Welcome to Elements Acupuncture!

I am happy to announce the opening of my practice Elements Acupuncture. My practice specializes in Classical Five Element Acupuncture (CFEA), which is one of the oldest forms of acupuncture and is practiced true to its original form! The fact that this medicine has been practiced for thousands of years speaks to the value and efficacy of Five Element Acupuncture. I am pleased to share more knowledge of Classical Five Element Acupuncture and the potential it has to offer. (more…)

Five Element Acupuncture for Chronic Fatigue

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long-term illness that makes it difficult for individuals to complete usual activities. It can even make it difficult for many to get out of bed! 1 It is a complicated disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that lasts for at least six months and cannot be fully explained by an underlying medical condition. The fatigue worsens with physical or mental activity, but does not improve with rest. Other common symptoms are post-exertional malaise, difficulty thinking or concentrating, pain and dizziness.

Unfortunately, the causes of CFS are unknown making it unpredictable and difficult to treat. What we do know about CFS is that it primarily affects people between 40 and 60 years old, with more women diagnosed than men. However, there is good news for those suffering from CFS! Recent studies have found that regular Five Element acupuncture treatments conducted consistently over a four-week period was proven to improve CFS in patients. 2

Unlike medication, no patients had adverse effects from the treatment. This alone makes acupuncture one of the most reasonable treatments for CFS. As with many other illnesses, Five Element acupuncture works to eliminate the root causes of discomfort. So if you, or someone you know, suffers from CFS or any other fatigue related issue, please contact Beverly to find out how Five Element acupuncture may help.

 
 

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Sources:

1. https://medlineplus.gov/chronicfatiguesyndrome.html
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4515016/

Five Element Acupuncture for Men’s Health

Similarly to acupuncture for women’s health, acupuncture can be a great remedy for issues surrounding men’s health.

It is well established that five element acupuncture treats the underlying causes of pain and discomfort that result in additional issues. For men’s health, this can be stress that results in decreased sexual stamina, erectile dysfunction or low sperm count. Regular five element acupuncture treatments can reduce stress and improve sleep quality, which improves testosterone levels and increases libido.1

Acupuncture can also increase kidney health which is vital to sexual function. By improving kidney health through five element acupuncture, men can experience an increase in sexual drive, better quality and higher quantity of sperm, a reduction in structural defects, and an elimination of erectile disfunction.2

Prostate issues are also a prominent concern when it comes to men’s health. Benign prostatic hyperplasia or enlarged prostate is a very common problem facing men. An enlarged prostate can lead to bladder, kidney and urinary issues for men, including urinary retention. Regular Five Element acupuncture treatment can alleviate inflammation in the prostate and increase kidney function.3

If you would like to learn more about how acupuncture promotes healing and supports long term health for men, please contact Beverly.

 
 

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Sources:

1. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/focus-on-mens-health-acupuncture#:~:text=It%20can%20actually%20alter%20the,improve%20testosterone%20levels%20and%20libido.
2. https://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2017/01/31/3-key-ways-acupuncture-supports-mens-health
3. https://www.releasellc.com/blog/seven-ways-acupuncture-can-help-mens-health

Five Element Acupuncture for Women’s Health

If you’re a woman, then you know there’s A LOT that comes with being a woman. Especially when it comes to the health of our reproductive system. Women’s health covers a very large array of topics and issues, from pregnancy, menopause, breast cancer, childbirth, pelvic pain, heavy menstrual cycles, infertility etc. etc. and how all of these things contribute to your physical and emotional well-being.

As with many other issues, acupuncture can be a great method for treating the root cause of pain and discomfort that leads to other ailments. For example, you may be suffering from menopause or menstruation discomfort leading to tiredness, lower pack pain, insomnia, irritability, inflammation, depression, anxiety or other disorders. Five Element Acupuncture causes blood vessels to dilate, increasing uterine blood flow. This improves ovarian blood circulation reducing and often times eliminating all of the previously listed issues. Acupuncture can also regulate periods by balancing hormonal communication between the brain and ovaries.1

Five Element Acupuncture has been found to be an effective treatment for menstrual issues, menopause, perimenopause, endometriosis, infertility, pregnancy, postpartum support, fibromyalgia, insomnia, skin rejuvenation, breastfeeding complications, and wide range of gynecological issues.2

For more information on how Five Element Acupuncture can help you achieve maximum women’s health please contact Beverly.

 
 

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Sources:

!. https://aoma.edu/patients/acupuncture-for-women-health/
2. https://www.pacificcollege.edu/news/blog/2016/12/22/10-key-ways-acupuncture-supports-womens-health

Five Element Acupuncture for Musculoskeletal Disorders

Musculoskeletal disorders (or MSD’s) are defined as injuries or disorders of the muscles, nerves, tendons, joints, cartilage, and spinal discs. Some common examples of MSDs include carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, tendinitis, rotator cuff injuries, osteoarthritis, tension neck syndrome and thoracic outlet compression. Work related musculoskeletal disorders are becoming increasingly common as more people work online under the stresses of the current pandemic.

