At times, people believe medications are the only way to treat issues such as migraines, PTSD, MS, Parkinson’s, and Depression. We have successfully helped hundreds of patients from all over central and northern Vermont with these conditions using acupuncture. Acupuncture for the Neurologic System is an effective treatment that may help you avoid, emiminate, or reduce your need for medication. Consider an appointment at Integrative Acupuncture in Montpelier and Williston, Vermont.
Migraine Headaches
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognizes there are different types of headaches but uses acupuncture to treat all of them. Acupuncture’s fine needles trigger an increase of blood circulation. When the blood circulation is increased for migraine sufferers, the enlarged blood vessels decrease and associated pain decreases. This is also how western medicine attempts to reduce migraine pain.
We treat patients both during acute migraine attacks and for prevention of future headaches. We often incorporate craniosacral therapy into our treatments for headaches. By gently adjusting the cranial bones, we can have immediate reduction to acute headaches.
Chinese herbs are also frequently recommended. Specific formulations of herbs are chosen for each patient to be working with circulation and reducing pain in between visits to our office. The providers at Integrative Acupuncture have Masters degrees in Acupuncture and Herbal medicine and are licensed to provide this care by the state of Vermont. We are experts at knowing contraindications with medications and will communicate with your other providers about what we recommend for you.
Post Concussive Syndrome
Post Concussive Syndrome is a collection of symptoms that may occur after one or recurrent concussions. These are frequent headaches, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and other emotional irregularities. The providers at Integrative Acupuncture are experienced and trained with treating symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post Concussive Syndrome. Patients report changes in physical and emotional symptoms with regular treatment.
Depression
Depression is a commonly seen condition at Integrative Acupuncture. Sometimes medication is not sufficient to minimize the emotional, mental, and physical experience of depression. Some people are hesitant to take antidepressant medication for various reasons. Acupuncture can be an effective option to reduce the cloud of depression, as it increases levels of serotonin in the central nervous system.
This neurotransmitter is known to be a mood stabilizer, therefore acupuncture’s modulating function has an antidepressant effect. With regular treatment, our patients find sustained improvement in mood, motivation, and joy. Acupuncture can be used in combination with any and all western medical treatments including anti-depressant medications with success.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Acupuncture has been used by the U.S. military for many years for the treatment of soldiers experiencing symptoms of PTSD. Much research has gone into examining its effectiveness and benefits for this purpose. Aside from trauma during military experience, PTSD can result from exposure to aggression, violence, sudden loss, witnessing a shocking event or surviving a disaster. The mood swings, depression, anxiety, panic, insomnia, night terrors that characterize PTSD can be successfully managed with acupuncture.
Integrative Acupuncture offers weekly group treatment, especially for helping manage anxiety, depression, insomnia, and PTSD. This is an affordable way to receive regular acupuncture treatment. Along with accessible body points, a specific combination of points in the ears is used. This combination has been the subject of PTSD research and its effectiveness has been clearly observed.
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Parkinson’s and Tremors
The practitioners at Integrative Acupuncture regularly treat neurological conditions. A tremor, or shaking of a limb, is often a beginning symptom of Parkinson’s disease. This may be followed by slowed movement, difficulty initiating movement, rigid limbs, a shuffling gait, a stooped posture, and/or reduced facial expressions. Reduction in dopamine is understood to be the cause of this progressive disease. Because acupuncture is known to increase dopamine production, it can help reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s to allow greater ease with daily activities.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease of the central nervous system where there is disruption in communication between the brain and other parts of the body. There is breakdown of the fatty layer protecting the neurons that send signals to and from the brain and spinal cord. Acupuncture can be helpful at reducing the symptoms of MS, such as numbness, pain, muscle spasms, and weakness.
Balance is improved, along with bowel and bladder control, and overall energy level can be increased. Research and experience with scalp acupuncture particularly shows good results at managing the symptoms of MS, along with reducing relapses.
Dysautonomia and POTS
Dysautonomia is an umbrella term used to describe several different medical conditions that cause a malfunction of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Acupuncture is an excellent treatment option with patients living with Dysautonomia and POTS and it regulates the autonomic nervous system and allows the body to switch to parasympathetic mode, the state of rest and digest. With continued treatment, the body learns to reduce the frequency of malfunction to the ANS.
Dysautonomia is not an uncommon diagnosis, but many providers are unfamiliar with it. Rest assured, the providers at Integrative Acupuncture are well trained and experienced treating patients with dysautonomia from all over Vermont and we welcome new patients to our practice.
