The Connection between Back Pain and Emotions
The Connection between Back Pain and Emotions Most people struggle with pain. Back pain seems to be the most common. There are three main types of back pain; lower, middle or thoracic and upper which usually involves the neck. While back pain can be from a structural issue, for example stenosis which is a narrowing of the vertebrae, muscle and fascia tightening or tight and twisted tendons which can cause pain. All of these can also cause radiculopathy or sciatica, which is a nerve type of pain that goes down the arm or leg. it can travel down the side, the back or even the front and can result in numbness or tingling, most commonly in the hand or foot. When the issue is a physical one, a patient will respond to modalities such as massage, chiropractic and physical therapy. When someone is not responding to these modalities, the issue may be in the patient’s emotional state. This is very common. We especially see this in situations where pain suddenly “flares up”. When things “flare up”, it’s your body’s way of saying that it needs attention, rest, or a sign that you’re not managing emotions successfully. Think of back pain as a way of diagnosing. It lets you know what might need adjusting in your life. As mentioned, there are three main sections of the back; lower, middle or thoracic and upper. Upper Back (upper shoulder blades and lower neck) –This is the area of the Lung meridian which is associated with emotion grief. Sadness, grieving a loss or the feeling of not being able to move, feeling stagnated, the age old “wallowing in grief”. Middle Back (lower shoulder blades, thoracic): This is the area of the Spleen. In Chinese medicine the Spleen emotions are worry or pensiveness. When these emotions get triggered, it can cause stuck energy in the middle back and shoulder blades. Lower Back (lumbar spine, hips): The lower back is connected with the Kidney meridian, which has so much to do with a sense of security and stability. This makes total sense as the hips and low back are the foundation for the spine and in some ways the entire body. Unexpressed frustration or feelings of being unsupported can create blockages in the Kidney which can manifest as stiffness and pain in the lower back and hips. There might also be fear or an inability to ‘walk’ through life because everything feels so unstable. Acupuncture can heal this by enhancing circulation to the area, hereby bringing down inflammation, but also moving stagnate energy. Every acupuncture session treats the physical, emotional and spiritual plane, there is no separation. The musculoskeletal system (muscles, tendons, bone), all the internal organs (impacting sleep, digestion, immunity, etc) and the mind (impacting the hormones, neurotransmitters and emotions), everything gets addressed. If this resonates with you at all and you are curious, please reach out, we’d love to hear from you.
Does Acupuncture Help with Neck Pain?
Acupuncture is a modality in Chinese medicine and has been in practice for 3,000 years. Often people wonder if it’s an effective treatment for neck pain or pain management overall, we like to say that if it weren’t effective, it would have died out long ago. There are so many causes of neck pain or discomfort; maybe you slept ‘wrong’ or had an uncomfortable night’s sleep, extended periods on a couch or in your work chair, or maybe you’ve been in an accident or done something extreme at the gym. Either way, neck pain is not uncommon, it’s usually minor, it comes and goes but sometimes it can become a chronic problem. What is an acupuncture treatment like? An acupuncture treatment is simply the administration of fine needles, about the size of one hair on your head. These thin needles are inserted into acupuncture points causing a stimulus to release, tonify, relax or harmonize the area, the meridian or the organ system. With neck pain, it doesn’t matter if it’s just a pulled muscle, cervical radiculopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome or multiple things going on at once. We locate the pain, find the meridian associated with the area and treat accordingly, bringing down inflammation, enhancing circulation to the area which speeds up healing time, increasing mobility and relaxing any muscle tension. For example, let’s say a patient comes to the clinic with terrible upper back and neck pain on the left side. There is trapezius involvement and the whole area between the spine and scapula going all the way down to thoracic vertebrae 8 is quite painful, patient has difficulty turning their head to the left or touching their ear to their shoulder, flexion and extension is completely normal though. From a Chinese medicine perspective, we asses which meridians are effected, here it’s primarily the Gall Bladder because of the trapezius involvement and also the inability to turn the neck side to side. The Urinary Bladder is also involved since this meridian runs along the entire spine, about an inch away on both sides. Lastly, the Small Intestine is a culprit as well since this meridian zig zags all over the scapula. So, we know who the