An increasing number of clinical studies have found Five Element Acupuncture to be effective in treating the chronic pain associated with MSDs. Acupuncture can address the inflammation and musculature breakdown that occurs with MSDs, relieving tension over prolonged periods of treatment.

Living with MSDs that go untreated can result in stress, anxiety, the inability to maintain proper use and function of extremities as well as chronic pain. By treating MSDs through targeted acupuncture, you could be treating the underlying issue of other ailments. The five element system divides the healing experience from biochemical processes to the function of the individual as a whole. In other words, Five Element Acupuncture treats all aspects of the issue unlike medications which merely mask the symptoms without treating the underlying issue.

For information on how Five Elements Acupuncture could be beneficial in treating your MSDs, please contact Beverly.

 
 

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Sources:

https://seattleacupunctureassociates.com/acupuncture-treats/musculoskeletal-and-neurological/
https://www.healthline.com/health/musculoskeletal-disorders
https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/Fulltext/2019/01110/Acupuncture_for_chronic_uncomplicated.56.aspx
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4965798/

Five Element Acupuncture for Insomnia

It is estimated that about 50 percent of people suffer from some form of insomnia. Since the start of the pandemic there has been a significant rise in the number of people seeking treatment for insomnia.

There are two main types of insomnia: short-term and chronic. Short term or acute insomnia can result from stressful life events, major life changes, drug withdrawal, or different medical diagnoses. Chronic insomnia is a long-term pattern of difficulty sleeping and includes difficulty falling asleep, the inability to stay asleep throughout the night and early morning awakening or the failure to achieve the duration of sleep needed for daily function.

Because acupuncture if effective for treating, stress, depression, anxiety, and chronic pain, all of which can be underlying causes of short-term or acute insomnia, studies have shown five element acupuncture to be an extremely effective treatment for this type of insomnia. A 2020 study of 90 people with depression and insomnia found that 8 weeks of acupuncture improved their sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and total sleep time.

For individuals suffering from chronic insomnia, studies found that patients who receive multiple five element acupuncture sessions over the course of 4 months saw an improvement in their sleep quality and daytime functionality. These studies found that acupuncture was an effective treatment for chronic insomnia by modulating a wide range of neuroendocrinological factors that contribute to insomnia by stimulating certain acupoints. In multiple studies, five element acupuncture treatment proved to be better than pharmacological drugs at improving chronic insomnia.

If you suffer from any form of insomnia, please reach out to Beverly for information on how Five Elements Acupuncture can facilitate your healing and improve your sleep!

 
 

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Sources:

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/insomnia/types-of-insomnia
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780124115453000110
https://www.healthline.com/health/acupuncture-for-sleep#benefits

Five Element Acupuncture for Digestive Disorders

With digestive diseases on the rise, representing one of the country’s most serious health problems, resulting in chronic discomfort and pain, numerous hours lost to treatment or surgery, and an increasing rate of mortality, it is important to understand how Five Element Acupuncture can help.
 

It is estimated that each year around 63 million Americans are diagnosed with a digestive disorder. These include but are not limited to: hemorrhoids, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic liver disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux, peptic ulcer disease, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, gastritis, diverticular disease, and gallstones. More Americans are hospitalized with digestive issues than any other condition.1
 

In the Five Element Acupuncture system, human experience is divided into five elemental groups that reflect all levels of human function such as anatomic and physiologic functioning of the organ systems. The Five Elements include Wood (liver and gall bladder), Fire (heart, small intestine, triple heater, pericardium), Earth (spleen, stomach), Metal (lung, colon) and Water (kidney, bladder).2 With the Earth Element representing the stomach, spleen, pancreas and all digestive processes, it is easy to see how Five Element Acupuncture can target and treat the source of any chronic digestive diseases.
 

Numerous studies conducted have confirmed that acupuncture is an effective treatment for digestive diseases including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), bloating, constipation, and gastroesophageal reflux or acid reflux. These studies found that acupuncture was significantly more effective than pharmacological therapy. 3 It was also determined that acupuncture can effectively inhibit pain and depression associated with digestive disorders while alleviating patients’ symptoms safely.4
 

To find out more about how Five Element Acupuncture can help with your digestive issues, please reach out to Beverly.
 
