Patients who come to our chiropractic and acupuncture office benefit from regular spine examination and treatment. Largely the realm of chiropractic physicians who are spine specialists, vertebral evaluation is a vital concern for all. The spine serves as our posture bearer, is the attachment for most posture muscles, and houses the spinal cord, which is a continuation of our brain. Misalignment of vertebrae poses significant health risks ranging from unstable posture to muscle imbalance, nerve flow impingement, body aches, and pain. Sometimes we are aware that problems exist because of back pain, and we can seek care, but vertebral problems frequently lay dormant. At our office, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay evaluates spinal health at every visit. Be sure to include chiropractic care in your healthcare regimen.

A standard medical examination may not include spinal palpation or Xray or even discussion of posture. Despite the dire consequences of problems in the critical backbone, people who do not receive regular chiropractic care miss out on proper spine evaluation and treatment. Small issues in the spine- spinal misalignment and the start of degeneration mask as a backache that frequently gets ignored or covered up with pain pills. The implications of this cover-up are vast, ranging from nerve flow impediment to posture and muscle imbalance. Pain pills also pose issues such as constipation, liver-kidney congestion, and stupor. Everyone needs good spine care to reduce their risk of falling, and early preventive care is always best. The annual chiropractic posture and spine check-up is the best way to do this.

At our office, patients can choose to come in for a yearly check-up, or they can decide to come in more frequently. At each visit, patients are asked to complete intake forms and describe their current areas of pain and health concern. We use a line called a visual analog scale to help determine pain level, which can reflect how much awareness of pain affects daily life. Dr. Oskardmay inspects posture and spine and extremity range of motion to detect areas of imbalance and abnormal function. She touches or palpates the spine and other body areas to determine regions of sensitivity, structural distortion, and muscle-ligament hypertonicity and laxity. The initial examination takes about 20″. She will recommend treatment for areas of subluxation to correct for misalignment if warranted.

Treatment options for vertebral subluxation include chiropractic adjustment, massage, and other physical modalities. Our Chiropractor in Chapel Hill, NC, Dr. Oskardmay employs gentle chiropractic adjusting methods such as the Activator Technique and can use more traditional techniques such as diversified methods depending on patient preference and condition.

Contact Acupractic Natural Healing Center today to schedule your next physical exam, including spine to check-up. Your backbone supports you and deserves the best care available. We are here for you.

Bone spurs result from chronic osteoarthritis at body joints. Common locations include the spine and the feet. Back pain and foot pain from bone spurs have serious health implications that benefit from acupuncture treatment. At our clinic, Dr. Oskardmay uses a combination of treatments to help reduce inflammation and pain naturally and help restore balance and better health on many levels.

When you contact Acupractic Natural Healing Center to schedule your first appointment, we have you complete intake forms describing problem areas. If you have bone spurs, foot, or back pain, be sure to include this information on the information sheet. Dr. Oskardmay starts every patient encounter with the examination; bone spurs, however chronic, deserve attention, so be sure to inform Dr. Lisa about these. Many people assume that because they’ve had bone spurs for a long time that nothing can be done for them. However, Acupuncture and massage can help reduce inflammation naturally and restore posture and mobility from the feet up.

Osteoarthritis refers to the degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone. The result of chronic inflammation, this painful condition typically starts in middle age and can progressively worsen if untreated. Treatment can include anti-inflammatories, moderate exercise, weight loss, and other stress-reduction measures. Dr. Oskardmay can help you determine which treatment methods are best suited for you. Over time, the bony erosion that accompanies long term joint inflammation causes the bony outgrowths we call bone spurs. We can generally see bone spurs with x-ray or other imaging techniques; palpation and patient history suggest their presence.

Bone spurs can deform joints and irritate nearby structures such as nerves, ligaments, and other attachments. Joint deformity changes the appearance of the body and results in flexibility. Resulting ligament and cartilage destruction destabilize regions affected, affecting balance and strength. Early detection of the accompanying issues is helpful, and Dr. Lisa can help you work on these concerns using health coaching, exercise, and nutrition. Additionally, she can use Acupuncture to direct healing energy to body areas and reduce stress and inflammation naturally.

While treatment at Acupractic will not eliminate bone spurs, using Acupuncture and other techniques, Dr. Lisa can work to reduce their impact on body posture and functioning. Acupuncture treatment can help reduce pain naturally, which can help reduce dependence on pain medications and other drugs, many of which have negative side-effects such as sensory distortion, which increase the risk of falling and reduce overall body awareness.

