+ Acupuncture, a practice originating in China over 5,000 years ago,
+ diverges from Western paradigms with its emphasis on holistic patterns
+ and relationships. The French Jesuits introduced acupuncture to Europe
+ in the 17th Century, but its reception was lukewarm due to the clash
+ between Eastern and Western worldviews. The effectiveness of acupuncture
+ was long backed by anecdotal evidence until 1976 when controlled
+ experiments started gaining ground. Today, at least 17 lines of evidence
+ underscore its impact.
+
+
+
+ Key developments include acupuncture's introduction to Europe by French
+ Jesuits in the 17th Century, where it struggled due to paradigm
+ differences. Its anecdotal effectiveness gave way to scientific scrutiny
+ around 1976, leading to numerous controlled experiments that affirmed
+ its pain-relieving effects. Acupuncture's basis lies in endorphin
+ release, with three main endorphin-releasing sites being identified.
+
+
+
+ Evidence supporting acupuncture includes experiments with endorphin
+ blockers, genetic factors, and physiological pathways. Acupuncture's
+ efficacy stands at approximately 70-80%, with notable outcomes in pain
+ relief, addiction treatment, gastrointestinal disorders, and more.
+ Across the world, its integration into modern medical practices gained
+ traction over time, with many physicians incorporating it into their
+ treatments.
+
+ Auriculotherapy utilizes the external ear's auricle to alleviate pain,
+ dysfunction, and diseases throughout the body. The ear's auricle is a
+ complete microsystem representing over 200 acupuncture points related to
+ vertebrae, nerves, organs, and the central nervous system. Dr. Paul
+ Nogier of France developed the concept of somatic tropic correspondence
+ in the auricle, building upon ancient Chinese acupuncture practices.
+
+
+
+ Auriculotherapy gained scientific validation through studies like the
+ 1980 research by Abbot et al., showing endorphinogenic response. Dr.
+ Nogier's concept of embryological tissue types and hormonal basis formed
+ the foundation for understanding auricular points' somatotopic
+ functions. Auriculotherapy's efficacy in pain relief and natural healing
+ is demonstrated through increased skin conductivity and Vascular
+ Autonomic Signal (VAS) response.
+
+
+
+ Both body acupuncture and auriculotherapy facilitate natural healing,
+ with auricular therapy becoming increasingly recognized for its
+ diagnostic and therapeutic potential. Although the practice originated
+ in China, Dr. Nogier's work and further research revolutionized
+ auriculotherapy, making it a powerful tool in modern healthcare.
+
);
};
diff --git a/website/app/(pages)/acupuncture/views/ScalpAcupuncture.tsx b/website/app/(pages)/acupuncture/views/ScalpAcupuncture.tsx
index 5b307b1..0c0f0a0 100644
--- a/website/app/(pages)/acupuncture/views/ScalpAcupuncture.tsx
+++ b/website/app/(pages)/acupuncture/views/ScalpAcupuncture.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,32 @@ import Link from "next/link";
const ScalpAcupuncture = () => {
return (
+
+ In 1973, Dr. Toshikatsu Yamamoto introduced Yamamoto New Scalp
+ Acupuncture (YNSA) in Miyazaki, Japan. Unlike traditional Chinese
+ acupuncture, YNSA is a diagnostic and interactive treatment system
+ designed to alleviate somatic and visceral pain and balance Qi.
+ Particularly effective for neurological disorders, YNSA has been used to
+ treat conditions like post-CVA, paralysis, aphasia, and more.
+
+
+
+ YNSA employs a distinctive neck diagnostic method, developed by Dr.
+ Yamamoto, to determine meridian dysfunction's Yin/Yang and left/right
+ aspects. Immediate feedback from acupuncture needle placement aids
+ accurate diagnosis and treatment. I witnessed Dr. Yamamoto's success
+ firsthand during hospital rounds, where he achieved notable improvements
+ in stroke patients using minimal scalp needle placements.