 

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Sources:

1. https://gialliance.com/digestive-disease-continues-to-rise-among-americans/
2. http://www.katekellogg.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/five-element-article.pdf
3. https://mergehealth.com.au/acupuncture-for-digestion-a-valid-treatment-for-ibs/
4. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-010-0516-y

Five Element Acupuncture for Chronic Pain

Five Element acupuncture treatment aims to restore the natural flow of the body and its healing systems, which is to address the root cause of chronic pain. The focus of treatment is long-term healing, not simply short-term relief.
 

There are often root causes way beyond the physical when it comes to chronic pain. An injury or accident can lead to emotional trauma, creating a loop of “fight or flight” within the body. This long-term stress may be the source of chronic pain long after the injury has healed itself, flooding the body with stress chemicals, disabling a person to recover and return to a calmer physiological state. The body system and immune function suffer by hijacking resources to fuel the acute stress response. This can be especially true of childhood traumatic events which can have an adverse impact on nearly every long-term health outcome.
 

According to the National Library of Medicine, acupuncture is associated with improved pain outcomes compared with sham-acupuncture and no-acupuncture control, with response rates of approximately 30% for no acupuncture, 42.5% for sham acupuncture, and 50% for acupuncture. (1)
 

Chronic pain can be an absolutely debilitating ailment that severely hinders quality of life. While most chronic pain is treated with prescription or over the counter medications or remedies, these options do not provide long last relief or treat the underlying causes of chronic pain. Recent studies have found that acupuncture when used to treat chronic pain not only provides immediate pain relief but the effects of acupuncture treatment persist over time as well. (2)
 

Five Element acupuncture treatment can be used to treat multiple causes of chronic pain and underlying causes. According to multiple clinical trials of acupuncture for treating neck, lumbar, migraine, knee osteoarthritis and other conditions confirm acupuncture’s clinical efficacy in treating chronic pain. (3) Acupuncture also has an excellent safety record and is a cost-effective solution when compared to other chronic pain treatment options.
 

If you have any questions about how Five Element Acupuncture can help you with chronic pain, please reach out to Beverly.
 

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Sources:

1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24595780/
2. Vickers, Andrew J et al. “Acupuncture for Chronic Pain: Update of an Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.” The journal of pain vol. 19,5 (2018): 455-474. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2017.11.005
3. Peter T. Dorsher, Acupuncture for chronic pain, Techniques in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management, Vol. 15, Issue 2 (2011): 55-63(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1084208X11000231)

Five Element Acupuncture for Depression

Survival in a fast-paced modern world can come at a cost, often manifesting itself as depression. Common belief is that depression results from a chemical imbalance, but that doesn’t really account for how complex depression can be. Research suggests that depression doesn’t emerge from having too much or too little of certain brain chemical. Rather, there can be many causes for depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems. It’s believed that depression is a combination of many interacting forces.
 

Symptoms of depression are:

  • Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
  • Markedly diminished interest in pleasure in almost all activities most of the day, every day
  • Significant weight loss or weight gain without dieting, or major changes in appetite or eating habits
  • Insomnia or hypersomnia nearly everyday
  • Psychomotor agitation or retardation (anxiety or lack of desire to do any thing)
  • Fatigue or loss of energy nearly every day
  • Feelings of worthlessness, guilt, desperation, and psychic pain that are ongoing
  • Inability to think or concentrate; indecisiveness daily
  • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or a specific plan or attempt of suicide

 

Depression must be dealt with on every level of the person’s being. Five Element acupuncture is structured for this. The theoretical model of the five elements can be useful in diagnosing and treating a patient suffering from depressive illness. It is vital to assess the severity of a depressive’s condition, and tend to their individual needs. In any case, the five element acupuncture approach can be seen as one perspective in dealing with these conditions.

The body-mind is a self-healing, adaptive system. Emotions are part of the adaptive response. That includes uncomfortable emotions like fear, anger and grief. Unfortunately, we are often taught to repress difficult emotions and label them as undesirable or pathological. We attach stigma to mental health problems rather than looking at the root cause. However, these emotions exist for a reason, rooted in our most basic instincts.

Five Element acupuncture treatment for depression can facilitate healing in unique ways.
 

Benefits of Five Element Acupuncture for Depression:

  • Significant reduction in depressive symptoms including improved sleep, better digestion, and a greater sense of well being
  • Improvement of vitality and stamina
  • Improved relationships with others
  • Reduction in long term medication costs

 

Mental health is so important. Please remember if you are struggling with depression that you are not alone. Lifestyle habits like meditation, breathwork, diet, nature, physical activity, and sleep can help as well.
 

If you have any questions about how Five Element Acupuncture can help you, please reach out to Beverly.
 