The goal of acupuncture treatment is to improve the flow of energy in the body and mind. Ask Dr. Oskardmay about how Acupuncture can help you or a loved one reduce the pain and instability caused by bone spurs, or how treatment can help reduce inflammation and body stress.

Acupuncturist Chapel Hill, NC

Every day we make choices that impact our health. Food and beverage containers, while not high on most people’s list of concerns, nonetheless impact our well-being in several important ways. Silicone food ware containers are BPA-free, stable, not based on petroleum, and generally considered safe. Household goods made from this pliable, lightweight, nontoxic substance deserve a place in everyone’s cabinets for many reasons. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill, NC, we have invested in pint-sized cups for this very reason, and we hope you will take one home today!

Silicone products are made from silica, which is sand. Silica gets synthesized into silicone via a process using extreme heat and oxygen. Storage containers and other items made from this substance are free of BPA and other harmful constituents. BPA is a compound used to line most canned foods and many other containers we use to store food and beverages hot and cold. BPA exposure is linked to adverse health effects of the brain and prostate and children’s mental health. We should avoid BPA exposure where possible for good health. Items made from silicone provide us a viable alternative.

Cups, bowls, baking implements such as spatulas and whisks made from silicone function as well as their plastic-based counterparts but with less worry. Silicone-based products do not melt at moderately high heat, making them suitable for stirring, serving, and storing hot food. They make great coffee cups for reasons mentioned above and because cups made from silicone maintain their heat well.

Although cookware lined or entirely comprised of silicone is available for purchase, the author still uses glass and metal for high-temperature cooking and recommends you do the same until further research is available. Some people have experienced sensitivity to silicone-based products, probably from long term contact (think silicone breast implants) or high-temperature cooking. Far more research exists to the detrimental effects of plastic usage, however. If you are sensitive to silicone, avoid using products made from it, and use glass or non-BPA lined metal.

A benefit of silicone-based food-ware is that it is recyclable and highly reusable. Whereas non-biodegradable, disposable plastic things fill our oceans and trash dumps, there is hope that once discarded,  silicone-based items will break down over time. Since it is easier to re-use the uber flexible, easily stored products, silicone cups, and bowls may provide a means for people to re-use rather than dispose of food containers so quickly. Having an environmentally-friendly mindset is healthier for the individual and the planet.

Please consider using healthier and more ecologically friendly products for food preparation and storage. That coffee cup you use today could be used again tomorrow! If you would like to purchase the attractive, reusable silicone-based hot/cold ‘Silipint’ beverage cup shown above, let us know.

If you have questions, contact your acupuncturist in Chapel Hill, NC today.

Acupuncture Chapel Hill, NC

When you’re sick with colds and flu, you want relief. Your immune system needs help to fight off invaders, but it’s hard to think clearly when your head is congested. Coughing and sneezing lead to body exhaustion and pain and can affect the ability to get restorative sleep. Chiropractic care at our office can help all of these problems. It is a full-body approach that enables you to feel better and can also help you from getting sick.

Dr. Oskardmay uses gentle hands-on treatments to support the immune system and clear congestion. Spinal manipulation applied to the cervical region has been shown to improve T-cell response, important mediators fo the immune system. Adjustments of the upper back help to enhance respiration and reduce breathing pain. She can mobilize the lower back vertebrae to stabilize posture and balance muscles connected to the back. Dr. Oskardmay can mobilize using either hands-on techniques or Activator Adjusting methods depending on your situation and preferences. Both ways effectively function to help improve spinal health.

Treatment directed at spine levels that energize the lungs, back, shoulders supplements nerve transmission to those regions. Nerve impingement can result from twists in a vertebra, tight muscles, inflammation, or myriad other causes. Manual care reduces nerve blockage and enhances energy flow to these vital areas. Chiropractic care assists other areas as well, including the neck, sinuses, and digestion, to name a few. The whole body and mind benefit when the nervous system runs better.

Dr. Lisa will massage aching muscles with essential oils to relax and soothe muscles affected by coughing and sneezing. Every time you cough or sneeze, a tightening occurs of muscles and ligaments near the ribs, shoulders, neck, and low back. This muscle contraction pulls vertebrae and bones out of place, resulting in muscle spasm and discomfort. Balanced soothing massage helps to alleviate this aspect of cold and flu without drugs or other invasive procedures.

