Portland Acupuncturist Talks Sports Injuries

Copyright: / 123RF Stock Photo
Copyright: / 123RF Stock Photo

Many of you living in Portland have heard that acupuncture is best known for its ability to get you out of pain — headaches, arthritis, low back pain — all are treated masterfully by an acupuncturist.  What is not so well known is how great acupuncture is at treating muscle strains/tears brought on by sports injuries.  This week that may have changed when Aaron Rodgers, quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, thanked his acupuncturist twice during his post-game press conference.  He tore a muscle in his calf 2 weeks prior to the end of the season, and since then has not been at full capacity.  Rodgers seemed to be managing alright in week 17 when he re-injured the muscle.  As he went to the locker room to be examined, Packer fans held their breaths, worried about what this might mean for the rest of the season.  In the past two weeks, Rodgers spent a lot of time with his trainers and also relied heavily on his acupuncturist to get him ready for last weekend’s playoff game.

 

Although he was not in top form, Rodgers turned in an MVP-worthy performance nonetheless.  His enthusiasm for acupuncture in the post-game interview made it clear that he felt he would not have been able to turn in that performance without it.  He now knows that acupuncture is a key part of recovering from any traumatic injury — including a sports strain or sprain.

 

How Acupuncture Helps with Sports Injuries

Acupuncture has a knack for doing two things:  releasing endorphins and triggering the immune system to speed healing.  The endorphins help relieve the immediate discomfort, while triggering the immune system can significantly reduce healing time.  At the same time, a skilled acupuncturist can treat all of the supporting muscles and tendons to keep them supple and strong in order to ease the burden on the injured area.  All of this adds up to quicker healing, and less pain and more function while you do heal.

 

While not everyone has a recovery for the record books, in my clinical experience healing times almost universally beat the prognosis when acupuncture becomes part of the treatment plan.  The keys to faster healing include following your acupuncturists recommendations for frequency of treatment as well as outside care, resting the injured area as much as is possible, and beginning care as soon after the injury as you are able.  Ideally you would begin acupuncture within the first 24-48 hours for the best outcomes.  Sports injuries do not have to keep you sidelined for long.  If you live in or around Portland and have more questions about acupuncture for sports injuries, leave a comment or email me.

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We live in a culture that encourages us to be “on” all the time, and that glamorizes hustle and pushing yourself. We are so busy that we need all kinds of “hacks” just to get vegetables in our diets or to be able to sleep at night.

And then we have these phones: mini-computers that make us reachable at all hours of the day and night. They can also provide us with a constant stream of terrible news, and access to the darkest natures of people (if you venture into the comment section).

Spending 30 minutes scrolling Instagram or reading news headlines can definitely convince you that the world is made up of awful people and there is no hope for any of us.

The problem is that our bodies, while brilliant, are unable to differentiate between true, life-threatening stress and the stresses from living lives that are too busy or from consuming information that is overwhelming. Living in a chronically stressed state can lead to digestive issues, headaches, sleep problems.

It can also affect your fertility, can impact pain responses, weaken your immune system, and can even lead to heart disease. We need to control our stress input wherever we can. This means we need to consciously set boundaries.

To minimize our stress takes boundary setting, and it also usually means we have to let some things go.

It is ok for your house to be a little messier if it means you got your workout in.

It’s ok if someone else cooks dinner tonight (or you grab takeout).

It is ok if you don’t answer that email until you are at the office.

It is ok for you to take a break from the news.

Your health and sanity are worth it, and you will reap the benefits immediately. Start with just one thing, and share it with me, so I can cheer you on!

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We live in a culture that encourages us to be “on” all the time, and that glamorizes hustle and pushing yourself. We are so busy that we need all kinds of “hacks” just to get vegetables in our diets or to be able to sleep at night. And then we have these phones: mini-computers that make us reachable at all hours of the day and night. They can also provide us with a constant stream of terrible news, and access to the darkest natures of people (if you venture into the comment section). Spending 30 minutes scrolling Instagram or reading news headlines can definitely convince you that the world is made up of awful people and there is no hope for any of us. The problem is that our bodies, while brilliant, are unable to differentiate between true, life-threatening stress and the stresses from living lives that are too busy or from consuming information that is overwhelming. Living in a chronically stressed state can lead to digestive issues, headaches, sleep problems. It can also affect your fertility, can impact pain responses, weaken your immune system, and can even lead to heart disease. We need to control our stress input wherever we can. This means we need to consciously set boundaries. To minimize our stress takes boundary setting, and it also usually means we have to let some things go. It is ok for your house to be a little messier if it means you got your workout in. It’s ok if someone else cooks dinner tonight (or you grab takeout). It is ok if you don’t answer that email until you are at the office. It is ok for you to take a break from the news. Your health and sanity are worth it, and you will reap the benefits immediately. Start with just one thing, and share it with me, so I can cheer you on!

You are not alone.

#niaw #nationalinfertilityawarenessweek

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You are not alone. #niaw #nationalinfertilityawarenessweek

How do I know if I’m ovulating???

This is a question my patients often ask when they are #ttc . You may think it should be obvious: it’s on cycle day 14, right?

Ah, the myth of the 28 day cycle!

You theoretically ovulate on day 14 if you have a 28 day cycle.

Actual ovulation happens 12-14 days PRIOR to the start of your next menstrual cycle. So if your cycle is regular and predictable, it can be really easy to know when to take that OPK test and to know when to have sex.

If you have irregular cycles, you *could* take OPKs every day, but you can also learn what signs your body gives you so that you can narrow that window.

So look for the following:

Slippery cervical mucous that looks like raw egg white.

Increased libido— being more interested in sex is a good sign that you could be in your fertile window.

Mittelschmerz is one-sided lower abdominal pain that can be an indicator of ovulation. Not everyone has this happen, but if you do it could be a sign of ovulation.

#ttcsupport #fertilityjourney #fertilityacupuncture #pdxliving #portlandoregon #naturalfertility #ovulationtracking

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How do I know if I’m ovulating??? This is a question my patients often ask when they are #ttc . You may think it should be obvious: it’s on cycle day 14, right? Ah, the myth of the 28 day cycle! You theoretically ovulate on day 14 if you have a 28 day cycle. Actual ovulation happens 12-14 days PRIOR to the start of your next menstrual cycle. So if your cycle is regular and predictable, it can be really easy to know when to take that OPK test and to know when to have sex. If you have irregular cycles, you *could* take OPKs every day, but you can also learn what signs your body gives you so that you can narrow that window. So look for the following: Slippery cervical mucous that looks like raw egg white. Increased libido— being more interested in sex is a good sign that you could be in your fertile window. Mittelschmerz is one-sided lower abdominal pain that can be an indicator of ovulation. Not everyone has this happen, but if you do it could be a sign of ovulation. #ttcsupport #fertilityjourney #fertilityacupuncture #pdxliving #portlandoregon #naturalfertility #ovulationtracking

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