Hi Everyone!
Our speaker for October's meeting of the Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group was Dr. James Keating from Preventive Medicine, PC (PM,PC). Although Dr. Keating is indeed multi-talented, being both a licenced chiropractor and a certified acupuncturist, it is the latter we wanted to fucus upon this evening. This sounded easy in theory, but PM,PC is a facility with multiple offerings and multiple Health Care Practitioners (HCP's). They offer EMS (electrical muscle stimulation), massage therapy, chiropractic manipulation and accupuncture.
Dr. Keating first passed out cards telling of the coupon offering 2 free massages for the month of October! Great timing! That won everyone over right away! One member asked, with a cringe, if they did "deep tissue massage." He said that whatever massage therapist you have (they have several), will do it exactly the way YOU request, whether deep tissue massage to release seized up tender points, or gentle muscle massage, or anywhere in between. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief!
CT spoke up, saying his doctor had recommended he try acupuncture. He had had a bone fusion and a metal plate put into his spine. He is still in a lot of pain, much of it from scar tissue in the surrounding area. So now one of his [many] doctors wants to insert electrodes into his spine so that he can "hit a switch" to stop pain when it occurs. And when another doctor recommended acupuncture, he definitely wanted to come to the meeting tonight to find out more about acupuncture before taking such a drastic step as another surgery.
Dr. Keating told of being familiar with the procedure of inserting electrodes. Having treated a number of these patients, he told us that most of them are not having much success with it after a year or two and have elected to stop using it, just leaving the electrodes in, un-used. Only one of the many he's seen is still happy with the system. He then explained that the EMS treatment PM,PC uses, is of a like nature, except that these electrodes are temporarily placed on the outside - on his skin - rather than permanently surgically implanted. Somewhat like a very large TENS unit, this treatment first uses hot moist heat pads to open up the blood vessels and bring them to the surface, so that the electcical pads can stimulate circulation in the muscles. The electrical stimulation can be set at the patient's comfort level. This breaks the pain circuit, in much the same way as the surgically inserted electrodes, but without surgery!
This procedure is extremely relaxing and soothing, and helps alleviate muscle pain magically, almost instantly! RG, MG and myself have all had this EMS treatment done, and we all highly recommended it. MG said that she regularly asked to stay on the machine longer. (Me too!)
Dr. Keating explained that because PM,PC is able to offer a variety of treatments, the first visit is an assessment and evaluation session, where you and he (or other HCP) go over your medical history and decide which treatment or combination of treatments would be most effective in your particuar case. In CT's case, for example, he might recommend a chiropractic treatment of flexion traction first. And actually, after finding out whether this treatment is helpful, one can even purchase a Saunders Cervical (or Lumbar) Traction Unit to use at home on a regular basis. This brand or any other, may be found on E-Bay and can be very helpful for many people.
He also noted that any one of these treatments or even combination of these treatments does not work alone. These HCP's also recommend paying attention to and working on other factors as well, namely:
~Nutrition. Which may also include supplements
~Sleep. Proper restful, restorative sleep, of course
~Stress Management such as deep breathing or meditation. (I personally
would also recommend Faster EFT
~Exercise. But this is not your typical exercise. These exercises would include the stretches and movements that are recommended by your chiropracter, or acupuncturist, or massage therapist for home self-management. They show you how to move and stretch to keep your muscles toned and limber. This helps avoid a lot of the seizing and cramping of your muscles by gently keep them strengthened.
Acupuncture, Dr. Keating says, works in a four-fold manner. It promotes an anti-inflammatory response, an antibiotic response for immune boosting; it acts as a muscle relaxer and as a pain pill! So if you are in a flare now, see if you can get thee to your acupuncurist now! It will definitely help the pain, but that pain will have less of a chance then to add to your inflammation, or seize up your muscles! The sooner the better.
He provided a brief history of Acupuncture's "trip to the United Staes," but I'll leave that for another time. Suffice it to say that after many studies and tests by American medical schools, facilities and doctors, it was proven that acupuncture increases circulation, and decreases inflammation. It helps pain of all sorts, and a number of other issues, that are currently being studied..."for proof." [I'm sorry, but 4,000 yrs of successful use is proof enuf for me, but you know the FDA and Big Pharma.]
