Chiropractic’s Effect on Emotional Health

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Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC

Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine that focuses on diagnosing and treating neuromuscular disorders, with an emphasis on the spinal column. It is based on the belief that the body can heal itself and that the nervous system plays a crucial role in this process. Chiropractors use various techniques, including manual adjustments, to manipulate the spine and other joints to improve the function of the nervous system and promote healing. At the chiropractic and acupuncture clinics of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill, NC, we hear from many patients that alternative medicine care helps to improve their mental well-being. Read more to learn about chiropractic’s effect on emotional health.

How Chiropractic Has a Positive Effect on Emotional Health

One area where chiropractic is particularly effective is in treating emotional health. Studies have shown that individuals who receive chiropractic care report improvements in their emotional well-being, including reduced anxiety, depression, and stress. This is likely due to the positive effects that chiropractic care has on the nervous system, which plays a crucial role in regulating mood and emotional responses. Many patients feel happier and more energetic after a chiropractic adjustment.

One of the main ways that chiropractic care can improve emotional health is by reducing stress on the nervous system. This is a natural effect of natural care at our office, not involving drugs or surgery. The spinal column is home to the spinal cord, the main pathway for communication between the brain and the rest of the body. When the spine is misaligned, it can pressure the spinal cord, causing stress on the nervous system. This can lead to various emotional symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and irritability. Chiropractic adjustments can help to realign the spine, reducing pressure on the spinal cord and decreasing stress on the nervous system.

Another way that chiropractic care can improve emotional health is by promoting the release of endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals produced by the body to relieve pain and promote happiness and well-being. Chiropractic adjustments can stimulate the release of endorphins, leading to an overall improvement in mood and emotional well-being. Dr. Oskardmay uses chiropractic adjustments to the spine, massage, and other modalities, including acupuncture, if warranted.

In addition, chiropractic care can also improve emotional health by improving sleep. The nervous system plays a crucial role in regulating sleep, and when it is under stress, it can lead to insomnia or other sleep disorders. Chiropractic adjustments can help reduce stress on the nervous system, promoting better sleep and overall emotional health. Good sleep is crucial to well-being.

Overall, chiropractic care is an effective treatment for improving emotional health. It can help reduce stress on the nervous system, promote the release of endorphins, and improve sleep, all of which can improve mood and emotional well-being. While it is not a replacement for traditional therapy or psychiatric care, it can be valuable to an overall treatment plan for vibrant health.

In conclusion, chiropractic is an effective way to help improve emotional health. It can help reduce stress on the nervous system, promote the release of endorphins, and improve sleep, all of which can improve mood and emotional well-being. While more research is needed to understand chiropractic care’s effects on emotional health, it is valuable to an overall treatment plan. Call (919) 929-1400, email schedule@acudocnc.com or visit our website acudocnc.com today to schedule an appointment or to learn more about chiropractic’s effect on emotional health. Located in Chapel Hill across from Wegmans in Eastowne Hills, our office is convenient and accessible. Serving the Triangle since 1995, Dr. Oskardmay looks forward to helping you with your healthcare needs.

Why Do We Need Sunshine Every Day?

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sunshineThe title of this blog may sound silly- Why do we need sunshine every day? Our natural health medical practice emphasizes the benefits of natural healing and getting adequate sun exposure regularly is part of that. But why?

The World Health Organization reports that a very high percentage of the world’s disease burden is caused by deficient levels of UVR (the ultraviolet portion of sunlight). The WHO postulates that most musculoskeletal disorders and probably many autoimmune diseases and cancers are also due to inadequate sunlight. (Environ Health Perspect. 2008 May; 116(5):A197), whereas too much sunlight is responsible for a tiny percentage of deaths worldwide.

Sunlight activates Vitamin D production in our bodies. This crucial nutrient (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) regulates over a thousand genes in our bodies, including calcium metabolism, immune system, and neuromuscular system functioning. Additionally, the light rays coming from the sun stimulate the release of a hormone called serotonin in the brain, which boosts mood, helps us focus better, and feel calmer. When we don’t get enough sunlight, our bodies and minds suffer.