+
+
+
+ This approach's efficacy has led Dr. Feely to integrate Dr. Yamamoto's methods
+ into his own practice, successfully addressing chronic and injury-related
+ symptoms. The technique's unique diagnostic process and interactive
+ nature contribute to its success in treating neurological conditions and
+ enhancing patients' well-being.
+
+
{
+
Addiction
Aiping, J. and Meng, C. Analysis on the therapeutic effects of
diff --git a/website/app/(pages)/articles/(content)/arthritis-and-exercise/page.tsx b/website/app/(pages)/articles/(content)/arthritis-and-exercise/page.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c6a58c7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/app/(pages)/articles/(content)/arthritis-and-exercise/page.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+import Article from "@/components/Article";
+
+const ArticleArthritisAndExercise = () => {
+ return (
+
+
+ In the 1980’s the idea of including exercise as part of a treatment plan
+ was seen as a radical approach to the management of arthritis.
+
+
+ Marion Minor, PhD, thought otherwise. In 1989 she conducted a study with
+ 120 arthritic patients with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. The
+ patients were randomly assigned to aerobic walking, aerobic aquatics, or
+ to a control group of nonaerobic range of motion exercises. The duration
+ of the study was for 12 weeks.
+
+
+ The results showed that the aquatics and walking exercise groups showed
+ significant improvement over the control group in their capacitiy to do
+ aerobics, 50-foot walking time, depression, anxiety, and physical
+ activity after the 12-week program.
+
+
+ “Participants said that they were gaining back control on their lives,
+ and not subject to the whim of the disease,” Minor said. “This provides
+ a good prototype for self-management and problem-solving, the types of
+ things that can further improve the condition of people with arthritis.”
+ (1)
+
+
+ Around the same time in Denmark researchers were also looking into
+ physical training as a way of helping rheumatoid arthritis patients.
+ They looked at a graduated exercises going from 2 times per week of
+ aerobics and strengthening exercises to eventually progressing to
+ strenuous exercises over an 8-week period.
+
+
+ The results were encouraging in this study also. The patients had
+ significantly fewer swollen joints than before. Exercising the muscles
+ of the swollen joints resulted in more than a 35% decrease in the number
+ of swollen joints. (2) The Denmark study showed that improving muscle
+ strength also improved the affected joint. This was further confirmed in
+ other studies.
+
+
+ One particular study looked at the effect of strengthening the knee
+ muscles of patients with arthritis of the knee joint. In this trial 20
+ volunteers with knee joint arthritis were randomly assigned to a
+ treatment group (10 people) or to a control group (10 people). The
+ treatment group completed six sets of five strong contractions three
+ times per week for a period of 8 weeks.
+
+
+ At the end of the study the treatment group as compared to the control
+ group showed a a significant decrease in pain and stiffness and a
+ significant increase in the ability to move. There was also a
+ significant decline in the Osteoarthritis Screening Index and the
+ Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale. (3)
+
+
+ Other areas of exercise therapy for arthritis have also been
+ investigated. One such area was to determine whether high or low
+ intensity exercises were more effective.
+
+
+ 100 patients with moderately severe rheumatoid arthritis were randomly
+ assigned to (a) intensive group exercises that included full weight
+ bearing and also conditioning exercises on a stationary bike; (b) range
+ of motion exercises and isometric exercises group; (c) individual
+ isometric and range of motion; and (d) home instructions for isometric
+ and range of motion exercises. The study ran for 12 weeks.
+
+
+ There was about a 17% increase in aerobic capacity strength and joint
+ mobility in the high intensity exercise as compared to the other
+ exercise groups. When the patients stopped their exercise training
+ whatever gains they had achieved in physical capacity disappeared.(4)
+
+
+ In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association
+ researchers looked at whether a structured exercise program would help
+ older people with arthritis of the knee. 439 adults, aged 60 or older,
+ took part in either an aerobic exercise program, a resistance exercise
+ program, and a health education program. 83% of the people completed the
+ 18 month study.
