pain and heal their injuries without resorting to too much medication or surgery. The aim of these specialists is to heal their patients well enough so that they may be able to resume their normal lives. For the more severe cases of vehicular accidents, highly specialized medical professionals like psychologists and neurologists are required to treat those who have suffered more serious injuries like spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury.
For motor vehicle accident victims who have incurred back injuries and back pain, an acupuncturist may be the suitable health professional to help him manage his back pain effectively. Usually back pain is accompanied by headaches, neck pain or joint pain. For the past few decades, acupuncture has shown a steady rise in popularity among people in Miami and the United States in general. Numerous studies have been done to demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture for chronic lower back pain therapy. One notable test involves the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine that have stated that acupuncture is by far the most effective therapy to address chronic lower back pain.
Soft Tissue Injuries
As mentioned soft tissue injury often involves damage to the nerves, ligaments, tendons and muscles. This type of injury comprises the majority pain management services and the usually health professionals who treat this type of injury include physical therapists, chiropractors and acupuncturists. The common types of soft tissue injury include strains, sprains and whiplash to mention a few. They are often incurred during vehicular accidents where violent force throw the person forward then backward causing hyper-extension (sudden forceful forward motion) and hyperflexion (violent backward motion) respectively. These two extreme motions often damage the soft tissues of the body.
Soft Tissue Injury Symptoms
People suffering from soft tissue can experience signs like swelling along with pain that is persistent and sharp. For soft tissue injuries considered minor, the healing process can be completed within two weeks. Major soft tissue injuries can take several months or even years. People with these kinds on injuries often suffer from chronic pain which require pain management treatment.
For chronic pain due to soft tissue injury one of the best ways to address your pain is with acupuncture therapy. For more information about acupuncture and pain treatment centers in Miami, please contact a local Miami acupuncture clinic.
Eva Paglialonga, AP, LMT
Needles & Moxa Wellness Center
700 Southwest 57th Avenue, Suite 700, Miami, FL 33144
Ph: (305) 265-5265
info@needlesandmoxa.com
http://www.needlesandmoxa.com/
Combined Benefits Of Acupuncture and Conventional Medicine
Oriental medicine, particularly traditional Chinese medicine, is a holistic approach which treats the whole bodily system and improves physical health from affective disorders and imparts a feeling of enhanced mental clarity.
Many clinical trials proved the efficacy of acupuncture
, especially when administered alongside with traditional medicine practices.
Acupuncture and Modern Medicine
With acupuncture showing positive results from patients with chronic conditions, this form of traditional medicine has gained the respect in modern medicine. And with that, more and more illnesses and health conditions are endorsed for this acupuncture treatment.
Though acupuncture treatment is usually used on its own to treat particular conditions, it’s commonly used as combination treatment medical practitioners in North America and Western Europe. Acupuncture is more popular in treating various of body aches and nausea, after a patient gets through their surgery. Even the US Air Force used this traditional Chinese medicine in early 2009, particularly in their missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and called it “Battlefield Acupuncture.” They use the acupuncture treatment before and during surgeries to reduce pain level and minimize the use of potent painkillers needed by patients after their surgery procedures.
Post-surgical effects like nausea and vomiting can also be addressed by acupuncture. Many patients find acupuncture very helpful in improving their energy and sense of vitality on a daily basis, after taking at least a week or two of regular acupuncture treatment.
Acupuncture and Veterinary Medicine
Acupuncture is also gaining popularity in the world of veterinary medicine. Some vets use acupuncture therapy along with traditional veterinary therapy and medication to better treat their animal patients, especially in physical injuries and post-surgical treatment.
Acupuncture as Immune System Booster
Acupuncture treatment is also used to strengthen the functions of the immune system, allowing people to be better able to withstand minor infections, colds, and flu, which is crucial for specific seasons of the year.
Acupuncture for Mental and Emotional Health
Many patients with emotional and psychological disorders are also endorsed by their doctors to needle treatments for relaxation and stress-reduction treatments. People with problems in addiction, anxiety, eating disorders, obsessive behavior, can all benefit from this type of holistic treatment.
Acupuncture as A Preventative Medicine
Many traditional medicine and holistic-approach treatment are commonly used as preventative medicine, strengthening people’s immune system and keeping it in perfect balance and harmony to ward off illnesses and in good condition. This is the reason why people who receive regular acupuncture treatment don’t have any particular ailment of a malady to treat for.
Photo credit: Wonderlane
Chiropractic Help in Fort Lauderdale for Spinal Injury
Motor vehicle accidents are the usual causes of spinal injury. Each year, around 160,000 individuals are involved in motor accidents and a majority of them report suffering from spinal injuries due to the accident. Most of these cases can be treated for spinal restoration with the help of a Fort Lauderdale chiropractor, restoring their normal spinal function with proper chiropractic care. However, about half of these cases will only opt for chiropractic therapy while the rest will merely suffer until the pain goes away or if the pain becomes insufferable, end up going to surgery.
