How Can You Understand Insurance Coverage Better Before Getting Care?

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, we serve the Triangle with quality alternative healthcare and participate with major insurance companies. People call us every day with questions regarding their coverage. Patients want to know their out-of-pocket expenses for examinations, chiropractic care, and acupuncture services. Our insurance specialist strives to help patients understand their coverage to the best of her ability. Generally, she can offer assistance and clarity that helps to ease the confusion and concern about billing. Our office does our best to provide quality care at affordable prices, whether by using their insurance benefits or paying out of pocket. Our main goal is always to help the patient feel better faster.

At some, mostly hospital-based practices, patients are billed much more for care than they may be billed elsewhere, whether they are in the hospital or not. The following explanation from ChatGPT summarizes why this may occur.

  1. **Special Agreements**: A hospital may have a special agreement with an insurance company that doesn’t include the typical contractual reductions offered to other providers. This could be due to the hospital’s reputation, quality of care, or specialized services that demand higher rates.
  2. **Out-of-Network Status**: Even if a hospital-based clinic is generally in-network, certain services or specific locations might be considered out-of-network under your plan. Out-of-network services typically do not benefit from identical contractual reductions.
  3. **Tiered Network Plans**: Some insurance plans have tiered networks, where certain providers are placed in different tiers based on cost or quality metrics. A hospital-based clinic in a higher tier might receive reductions different from those of other providers.
  4. **Specific Plan Exclusions**: Your particular insurance plan might exclude specific service reductions, even for in-network providers like the hospital.
  5. **Billing Practices**: The hospital-based clinic might have specific billing practices that don’t align with your insurance’s usual reductions, leading to the denial of these discounts.

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, we do our best to help you understand your bills, charge reasonable and customary charges for quality care, and answer your questions. Dealing with insurance companies and certain healthcare facilities can be stressful. When you choose to receive chiropractic and acupuncture services at our Chapel Hill offices, be confident that we are here to help you however we can. Whether you choose to utilize your insurance or self-pay for care, we will let you know what to expect when you come in and will be your ally when working with your insurance plan.

Call us today at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com or visit our website at acudocnc.com to schedule your appointment today.

Infrared Light Therapy Experience to Share

The following blog post is from someone we at Acupractic Natural Healing Center know and trust about her experience at a local business offering a different type of healthcare. The author enthusiastically supported the company and had a wonderful, healing experience with Infrared Light therapy. Here is a description of Infrared Light Therapy from the web:

‘Infrared therapy is a new and innovative light-based method to treat pain and inflammation in various body parts. Unlike ultraviolet light, which can damage the skin, infrared light enhances cell regeneration. Infrared light is delivered to the site of injury or inflammation at specific wavelengths, promoting cell repair.

The critical characteristic of infrared light is its ability to penetrate even the deep layers of the skin, providing better pain relief. Also, infrared light is safe, natural, non-invasive, and painless. Thus, it can offer a broad range of health benefits.

Monica’s post:

“I am a daughter, caregiver, mother, wife, sister, friend, mentor, working woman—and the list goes on. Like many, I often forget to take care of myself; therefore, about a year ago, I shifted my thinking and put myself on my calendar so I could begin my self-care and wellness journey with a more holistic approach.

Recently, on this journey, a dear friend introduced me to infrared light saunas. I was not familiar with Infrared light therapy, but after doing some research, I learned of its benefits: it relieves pain, boosts immunity, renews skin, improves circulation, ignites metabolism, and more. I decided to give it a try.

Here’s how it went down: Upon entering Beem Light Sauna – Durham, I was greeted warmly and provided a tablet with video and music streaming services that had already been downloaded. As I entered the sauna, I saw the temp set to 137 degrees, so thank goodness I was prepared with my tumbler of water. To my surprise, it was a dry heat. I was intrigued by the chromotherapy hues that illuminated throughout the session with descriptors for each color noted on the glass. As I relaxed and sweat, I recall thinking that hot flashes were nothing compared to this! When the 40-minute timer beeped, I opened the door to a wonderfully cold, mint cloth to cool me down. I opted to take advantage of the showers before leaving, and to my surprise, I felt energetic and joyful. I couldn’t quite figure out why, but I have been once more since my initial session, which was a repeat experience. I felt like I had a spa-like experience without the price tag.

At this moment, I don’t know if the research I found regarding the benefits is genuinely the case, but I plan to give it 90 days. I will let you know if I begin to look svelte and beautiful like actress Vanessa Williams. Even if I don’t, I am happy to share an update. “

Thank you to Monica for writing this helpful blog post about her experience at Beem Light Sauna in Durham. Our goal at Acupractic Natural Healing Center is to help as many people as possible achieve their best health naturally. Dr. Oskardmay provides chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture treatments, therapeutic massage, nutrition and exercise counseling, and other supportive services. Contact us today at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com or visit our website at acudocnc.com to learn more about how natural healthcare can be your best form of healthcare. 919-929-1400.