Treatment also relaxes the lungs and diaphragm. Pulmonary irritation worsens coughing. Treatment aimed at lung support mitigates the vicious cycle of cough-spasm-irritation that delays recovery for many. Dr. Oskardmay may recommend specific home treatments, exercises, and vitamins to heal you further. Baby Vicks rub is very soothing, for instance, and helps unclog sinus congestion for many.

Dr. Oskardmay recognizes that sleep deprivation delays healing. She emphasizes using the right balance of exercise and rest to promote healing. Ask her about suggestions you can use between visits to get better sleep while you’re sick with colds and flu. You may need more than generally suggested 8 hours a night. Chiropractic care at our office is excellent preventive medicine, too, helping you stay healthy during cold and flu season. People who get regular spinal care year-round report improved body awareness and pain levels over time.

Keep your scheduled appointments and be sure to visit our website anytime or call today to schedule or make changes to your appointments. Let family and friends know about the healing benefits of care at Acupractic Natural Healing Center, where we use chiropractic and acupuncture Chapel Hill, NC patients recommend for healing naturally.

Initially discovered in the Orient and used by millions there, Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine are increasing in our country. As people come to understand the benefits of alternative medicines such as acupuncture, they enjoy the drug-free benefits of this care. Dr. Oskardmay is a licensed acupuncturist who has worked with patients using acupuncture since 1995. Acupuncture helps people suffering from a wide variety of conditions ranging from back pain to shoulder pain to stress and fibromyalgia. Since acupuncture works to enhance the body’s natural innate healing force, it is the ideal treatment for many conditions.

Acupuncture treatment for body aches works because energy flows in channels on our collection, and acupuncture needles regulate this flow. Pain and other problems result from energy flow stagnation or blockage. Similar to how blood flows in arteries and veins and nerves carry nervous energy, acupuncture channels or meridians transport qi. Qi (pronounced chee) represents all forms of energy, and it needs to move so that we function at our best. Stagnation of this vital energy occurs when we sit too much or overeat, for example. Injury causes qi disruption, as does mental anguish, stress, and lack of sleep. Left untreated, stagnation of qi causes pain, and a lack of mental clarity.

As a licensed acupuncturist, Dr. Oskardmay carefully selects points to use to unblock qi stagnation. She may utilize acupuncture to balance qi and build yin or relaxation, which is very healing to overall body countenance. In this type of acupuncture, she will use about ten points, mostly in hand, foot, and head region, and needling depth is minimal with gentle needle stimulation.

Alternately, she may use trigger point acupuncture (aka Dry Needling Technique) to help reduce muscle spasm in specific areas. For this technique, she may use longer needles inserted to a greater depth and with more stimulation. If needed, she can apply electrostimulation to specific points to help the body release stuck energy.

Another type of acupuncture is auriculotherapy or ear acupuncture. Auriculotherapy recognizes that ear points affect the brain and the whole body. Specific treatment goals such as weight loss and addiction control use auriculotherapy at their core; ear acupuncture can be used in a variety of treatments, however.

Battlefield Acupuncture is a specific type of Ear Acupuncture for pain control in which Dr. Oskardmay will insert semi-permanent needles that stay in the outer ear for up to one week. This type of acupuncture treatment has proven very useful to reduce pain fro veterans on and off the field and is available now to patients everywhere.

Acupuncture at our office can help you with many health concerns. To learn more about Acupuncture Chapel Hill, NC patients recommend, call Acupractic today and to schedule an appointment, please visit our website.

Pregnancy can be one of the most joyous times of your life. However, your body will go through a lot of changes and you might not always feel your best. That’s why it’s more important than ever to take good care of your health. One of the best things you can do during pregnancy is receive regular chiropractic care. Here are a few reasons why you should see a chiropractor during your pregnancy.

It Can Reduce Spinal Pressure from Weight Gain
Weight gain is just a natural part of pregnancy; however, because most of the weight gain is in the stomach, it can put a lot of pressure on your spine. This can cause pain and discomfort. If you see a chiropractor regularly, he or she can perform adjustments to relieve tension on your joints.

