Category Archives: Back Pain

Hypnotherapy and Health

Hypnotherapy and Health

 

What do you think of when you hear the word “hypnotherapy?”  Excitement? Enthusiasm? Relaxation? Concern?  Well, some people areHypnotherapy and Health afraid that hypnotherapy or guided imagery will make you lose control.  That you will be under the influence of someone or something else.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  We have heard that there are a few individuals in religious circles who warn that is it somehow “evil” —  well there is absolutely no basis for labeling it in that way.  Read further to see why.

 

Granted, extreme applications (of understanding how the mind can work) are used to manipulate others by cults and in harsh interrogation methods by the CIA, FBI, police, Mossad, M-1, KGB, and elsewhere.  But that is a vastly different situation.  For health improvement and stress reduction, hypnotherapy and guided imagery are extremely benevolent and non-directive.  It is a matter merely of offering suggestions — giving your higher powers an opportunity to choose another way that can be helpful.

 

Hypnotherapy and Positive Reinforcement

 

This aspect of healing and health maintenance can be a very positive addition to your “medicine cabinet.”  In fact, ALL TOP OLYMPIC ATHLETES and successful CEOs routinely use this for peak performance.  Essentially it is positive self-talk.  And can you deny that you speak to yourself, inside your head, many times a day?  It is a normal aspect of your brain function, and making sure that the words are supportive and positive is key. (Of course, if there are many voices in your head telling you to murder and kill, that could be a sign of serious mental illness.  This is NOT what we are talking about here.)

 

Patients’ Experience of Hypnotherapy at The Redwood Clinic

 

Are we just talking theory here?  Is there any proof of this?  Well, at The Redwood Clinic we have been using this in conjunction with acupuncture and other approaches for the past 25 years or more.  This is because it is safe, quick, and effective.  Our patients, by in large, love it and look forward to it at their visits.  Of course, some people don’t choose to do it and that is fine too.  But of those who do utilize this adjunctive tool, 100% are excited about it and find that it is really a positive influence in their health.

 

Hypnotheray and Kaiser Health Care

 

Kaiser Foundation Health Care is a conservative organization.  They require some solid evidence before they will pay for or use some method.  Well, they encourage the use of hypnotherapy and guided imagery, as do Harvard, Stanford, the Mayo Clinic, and almost all of the major medical schools and centers in the U.S.  Why? Because it is safe and effective.

 

What does Kaiser specifically say about it?   “Your mind and body are connected. Guided imagery programs engage your mind, body, and spirit to help you:

  • reduce stress
  • focus on healthy changes
  • promote healing”

 

Kaiser has a specific place that  “produces our gentle, but powerful, guided imagery programs. Kaiser Permanente doesn’t provide transcripts for these programs because the reading voice — its softness and pace — is key to their success.”  That organization is called Healthy Journeys.

 

Areas that Kaiser Promotes Hypnotherapy

 

What hypnotherapy/guided imagery audios do they provide direct access to all Kaiser members?

 

  1. Related to “Health Conditions and concerns”: allergies, coping with cancer, cancer chemotherapy, cancer radiation therapy, fibromyalgia and fatigue, headaches, healthy heart, immune system health, menopause, pain, pregnancy and childbirth, and surgery.
  2. Related to “Emotional Wellness:” anger and forgiveness, grief, panic attacks and anxiety, self-confidence, and stress.
  3. Related to “Living Healthily:” relaxation and wellness, sleep, stop smoking, and weight loss.

 

Kaiser has been providing these self-access resources since at least 2012.  At The Redwood Clinic we have been using these since at least 1990.  Always on the cutting edge of what we can do to help you wholistically.

 

We will also have some podcasts on this subject on our podcast channel: http://www.NaturalSolutionsWithDrJay.com

Acupuncture and Sedona Method – Great Combination

Acupuncture and Sedona Method – Great Combination

At The Redwood Clinic we combine the best of natural medicine approaches to create a synergistic effect.  This enables faster and deeper results for patients.  This also addresses the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels of a person’s health concerns.

Acupuncture and Chinese medicine are a multifaceted system including energy work, OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAmassage, exercise, diet, stress-reduction, herbal formulas and even martial arts.  As comprehensive as allergythis may be, there are still other approaches to healing and health that work very well with acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

Thus, we like to combine the best of all worlds when possible.  Of course, if you are coming in with an insurance plan, that plan has restrictions on what it will pay for and not pay for.  Usually that is very limited.  So to really get the full benefit of our years of clinical experience you may have out of pocket expenses. But believe me, that is worth it.

11-10-08-speeding-mediumYour car insurance won’t pay for a tune-up — only crashes.  But you don’t refuse to get the tune-ups just because your insurance won’t pay for it.  The same thing should apply to your health.

When people are resting during an acupuncture session we often encourage them to listen to a guided imagery process to work on different aspects of their body’s healing powers.  And to reduce stress responses.  One of the many processes we offer selectively to patients, based on their individual needs and circumstances, might be the Sedona Method.Sleep

Please watch and listen to another recent positive experience using this unique integrative approach only found at The Redwood Clinic.

 

How to Improve Back Pain

How to Improve Back Pain

For decades we have been helping patients improve their back function, reduce and end back pain symptoms, and help avoid unwanted back Backpainsurgery.  This includes acute back pain – upper, middle, low back pain — as well as sciatica.  It also includes chronic back pain — also in the same regions.  This is employing acupuncture, electroacupuncture, therapeutic massage, stretching, instruction in posture, McKenzie exercises, herbs, nutrition, and the past 5 years Neurologic Relief Center technique. Of course, the choices were made after a comprehensive history taking, evaluation, and analysis.  Short-cutting this process is not a wise thing to do, is unprofessional, and in the long run is not helpful for the patient.  Some “community acupuncture clinics,” some medical doctor offices* and others practitioners with less training and superficial understanding of the problems will do a very cursory exam, if at all.  And frankly speaking, looking at the tongue and feeling the wrist pulse, while helpful in some ways, is WHOLLY INSUFFICIENT to determine what is going on, but that is what you will get at a low-cost clinic.   *Medical doctors will at least eventually refer you to a specialist if the are internal medicine or family practitioners.