Many people are aware of the need to avoid sun over-exposure to avoid melanoma (skin cancer), but under exposure increases the risk of dying from Hodgkin‘s lymphoma, cancers of the breast, ovaries, colon, pancreas, prostate, and others. Paradoxically, getting enough sunlight also reduces melanoma risk. Additionally, there is a connection between getting adequate sunlight and reducing the risk of developing Multiple Sclerosis and even Type 1 Diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and hypertension.

At the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, we want patients to experience the healthy benefits of natural sunlight safely and effectively. Dr. Oskardmay advises patients to check with their dermatologist if they have any concerns about skin cancer or another sun-related disorder and to be aware of the need for daily sunlight.

The recommended amounts of natural sunlight start at 15” per day, which might seem easy to get, except when it is cloudy outside or when a person doesn’t go out when the sun is shining or wear so much protective clothing or sunscreen that they aren’t getting adequate sun exposure. Some people think they depend on nutritional supplements such as Vitamin D to compensate, but lack of Vitamin D may be just one part of the issue.

Our natural medicine healthcare clinic supports healthy sun exposure to improve many aspects of life. Call today at 919-929-1400 to see how natural healthcare can benefit you. Serving the Triangle since 1995, licensed acupuncturist and chiropractor Dr. Lisa Oskardmay is here for you. Call 919-929-1400, email schedule@acudocnc.com, or go online to schedule 24 hours a day: acudocnc.com. Located just off Eastowne Rd in Chapel Hill, we look forward to serving your healthcare needs.

 

How to Make an Initial Appointment for Chiropractic or Acupuncture at Our Office

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Chiropractor and Acupuncturist Chapel Hill, NC

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center in Chapel Hill, we pride ourselves on helping patients quickly get the carechiropractic or acupuncture appointment they need. Whether your health concerns need chiropractic care or acupuncture services, we are here to help. Healing starts when patients decide to get care and contact us. We strive to answer patient questions and make the initial appointment easily and quickly so that patients suffering from back pain, neck pain, headache, insomnia, and other conditions can find care. Read more to learn about how to make a chiropractic or acupuncture appointment at Acupractic Natural Healing Center.

Many people find us as a referral from another healthcare provider; a medical doctor or other professional recommends us, and we see patients that way. Alternatively, patients find us through their insurance plan’s list of participating providers or via a web search online for an alternative and complementary medicine services or other items. Regardless of how a person contacts us initially, the essential factor is to make that first call or email us.

Chiropractic or Acupuncture Appointment Office Hours

Our office hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 8:30-5:30, Wednesday 12:30—5:30, and Friday 8:30-12:30. If we don’t answer, leave a message- someone will return your call quickly. The ‘Schedule Now’ link on our website is another excellent option. If you need to leave a message or send us an email, you can be confident that we will do our best to safeguard your privacy both online and in-office. Leave your name and number and a brief description of your health needs. Whether you have shoulder pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, hip pain, or plantar fasciitis, we understand that you need care quickly to feel better and get back to the things you enjoy.

Once you make an appointment, our front desk staff will gather information to make the patient portal online, verify insurance coverage, and start the intake process. We generally send clinic invitations to the patient portal within three days of the initial appointment. Information we need includes name, telephone number, date of birth, and insurance numbers, if applicable.

Patient portal intake forms include medical questions about your health and well-being, health history, and medication usage. Please include any surgeries you’ve had, such as for herniated disc or shoulder impingement, and any medications or herbal supplements for conditions such as arthritis of the hands and neck, trouble sleeping, or other state.