Summer Intern Experience at Acupractic Natural Healing Center

My time with Dr. Lisa this summer has been truly remarkable. This clinical experience holds significant meaning for me, as I deeply believe in the power of Chiropractic care and acupuncture. I am particularly grateful to the patients at the clinic who generously allowed me to observe their sessions. Their willingness to share their healing journey has been a profound learning experience, revealing the diverse range of conditions that acupuncture can effectively complement.

I am truly impressed by the patient education that Dr. Lisa incorporates into each session, particularly on the importance of stretching. This aspect of her practice has been a revelation for me, as I’ve adopted many of her recommendations into my daily routine, significantly improving my day. The clinic’s commitment to patient education enhances the patient’s understanding of their treatment and empowers them to take an active role in their health journey.

Doctor Lisa emphasizes that stretching, adequate rest and posture, detoxication through Epsom salt baths, and magnesium and vitamin D supplementation are imperative to proper self-care.

Shauntil Couch-Bah, BSN, RN
Western Carolina University DNP-FNP
Class of 2025

Note from the office:

Here at Acupractic Natural Healing Center, we occasionally host students from different backgrounds who strive to increase their understanding of this crucial alternative medicine pathway. We appreciate helping students learn more about the healing powers of chiropractic and acupuncture medicine and hope that they can utilize what they see here in their future careers as healthcare practitioners.

Dr. Oskardmay is particularly thrilled to demonstrate how chiropractic and acupuncture work together to enhance people’s health in the most natural way possible. By harnessing and directing each patient’s vital qi or healing internal energy, this form of natural medicine heals on multiple levels and in various ways. From hands-on spinal palpation and chiropractic adjusting to meridian assessment and acupuncture, these methods offer low-risk alternatives to individuals seeking better health, providing a host of benefits that can significantly improve one’s quality of life.

Call our office today to see how holistic chiropractic and acupuncture can help you look and feel better naturally. We are located in Chapel Hill’s Eastowne Offices, just off I-40 across from Wegmans. We have ample free, accessible parking, and our building is accessible, as well. You can schedule online 24 hours daily by visiting our website at acudocnc.com or call us at 919-929-1400. Our office hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 8:30-5:00; Wednesday 12:30-5:00, and Friday 8:30 -12:30. Patients looking for pain relief, wellness care, or a host of other conditions can find what they are looking for at our office. We participate with most major insurance plans and do the billing for you. We offer self-pay options, as well. Contact us to schedule today- we look forward to seeing you!

How Flat Back Syndrome Benefits from Alternative Medical Care

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, the alternative medicine office of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill, we emphasize whole-body healing through natural means. When postural problems such as flat back syndrome exist in a person, Dr. Oskardmay uses a combination of therapies to support better posture, resulting in less pain and distortion. Patients benefit from care at our office because treatment is gentle and effective, and patients learn exercises and make small changes that have big impacts on their well-being.

What is Flat Back Syndrome?

A person has flat-back syndrome when their back lacks some of the natural protective curvature in the spine, particularly in the lower lumbar region. Reduced lumbar spine curves can impact a person in many ways. Patients may have trouble standing up straight, they likely have anterior head posture and experience undo fatigue at the end of the day. Flat back syndrome may arise from birth, degenerative disc disease, or trauma. Whatever the cause, persons experiencing flat back syndrome suffer inordinate amounts of stress in their joints in part from the lack of resilience the flat back curve creates.

Dr. Oskardmay examines each patient for postural imbalances. She utilizes massage therapy and chiropractic adjustments to the spine and extremities to restore proper spinal bone alignment and relax tight muscles. This helps patients with flat-back syndrome because, over time, postural distortions such as flat-back syndrome damage spinal vertebral connections and muscle balance. Over time this causes undue pressure on the nerves. Dr. Oskardmay may use Activator adjusting or hands-on manual adjustments to improve spine biomechanics and nerve flow throughout the body.

Using Acupuncture treatment to improve qi flow throughout the body, Dr. Oskardmay helps the spine and connected ligaments heal. Acupuncture is a time-tested therapy that helps reduce stress, and improve restful sleep and digestion, as well.

Additionally, we recognize the crucial role exercise has in the treatment of postural distortions. In flat back syndrome, the pelvis is tipped backward. This may be because of an imbalance in the thigh abdominal and back muscles. Employing stretching and strengthening protocols designed to stretch tight muscles and strengthen weak ones, Dr. Oskardmay supports postural imbalance in key ways.