Dr. Keating said Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the US, which had at one time included the whole package - the spiritual aspect, nutritional aspect, herbal healing, acupuncture, and more - has pretty much zeroed in on Acupuncture alone. Some therapists do use Chinese herbs, natural roots and other things, which were always combined and made on the spot as needed (fresh), where the patient also steamed and strained the concoctions and so on. But now, they mostly use bottled and prepared herbs, especially in the U.S. At PM,PC they don't use Chinese herbs, but they can and often do recommend helpful supplements found at nearby healthfood stores, or a few at PM,PC.
CT, of course, asked about the needles used in Acupuncture. They are solid and very fine - about the size of a cat's whisker - smaller than the thickness of a horse hair, and anywhere from 3" to extra long at 5" (which are rarely used). SM asked how deeply the needles were inserted. Dr. Keating said it depends on where it will be located on the body and what he is trying to achieve. On the face, for example, needles are placed very shallowly, and barely pierce the skin. In a thigh muscle or the gluteous maximous, it may be placed deeper. The needle can be inserted into the area above a tender point and release the pain spasm where the muscles have knoted or seized up tightly so that the muscles can relax to normal. OR if a set of muscles have been stretched and are too loose and weak, the needles can be inserted to cause the muscles to pull up and snug back to their normal tone and tension.
This works extremely well for migraines too and headaches, to relax the scalp muscles and ease the tension at the base of the skull, or near the eyes. Also the neck and shoulder tender points that have seized up can be loosened quite nicely to relieve neck and shoulder pain.
Fibro Fog, stomach issues and hormonal issues are also relieved with Acupuncture but in a different fashion. The needles are placed in a variety of areas to allow the Chi in the irregular areas to move more freely. The needles may go in the hand or the foot or elsewhere but the Chi will flow exactly to the right hormone, or the intestines or to the brain, helping the Fibro Fog. It's all connected; even if we don't see how a needle in the hand will help mental faculties - it does.
Dr. Keating spoke of Auricular Acupuncture which is acupuncture of the ear, where where one can find all the points for everything in the body. He spoke of acupuncturre for treating cravings (for sugar, chocolate, etc), smoking, drug use, and more. He spoke of Diet and Nutrition: specifically mentioning that grains, each and every one, turn to simple sugars in the body and are just as hazardous as sugar to the body especially because sugar is an inflammatory - a pain-maker! He spoke of eating anti-inflammatory foods by following the Mediteranean Diet, Vegetarian Diet, Acid/alkaline Balanced Diet, or the Paleo Diet for example.
Most Insurance Companies cover the massage, EMS, and Chiropractic services, but few cover the Acupuncture treatments. However. This month Preventive Medicine, PC has changed their prices for Acupuncture. They used to charge $75 per treatment. NOW, the charge is $45.00 per treatment! This is really good news. He mentions that 1 - 5 treatments is all that is normally needed for many specific issues. But one can set up regular weekly or monthly sessions for chronic or ongoing issues.
Contact Information:
Preventative Medicine, PC
James Keating, DC, MSAc
212 Edison Rd, Suite B
Mishawaka, IN 46545
574-254-1400
Email : drkeatingdc@yahoo.com
Showing posts with label acupuncture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label acupuncture. Show all posts
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Fibromyalgia Discussion at Fibro Support Group
Merry Christmas Everyone! 12-21-2011
Our Fibromyalgia Support Group meeting for December was quite memorable. I just pray I can do justice in writing about it! One of the challenges of being the host of this wonderful group of people is that it is my job is to take notes so that I can write these Fibro Notes, so that you in turn, can have the vicarious experience of "being there." But when I get all caught up in the experience myself, my note-taking ability wanes. This is a shame really, because I heard from each of our attendees that this was an extra special meeting for them. Me too.