Our front desk will verify insurance benefits and use best practices to determine coverage before care for any services covered. We participate in many insurance plans, including BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, and medicare. Many plans fully cover chiropractic care and, increasingly, acupuncture services at our offices. Since Dr. Lisa Oskardmay is licensed in both chiropractic as well as acupuncture in the state of North Carolina, we are happy to be able to offer these services to our patients under many insurance plans.

Healing begins at the start of care. Make that first contact with our office by phone at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com or visit our website at acudocnc.com to schedule your appointment today. We look forward to helping you soon!

 

How to Relax Tight Muscles

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At Acupractic Natural Healing, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill,how to relax tight muscles we strive to educate each patient about their body. Knowing how a treatment works help people get and feel better faster and improves the odds a person will do the necessary things at home to assist the process. Read more to learn how to relax tight muscles.

For example, take muscle tightness. Excessive muscle contraction is muscle fiber shortening at the wrong place and time we perceive as tightness, crampiness, and eventually pain. Muscles contract like a rachet shortens- actin and myosin filaments glide across one another like the teeth of the rachet, held in place with calcium cross-bridges. The compressed muscle fiber holds attached bones and ligaments in place to do work. Following contraction, muscles are supposed to relax and release tension as the actin and myosin filaments return to their precontracted state. Relaxation occurs when the nervous system sends signals to relax- both from the mind and the spinal cord in response to messages from opposing muscles. Magnesium stops calcium from holding the bound filaments, and the contraction stops.

The system generally works well. However, trouble ensues when muscles are tight for long periods, such as when they hold our bent heads up as we type. Also, muscle imbalance occurs when the body doesn’t have enough magnesium to relax the calcium cross-bridges. Also, the system’s trouble occurs when the mind doesn’t cooperate and allows the muscles to relax. When muscles don’t relax as needed, knots in the belly of the muscle crop up. Felt as hard nodules or spot tightness, areas of unrelenting muscle tightness hinder the muscle-ligament-bone system, resulting in weakness and pain. If left untreated, tight muscles, weakened ligaments, and altered bone movement can wreak havoc on the body and mind.

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay helps patients identify which muscles need help. Going back to the source, she provides chiropractic adjustments to spinal segments supplying nerve input to injured areas. Additionally, using massage, gua sha, acupuncture including dry needle technique if needed, electrostimulation, and other therapies, Dr. Oskardmay helps resolve muscle tightness, cramping, and knots. She explains to patients ways they can support their musculoskeletal systems using nutrition and specific exercise and stretching programs. Many achieve relief from neck and back pain, headaches, and shoulder and hip pain following a treatment regimen at our office. They then come in for maintenance care to keep their spines, muscles, and ligaments in shape.

Call today to see how chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, and natural healthcare can help you feel better as we enter the new year. Accepting new patients, Acupracitc Natural Healing Center is one of Chapel Hill’s most established alternative medicine clinics serving the Triangle Since 1995. Contact us today to see how chiropractic and acupuncture can help you naturally live without pain. Call us at 919-929-1400 or visit us online at acudocnc.com to learn more and schedule online 24 hours a day.

The Metal Channel in Acupuncture

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Acupuncturist Chapel Hill, NC

Helen Keller wrote, ‘We bereaved are not alone. We belong to the largest company in the world- those who have known suffering.’ In Chinese Medicine, the fall season relates to grief because autumn corresponds to the metal element, the time of grieving and decline, of letting go and preparing for the next season of winter and its death, followed by its eventual spring and renewal. Each season relates to an element: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Oskardmay helps people feel better with an understanding of their connection to the natural world around and within them using Chinese Medicine acupuncture. Read more about the metal channel in acupuncture.

What is the Metal Channel in Acupuncture?

The metal element relates to declining. We see it as the leaves fall in autumn, the days get shorter and cooler, and we may sleep more and feel sad. The metal element relates to the organs of elimination- the lung and large intestine. Our lungs release carbon dioxide to take in fresh oxygen. Our guts release digested food we don’t absorb and make way for fresh nutrients. When the metal channel energy isn’t moving well, patients experience symptoms such as bloating, stress from toxicity, poor sleep, asthma or other breathing problems, dryness, and signs along the metal channel such as shoulder and wrist aches, pain between the shoulder blades, or headaches.