imbalanced meridians are, how do we treat it? At Tao to Wellness, we use Dr Tan’s Balance Method often, this is a distal needling method, it’s basically needling away from the pain or the area of imbalance. There are many meridians that can balance the imbalanced meridians above, but probably the best ones for this are the Liver and the Kidney. So by treating acupuncture points on these meridians we can balance and pull the “traffic jam” away from the painful area. In Dr. Tan’s Balance Method, we mirror the body and use acupuncture points on the ankle and lower leg. We can also use some points on the wrist and forearm as well. The beauty of doing a treatment style like this is is it allows us to do ‘moving needle technique’ where after the insertion of needles, we have the patient move their head or mimic the pain. It’s a wonderful way to target and bring attention to the area so that that traffic jam starts to move along a bit faster. How many acupuncture treatments do I need for treatment of neck pain? That all depends! Maybe you just woke up with it this morning or it’s something that’s been nagging you for months or maybe even years! In a nutshell, the longer something has been around, the harder it is do get rid of. It’s like it’s taken residence in your body. That being said, patients see an improvement right after the first treatment and most of the time, during the actual treatment itself. From there, we listen to your body and tell patients when the pain comes back, you come back! Some patients will ‘hold’ their treatments anywhere from 1-5 days, by returning to the clinic before the pain is at the same level, we are able to get deeper healing out of that next treatment and giving you results faster. As the pain become less and less, you need less and less treatments. Are there other things you can do for Neck Pain? Cupping is also a wonderful addition to your acupuncture treatment and is used for pain on the entire back. Herbal medicine can take things to the next level, helping your body make subtle shifts throughout the day which will get you the results you want faster. Lastly Herbal Patches can administer herbal medicine through the skin locally in the area and can will assist in resolving things faster. How to get started with us? In the realm of pain management, acupuncture truly shines and completes the “trifecta” of alternative medicine. At Tao to Wellness we see more pain management related issues then anything else in our practice. Whether it’s neck pain, back pain, knee pain, wrist pain or simply a headache, it doesn’t matter, Chinese medicine can address all of these with much success!
Preventing Neck Pain
Preventing Neck Pain What are the Most Common Causes of Neck Pain? Neck pain is one of the most common types of pain in the body, secondary only to low back pain. There are so many causes for neck pain; bad posture, poor support during sleep, repetitive stress, muscle strain from movement and stress. From a Chinese medicine point of view, there are six meridians involved in neck pain, the Large Intestine and Stomach, the Urinary Bladder and Small Intestine and the Gall Bladder and Triple Burner or San Jiao. All of these play a part in neck pain and is mostly dependent on which direction the patient moves his or her head that dictates which meridian is out of balance or the cause of the neck pain. For example, if the patient moved their head up and down, nodding their head in a Yes manner, that tells us the Urinary Bladder and Small Intestine are involved. If the patient turns their head side to side, in a No manner, that tells us the culprit may be the Gall Bladder and San Jiao and lastly, if the patient has the most pain when they try to touch their ear to their shoulder it may be the Large Intestine and Stomach meridians. Any of the reasons above can trigger these types of neck pain and meridian involvement, but the type of neck pain exacerbated by stress is the Gall Bladder and Triple Burner, we see this particular layout associated with stress the most since the Liver and Gall Bladder have a special relationship, partners in crime if you will, if the Liver becomes overwhelmed it uses the Gall Bladder as an overflow system which can effects the meridian and causes neck pain. What Is the Best Way to Prevent Neck Pain? There are many things one can do to prevent neck pain: Meditation and Relaxation You’ve probably heard it a thousand times, meditation is imperative to a relaxed, stress free and happy life. I do believe that meditation can help relax the entire body in such a way that muscles, tendons and ligaments receive more lubrication or moisture, thereby being more flexible and impacted less by injury overall. More Sleep (and deeper!) Seems like many of us are not getting enough hours of sleep, how often do you hear someone saying they wish there were 10 more hours in the day! Not only does the amount of hours matter but the quality does as well. We need Deep sleep in order for our muscles to recovery, there’s no way around it. A great tool to use for this is a Fitbit, I love my Fitbit and get excited to wake up in the morning to see