+
+
+ The results showed that the aerobic exercise group had 10% lower scores
+ on the physical disability questionnaire, a 12% lower score on the knee
+ pain questionnaire, improved performance on the 6-minute walk test, and
+ also had improved the time it took to carry 10 pounds as compared to the
+ health education group. The resistance exercise group also showed
+ improvements but not as good as the aerobic exercise group. (5)
+
+
+ Even though exercise is now considered standard treatment for arthritis
+ it is not widely prescribed. In a study involving 110 elderly persons
+ with chronic hip and knee pain, fewer than half had received the medical
+ advice to exercise. Arthritis specialists did much better in prescribing
+ exercise than the primary care physician. Further, those patients who
+ were told to exercise by their physician were making an attempt to do so
+ but only 10% were doing the exercises in a way that would be
+ therapeutic. (6)
+
+
+ References:
+
+
+ (1) Efficacy of physical conditioning exercise in patients with
+ rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Minor MA, Hewett JE, Webel RR,
+ Anderson SK, Kay DR. Arthritis Rheum 1989 Nov;32(11):1396-1405
+
+
+ (2) The effect of physical training on patients with rheumatoid
+ arthritis: changes in disease activity, muscle strength and aerobic
+ capacity. A clinically controlled minimized cross-over study. Lyngberg
+ K, Danneskiold-Samsoe B, Halskov O. Clin Exp Rheumatol 1988
+ Jul;6(3):253-260
+
+
+ (3) Effects of muscle-strength training on the functional status of
+ patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joint. Schilke JM, Johnson GO,
+ Housh TJ, O’Dell JR. Nurs Res 1996 Mar;45(2):68-72
+
+
+ (4) Comparison of high and low intensity training in well controlled
+ rheumatoid arthritis. Results of a randomised clinical trial. van den
+ Ende CH, Hazes JM, le Cessie S, Mulder WJ, Belfor DG, Breedveld FC,
+ Dijkmans BA. Ann Rheum Dis 1996 Nov;55(11):798-805
+
+
+ (5) A randomized trial comparing aerobic exercise and resistance
+ exercise with a health education program in older adults with knee
+ osteoarthritis. The Fitness Arthritis and Seniors Trial. Ettinger WH Jr,
+ Burns R, Messier SP, Applegate W, Rejeski WJ, Morgan T, Shumaker S,
+ Berry MJ, O’Toole M, Monu J, Craven T. JAMA 1997 Jan 1;277(1):25-31
+
+
+ (6) Joint exercises in elderly persons with symptomatic osteoarthritis
+ of the hip or knee. Performance patterns, medical support patterns, and
+ the relationship between exercising and medical care. Dexter PA.
+ Arthritis Care Res 1992 Mar;5(1):36-41
+
+ If you are tired and fatigued and if your muscles ache all over, you may
+ suffer from fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), which is characterized by
+ widespread pain and tenderness at specific points on certain muscle
+ groups (joints are not usually involved). Symptoms most often come from
+ hip, back, shoulder and neck muscles and usually arise gradually, often
+ following a sprain, strain, whiplash, or other trauma. Some patients
+ report FMS symptom onset following viral or bacterial infection. Many
+ sufferers say it feels like they have the flu all the time.
+
+
+ FMS remains a painful and poorly understood condition. There is no
+ single cause. It seems to strike women between the ages of 20 and 50
+ (about 25 percent of those with FMS are men), and there is no single
+ treatment that is effective for every person. The signs and symptoms
+ include fatigue, chronic muscle ache, sleep disturbance, anxiety,
+ tenderness at specific muscle points, morning stiffness, intestinal
+ complaints, and shortness of breath.
+
+
+ There are no laboratory tests that can confirm a diagnosis of FMS.
+ However, some practitioners of holistic medicine may order functional
+ tests to determine if a metabolic imbalance is the source of muscle pain
+ and fatigue. There are no generally effective medical treatments,
+ either. However, aspirin, ibuprofen, indomethacin and other medications
+ have been effectively used to relieve musculoskeletal pain, and the
+ antidepressant Elavil has been helpful for some FMS patients.