Discernment- knowing what is valuable and what is not, is another virtue of metal yin, the lungs. This helps us hold onto things we genuinely need and let go of things we need to release. We do this every day physically and mentally, and while we may grieve the letting go of some things, it is crucial to our well-being to do this. Chinese Medicine acupuncture helps patients by supporting the flow of chi along all the channels in the body so that the essential metal channel flows freely.

People who experience skin irritations, nasal congestion, bowel problems, and heightened sensitivity, especially during the autumn but anytime, exhibit symptoms of metal imbalance. Often patients also have trouble sleeping during the early morning hours; lack of vital sleep worsens symptoms. Grief is the emotion associated with the metal element. When a person has a problem with the feeling of grief that disrupts their life- either excessive grieving or the inability to experience grief, this frequently points to an imbalance in the metal channel. Any imbalance makes them more prone to other imbalances in areas the metal channel controls.

At Acupupractic Natural Healing Center, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay since 1995, we recognize that healthcare is more than just getting a person out of pain. Healthcare concerns reflect people’s need to feel healthy, empowered, and aware of how they can be their best. At our natural medicine offices in Chapel Hill, Dr. Oskardmay works to help people understand the cause of their symptoms so that they can work together to improve their well-being. Call us today at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com or schedule online at acudocnc.com to see how alternative medicine, chiropractic, and acupuncture can help you. Open Monday to Friday, we accept new patients and bill your insurance for covered acupuncture and chiropractic services.

Natural Care for Scoliosis

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About 7 million Americans have scoliosis, a condition of unknown origin in which the spine is rotated or twisted sideways. While most people who have this incurable condition lead everyday lives, scoliosis can progress to the point where, in some, daily activities, exercise, and even breathing can be more difficult if spinal rotation advances to the end of lung compression. No one knows what causes this relatively common condition, although there may be a hereditary component. Physical and neurological exams, X-rays, and MRIs help identify these contributing factors. Spinal pain, back pain, and neck pain are relatively common in persons with the extra curvature seen in scoliosis, and alternative medicine can provide some relief. However, no treatment has been shown to prevent, cure, or fix scoliosis completely. Read more to learn about natural care for scoliosis.

With scoliosis, adding an extra curve to the ordinarily straight (from the front or back) spine adds degrees of rotation and spinal friction between vertebral joints. Depending on the degree of added curvature and other factors, fluid movement may suffer as inflammation builds up between spinal segments. Trigger points in attached muscles can occur, and connected ligaments and tendons suffer, often resulting in backache and weakness if the condition is left untreated. Spinal erosion and bone spurs that can arise will cause pain and reduced range of motion over time.

In young children whose curvature progresses rapidly and threatens internal organs, the medical profession often applies braces or rods to halt the progression until the child reaches full height. Otherwise, very few medical treatments are available, and many people receive little guidance related to their scoliosis diagnosis. Patients beyond adolescence often wonder if scoliosis is the cause of their back pain, headaches, and other body symptoms. Still, regular X-ray evaluation is ill-advised for most people, and many do not understand the condition’s progression over time.

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Oskardmay helps patients with scoliosis with a combination of natural therapies designed to identify and balance affected segments to reduce some of the stress imposed by scoliosis.

At our office, Dr. Oskardmay uses physical exams and spinal palpation to detect early spinal inflammation to direct balanced treatment. She evaluates posture and muscle strength, dermatomal balance, and other aspects of nerve integrity along the spinal cord to detect areas of inflammation and irritation. She applies chiropractic spinal mobilization, massage, and acupuncture to soothe pain and restore kinetic integrity where possible. While treatment will not remove the extra spinal curvature, it does help to mitigate side effects.

