The number one reason why people younger than 50 die in the US is opiate overdose. Number two is suicide; Number three is medical errors. Opiate drug abuse ravages the United States for many reasons, ranging from easy access to opiate medications and drugs compounded by depression, poor general health, hard physical work, and lack of social support networks. Chiropractors, acupuncturists, and other alternative medicine health practitioners need to work with the medical community to help reduce the use and misuse of opiates in our country to alleviate the suffering caused. Television shows like ‘The Pain’ strive to portray the problem that so many US citizens already recognize. Natural healing practitioners like Dr. Lisa Oskardmay hope to help as they reduce pain naturally. . Learn more about the role of alternative medicine in reducing the scourge of addiction and abuse in the US.

The Poppy Plant is the source of morphine, a substance that fits into the same receptor in our body as endorphins, the body’s natural opiate. Natural opiates, or endorphins, are created, as their name suggests, naturally in the human body in response to invigorating exercise, sexual release, laughter, or feeling happy. We naturally strive to feel good and engage in behaviors that result in the release of endorphins. ‘Runners high’, ‘orgasm’, Nonetheless, sometimes we obtain drugs or medications that simulate this ‘high’ good feeling to overcome pain; overuse of opiates can have devastating results.

People worldwide have used opiate drugs in some form or another for 60,000 years. They report that the pill makes them feel physically good, reduces anxiety, and helps them not to care about everyday problems. Nonetheless, the happiness and pain relief offered by opiates quickly turns into unhappiness and increased sensitivity to pain as the drug soon changes the opiate receptors and serotonin relaxation response. Bliss turns to hell.

The US is a leader in opiate use and abuse. The problem has worsened since the Covid pandemic for many reasons, but the causes are multifactorial. One speaker at a recent seminar on opiate abuse told how, at 15, he broke his arm and took opiates for pain. At first, the drug felt so good, but he quickly went from oxycontin to other pharmaceuticals on the streets. He stopped after eight years but shared a list of 13 names of friends and family who have died of an overdose. A female EMS provider discussed the mental health of first responders like herself who must see the effects of opiate addiction. She related that her 26-year-old sister, school teacher, and mother of 2 died of fentanyl use. A police officer discussed Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) programs the State of Florida uses to help reduce the overuse of opiates. Still, he feels his work is just a drop in the bucket in a growing problem.

On an average day in the US, 500,000 prescriptions are written for opiate drugs. An additional 4,000 people start opiates for non-medical use, and 600 start heroin, frequently because they are addicted to opiates but cannot obtain or afford the drugs anymore. There are more than 3,300 ER visits every day in our country due to reactions to opiates. Two thousand overdoses are reported, and two hundred people die of opiate overdose every day in the United States. One hundred deaths daily are related to Fentanyl. Ninety babies are born addicted every day in our country.

The CDC, FDA, and the alternative medicine community hope to help reduce the number of prescriptions written for opiates for back pain and other neuromuscular disorders. The number one reason for people to go to the hospital is their birth; then the second one is back pain. The number one reason medical doctors prescribe opiates is back pain.

Studies show that people with back pain who go to a chiropractor, acupuncturist, or physical therapist are much less likely to take opiates. One study showed that 1% of workers’ compensation claimants who utilized chiropractic care ended up with opiate prescriptions versus 10.3% of claimants who received medical care. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, we hope to help people get well without addictive pain medication use.

From a CDC Study on Dependency, many do not realize how short it takes to become addicted to opioids. After one day of use, there is a 6% risk of using it one year later; 2.9% are still using it three years later. After 12 days of use, 24% were still using it a year later; after 21 days of use, that number jumps to 35%, and after 30 days of use, 43% were still using it a year later. The risk of opiate abuse rises with each day of prescription opiate drug use. The author of this post was prescribed a 30-day supply of opiates for an uncomplicated tooth extraction recently; getting rid of the unused pills was a problem in itself. One cannot just throw new drugs in the trash or flush them. Thieves break in to steal from the medicine cabinet, and easy access to opiates in a household is never a good thing.

Research ‘National Take Back Day’ to find out when you can get rid of household medications and opiates in your house. Better yet, promote natural drug-free healing methods first to reduce the need to use opiates and risk the addiction problem. Ignore or turn off pain medication advertisements when you see them- the US and Iceland are the only countries in the world that allow this type of drug advertising.

There are several reasons why the US has the highest rate of drug abuse globally. If we work together we can help to reduce the scourge of opiate addiction that hurts us all.

Call us today at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com or visit our website at acudocnc.com to learn more about alternative medicine or schedule an appointment today.

Chinese medicine strives to balance all elements in the body to instill healing. Dampness is an element that refers to water retention. When the body holds on to too much water, this dampness is a source of illness. Patients with damp constitutions frequently feel tired and bloated and are at risk of developing other health problems. At the acupuncture office of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, she may ask about issues related to water retention dampness to get to the root cause of the problem. Read more to learn about how dampness in the body affects health.

Dampness is the underlying cause of many painful conditions, including achy joints and limb pain, low energy, depression, skin problems, foggy-headedness, headaches, and even digestive problems. Over time, dampness contributes to issues such as high cholesterol and cancer. Dampness affects the flow of qi in every body channel, which is why it has far-reaching effects over time. Dr. Oskardmay reviews each person’s health history to understand how dampness and other factors affect you.

Both external as well as internal factors cause the problem of too much body water retention. Living in a damp climate, such as in certain parts of the US, or spending a lot of time in a wet area, such as a basement, will contribute to the problem. Swimming or otherwise getting wet and staying that way for too long contributes to dampness. While it may seem daunting to change where one lives or works, there are ways to make significant alterations to where one spends time to influence the effect of dampness.

People who do not exercise or move often suffer more from water retention. Their joints ache, and the lack of energy makes it difficult to move enough. Begin with awareness and the goal of more movement and go from there. While it may seem desirable to make changes rapidly, she generally finds that people who strive to take on too much too quickly burn out, suffer injury, and then have to start over. Dr. Oskardmay will make helpful suggestions to each person to enhance functional movement safely.

Additionally, she will review food and beverage intake over time to determine how nutrition influences body dampness. Drinking cold, iced beverages and eating greasy, heavy foods worsen dampness. Alternately, some foods she will discuss, such as certain teas, vegetables, proteins, and grains, help resolve too much water. Once a person knows what causes the problem, it is far easier to handle.

Additionally, Dr. Oskardmay employs acupuncture techniques to stimulate qi flow in the channels. Dampness particularly impedes energy flow of the central earth channels- spleen and stomach; Dr. Oskardmay assesses qi flow with pulse assessment and body palpation before rendering care that improves qi movement throughout the body.

Also, as part of any treatment, Dr. Oskardmay provides massage, which improves blood circulation, reduces swelling, and promotes detoxification. Sometimes she does cupping or gua sha scraping massage to offer additional benefits and balance yin and yang differently.

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, Dr. Oskardmay aims to help each person achieve their best self by knowing the factors that affect them and using acupuncture and other natural healing methods. Call today at (919) 929-1400 to schedule an appointment or visit us online at acudocnc.com 24 hours a day to learn more about how dampness in the body affects health and make an appointment. Serving the Triangle since 1995 with quality acupuncture and chiropractic natural healing, Dr. Lisa Oskardmay is here for you.

At Acupractic Natural Healing, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill, 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.