Acupuncture In Chapel Hill, NC

At the offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, we pride ourselves on safe and effective patient care. For everyone’s well-being, we closed our office to in-office visits for several weeks during the coronavirus outbreak and offered Telemedicine in place of in-office visits. Telemedicine has been widely-received, and we hope to provide it to anyone who wishes to take advantage of it in the future. Nonetheless, to offer chiropractic adjustments and other hands-on therapies, we have re-opened with a few essential changes as outlined below. Please assist us as we continue to provide quality healthcare safely and beneficially.

We are open regular business hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8:15-5:30, Wednesday 12:30-5:30 and Friday 8:30-12:30. To maintain social distancing requirements, we are limiting the number of patients in the office at one time; scheduling opportunities will be affected. Patients can continue to schedule online (www.acudocnc.com), by telephone (919) 929-1400 or email: schedule@acudocnc.com and the front desk assistant will verify appointment times with you.

Try to complete any necessary paperwork before arriving at the office and call us if you have any questions regarding scheduling, payment, or other issues- we will answer your questions quickly, which helps reduce congestion in the office. Please arrive on time for your appointment. If you arrive more than 5” early, please wait in your car. Once inside, we will give you a thermometer to take your temperature. Anyone with a temperature of 100.4 or higher or who suspects they may have a highly contagious illness like COVID-19 will need to reschedule their appointment to Telemedicine that day and until the contagion has ended.

Office staff will wear protective masks and ask you to wear one, as well. A disposable cover will be provided to you if needed. Upon entry, please wash your hands using the alcohol-based hand sanitizer provided or use the restroom. Bring your pen with you for any paperwork or signatures, or give you one to keep. If you cough or sneeze, please do so into your elbow or cover your mouth; adequate tissues are available and dispose of used tissues in the trash cans available in each room.

As in other areas, we sanitize each treatment room between patients. Disposable table coverings take the place of washable sheets to reduce laundry. We use unscented, soft hypoallergenic products where possible. Fabric chairs covered in washable plastic and recently replaced treatment table coverings permit enhanced cleaning.

Your chiropractic and acupuncture examination and treatment can proceed as usual; with a few minor exceptions, all procedures are available. Your health and the health and safety of our staff is our main concern. We look forward to providing hands-on chiropractic spinal adjustments, needle and non-needle acupuncture and massage, as well as helpful rehabilitation techniques.

Please contact us with any questions. Whether you need to come in for back or neck pain, shoulder and hand aches, hip and leg discomfort, or stress relief and health maintenance, we are here for you. Acupractic Natural Healing Center and Acupuncture at Eastowne, LLC, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay

Pain in the shoulders frequently stems from muscle tightness in the back, neck, and shoulder region. Taut muscles are less effective and less able to provide adequate shoulder and neck motion and stability, resulting in a cycle of pain spasm pain in the region of the upper extremity. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Oskardmay uses chiropractic and acupuncture procedures to mobilize irritated joints and restore affected tissues. Between visits, she recommends self-massage and other methods to continue the healing response.

Self-massage for tight muscles using the foam cube is a beneficial and easy to learn technique which Dr. Lisa will demonstrate in office and which you can follow here as a reminder. To perform, place the foam cube she provided in the office between your shoulder blades. Muscles here include the trapezius, rhomboids, and infraspinatus. Avoid placing the cube directly atop the spine itself to avoid injury as there are no muscles.

With cube edge next to the tight muscle spot, lean into a semi-firm location like a couch cushion, firm bed surface, or even a pillow on the floor. Gently but firmly rotate over the spot to massage that focused point and surrounding areas. The area will be tender as you break down fibrous knots. This massage motion will restore blood flow and nerve impulse to areas of stagnation, improving overall healing and shoulder-neck-back range of motion and performance with time.

Shoulder tension builds up for many reasons such as stress, `shouldering` too much responsibility, working in a hunched posture, or sitting too much. Other possible causes include lifting improperly or carrying too heavy a load for too long, chronic neck pain, even poor breathing technique. When you take steps to attend to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in and around the shoulder using foam cube soft tissue self-massage, you will notice a change.  This at-home technique supports other procedures received in the office, such as spinal mobilization and acupuncture meridian therapy.