By the way, you may not know this, but these Fibro Notes are sent to 125+ folks in chronic pain with Fibromyalgia and a variety of assorted other conditions! Then, they are posted onto my blog at http://ManagingFibromyalgia.blogspot.com where anyone can read the back issues and postings from 2009 when I began this blog.
My plan for this evening, as stated in an earlier e-mail, was to discuss how we each manage the "unexpected" things that pop up while we are also experiencing Fibro and whatever else happens to be going on in your body - things like the not-so-common cold or flu or physical injury or shingles or what have you. But I've learned over time, to go with the flow of the evening, it usually works out a lot better. So we'll cover this topic at another time *:)
There were nine attendees, including myself and two surprise (and most welcome) guests, James Keating, Doctor of Chiropractic and Acupuncture from Preventive Medicine, PC, and his assistant, Crystal.
I asked everyone to go around the table introducing themselves, and to please share their "particular brand" of Fibromyalgia, a bit about their physician, how they are treating their symptoms, how long they've had it, what other condition they may be experincing with it, and so on. I have come to find out that this is a valuable learning tool and leads to many discussions, as it did this night as well. We all learn from each other.
FYI: the age range of our group this evening was 30 - 80+ years young!
December's Support Group meeting
1) I'll start with myself to get that out of the way, if you don't mind. My bout with shingles the past five weeks has slowed me down a bit, and I didn't get things done the way I wanted to. Due to a prescription med, I actually slept through /or was semi-unconscious the last few weeks of November and first few days of December. I did things I have no recollection of doing, and I didn't do things I thought I had done. I didn't get dressed or want to do anything but sleep. However, I will say that the Rx greatly helped the pain during this most severe time-period when Fibro, shingles and arthritis were waging war in my body! I began phasing off the meds around Dec 3rd and began daily use of only natural help during the day (L-lysine, white willow bark, tumeric, doubled up on the Alpha Lipoic Acid and antioxidants and immune boosters) and used topical help such as Capsaicin and Udderly Smooth Hand Cream. I am still using these. I was using one Rx med to get sleep at night so the pain wouldn't wake me every 15 minutes, and I have recently been able to stop that too. So things are on the mend. That is to say, I am at least functional once again! My Fibro has been under my control for about 13 years, and now my shingles "aftermath" is too. Thank you all for your prayers!
2) JH was next to share and told of being diagnosed about 2 1/2 years ago. She is seeing a Rheumatologist and is taking Tramadol, Gabapentin, Cymbalta, Thyroid medication (she has no thyroid gland), Ambien and others. With all this, she is still in daily pain. Fortunately she is not working. JH has seen how walking has helped her dear friend CP, but she told us that her foot is damaged and also in pain, so she cannot walk. She is also getting another Rx from her podiatrist. We then had several folks tell of other ways she could exercise - a hand pedalling machine, swimming, sitting Tai Chi and others. So she went home with ideas to try! Yeah!
3) CP has had Fibro for a number of years and has found that walking is a huge help for her. She's letting her endorphins do much of the pain-relieving. She did have to slow down some when she hurt her knee, which increased the Fibro pain too, but is back to walking 5 miles a day and feeling better now. (She did mention that she was a dedicated walker before Fibro.) She also finds Acupuncture exceptionally helpful, not only for regular treatment of pain, but for Fibro Fog too. It took a couple of months to find the exact right points for her, but now she is going only twice a month. CP is somewhat of a "snow bird" and spends two/three months of the wintertime in a warmer climate. One particularly nice thing about using acupuncture is that her local acupuncturist has written down the specific points/meridians that work for her and she has given this list of points to her other acupuncturist, so that she can have the same, continual care, twice a month without ever having to miss a treatment even when she's not here! And of course she keeps up with her walking in the nicer weather! Her Fibromyalgia is basically under her control through exercise, acupuncture and several supplements, vitamins and minerals. CP is not working part or full-time.