+
+
+ What can be said is that recovery from FMS requires an integrated
+ approach that includes nutrition, diet therapy, mind/body work,
+ medication in some cases, exercise, lifestyle modification, acupuncture,
+ osteopathic manipulation and other modalities provided by a team
+ approach with different professionals working together.
+
+ Coccydynia, or pain of the coccyx (tailbone), is a common
+ musculoskeletal ailment. The tailbone, though rarely thought of during
+ the day, plays a key role in a person’s posture and ability to sit. It,
+ along with a person’s hip bones, bears the entire weight of the body
+ when someone sits. It is located at the very bottom of the spine. It
+ consists of three to five vertebral segments, interconnected by small
+ discs or fibrocartilaginous joints. It is common for some or all of
+ these to become fused as one ages.
+
+
Common causes of coccydynia include:
+
+
+ Direct trauma to the tail bone. This would include a fall on the ice
+ or pavement.
+
+
+ Repetitive minor trauma to the tail bone. This occurs during periods
+ of prolonged sitting on firm surfaces; including airline/car seats,
+ bicycle seats, or the ground.
+
+
+ Injury to the tail bone during childbirth. Prolonged births,
+ mispositioned babies, or use of forceps can worsen the immense
+ pressure applied to the coccyx during birth.
+
+
+ Posterior bone spur on the tailbone or osteoarthritis. Years of poor
+ posture, obesity, or repetitive trauma can lead to the production of
+ bone spurs or loss of joint space between the coccygeal joints.
+
+
+
+ Mainstream medical treatment of coccydynia includes conservative
+ treatment with seat cushions, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory pain
+ medications, and heat or ice. In patients who experience discomfort for
+ greater than 2 months, local injections at the site, pelvic floor
+ physical therapy, and chronic pain medications are options for
+ treatment. The most extreme treatment is complete surgical resection of
+ the coccyx.
+
+
+ At the Feely Center for Optimal Health our first line treatment includes
+ same day hands on treatment to resolve the patient’s pain and
+ misalignment of the tailbone. This saves our patients from months of
+ discomfort, the hassle of multiple doctor office visits, and the use of
+ unnecessary medications and expense. As an example of our success in
+ treating this disease with Osteopathic manipulation; see the below case
+ of a recent patient treated at the Center.
+
+
+ A 32-year-old female presented to the Center due to 5 months of
+ progressing tailbone pain. Pain started 2 months after delivery of her
+ first child. The baby boy was born via C- section after a failed
+ induction. She experienced a long labor without cervical dilation due to
+ misalignment of the baby. She did not experience any tailbone pain
+ directly after birth, however, she noticed a mild ache develop 2 months
+ after delivery at the very tip of her tailbone. Her pain was worsened
+ during long periods of rocking and nursing several hours a day in a
+ glider at home. Severe pain occurred two weeks prior to presentation
+ when she bent down to pick up her baby from the ground. Since that event
+ she has had significant pain when sitting, greatly affecting her life.
+
+
+ After a complete physical exam ensuring there were no life-threatening
+ disease processes causing her pain, osteopathic manipulation was
+ performed. She was instructed to place herself in specific positions
+ which allowed key muscles and ligaments to relax. Dr. Feely utilized
+ counterstrain Osteopathic techniques while the patient was lying on her
+ stomach that completely resolved her pain. Using muscle energy and
+ myofascial release techniques the bones of her spine, hips, and tailbone
+ were moved into correct alignment, contributing to completing and
+ maintaining her pain free state. Thus, she easily tolerated sitting
+ directly on her tailbone, something she had not experienced in 5 months.