If you or your loved one has questions about natural chiropractic and acupuncture care for scoliosis, please get in touch with our office today. Call us today at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com or visit our website at acudocnc.com. Serving the Triangle since 1995 with effective holistic healthcare, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay are here for you in Chapel Hill, just off i-40 and across from Wegmans in Eastowne Professional Offices. We participate with BCBS, United Healthcare, Medicare, Aetna, Cigna, and Federal BCBS and submit claims on your behalf. We provide ample free handicapped accessible parking in front of our building. At Acupractic, we take the stress out of getting the care you need.

What is Gentle Acupuncture and How Does One Perform It?

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Acupuncturist Chapel Hill, NC

Gentle acupuncture is the type of acupuncture treatment Dr. Oskardmay utilizes for most patients in her chiropractic and acupuncture practice. Gentle acupuncture instills relaxation while establishing balanced qi flow. We find that most of our patients enjoy this type of acupuncture treatment that emphasizes calm and relaxation.

Chinese medicine recognizes the balance of forces in our minds and bodies- yin and yang. Yin is relaxation, sleep, and parasympathetic nervous system promotion in nature, whereas yang, is more active, awake, and more sympathetic jumpy system promoting. Gentle acupuncture resonates more with building yin or relaxation, thus allowing this healing aspect to increase. But how does acupuncture build yin?

There are many acupuncture points on the body- more than 365 on 12 main channels plus others. Point selection is one aspect of building yin and one we will not cover here. One can build yin using any point, though some are better than others, and each person’s situation is unique. Ideas such as the number of needles used, insertion depth, needle size or gauge, patient positioning on the table (or chair), treatment duration, room ambiance, and sound messaging all matter. She precedes each treatment with palpation and massage to bring clarity and understanding to the cure for the client and herself. Dr. Oskardmay uses specific acupuncture techniques and treatment room qualities to enhance yin and relaxation.

How Gentle Acupuncture is Performed

For instance, we use approximately ten acupuncture needles per treatment to provide an elegant treatment that relaxes the mind-body. Dr. Oskardmay generally inserts the points about 1-3 mm- her goal is not to achieve intense patient reaction nor tremendous sensation at any moment. She understands that some practitioners feel they get good results in that manner, but she finds the opposite at most points and in most situations. Similarly, she finds that most patients relax well with minor needle use- 36 gauge or less as used in our office. On the rare occasion someone needs DNT, dry needling technique, or trigger point acupuncture; she may use larger or longer sources.

Most patients find resting on our padded table in the supine or face-up position most relaxing, and we strive to choose points that accommodate that position. We utilize anti-gravity tables to ensure comfort when point selection or patient comfort mandates the prone or face-down posture. If a patient requests treatment from a seating position, we also provide comfortable chairs that recline if necessary. Most patients can better relax in private treatment rooms, which we provide. We generally leave the needles in for about 20″ to get the best results and leave a call button nearby if someone needs to get up for any reason. We play calm music and suggest that all patients turn off their cell phones so they can also relax. Sometimes, the client wants to hear their music during treatment, and we allow that, too.

Dr. Oskardmay wants to help each person realize and access their healing response using acupuncture and other techniques in our office. She uses gentle acupuncture, as outlined above, to that end. Call today at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com or schedule online at acudocnc.com anytime to learn how peaceful; effective acupuncture can help you. Serving the Triangle since 1995, licensed in acupuncture and chiropractic, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay looks forward to assisting you.

Thumb Pain Treatment Using Chiropractic and Acupuncture

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Chiropractor and Acupuncturist Chapel Hill, NC

The thumb is a necessary human appendage we use for many activities. From opening doors to driving, writing, typing, and cooking, we use our shortest, widest digit daily. Injuring the thumb affects our ability to communicate, travel, work, and play. Treatment of thumb pain, therefore, is crucial. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, we take thumb pain seriously and bring the most effective alternative medicine methods to each patient to heal thumb pain naturally, quickly, and effectively.