4) NT said that she starts off her day with 25 pills - a combination of prescriptions, supplements, vitamins and vitamins (Gabapentin, Cymbalta, Vicodin, magnesium for example). She takes 3 pills at lunch time and about 7 pills in the evening. She is still in daily pain, but also somehow manages to work full time! She has had 17 surgeries over the years adding to the residual pain and Fibro symptoms. We talked about swimming (and/or paddling around in the water) which helps her pain a lot, but is expensive at the places where she is comfortable using it. Some places the water is too cold, other places the water is too chlorinated. All agreed that both of these conditions were NOT desireable. For NT, Pro Health works fine, but it is $10 to come in to use the pool on a "drop-in" basis. And the fee for joining is quite a bit more! We spoke of soft drinks because she had one in front of her. She said she has cut back on them. Several of us agreed that deleting soft drinks had helped the rest of us tremendously, and we each found that adding lots of fresh fruits and veggies helped too. She is working on the latter, but just doesn't like the taste of them them. She did mention that she has a very supportive boyfriend which helps a lot, especially when the stress of other family relationships seem to amplify the pain. We discussed stress as a major aggravating factor to our pain. Weight is a factor for a few of us, and this always adds to the stress and depression issues. She told of going to one particular doctor, and the first and only thing he said was, "Loose weight and you'll be fine!" We all agreed that this doctor was not only rude, but ignorant about Fibromyalgia too. She left his office and didn't look back! We cheered for her! YEAH!
5) LM was diagnosed 8 years ago at Crossroads Healing Arts Center - the Goshen, Indiana location of The Born Preventive Health Care Clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. LM was one of the very first members of my Fibro Support Group when we began in March of 2008. She had had severe Gluten and Lactose issues as a very significant part of her Fibro, which is what led me to begin my inquiries in this direction and it's connection to Fibro. (Up to that point I had had no idea that either was a part of Fibro.) She was quite inspirational for a big part of my second book. Thank you, LM! She had been using nutrition - specifically omitting the gluten and lactose from her diet - and adding a number of vitamins and supplements recommended by those at Crossroads and has not used prescriptions for any part of her treatment. A year ago she went to Rose Quest Nutrition (on Lincoln Way East near this Library) and began a regimen under the tutelage of the nutritionist there. She did mention that it was a bit expensive, but the result is well worth her effort. She is now able to eat a minimal amount of gluten and lactose under specific conditions without any severe effects that she used to experience. She has a strictly regimented routine of specific food and supplements at certain times etc, but she has not felt this good in over 8 years. She is currently working full time and has Fibro under her control through nutrition, supplements, vitamins and minerals.
6) MG has had a very long road and numerous medical events that have complicated everything. Many years ago, a surgery that was performed on the WRONG part of her anatomy ended up in the severing of her laryngeal nerve, leaving her to talk in a whisper for the rest of her life! This was only one of several surgeries over the years for a number of issues, including the removal of her thyroid in 1996. But it was in the early 1990's when she was the Medical University in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. She takes meds for several other conditions, including her absent thyroid, but she also uses a combination of natural therapies such as deep breathing, meditation, good nutrition, and Juice Plus+ supplements, vitamins and minerals. She and her husband take advantage of the massage therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture and muscle stimulation therapy provided by Preventive Medicine, PC and Dr. James Keating. She is not working full-time.
7) BG is the spouse of MG, and although he does not have Fibromyalgia, he does have chronic back pain and is helped a great deal by the same natural therapies that MG uses, including Juice Plus+. He is currenty seeing Dr. Keating and finds him tremendously helpful for helping to ease his back pain. BG has come up with a delicious recipe for a healthy breakfast which he shared with us. MG tells that she uses Mountain High Fat Free Yogurt in this recipe because it is the least expensive when they buy it by the gallon for use in their breakfast smoothies!
BG's Breakfast Recipe:
1/4 chopped banana
1/2 cup yogurt
frozen peaches or blueberries to taste
granola
Mix well and enjoy!
When NT reminded that she didn't like the taste of fruit or yogurt, MG said, "You can always add a little Congac to hide the taste!" Wahoo!