how much REM and Deep sleep I got the night before. Epsom Salt Baths If you’ve had a hard day or stress is high overall, an epsom salt bath might do the trick. Not only does the warm (or hot) water relax the muscles, but epsom salt is loaded with magnesium and magnesium is necessary in over 300 different systems in the body. I think magnesium should be discussed just as much as its rock star friends Vitamins B and C. Stretching We live our lives scrunched up, in our seats for hours – driving, at the computer, etc. Look into receiving a professional stretching session, having someone else stretch you out is so much better than doing it on your own, usually the practitioner will also prescribe sets of exercises for you to do on a daily basis. Anti-inflammatory Herbs Herbs are a wonderful and natural way to relieve the body of inflammation. They work with the root of the problem, working preventatively as opposed to support during a flare up or crisis when you might need something like Advil or Motrin which ultimately is just masking the situation by turning off your pain responders. Anti inflammatory herbal remedies are much effective in the long run. Herbs like Turmeric, Ginger, Rosemary or Fish Oil. It is highly recommended to work with a licensed herbalist when creating a herbal regimen. Does Acupuncture Help Neck Pain? Absolutely. In complementary care circles, we look at the triad of health to be Massage, Chiropractic and Acupuncture. All three play such an important role in overall healthcare. Massage is wonderful for relaxing the muscles, chiropractic is necessary for moving bones and creating balance in the structure of the spine and acupuncture is imperative for de-stressing the body, bringing inflammation down, opening up the meridians, relaxing tendons and muscles and bringing more oxygen to the site of injury so healing can begin. In addition to all that, Tao to Wellness can also balance the entire body thereby impacting one’s sleep, digestion, hormones, brain chemistry, immunity and myriad other things. It makes sense to work with an acupuncturist since we can impact ALL aspects of health. Where Do You Put Acupuncture Needles for Neck Pain? We like to veer away from the site of injury and trust the meridian system, so usually for neck pain you will be needled around your wrists and ankles, hands and feet. It’s a strategy to not ‘hurt the baby when they are sick’ so we needle away from the pain creating a freeway system to open up the area, bring down inflammation, increase blood flow and speed up healing time.
Feeling inflamed? Eat like this!
Feeling inflamed? Eat like this! Inflammation does not discriminate! We all fall victim to it at one point or another. Low back pain, neck pain, joint swelling, even stomach issues like anything that ends in an -itis is otherwise known as inflammation. Try this way of eating to reset your body and bring down the inflammation in your system. Steamed vegetables: Steamed vegetables are more easily digested and this can help increase the availability of nutrients in order to enable healing of the gastrointestinal mucosa. Minimize usage of raw vegetables. Eat a variety of vegetables (except nightshades including tomatoes, potatoes (no sweet potatoes), bell peppers and eggplants), especially the lower carbohydrate type. Lower carbohydrate vegetables include asparagus, bean sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Swiss chard, kale, beet greens, cucumber, endive, lettuce, mustard greens, radish, spinach, watercress, arugula, string beans, beets, Brussels sprouts, chives, collards, kohlrabi, leeks, onion, parsley, pumpkin, rutabagas and turnips. The higher carbohydrate vegetables include artichoke, parsnip, green peas, squash, carrots. Grains: Eat 1-2 cups of cooked grains per day and avoid wheat-derived grains. Examples of allowed grains include amaranth, barley, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal, quinoa, basmati or brown rice, rye, teff (note, Teff bread at the local Ethiopian restaurants are usually made with wheat). Legumes: Eat a variety of any legumes that you are able to tolerate. It is best to use dried organic beans, soaked overnight, then cooked to taste. Examples include split peas, lentils, kidney beans, aduki beans, mung beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans. Fish and Eggs: Deep-sea ocean fish (vs. farmed in which fish are commonly fed corn and cement)) is preferred. Ask the person behind the counter at the supermarket! Avoid shellfish. The best types of fish include salmon, halibut, cod, sardines, mackerel. The fish should be poached, steamed, baked or broiled (poached or steamed is best). Organic, free range eggs are best and pouched retains the nutritional value. Milk products: Only organic, raw milk is acceptable. Organic Greek yogurt is also a good milk protein. Meat and Poultry: Eat only the meat and not the skin of free-range or organically grown chicken or turkey. Bake, broil or steam the poultry. Beef, buffalo and lamb in smaller portions are acceptable. Fruit: Eat 1-2 pieces of seasonal fruits with the exception of citrus. Like vegetables, try to