+
The CPT Editorial Panel ruled to include OMT codes starting in the 1994
diff --git a/website/app/(pages)/articles/(content)/ten-stages-of-grief/page.tsx b/website/app/(pages)/articles/(content)/ten-stages-of-grief/page.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dbae1ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/app/(pages)/articles/(content)/ten-stages-of-grief/page.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,113 @@
+import Article from "@/components/Article";
+import griefPic from "@/public/content/stages_of_grief.png";
+import Image from "next/image";
+
+const ArticleTenStagesOfGrief = () => {
+ return (
+
+
+ 1. SHOCK: The initial stage of grief is usually
+ experienced even if the death has been expected, as in a long terminal
+ illness. There is only so much physical or psychic pain which can be
+ endured by the mind, and when that limit is reached, the mental
+ /emotional system shuts down. There is often denial that can last for
+ quite some time. This is expressed as “numbness,” or as a sense of
+ unreality.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ 2. EMOTIONAL RELEASE: As the shock wears off, there is
+ a need to release all the emotions that have been building up. This
+ release may be verbal or physical, and while this is healthy, care
+ should be taken to ensure the safety of the individual, others, or
+ personal property. Some hospitals have recognized this stage of grief
+ and have provided special “screaming rooms” where these powerful
+ emotions can be safely vented.
+
+
+
+ 3. DEPRESSION: There are often feelings of loneliness
+ and utter isolation that come with depression. The feeling of “there is
+ no help for me,” is normal and very common. There is a push/pull
+ situation, wanting to be alone and yet feeling a need for people at the
+ same time. This frequently produces fears of panic and impending
+ insanity.
+
+
+
+ 4. PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF DISTRESS: The grieving
+ individual will often take on the physical symptoms of the illness that
+ caused the death of the loved one. In the event of an accident, the
+ bereaved will sometimes feel pressure in the chest or have stomach
+ problems, and fear heart attack or cancer. This is normal and usually
+ indicates the depth of the loss and the person wishing to “join” the
+ deceased.
+
+
+
+ 5. ANXIETY: A common response to loss is for the
+ bereaved to experience vivid dreams of the deceased, so vivid that they
+ believe they have actually seen or heard their loved one. Another common
+ manifestation is that the bereaved will mistake another person for the
+ deceased, usually on the street or in a store. This will sometimes cause
+ great embarrassment as they may address the stranger, only to realize
+ their mistake.
+
+
+
+ 6. HOSTILITY: When a loved one has died, it is very
+ common for the survivor to feel anger at those who were involved in the
+ situation, especially medical personnel and clergy. There is a feeling
+ of “Why didn’t you do more?” God is a frequent target for this rage,
+ which many people have a difficult time accepting.
+
+
+
+ 7. GULT: This emotion can be imaginary or exaggerated,
+ but should not be ignored. Following the death, it is a common
+ experience for the survivor to remember only the negative aspects of the
+ relationship, those times of insensitivity or harsh words spoken in
+ anger. Seldom does the bereaved pause and remember the beautiful times
+ when all the love and tenderness were evident.
+
+
+
+ 8. HESITANCY TO RENEW NORMAL ACTIVITIES: There is often
+ a fear of returning to the regular routine of living. This fear takes
+ several aspects. There is concern about how people will respond to the
+ bereaved; there is a desire to talk about the deceased but a fear of
+ rejection; there is a pain that comes with hearing that “special” song,
+ or seeing something in a store that brings back the memory of the loved
+ one.
+
+
+
+ 9. HEALING OF MEMORIES: There is a slow realization
+ that the painful memories are part of the healing process and must be
+ integrated into the life of the bereaved. It is a time of reaching out,
+ however tentatively, to embrace fully all that has happened and to
+ accept that life must change if it is to continue. The memories become
+ less frightening, and the sky a bit brighter as the bereaved begins to
+ face the world with more and more confidence.
+
+
+
+ 10. ACCEPTANCE OF ONE’S NEW ROLE IN LIFE: Loss brings
+ about changes. Whether it is the resumption of single life after years
+ of marriage, or going on through the years without a parent, there must
+ be the realization that a new role is to be accepted and lived. The
+ cycle of life continues, and the bereaved can finally shed the cloak of
+ grief and take on the robe of peace and renewal.
+