Dr. Keating was not a silent attendee! He really did participate in many side conversations about the muscle stimulation pads at Preventive Medicine,PC, exercise, massage, acupuncture and supplements, specifically Vitamin D. He stressed the importance of having your Vitamin D level checked. It is importanmt to help pain. Some folks in this area have had levels as low as 4 or 18 etc. When we have a chronic illness, our bodies use Vitamin D quickly each day to help fight the pain and other symptoms. Our level should be reading 50-70 ng/ml DAILY. Taking 4000 to 6000 IU per day is not unreasonable. (I take 6000 IU per day myself.) When you buy Vitamin D, be certain to get Vitamin D3 (not D2) because the D3 is the best absorbed buy our body. It is available in small caps, in liquid, and in sublingual liquid drops (under the tongue). Bringing you Vitamin D level up to a reasonalbe level can make a huge difference in how you feel!
Regarding massage therapy, it was mentioned that if your doctor writes a prescription for "needs clinical muscle work" this is interpreted as "massage therapy would be helpful for your condition" and it may be covered by insurance. Check with your insurance company and see if your doctor will do this for you! Chiropractic is often covered, acupuncture is sometimes covered depending on your health care, and massage may be covered in the above mentioned instances.
On a parting note, MG stated that having a supportive loving relationship is an immense help to Fibro pain and symptoms. NT and CP verified this loudly, and seconded the motion, while everyone else whole-heartedly agreed! *:)
Love is Great medicine!
* I am honored to be the guest on The Harvest Show on Channel 46, WHME, on January 3rd at 9:00 am EST, in South Bend, IN. Discussing Fibromyalgia in a brief 10 - 12 minutes interview is going to be a challenge, but I'll give it my best. Please feel free to check out the show or view past shows and interviews by visiting their website at www.harvest-tv.com
Our Fibromyalgia Support Group meeting for December was quite memorable. I just pray I can do justice in writing about it! One of the challenges of being the host of this wonderful group of people is that it is my job is to take notes so that I can write these Fibro Notes, so that you in turn, can have the vicarious experience of "being there." But when I get all caught up in the experience myself, my note-taking ability wanes. This is a shame really, because I heard from each of our attendees that this was an extra special meeting for them. Me too.
By the way, you may not know this, but these Fibro Notes are sent to 125+ folks in chronic pain with Fibromyalgia and a variety of assorted other conditions! Then, they are posted onto my blog at http://ManagingFibromyalgia.blogspot.com where anyone can read the back issues and postings from 2009 when I began this blog.
My plan for this evening, as stated in an earlier e-mail, was to discuss how we each manage the "unexpected" things that pop up while we are also experiencing Fibro and whatever else happens to be going on in your body - things like the not-so-common cold or flu or physical injury or shingles or what have you. But I've learned over time, to go with the flow of the evening, it usually works out a lot better. So we'll cover this topic at another time *:)
There were nine attendees, including myself and two surprise (and most welcome) guests, James Keating, Doctor of Chiropractic and Acupuncture from Preventive Medicine, PC, and his assistant, Crystal.
I asked everyone to go around the table introducing themselves, and to please share their "particular brand" of Fibromyalgia, a bit about their physician, how they are treating their symptoms, how long they've had it, what other condition they may be experincing with it, and so on. I have come to find out that this is a valuable learning tool and leads to many discussions, as it did this night as well. We all learn from each other.
FYI: the age range of our group this evening was 30 - 80+ years young!
December's Support Group meeting
1) I'll start with myself to get that out of the way, if you don't mind. My bout with shingles the past five weeks has slowed me down a bit, and I didn't get things done the way I wanted to. Due to a prescription med, I actually slept through /or was semi-unconscious the last few weeks of November and first few days of December. I did things I have no recollection of doing, and I didn't do things I thought I had done. I didn't get dressed or want to do anything but sleep. However, I will say that the Rx greatly helped the pain during this most severe time-period when Fibro, shingles and arthritis were waging war in my body! I began phasing off the meds around Dec 3rd and began daily use of only natural help during the day (L-lysine, white willow bark, tumeric, doubled up on the Alpha Lipoic Acid and antioxidants and immune boosters) and used topical help such as Capsaicin and Udderly Smooth Hand Cream. I am still using these. I was using one Rx med to get sleep at night so the pain wouldn't wake me every 15 minutes, and I have recently been able to stop that too. So things are on the mend. That is to say, I am at least functional once again! My Fibro has been under my control for about 13 years, and now my shingles "aftermath" is too. Thank you all for your prayers!