Chiropractic care for spinal restoration is one of the best options to spinal problems. Chiropractors have various techniques and approaches for spinal injury and for various spine and spinal cord problems; however, the most popular method that chiropractors opt for is spinal adjustment. Spinal adjustment involves a proscribed amount of force applied to a joint to align it to its proper place. This technique is about manipulating the joint to free it and bring it back to its proper place. The sole aim of spinal adjustment is to aid the spine to function properly and to assist the nervous system to work normally. This treatment is popular among chiropractors because it effectively alleviates the pain from the neck and back, relaxes stiff joints and relieves the other pains in the body caused by spine injury.
One of the more effective chiropractic technique used also for spinal injury is massage therapy. This therapy helps to relax stiff and tense muscles and joints thereby alleviating the pain caused by such stiffness. Massage therapy is the use of a specific amount of pressure to the soft tissues in the body. It stimulates and enhances blood flow and makes the muscles more relaxed and loose. Massage therapy helps the muscles and fascia gain more elasticity. There are many forms or techniques used in massage therapy and they are all used to give the neck and back relief from pain and other areas with generalized pain caused by the spinal injury.
Some modalities used by chiropractors that aid recovery are ice and heat, ultrasound, electric stimulation (TENS) and flex ion among others. Clinical nutrition is an indispensable part of chiropractic treatment and is more of a recommendation rather than a requirement to the patient to emphasize a healthy lifestyle and for a speedier recovery. .
Other services the chiropractor may offer are acute, chronic and maintenance care, rehab, workman’s compensation cases, core stabilization and spinal decompression. These services all help toward restoring normal spinal function. Chiropractic doctors are usually the persons sought by many Americans for spinal treatment and care because they help patient recover faster after suffering from a motor vehicle accident.
Acupuncture Pembroke Pines and the Five Elements
The whole idea about acupuncture Pembroke Pines is quite easy to understand since there are not a lot of factors to be understood. Acupuncture has essentially two basic factors that make it work: the five elements and yin and yang.
The five elements are composed of metal, earth, fire, wood and water. The five elements are utilized in classifying parts of our body, animals, the seasons and just about anything else. They can likewise signify the parts or stages of transformation. Metal signifies contraction, earth maturity or ripeness, fire signifies full development, wood means growth and water signifies stillness and adaptation. These five elements can also act as some sort of a classification system. Traditional Chinese medicine categorizes different areas in accordance to these five elements. Some examples of this include the lungs that are associated to the element of metal, the earth element to the stomach, the heart to fire, the wood element to the liver and the kidneys associated to the water element. They also work cyclically.
The way the five elements are used in two ways, one used as a phase or stage and the other to categorize things. They both are utilized alongside each other. Chi or energy flows to all parts of the human body and since like blood chi travels throughout the body in a circulatory manner, the body follows a certain energy cycle as well. The energy of kidney manifested for example as libido makes us grasp opportunity or initiative which is energy associated with wood. This leads to activity associated with fire energy and can result in learning and reflection (earth energy). The stage then ends with experience which is connected to metal energy. This is in essence shows the cycle of growth and nourishment.
One can also find another cycle where the same five elements are synchronistically set up. This includes the cycle of control. The cycle of control are sorted in the following way: water, fire, metal, wood and earth. This cycle can show that water can control fire, fire on the other hand can saw off wood, wood contains earth and earth bears water. Stillness which is water energy regulates our activity and prevents it from turning manic which is fire energy. The activity itself is fire energy which prevents firmness from turning too hard (metal energy). Our hardness which is metal energy prevents us from being overcome by too many initiatives (wood energy). The initiating element on the other hand prevents us from stagnating in too much reflection which is earth energy. However, reflection can properly guide and monitor our libido which again is water energy.
The above explanation is merely a small glimpse into the broad aspect of the philosophy of acupuncture. The elements contain a huge volume of material about the elements and their applications to virtually all spheres of life.
Bellevue Acupuncture and the Chinese
The inventors of acupuncture are the ancient Chinese. Acupuncture is not beholden to the established system and the empirical ways of the Western scientific method and that is why it can not be proven by Western science or respected by many self-styled medical experts. Some scientists studying acupuncture conclude that no histological and anatomical basis exists to prove that acupuncture truly works in it claim to treat illnesses and pain. They believe that not being able to prove the existence of concepts like the meridians or Bellevue acupuncture points means that acupuncture is cannot really treat a sick person.
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that the body has around 2000 acupuncture points or simply acupoints and 14 major meridians crisscrossing these points. Twelve of the 14 meridians are connected to the major organs of the body. The meridians are pathways of an energy force the Chinese call chi and it travels all over the body using these meridians. Chinese medicine believes that the normal and free flow of brings a person to good health. Whenever chi flow is blocked or stagnates for whatever reason, this causes an imbalance in energy the affected body parts. The result will be sickness and/or pain. By means of needles and other tools, acupuncture treatment strives to reestablish normal chi and blood flow and balance the energy in the body helping the body to recover and be relieved of pain. Acupuncture is quite potent for the relief of pain. It can be used for pain injury, post-surgical pain, rheumatic and arthritic pain, menstrual pain as well as backache. Some techniques also components of TCM can be used along with acupuncture for treatment of disorders. These can include laser treatment, moxibustion, herbs, massage and others. Herbal medicine is often the choice treatment used by acupuncturists to complement acupuncture. The chi consider chi as equal to life itself. They view the kidneys and lungs and the energy derived from nutrients create the essence of chi. Acupuncture the normal flow of chi ensuring that it’s neither fast nor slow since both paces result will result in sickness. Acupuncture is a proven safe and effective procedure with no side effects at all.