Each patient is unique and, in our office, we strive to help each person obtain better health using natural means. Persons with flat back syndrome, lordotic posture, sway back posture, and other postural deviations all benefit from natural chiropractic and acupuncture medicine. With additional help using balanced exercises, Dr. Oskardmay can help many people suffering from back pain, fatigue, anterior head carriage, and other conditions associated with postural deviation such as flat back syndrome.

Call today to see how natural healthcare can help you. Serving Chapel Hill, Durham, and surrounding areas since 1995, we participate with most major insurance plans and are accepting new patients. Call us today at (919) 929-1400, email us at schedule@acudocnc.com or visit our website at acudocnc.com to schedule your appointment today.

The Lung and its Role in Health

The ribcage protects the two lungs in our chest. The lungs are responsible for three main things: they deliver oxygen to the body’s cells, remove waste gases, including carbon dioxide, from the body upon exhalation, and protect the airways from irritants and harmful substances. Known as ‘the delicate organ’ in Chinese medicine, the lungs can regenerate lost or damaged cells and can do so relatively quickly after injury and some lung diseases. Our lungs are vital organs. We breathe in and out about 22,000 times daily, and many factors affect their function. Read more about the lung and its role in health.

Nerve innervation to the lungs comes from both branches of the autonomic system- sympathetic and parasympathetic, and from the phrenic nerve, a bilateral mixed nerve carrying both motor and sensory fibers. Sympathetic nerve supply from the interior to T2 to T6 segments increases breathing rate, whereas parasympathetic fibers traveling with the vagus nerve (cranial nerve 10) slow breath rate. The phrenic nerve arises in the cervical spine. It descends the thorax to innervate the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscular partition between the thorax and abdomen that contracts to increase thorax volume to inflate the lungs; the diaphragm relaxes upon exhalation.

Other factors influencing our breath include shoulder, back, and neck motion. Whereas a pinched nerve will not directly affect the lungs, the movement of the lungs and chest cavity as one inhales and exhales can increase nerve compression and pain. Body posture influences the ribcage’s ability to expand on inhalation and the movement of the diaphragm and even the collarbone to bring air into the lungs.

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, the acupuncture and chiropractic offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill, she understands the crucial role the lungs play in overall health. She recognizes the importance of various body parts that influence lung function. Through careful history, examination of the spine and extremities, review of posture, and palpation of connected areas, Dr. Oskardmay strives to help patients whose breath and breathing patterns affect their lives. Using gentle mobilization procedures to affected areas of the spine and extremities, she helps restore alignment and pain-free movement.

In Chinese medicine, the fall season relates to the lungs as the metal yin organ. The metal yin organ corresponds with letting go of unneeded things, detoxification, and the natural decline of the autumn season as we prepare for winter. For some, this decline and letting go brings grief, and for others, clarity.

Breathing intentionally and slowly is a way to release troublesome thoughts. The next time you experience stress, take a moment to inhale and appreciate how your lungs help you.

Call us at (919) 929-1400, email or visit our website today to learn more about the lung and its role in health, to schedule an appointment, and to learn more about how natural healing can help to improve your health and well-being. Trusted by the Triangle since 1995, the acupuncture and chiropractic offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill are here for you.

Understand Pain and Tenderness to Improve Patient Experience

Chiropractor Chapel Hill, NC

Doctors of Chiropractic and Medicine use tenderness and pain to diagnose health conditions. Tenderness refers to sensations elicited by touch or movement, whereas pain reflects other irritating feelings. Tenderness is an objective finding and something the practitioner finds upon moving or touching body areas. In contrast, pain is a subjective experience of the patient, not necessarily elicited by the doctor moving or touching body areas. At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay in Chapel Hill, we strive to help people identify and reduce pain and tenderness naturally while regaining a full range of motion, strength, and ability.

Many people try to avoid pain and things that cause pain. Patients avoid specific movements or positions that irritate them. Patients may reduce participation in activities that provoke aches. They may even take pain pills, apply pain-relieving ointments and take other steps to mitigate distressing feelings. Over time, these body-mind accommodations impact the quality of life, strength, and flexibility and even affect the ability to heal. Part of the healing journey is discovering where pain exists in the mind and body and then taking helpful steps to reduce or alleviate symptoms while regaining lost range of motion, flexibility, and strength.