It Can Alleviate Headaches
The raging hormones pregnant women experience can trigger headaches. When you’re dealing with a headache, it can be difficult to concentrate on anything. Because over-the-counter pain relievers aren’t safe to take during pregnancy, you have to consider alternative methods to deal with the pain. Fortunately, chiropractic care has been known for effectively and safely treating migraines in pregnant women.

It Can Reduce Stress
Being pregnant can definitely be stressful at times. Stress can make it more difficult to sleep, concentrate on your daily tasks, and even maintain normal blood pressure. Getting chiropractic adjustments during your pregnancy can help alleviate your stress and feel more control in your life.

It Can Shorten Labor
Another wonderful benefit of chiropractic care during pregnancy is that it can shorten your labor. When your body is in proper alignment, it functions better and is more prepared for birth.

It Can Reduce Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are definitely the more unpleasant aspects of being pregnant. When your stomach is feeling queasy, it can be difficult to do just about anything. However, if nausea and vomiting is due to the vertebrae being out of alignment, chiropractic care may be able to help. If you get regular chiropractic adjustments, you may be able to relieve nausea and vomiting.

It Can Improve Postpartum Recovery
Chiropractic adjustments can even benefit you after you give birth. If your body is in proper alignment, it will be able to recover from the labor and delivery process a lot faster. Before you know it, you will be able to resume your normal activities.

Scheduling an Appointment with a Chiropractor
Chiropractic care is considered safe and beneficial for pregnant women. If you recently found out that you’re pregnant, consider scheduling an appointment with a chiropractor, like a chiropractor in Dundalk, MD. He or she can help treat your symptoms and make your pregnancy a much more enjoyable experience.

Thanks to Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic for their insight into how beneficial chiropractic care can be during pregnancy.

Acupuncture Chapel Hill, NC

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Oskardmay is committed to helping people reduce pain naturally. She recognizes that pain can come in many forms and that discomfort has many sources; her goal is to help you in the best way for you. Dr. Lisa is trained to offer BA as a way to alleviate troubling body aches. This treatment can quickly and easily break the vicious pain-spasm-pain cycle that hinders so many despite their best efforts at pain control. While not exactly a holistic approach in that BA doesn’t evaluate the whole person, BA can still provide rest and relief from pain. Dr. Oskardmay can use this therapy in conjunction with regular acupuncture treatment or even the chiropractic adjustment at the end of treatment, or even as a stand-alone therapy if necessary. The procedure is not recommended for pregnant women or persons taking blood thinners.

BA utilizes auriculotherapy (ear) acupuncture to help break the pain cycle in which many patients find themselves entangled. Acupuncture points on the ear are demonstrated to have an intense connection with parts of the brain which mitigate the pain response. The link is particularly valid when these specific points are stimulated in specific ways using ASP needles. Comprised of gold, stainless steel or titanium, ASP (semi-permanent) needles are unique in that they are very short (2 mm) and somewhat thicker than regular acupuncture needles. They are designed to maintain their insertion for more extended periods. Some people experience a bit of discomfort on insertion, but the impact is generally minimal. Let Dr. Lisa know about any trouble you experience.

Treatment is long-lasting in part because the needles remain in place for several days at a time. Up to five ASP needles are inserted into ear points on the outside of the ear directly into the cartilage, starting at the lowest location and moving upward at specific ear points. After each insertion, Dr. Oskardmay will ask you to move about or walk around for 30 seconds to assess if more points are required. She will add more points bilaterally until pain reduction has occurred. Total treatment time depends on several factors but generally takes about 10″.

Following application, engage in average but not strenuous activity for 6-12 hours to allow the treatment to settle in. You can bathe or shower but avoid vigorous ear washing. The use of a hairdryer 6″ away from the ears will reinvigorate the points.  Inspect your ears every day to look for irritation. If your ears become red or irritation and you wish to remove the needles, turn them gentle while pulling to remove them. If they fall out or your remove them, store them in a lidded container or put them on tape and dispose of them properly. Needles can remain in place for 5-7 days.

BA can be an effective alternative to certain pain medications and can help break the pain-spasm-pain cycle many patients experiences, and that affects sleep and the ability to heal. It is a field-tested modality that has few side-effects, doesn’t take that long to receive and can be used in addition to other therapies when desired.

To learn more about battlefield acupuncture Chapel Hill, NC residents recommend, contact Acupractic Natural Healing Center today for a consultation.