The needles used in acupuncture often cause fear and concern in people. Acupuncture is not only safe but is surprisingly quite painless. The patient may feel some slight tingling sensation when the needles are inserted into the skin. The sensations often vanish immediately once the effect of the treatment takes affect. The needles are very thin and non hollow and are not like the ones used by hospitals. Acupuncture was introduced in the United States in the 1970’s. It is now a quite popular form of alternative treatment in the country.
Fighting Infertility with Acupuncture New York
The importance of acupuncture is contrasted with the unimpressive results of in vitro fertilization (IVF) seen in studies like the one doe by Dr. Nargund of St. George’s Hospital in Tooting in the UK in February, 2009. The studies show that IVF did not increase the incidence of conception and can even lead to serious to both the mother and unborn child. This treatment increased the cases of cerebral palsy and premature birth. Some babies conceived with this procedure die after only the first week. Furthermore, the health of the child is not quite good even after the first week and the quality of life and longevity of some of the children who survive the first week may not be so good as well. This disturbing conclusion makes the treatment of acupuncture for infertility look much more attractive especially when people know it is a natural and safe alternative for the treatment of their fertility problems. Acupuncture has no side effects or drawbacks and is a proven procedure used with great success for the treatment of maladies for over 5000 years. It is highly popular as a treatment for pain, illnesses and ailments, now it is being recognized as an effective treatment for fertility disorders.
The efficacy of acupuncture for fertility problems overshadows the potential disastrous outcomes of IVF procedures. These realities reflect the notion that instant treatments may not be always the best solution for some problems, in this case infertility. Instant treatments like IVF also do not address the underlying problem of a patient that caused his/her infertility. One underlying cause can be the lifestyle of the person. The problem with today’s fast paced life is that it is filled with physical, mental and emotional stress and these stresses can be and often are major factors in the cause of infertility for both young and older couples.
Stress causes the body’s immune system to weaken making the person prone to sickness and disease. It also weakens the flow of blood in the body caused partly by the tense muscles that constrict blood flow. Bad hygiene practices as well as an unhealthy environment are also contributors to male and female infertility. According to traditional Chinese medicine, tension and stress develop blockages to the energy vessels where vital force or chi in Chinese travels. These blockages stagnate the flow of chi and when these occur some parts of the body become energy deficient leading to sickness and pain. Acupuncture uses filiform needles to remove these energy blockages and allow chi and blood to nourish those energy and blood depleted body parts once more relieving pain and treating pain and health conditions like infertility as a result. Acupuncture to treat infertility helps nourishes the reproductive organs with blood and blood resulting in the normalization of the endocrine and reproductive function. This leads to an increased chance of conception.
The Importance of the Acupuncture Palm Harbor Points
The point in the body where an Palm Harbor acupuncture needles is inserted is called an acupuncture point or acupoint for short. An acupoint is like a portal that connects to the energy pathways in the body. The energy pathways called meridians or ley lines are to energy or chi what arteries, veins and capillaries are to blood. A needle inserted into an acupoint often stimulates tendons, nerves or muscles which in turn stimulates the nervous system. The Chinese name the acupoint “tsiue” which means cavity since an acupoint is like a hole that leads to a meridian. Because of the difference in the bodies of each person a style of measure was created to measure each person for the specific reason of locating each person’s acupoints. The unit of measure is based on the distance of the second phalanx to the third phalanx of the thumb of the patient. It is important that the acupuncturist precisely locate an acupoint since a mistake of inserting the needles even just a few millimeters off the correct location can lead to problems during treatment.
The perseverance of the ancient Chinese in perfecting the art of acupuncture led to the making of extant bronze life size statues which they used as aids in mapping the exact location of the meridians and other acupoints. These statues served as training models for students. They would coat the statues with wax and place water pouches in them to imitate the acupoints over the meridians. When a student inserts a needle into the statue and water squirts out, this means that he accurately inserted a needle into an acupoint. The needles inserted in an acupoint innervate the meridian affecting the yin and yang forces, the five elements and the organs of the body. Without knowing what acupoints can do it would be difficult to find recourse into aiding the body to attain balance of energy.
An acupuncturist diagnosing an illness such as bronchitis during winter for example would observe the symptoms. His observations might lead him to believe (diagnose) that the body has excess yin energy that causes cold in the lungs. The course of treatment would be acupuncture and herbal medicine to improve yang or heat energy to neutralize the preponderance of yin in the body and tone the body to strengthen the immune system.
There are thousands of acupoints scattered all over the body. Each point is always associated to a meridian which in turn is associated a major body organ. Apart from herbal medicine acupuncture can also be combined with moxibustion treatment. All of these treatments including acupuncture are considered components of traditional Chinese medicine. Acupuncture has the distinction of being an effective remedy for dozens of health conditions.