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Five Element Acupuncture for Anxiety

Anxiety is a normal reaction to different situations or circumstances that we may encounter day to day. For example, it is normal and healthy to have anxiety when we encounter a stressful situation at work or trouble in our relationships at home. Naturally, our body will go into a fight or flight response, also known as our sympathetic nervous state. Anxiety becomes problematic when it is excessive and out of place; if anxiety is continually present without an identifiable event or stressful situation, there may be concern to get help for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD).
 

Signs and symptoms of anxiety include:

  • A sense of impending danger, panic, or doom
  • Excessive worry or fear
  • Restlessness and nervousness
  • Sweating, trembling, rapid breathing
  • Fatigue or weakness
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Trouble with sleeping and insomnia
  • Avoidance of things and situations that trigger anxiety

 

Thankfully, anxiety is one of the most common ailments Five Element Acupuncturists work with and growing research shows that acupuncture helps treat anxiety, a condition that all of us will face at one time or another. Acupuncture works by reducing stress hormones like cortisol, promoting feel good hormones, and allowing the body to go into a parasympathetic nervous state (rest and digest). Western medicine is wonderful; however, it often has a one size fits all approach for treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Most often medications are prescribed, which can have serious negative side effects. Furthermore, Five Element Acupuncture is a preventative and holistic medicine that aims to treat the root cause of anxiety, not just suppress the symptoms.
 

Anxiety statistics:

  • More than 40 million Americans over 18 years old suffer from anxiety.
  • General Anxiety Disorder is the most common type of illness in the United States.
  • 30% of the population experiences an anxiety disorder at some point during their lifetime.
  • Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, though only 37% of people suffering from anxiety seek treatment.
  • Anxiety disorders can develop from genetics, brain chemistry, personality, and life events.
  • Women are twice as likely to suffer from anxiety than men.
  • Research shows acupuncture is a safe and viable option for treating General Anxiety Disorder.

 

Benefits of acupuncture for anxiety:

  • Five Element Acupuncture is an individualized medicine. Each treatment is catered to the individual and their specific needs. Thus two people receiving treatment for acupuncture would receive completely different treatments because they are different people with different needs.
  • Anxiety medication can cause serious negative side effects- acupuncture is a noninvasive and drug-free way to treat anxiety with no side effects.
  • Anxiety symptoms typically lessen after a few visits.
  • Acupuncture treats the root cause of the anxiety. Medication often only treats the symptoms.
  • Acupuncture is helpful for those who want to limit or stop drug use.
  • Acupuncture has increased popularity because it works.
  • Acupuncture works well with conjunction therapy and has been shown to enhance the effects of other treatments and pharmaceuticals.

 

The world we live in is so stressful. 2020, COVID-19, and politics have played a huge role in our livelihood. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), 36% of Americans say COVID-19 is having a serious impact on their mental health and wellbeing. Mental health is so important. Please remember if you are struggling with anxiety that you are not alone. Lifestyle habits like meditation, breathwork, diet, nature, physical activity, and sleep can help as well.

If you have any questions about how Five Element Acupuncture can help you, please reach out to Beverly.
 

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Happy Mother’s Day from Elements Acupuncture

A Chinese proverb says that if a mother is healthy and peaceful, her children and family will be strong. The best thing you can do for yourself AND your family is to get extra rest, love, and connection time. Easier said than done, right? Mothers who are at home during quarantine are facing the impossible: working, taking care of children, AND homeschooling all at the same time. We understand why superheroes don’t always wear capes. (more…)

Anxiety in the Time of COVID-19

Anxiety is often debilitating, accompanied by shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, sweat, excessive thoughts, intense feeling of worry, fear, irrational thoughts and even the feeling that you are dying. Eventually, anxiety will affect you mentally, physically, and emotionally. Some people start to have digestive disorders, like IBS, and the culprit can be the underlying anxiety. Others may suddenly have migraines or feel lightheaded. If you are having anxiety, take it as a warning sign that something must be addressed. Thankfully, there are many ways to keep anxiety at bay. (more…)

The Hope of Spring and Coronavirus Blues

We are living in uncertain and unprecedented times. Our lives have shifted dramatically, emotionally, and financially, and there is not a clear path of what the future holds. One might have missed that Saturday marked the first day of Spring. The Season of Spring is associated with the Wood Element. Now, more than ever, it is imperative to hone in on Wood’s energy of hope and optimism during this challenging time. (more…)

New spot Elements Acupuncture debuts in Austin

We are really excited to be featured in this MSN article! Please click below link to read! (more…)

The Spirit of Water in Classical Five Element Acupuncture

As a Classical Five Element Acupuncturist, I work with my clients to recognize the importance of being proactive when it comes to seasonal, emotional, and physical fluctuations. Currently, it is the season of winter, which is associated with the Water element. This is an appropriate time to discuss what makes the Water element so significant during the Winter season and what you can do to prepare for a bountiful spring, and more importantly, an abundant and healthy year. (more…)


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