Diagnosing Thumb Pain

Nerves from the spine sending messages to the thumb arise from the sixth cervical level, the lower part of the neck. Dr. Oskardmay palpates the cervical spine to determine if potential irritation at this level influences thump pain. Spine irritation arising from vertebral subluxation and inflammation, tight neck and shoulder muscles, herniated discs, or other factors will pressure the nerves and affect pain and strength in the thumb and surrounding tissues. Dr. Oskardmay uses chiropractic adjustment to correct the vertebral imbalance. By applying specific movements to spinal segments using either an activator device or a hands-on maneuver, she works to improve nerve transmission to the thumb. Treatment of the spine sets the stage for further healing.

Additionally, she performs other orthopedic tests to isolate additional potential causes of thumb pain. Conditions such as thoracic outlet syndrome, carpel tunnel syndrome, brachial neuritis, tennis elbow, and others influence thumb pain. The pain may not start in the thumb, but it feels like it sometimes does. Proper treatment has to start with an appropriate diagnosis, and determining the cause of the problem helps her fix it. When shoulder, arm, elbow, or wrist issues cause thumb malfunction, she can address those issues using various treatment methods, including ice, heat, massage, electrical stimulation, gua sha and cupping massage, and acupuncture.

Sometimes overuse and injury are the cause of thumb pain. Dr. Oskardmay reviews patient history combined with examination to assess the likelihood of thumb injury stemming from these causes or a combination of the above.

In addition, she inquires and examines for acupuncture meridian channel imbalance which affects healing on many levels. For patients interested in acupuncture, she can utilize this ancient healing art to bring relief to the thumb and other joint pain. Acupuncture diagnosis considers several aspects one doesn’t usually consider when viewing health through the western lens. Dr. Oskardmay may inquire regarding sleep and eating habits, mood and seasonal stress level, types of allergies you experience, and many other things, in addition to a physical exam to identify where imbalance exists before she begins an acupuncture treatment. Many people enjoy the combined benefit of chiropractic and acupuncture, but let her know your preferences.

Thumb pain can stem from a variety of causes. Make sure your care provider understands the source before treating the symptom. Call our office today at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com, or visit our website at acudocnc.com to get the care you need. In practice since 1995, providing trusted alternative medicine, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay is licensed in both acupuncture and chiropractic to give you the best support.

A Look Inside the Education Requirements for Chiropractors in North Carolina

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Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC

Many patients seeking alternative medicine healthcare recognize chiropractors as leaders in the field but still have questions about the qualifications of the doctor of chiropractic. Chiropractors are recognized as licensed physicians in the state of NC. Over the years, there has been some misinformation and misunderstanding about this profession. Still, as time passes and more patients receive care covered by their health insurance and provided by fully licensed chiropractors, they understand they are in safe hands. But what are the education requirements for chiropractors, and how do they compare to medical doctors?

Persons seeking to become chiropractic physicians in North Carolina must meet specific education requirements for chiropractors before they are allowed to assume the title of Doctor of Chiropractic. The North Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners, established in 1917 by the NC General Assembly, receives and reviews applications for potential chiropractors and promotes continuing education opportunities for the profession following licensure to benefit and protect the people of the state.

Education Requirements for Chiropractors 

Practitioners attend a four-year undergraduate program emphasizing science and pre-med courses before attending chiropractic school. This education provides a strong background for the future chiropractic physician who will enter one of the 20 accredited chiropractic schools in the United States today. The US Department of Education, through its Council on Chiropractic Education and Commission on Accreditation, authorizes the quality standards of training offered by chiropractic colleges.

Entrants to chiropractic colleges spend the next ten trimesters over three and a half to four years learning many of the same things medical doctors know: anatomy, physiology, histology, cell physiology, biochemistry, cardiology, digestion, metabolism, nutrition, microbiology, neuromusculoskeletal diagnosis, skeletal radiology, x-ray procedures and soft tissue radiology, pediatrics, gerontology, differential diagnosis, and patient care and management. Chiropractors spend additional time learning chiropractic philosophy and hands-on methods related to palpation and training in the adjustment technique. During their latter trimesters, students participate in student clinics under the auspices of a faculty clinician.