If you continue to experience muscle tightness and fatigue in the shoulder region after this technique, perform some of the other stretches reviewed at our office and seen here. Additionally, you can soak in an Epsom salt bath to dissipate the build-up of lactic acid and other muscle metabolites that build up and irritate muscles. Drink adequate water and consume a diet high in fiber to remove additional toxins from the body and to reduce inflammation further. Take time to relax and `belly breathe` to take some of the mental components out of shoulder tension and neck pain.

We look forward to helping you with your shoulder pain and muscle tightness at Acupractic Natural Healing Center. Contact us today to consult with Dr. Lisa Oskardmay the shoulder pain doctor Chapel Hill, NC residents recommend.

Back and Neck Pain

As demonstrated in the youtube video, the Gymnic Ball is a useful tool to combat many of the causes of back pain. This colorful, low tech, lightweight, and inexpensive device can also serve as a seating option in the home and office, making it a must-have. In this blog post, I describe how to choose the right size gymnic ball and how to use it for exercise safely. For best results, do these exercises first in the office with Dr. Oskardmay and then use the attached video in-between visits as a reminder.

The gymnic ball is also known as a therapy ball, physioball, stability ball, or balance ball. Many people first encounter these useful devices at their gym or therapy office, although, as described above, homes and offices host them as sitting alternatives as well. Athletic stores and other major retailers carry these for purchase. When choosing the best size for you for sitting or exercising, consider the following chart:

It is essential to get the right size so that your feet rest comfortably on the ground when using it. Additionally, when you inflate the ball using the included pump, you may choose to keep it slightly underinflated to add stability. The Gymnic ball is great to help develop strength and stability; choosing the right size and inflation level can add safety while using a vital component. If you are not accustomed to using a gymnic ball, practice sitting on it first, perhaps against a wall or even in the room corner for added stability.

In preparation for ball use, prepare your space. Move items with sharp edges and choose a flat area with several feet to move. As we go over in the clinic and, as demonstrated in the video, start the exercise by sitting comfortably on the gymnic ball, feet comfortably in front, arms outstretched. While pushing back into the ball, walk forward, allowing the ball to move with you as you roll your back over the ball. At the midpoint of the exercise, relax with arms outstretched overhead, with your head resting on the ball. This opportunity to stretch the front of the body should be enjoyable. After a few moments, reverse the movement to return to sitting on the gymnic ball.

The exercise is not easy to do, so do not get frustrated. If you have problems with dizziness on head extension, balance issues, or muscle weakness, talk with Dr. Oskardmay about modifications to this exercise.   It may take several attempts before you can easily do the technique, but once you have mastered it, this helpful maneuver will aid in back pain prevention for years to come because it tackles several key problem areas. These areas include abdominal core muscle weakness, balance problems, leg weakness, and tightness in the front of the body.

For more information and to schedule an appointment, contact Acupractic for a consultation with our back and neck pain specialist, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, DC, LAc.

Musculoskeletal Pain Doctor Chapel Hill, NC

Qigong is an ancient Chinese exercise shown to unblock energy flow and improve healing response in many ways. When used on the metal channel, which relates to the lung and large intestine as well as the arms, shoulders, and neck, qigong benefits these connected regions in a stimulating manner. This easy to do exercise is something each of us can do daily to support organ and muscle health. Dr. Lisa Oskardmay demonstrates this activity in the office and on her youtube channel so that patients can learn and refresh their understanding anytime.

To perform lung qigong, stand in a relaxed posture with feet parallel and legs slightly bent at the knees to allow energy flow. Connect abdominal breathing with arm motions. Abdominal breathing refers to relaxed inspiration and exhalation wherein the abdomen enlarges with inspiration to engage the belly muscles and draw the diaphragm down and pull air into the lungs; the shoulders relax.  Exhalation via abdominal breathing sees the belly muscles flatten as the stomach draws in, and the breath exhales from the lungs, and the diaphragm rises. It may help to think about the belly as a bellows, drawing air in as it enlarges and pushing air out as it flattens.