Patients come into our natural healing center with health concerns such as pain, stress, insomnia, and other symptoms. During the examination, Dr. Oskardmay palpates and moves the patient’s back and extremities to determine areas of imbalance, pain, and flexibility. Frequently patients report areas of tenderness or pain in regions they didn’t know about before examination. In part, these unknown areas of tenderness exist because people avoid moving or using painful body regions. These areas, combined with areas of concern they know about, become part of the treatment plan as Dr. Oskardmay works to rebuild balance, strength, and pain-free flexibility.

For instance, patients may be unaware of tightness in the mid-low back around the twelfth thoracic vertebra. Chiropractic adjustments to restore pain-free vertebral and rib motion at that level can help improve digestion and diaphragm movement. Alternatively, tenderness in the clavicle region of the shoulders can influence breathing and head position. After an adjustment or even acupuncture treatment in this critical region, patients report better respiration and can stand up straighter. Sometimes people are unaware of tightness in their calf muscles. Massage and mobilization of a patient’s calf muscles impact their ability to walk and balance and restore blood flow from the lower extremity to the heart.

While we don’t usually think of it this way, pain is a gift that keeps us from harming ourselves. Tenderness is pain that is hidden from us. To experience the fullness of life, embrace limitations and move beyond them, and consider natural care that discovers, educates, and heals. Call the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay today at 919-929-1400, or visit us online 24 hours a day to learn more about the benefits of complemental alternative medicine in the Triangle at Acupractic Natural Healing Center, servicing the Triangle since 1995.

 

My Favorite Businesses in Durham/Chapel Hill

The Research Triangle Park area of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill hosts a wide array of wonderful healing arts practitioners, great places to eat, clubs and classes to exercise, and areas to relax and enjoy music and the arts. Here at Acupractic Natural Healing Center and Acupuncture at Eastowne, LLC in Chapel Hill, we have some favorites to share with you. Whether you are new to the area or have lived here a long time like us, we hope you appreciate these suggestions. Feel free to contact the offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay, Doctor of Chiropractic and Licensed Acupuncturist any time with questions, or suggestions, or to schedule an appointment.

Kipos Greek Tavern at Eastgate Crossing in Chapel Hill is a favorite gathering place with outdoor shaded garden seating, attentive waitstaff, and delicious Greek food. Check with the host to find out when live music is available. Nestled in the corner at Eastgate Crossing, this little gem has it all.

Atop the Durham Hotel in downtown Durham, the rooftop bar and snack bar provides a splendid view of downtown Durham. The food is tasty, and beverages range from home-made martinis to local craft beers and others. We like the open-air atmosphere and friendly staff.

A business called STRETCH ZONE helps people find relief from tired, tight muscles. Located in Meadowmont Shopping Center in Chapel Hill, this small company’s goal is to: ‘use patented equipment to position and stabilize muscles, allowing the best stretch’.

At Weaver Street Market in Southern Village and Hillsborough one can find many varieties of nutritional supplements, organic and other tasty food, local produce, breads, and beverages. This locally owned food coop is a wonderful place to shop and eat.

110Yoga in Durham near Southpoint Mall offers hot yoga classes for those looking for a hot yoga experience. You can access their daily hot yoga selection either by calling them directly (or just showing up), or through the online app CLASSPASS. They provide yoga mats and cooling lavender towels at the end of each class.

The YMCA, with its many branches in nearby Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill hosts a variety of exercise workouts, both on-site and virtual, as well as indoor and outdoor swimming. The YMCA is a beautiful place for kids and adults of all ages.

Sharp Nine Gallery (Durham Jazz Workshop) is the hub for jazz in the Triangle. Located in South Durham, this small, but growing club in its 10th year, offers jazz classes to youth and adults, as well as evening events inclined to inspire. Check it out!

For anyone looking to hear or join a local chorus, Voices Chapel Hill is a great option. Singing elevates the mind and soul, provides excellent community, and harmonizes the spirit. Practicing every Tuesday night in Chapel Hill, this melodic group has performances each summer, fall, and spring for sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses.

At Acupractic Natural Healing Center, the chiropractic and acupuncture offices of Dr. Lisa Oskardmay since 1995, we strive to provide high-quality alternative medical care. Whether you have headaches, back pain, or stress. Call us today 919-929-1400 to schedule an appointment or visit us online 24 hours a day to learn more and request an appointment time. Participating with most major insurance plans, we look forward to serving your healthcare needs.

 

The Role of Alternative Medicine in Reducing the Scourge of Addiction and Abuse in the US

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.

How Dampness in the Body Affects Health and What to Do About It

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.

 

How to Relax Tight Muscles

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.

Serving the communities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, Hillsborough, and the rest of the NC Triangle

205 Providence Rd. Chapel Hill NC 27514 | Phone: (919) 929-1400

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