Chiropractors must pass the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners exam parts 1,2,3,4 covering science, clinical science, diagnostics, examination, patient care management, x-ray interpretation, diagnosis, chiropractic techniques, and case management. Successful applicants can start practice either on their own or do an internship or apprenticeship with another doctor.

Each year, chiropractors must undertake additional continuing education to maintain their licenses. Topics such as spinal pain management, plantar fasciitis treatment with exercise and orthotics, nutrition therapy, and clinical diagnosis in the digital age benefit practitioners. Other topics covered in continuing education might be Foot Levelers orthotics, headaches, or shoulder pain treatment presented by qualified trainers to supplement the doctor’s knowledge and keep her up to date. Chiropractic physicians receive documentation demonstrating their active licensure, and the NCBOCE maintains a dynamic list of licensed chiropractic doctors that anyone can check.

If you or a loved one is interested in choosing a chiropractor to provide healthcare, have confidence in your choice. Call us with more questions at (919) 929-1400 or or visit our website acudocnc.com to schedule an appointment. The chiropractic and acupuncture office of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay is here for you.

How Relaxation Heals the Body and Mind

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At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Oskardmay frequently advises patients to relax while receiving treatment. Relaxation benefits the healing response in many ways and is central to the goals of some treatments at our office. People have questions about the topic of relaxation that we discuss in this blog post.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, relaxation means to ‘meditate or focus on calmness. ‘In a world filled with anxiety, rushing about, and stress, the experience of peace can bring needed change. The act of relaxation allows individuals to let go of stress which is crucial because the stress response is harmful. Realizing the benefits of letting go of focus is the first step in undertaking the steps necessary to relax.

Each of us relaxes in our way, and each person needs to know how to achieve inner peace. Some people relax through sitting and meditating, others through reading or walking, others yet by singing or chanting or listening to music. Some people achieve calm in the presence of their pets, others while bathing in scented Epsom salts. There are many different ways to relax. Whether you refer to it as relaxing, meditating, zoning out, chilling, praying, or something else, knowing what brings you peace is essential.

People have asked if they need to be religious to pray or meditate to relax. The answer is No. Calm thinking, meditating on favorable aspects, and praying for peacefulness are available to each person regardless of their belief system and have nothing to do with religion. People of all walks of life can achieve calm.

At our chiropractic and acupuncture office, Dr. Oskardmay counsels patients to focus on breathing when it is time to relax. Doing so gives the mind something to do, which allows the so-called ‘monkey mind’ to change.

We generally relax while asleep, but nighttime and sleep are not the only times when calm relaxation benefits us. When we are calm and relaxed, the parasympathetic aspect of our nervous system comes to the forefront. The flow of blood increases around our body, providing more vital energy. Achieving a calm state reduces blood pressure and heart rate, which relieves tension in the whole body and mind. We can think more clearly, which aids positive thinking, memory and decision making, and concentration.

At our office, people frequently enter a deep state of relaxation during treatment, similar to sleep. Natural healing techniques in our office enhance balance in the body systems and body awareness- nervous, circulatory, and endocrine systems benefit from alternative medicine and the relaxation response it fosters and emphasizes. Following treatment, whether with chiropractic or acupuncture, patients who have come to us for back pain, headaches, neck and shoulder tightness, and discomfort generally report improved wellbeing following a treatment. Dr. Oskardmay counsels patients to strive to continue to use calm for a few hours after their visit to support their well-being. Whether you relax, pray, meditate, do yoga, walk in nature or something else, accept the relaxation response as a benefit.

Call our office (919) 929-1400 to schedule your appointment today, or visit us any time on the web: acudocnc.com.