Lung qigong arm motions start with hands comfortably in front of the body, umbilicus height, palms down. On the inhalation, allow the hands to rise a few inches, and the chest expands as the shoulders open, and the head slightly extends. Breathe in fully and rest for a moment. On exhalation, allow the hands to follow the same trajectory, returning to the front region in front of the body, palms down. Allow each motion to occur fluidly as if in a dance to relax the mind. Use this motion three times or more.

Another way to use lung qigong breathing stems from the musculoskeletal trajectory of the lung-large intestine channel. Channels go from thumb and forefingers along the ulnar (thumb) side of the forearm. They pass anterior shoulder to the lateral clavicle, through the neck, and cross to the opposite of the nose. Start with feet-legs as before, and with the palms comfortably in front of the body, with thumbs touching thumb, forefingers touching forefingers. On inhalation, allow hands to separate as before. On exhalation, allow hands to return in front of the body with fingers touching. Do this three times.

Use lung qigong to stimulate blood flow to the lungs and chest in the following manner: using the left palm, gently but firmly slap the opposite thumb-forefinger region and continue this slapping motion up the arm to the clavicle region. Continue this Tarzan like motion on both sides the chest down the belly, shaking the stomach when you get there. In this manner, you invigorate the lungs and abdomen, essential components of energy production and transmission. Do this slapping motion firmly but gently three times.

The metal channel outlines the fingers, wrist, arm, shoulders, and neck region. Perform these qigong exercises every day to improve blood flow and reduce muscle tension in these areas to minimize neck and back and shoulder pain and to improve organ function and overall energy level.  If you have questions, ask Dr. Oskardmay so that you can have this exercise to do at home in-between visits.

For more information contact us at Acupractic to speak with a musculoskeletal pain doctor Chapel Hill, NC residents recommend.

Hip and leg muscle tightness frequently accompanies back pain. Whether it is a cause or a result of an aching back, muscle hypertonicity causes postural imbalance, instability, and altered motion. Fixing short tight hip and legs muscles improves back pain considerably. At Acupractic, Dr. Oskardmay emphasizes rehabilitation of the whole body to reduce back pain and provides stretches and exercises to help. One effective way to stretch the hip and leg is through the use of a foam roller.

Using a 3’ high-density foam roller (available online here: https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-high-density-foam-roller or elsewhere) placed on the ground, side-sit with your top leg bent over the straight bottom leg.

Tensor fascia lata muscle:    

Using your arms, walk the roller down from hip to knee, massaging the fibrous tensor fascia lata muscle in the process. This stretch may be excruciating the first few times you do it, and you should do the procedure in our office before trying it at home. Do the roll-down two times and map-out where the muscle hurts, if at all. Spend 2″ more massaging this region where it hurts and repeat this activity every few days, but not every day. Once the pain is gone, come back to the stretch once a month or so because old habits and patterns of activity that created it in the first place can be hard to break.

Foam rolling in this manner is a bodyweight dependent exercise, meaning that the heavier the body, the more force is imposed on the muscle. Sometimes at the start of care, one finds that the high-density foam roller is too intense; in that case, you can start with a lower density foam roller because this creates less pressure on regions of tightness. As you notice less pain in an area, you can allow more pressure at those points and eventually move towards the use of a high-density foam roller.  Discuss your pain level and other health concerns with Dr. Oskardmay. She recognizes that many people have this type of pain and aren’t used to thinking about working on their legs to fix their back pain; nonetheless, you will be surprised and happy with the results.

TFL muscle tightness is a common but unrecognized and untreated healthcare complaint. If you have persistent back pain, a big part of the problem might be leg hip muscle tightness. Be sure to ask about the use of high-density foam rollers at our office to help you get out of pain and back on track quickly and with lasting results.

Visit our youtube page to learn more about this topic and others: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5_aX9Qhjbk

To learn more about how the benefits of using a foam roller for back pain management, contact a back pain doctor Chapel Hill, NC residents recommend.