eat the low carb fruits. Low carb fruits include: cantaloupe, rhubarb, strawberries, melons, apricot, blackberries, cranberries, papaya, peach, plum, raspberries, kiwi. Higher carb fruits include apple, blueberries, cherries, grapes, mango, pear, pineapple, pomegranate, banana, figs, prunes, dried fruit. Sweeteners: Use very small amounts of maple syrup, rice syrup, barley syrup, honey or stevia. Do NOT use sugar, NutraSweet, Sweet and Low, Splenda or Equal, never. Seeds and Nuts: Grind organic whole flax, pumpkin, sesame or sunflower seeds and add to steamed vegetables, cooked grains, smoothies, etc. Consume at least 1 T whole flax or 2 T ground flax per day to modulate inflammation and promote detoxification of harmful substances in the body. Nut and seed butters are allowed but peanut is absolutely forbidden. Butter/Oils: When cooking, do not use extra virgin olive oil. You may use oils such as coconut oil (especially for higher heat), rice bran oil, butter or ghee (clarified butter). We recommend you avoid canola oil at any temperature. Extra virgin olive oil is fine for any other situation requiring oil. Refrigerate all cooking oils. To Drink: Please consume a MINIMUM of 6 to 8 glasses of spring or reverse-osmosis water every day. We recommend you use different sources regularly. Small amounts of rice, oat or almond milk are allowed. For the time being, avoid the following foods: All wheat products (including breads, white flour) Tomatoes Potatoes Corn products Peanuts/peanut butter Any processed food Coffee Alcohol Colas Fried foods No Calorie Sweeteners, (NutraSweet, Sweet and Low, Equal) Use glass or ceramics whenever possible to store food and water. Heat up your food using a glass or ceramic bowl covered with dish. When plastic is heated, it diffuses very rapidly into food. Use a simple detergent with less chemicals; Nature Clean is a good choice for both laundry detergent and dishwashing detergent. Simple Soap is a safe choice for shampoo and body soap. Use natural pest control not pesticides. Avoid Synthetic Chemicals – Healthy Living in a Toxic World by Cynthia Fincher PhD. is a good place to start. Buy hormone free meats to eat. Buy “Organic” produce, produce grown without pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizer or hormones. Do not use microwaves. The very important changes to make are do NOT eat or drink out of HOT plastic. (ie: Water bottles left in the car, microwave your food in plastic)
What is the deal with Cupping?
What is the deal with Cupping? Tao to Wellness, Berkeley CA What is the deal with Cupping ? Ever since Michael Phelps proudly showed his red and purple dots all over his body, we have gotten a ton of calls at Tao to Wellness asking if we do this ancient practice. Yes, we do it! And yes, it’s awesome. Patients get it for many purposes, including to help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, relaxation and well-being, and as a type of deep-tissue massage. Cupping therapy might be trendy now, but it’s not new. It dates back to ancient Egyptian, Chinese, and Middle Eastern cultures. One of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, the Ebers Papyrus, describes how the ancient Egyptians used cupping therapy in 1,550 B.C. There are different methods of cupping, including: Dry and Wet. During both types of cupping, your therapist will put a flammable substance such as alcohol, herbs, or paper in a cup and set it on fire. As the fire goes out, he puts the cup upside down on your skin. As the air inside the cup cools, it creates a vacuum. This causes your skin to rise and redden as your blood vessels expand. The cup is generally left in place for up to 3 minutes. A more modern version of cupping uses a rubber pump instead of fire to create the vacuum inside the cup. Sometimes therapists use silicone cups, which they can move from place to place on your skin for a massage-like effect. Wet cupping creates a mild suction by leaving a cup in place for about 3 minutes. The therapist then removes the cup and uses a small scalpel to make light, tiny cuts on your skin. Next, he or she does a second suction to draw out a small quantity of blood. Unfortunately, this ancient practice is now illegal in California, there is just too much risk with blood borne pathogens, infection and acupuncturists using ‘dirty cups’, so we do not offer this service at Tao to Wellness. That being said, Dry cupping is more than enough for most issues or in conjunction with acupuncture. You might get 3-5 cups in your first session. Or you might just try one to see how it goes. It’s rare to get more than 5-7 cups. You may be left with strange alien like dots that range from pink to sometimes even black, but the health benefits outweigh the temporary fashion statement. Come in to Tao to Wellness for some cupping—at just $60 a session or used in conjunction with Acupuncture ($95 for both) it is an amazing tool that can heal that body from inflammation, stress, congestion or just used for relaxation. Love, Christina Martin, L.Ac., DIPL.AC, ABORM, MTOM Tao to Wellness 809 Hearst Ave Berkeley, CA 94710 www.taotowellness.com 510.883.0383
