Posts Categorized: Acupuncture

Treatment and Diagnosis of PCOS: New Updates

March 07, 2016

What is PCOS?

PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Some experts believe it should be re-named as the “polycystic” part implies multiple cysts on the ovaries, which now are known not to be true cysts!

PCOS is an endocrine (hormonal) disorder characterized by infrequent or absent periods, multiple follicles on the ovaries and high levels of androgens (such as testosterone and DHEA-S), which for some people leads to excess facial and body hair, hair thinning or male pattern baldness and acne. Many PCOS patients have insulin resistance, which means that your body isn’t able to properly absorb and process sugars and other carbohydrates, which leads to weight gain and can result in a diabetes diagnosis. Other complications include depression, self-esteem challenges, type 2 Diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and difficulty becoming pregnant. Read more

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What Is A Pulsatility Index, And Why Is It So Important For Fertility?

September 24, 2015

If you’re trying to get pregnant, you should care about your Pulsatility Index. What? One more thing to keep track of? By the way, what in tarnation is a Pulsatility Index?

A Pulsatility Index (PI) is a measurement of the blood flow through your arteries- specifically, the ones going to your ovaries and uterus. Read more

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BBT Charting, Fertility and Acupuncture: What’s The Connection?

August 26, 2015

Whenever a woman comes to acupuncture looking to increase her fertility, in most cases I ask for BBT charts (or recommend she start charting). If you’re asking what a BBT is, click here for an explanation. BBT charts are clinically useful to me as an acupuncturist for many reasons. First, if there is a clear temperature shift midcycle, I know the woman is ovulating, and on which day ovulation is taking place. If the length of the follicular (pre-ovulatory) phase is consistently between 12-20 days, and if the luteal (post-ovulatory) phase is consistently between 11-16 days, I’m fairly confident that things are normal and any fertility issue is not with ovulation. In addition, the basal body temperatures should be within a certain range. If they are significantly lower or higher than I typically see, it could indicate a thyroid dysfunction which should be checked out by a physician.  Read more

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Acupuncture For Running Injuries

July 11, 2015

I was the kid who couldn’t run a mile in gym class. Remember the fitness awards in elementary school? You had to reach a certain goal in tests like the v-sit, pull ups, sit ups, and of course, the dreaded mile. My 13 minute mile time always held me back from getting an award, so from elementary school until my early 30’s, I pretty much despised running. However just a few years ago, my boyfriend started to drag me out for mile runs. It was torture, but my endurance gradually improved. I’m still a novice, but now run about 12 miles a week and absolutely LOVE it! Nothing gives me more energy, and it’s a great way to spend more time outside.

Although I am relatively new to running, I have been working with runners my entire acupuncture career. I now get why runners are absolutely hell-bent on returning from an injury quickly- it’s a totally addictive sport! Acupuncture is fantastic for treating a multitude of running injuries, ranging from plantar fasciitis to runner’s knee to IT Band pain and tightness.

These are the most common issues I treat for runners:  Read more

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You’re An Adult. Why Is Your Skin Still Breaking Out?

June 14, 2015

I’m an adult. Why is my skin still breaking out? I hear this so often from my patients and I totally get the frustration. Growing up, I was a regular at the dermatologist’s office. As I entered high school, my painful, cystic acne had become severe- all over my chest, back, face, even my upper arms, to the point where I was embarrassed to wear sleeveless tops in the summer. It made an already awkward phase of life even harder. But when you have acne as an adult (either for the first time or continuing from your teenage years), you can feel even more self-conscious because it feels like you are the only one still having this problem. Read more