Seattle Acupuncture Associates

Chemotherapy commonly causes symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, peripheral neuropathy (PN), and leukopenia. Acceptance of acupuncture as a supportive antiemetic is growing as studies prove that it is effective at reducing nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy. Additionally, data suggests that there is a positive effect of acupuncture on chemotherapy induced PN (CIPN). CIPN can be very disabling and/or painful, have a major impact on patient quality of life, and delay chemotherapy treatments if severe enough.

Dundee, J. W., Yang, J., & McMillan, C. M. (1991). Non-invasive stimulation of the P6 (Neiguan) antiemetic acupuncture point in cancer chemotherapy. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 84(4), 210-212.

Franconi, G., Manni, L., Schröder, S., Marchetti, P., & Robinson, N. (2013). A systematic review of experimental and clinical acupuncture in chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013.

 

Author: Erica Rosen, LAc, EAMP, Dipl.OM

Radiation therapy is used to treat cancer. It can cause side-effects by damaging normal, healthy cells near the cancer site. Short term side-effects of radiation generally begin during or shortly after treatment, and generally resolve within several weeks of the end of radiation therapy. The more common and generalized side-effects of radiation therapy are fatigue,… Continue Reading

Acupuncture is an effective tool for airborne as well as inhaled chemical allergies. By decreasing the bodies reactivity to substances the histamine response , that which produces allergic symptoms is ameliorated. Over time the phsycial response to these allergens can be muted producing long lasting change. Continue Reading

Asthma is a disorder of two components. One component is inflammation of the airways. This is accompanied by bronchial constriction due to a smooth muscle response that line the walls of the airways. The acupuncture stimulus produces anti-inflammatory agents naturally that move to decrease the inflammation while at the same time affects the sympathetic nervous… Continue Reading

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi or airways caused by viruses or bacterial infection. The disorder may also be caused by inhaled irritants such as noxious chemicals. This disorder is accompanied by cough and often is preceded by the common cold. Acupuncture is effective in fighting the inflammation and reducing the cough reflex allowing… Continue Reading

Emphysema is a disease that is caused by the breakdown of the walls between the air-sacs in the lungs. This produces large balloon like structures where air movement becomes progressively more difficult as the disease progresses. People are genetically predisposed to suffering this disorder often exacerbated by smoking. Acupuncture is unable to arrest this process… Continue Reading

Arthritis is a common complaint of patients seeking acupuncture. The most common diagnosis within this broad category are those people who suffer with osteoarthritis which is an chronic inflammation and degeneration of the articular cartilage. Most commonly found in the the major weight bearing joints it is also most notable in the joints of the… Continue Reading

The back is the structure that supports most of our daily activities. Over time and through repetitive use we develop postures that are not as capable of adapting to stresses as they need to be. Muscular strain occurs and is the most common form of back discomfort. It is the most predominant back pain early… Continue Reading

A bursa is a soft tissue sac filled with fluid that your body uses to reduce friction between moveable structural components. Often bursae will exist between tendons or between tendons and bone. Bursitis is an inflammation of this sac, usually causing pain near the bursa. Acupuncture treatment may be used to control the pain, reduce… Continue Reading

Pain that is unrelenting has many causes. The chronicity of a pain signal can become a cause in and of itself. In the treatment of a chronic pain pattern acupuncture addresses both the underlying cause of the pain as well as the pain signal. This process and response are slower because of the interplay between… Continue Reading

Fibromyalgia is a noninflammatory disorder of the soft tissue. It is usually preceded by traumatic injury, acute illness or emotional trauma in which the normal recovery mechanisms do not operate properly. This results in pain, fatigue, sleep and digestive disorders. 70% of those diagnosed with FMS fit the clinical criteria for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Acupuncture… Continue Reading

Whether tension headache, cluster headache or “true” migraine all have in common a neuromuscular trigger as a component. Some classify all headaches as variant forms of migraine. Nevertheless, the neuromuscular component is addressed by acupuncture effectively by deactivating reactive trigger points and muscle tension and easing the reactive tone of the nervous system. Treatment is… Continue Reading

Acupuncture can address inflammation and swelling both directly and indirectly. Local needling at the site of inflammation engages the inflammatory agents directly through histamine released in the tissue. Once the cascade of chemical reactions thus triggered plays itself out (over a few days), a net anti-inflammatory influence is realized, frequently accompanied by a decrease in… Continue Reading

Muscle tension and dysfunction are addressed on a daily basis in the acupuncture clinic. Whether secondary to traumatic injury, overuse or ongoing stress, acupuncture has the ability to restore normal muscle tone and function. This is a process by which you deactivate unnatural muscle firing patterns that make movements awkward, inefficient and uncomfortable. The time… Continue Reading

Neurologic disorders cover a vast array of disorders from multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s to carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral neuropathy. These and other conditions are addressed by attempting to regulate central nervous system neuro-transmitters thereby affecting how nervous impulses travel through the various aspects of the nervous system. In the more complex disorders such as… Continue Reading

Rheumatologic conditions range from osteoarthritis to rheumatoid arthritis and akylosing spondylitis. This covers a wide range of disorders affecting joints and soft tissue. Acupuncture’s regulatory effect on structure and physilogic processes allows for pain and inflammatory reduction. Acupuncture is often coupled with medications such as Humera and Embrel which when taken decrease or arrest joint… Continue Reading