"Watch Your Back!"

“Watch Your Back!”

A recent book about back pain, “Watch Your Back!: How the Pain Industry Has Cost Us More and Given Us Less” by Richard A. Deyo, MD suggests that there are 4 main ways that we heal back pain.  We do not agree that these are the only ways, but agree that these are important aspects of the process.  On the other hand, one of many lecture segments about back pain that we have presented is on youtube  HERE. The 4 ways of healing back pain according to Dr. Deyo are: 1) Time heals all.  There is a time frame, a natural healing cycle, that healing (by the body’s own healing powers) takes place in.  Just have to let time take it’s time. Usually 4 weeks. 2) Regression to the mean.  Over time the person gets better. 3) Placebo effect.  People are given both an active method and a real method.  Even the placebo, physical treatment, is better than the control (no intervention).  COMMENT: This points out the fact that the placebo effect is powerful.  Some researchers may claim that the placebo effect should not be used, but even editorials in the Journal of the American Medical Association have on and off lauded the benefits of using the placebo effect as much as possible if it will help the patient. 4) The doctor’s warm, attention, sympathy, and caring have a strong influence on recovery. Dr. Deyo elaborates on these as well as analyzes various studies on treatment methods used to treat back pain, including acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, pain medications and surgery.  Neurologic Relief Center (NRC) technique is not discussed. The NRC is still gathering data to put together further studies on efficacy.  Numerous anecdotal cases are shown in this blogs articles and on youtube from around the world.  Cases 1. Case 2, Case 3, Case 4

Acupuncture Can Help Relieve Your Back Pain

back painAcupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are very effective in treating back pain naturally. They can also be used together with traditional Western treatments to maximize your healing and recovery.

Back pain is an extremely common problem that plagues more than eighty percent of Americans some time during their lives. In fact, it’s one of the top reasons people seek medical care. Unfortunately, back pain is not always easy to diagnose or relieve. Low back pain in particular often becomes a long term dehabilitating condition.

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are very effective in treating back pain naturally. They can also be used together with traditional Western treatments to maximize your healing and recovery.

What Can Cause Back Pain?

There are many possible causes for back pain, including strained muscles or ligaments, often caused by improper lifting, sudden movements or traumatic injury. Other culprits can include arthritis, structural abnormalities of the spine, or the disks between the vertebrae bulging or rupturing and pressing on a nerve. Depending on the specific diagnosis, back pain is generally treated with medications, physical therapy, chiropractic care, and in some cases, surgery.

A Safe Natural Approach

Practitioners of acupuncture and TCM view back pain another way. An acupuncturist will not only work to relieve your symptoms, but will also work to find and treat the underlying cause of your pain. In a study conducted at a Swedish hospital, doctors concluded that acupuncture provided long-term relief along with improvements in physical activity levels, quality of sleep and the diminished use of pain medication.

Acupuncture and TCM are based on the concept that Qi (pronounced “chee”), or vital energy, flows through the body in channels called meridians. If Qi becomes stagnant, unbalanced or deficient, symptoms such as back pain, ache and inflammation can result. This can happen for any number of reasons, from injury and illness to stress or external invaders such as wind or dampness. Back pain can arise from disharmonies such as:

  • Stagnation – type pain that is often linked to sudden, stabbing, severe pain and related to sprains, strains or trauma. It can be accompanied by stiffness and tightness and becomes worse with rest. If it occurs often in the same area(s) it may reflect an underlying deficiency.
  • Cold, damp obstruction – type pain that is generally worse in the morning and exacerbated by cold or damp weather. This type of pain condition may be associated with numbness, swelling and a sense of “heaviness.” Heat improves this condition.
  • Deficiency – type pain that is usually a chronic condition that presents with a “dull” pain and improves with rest.

Reestablishing Balance

Once your practitioner has determined the cause(s) of your back pain, he or she will create a specific treatment plan designed to address your concerns and boost your overall health and vitality. During acupuncture treatments, your practitioner will insert fine, sterile needles into specific acupuncture points along the meridian pathways in order to restore the balance and flow of Qi. He or she may also perform acupressure or other types of therapy, based on your unique issues and symptoms.

“Acupuncture represents a highly promising and effective treatment option for chronic back pain. Patients experienced not only reduced pain intensity, but also reported improvements in the disability that often results from back pain, and therefore in their quality of life.”

– H. Endres, MD

Your practitioner may also suggest lifestyle changes and self-care techniques, especially if you struggle with chronic pain. These may include:

  • Improving your posture – Examine your posture in a mirror. Try to stand with your head up, shoulders back and pelvis in a neutral position. When sitting, try to sit upright with your feet flat on the floor and your knees and hips level. Try to balance your weight evenly when walking and standing.
  • Exercising – Keep your back and abdominal muscles strong with regular exercise. Yoga and Qi Gong are both gentle and effective. Consider adding aerobic exercise as well to improve your overall health and reduce stress.
  • Managing stress – Stress can take a real toll on your health and contribute to muscle pain. Meditation or deep-breathing techniques can help you stay calm and relaxed. Massage is another great way to help relieve stress and loosen tense muscles.

Dr. Jay Sordean and The Redwood Clinic in Berkeley, California can help you with your back pain. Call us at today (510) 849-1176 to set up a consultation.