2) JH was next to share and told of being diagnosed about 2 1/2 years ago. She is seeing a Rheumatologist and is taking Tramadol, Gabapentin, Cymbalta, Thyroid medication (she has no thyroid gland), Ambien and others. With all this, she is still in daily pain. Fortunately she is not working. JH has seen how walking has helped her dear friend CP, but she told us that her foot is damaged and also in pain, so she cannot walk. She is also getting another Rx from her podiatrist. We then had several folks tell of other ways she could exercise - a hand pedalling machine, swimming, sitting Tai Chi and others. So she went home with ideas to try! Yeah!
3) CP has had Fibro for a number of years and has found that walking is a huge help for her. She's letting her endorphins do much of the pain-relieving. She did have to slow down some when she hurt her knee, which increased the Fibro pain too, but is back to walking 5 miles a day and feeling better now. (She did mention that she was a dedicated walker before Fibro.) She also finds Acupuncture exceptionally helpful, not only for regular treatment of pain, but for Fibro Fog too. It took a couple of months to find the exact right points for her, but now she is going only twice a month. CP is somewhat of a "snow bird" and spends two/three months of the wintertime in a warmer climate. One particularly nice thing about using acupuncture is that her local acupuncturist has written down the specific points/meridians that work for her and she has given this list of points to her other acupuncturist, so that she can have the same, continual care, twice a month without ever having to miss a treatment even when she's not here! And of course she keeps up with her walking in the nicer weather! Her Fibromyalgia is basically under her control through exercise, acupuncture and several supplements, vitamins and minerals. CP is not working part or full-time.
4) NT said that she starts off her day with 25 pills - a combination of prescriptions, supplements, vitamins and vitamins (Gabapentin, Cymbalta, Vicodin, magnesium for example). She takes 3 pills at lunch time and about 7 pills in the evening. She is still in daily pain, but also somehow manages to work full time! She has had 17 surgeries over the years adding to the residual pain and Fibro symptoms. We talked about swimming (and/or paddling around in the water) which helps her pain a lot, but is expensive at the places where she is comfortable using it. Some places the water is too cold, other places the water is too chlorinated. All agreed that both of these conditions were NOT desireable. For NT, Pro Health works fine, but it is $10 to come in to use the pool on a "drop-in" basis. And the fee for joining is quite a bit more! We spoke of soft drinks because she had one in front of her. She said she has cut back on them. Several of us agreed that deleting soft drinks had helped the rest of us tremendously, and we each found that adding lots of fresh fruits and veggies helped too. She is working on the latter, but just doesn't like the taste of them them. She did mention that she has a very supportive boyfriend which helps a lot, especially when the stress of other family relationships seem to amplify the pain. We discussed stress as a major aggravating factor to our pain. Weight is a factor for a few of us, and this always adds to the stress and depression issues. She told of going to one particular doctor, and the first and only thing he said was, "Loose weight and you'll be fine!" We all agreed that this doctor was not only rude, but ignorant about Fibromyalgia too. She left his office and didn't look back! We cheered for her! YEAH!
5) LM was diagnosed 8 years ago at Crossroads Healing Arts Center - the Goshen, Indiana location of The Born Preventive Health Care Clinic in Grand Rapids, Michigan. LM was one of the very first members of my Fibro Support Group when we began in March of 2008. She had had severe Gluten and Lactose issues as a very significant part of her Fibro, which is what led me to begin my inquiries in this direction and it's connection to Fibro. (Up to that point I had had no idea that either was a part of Fibro.) She was quite inspirational for a big part of my second book. Thank you, LM! She had been using nutrition - specifically omitting the gluten and lactose from her diet - and adding a number of vitamins and supplements recommended by those at Crossroads and has not used prescriptions for any part of her treatment. A year ago she went to Rose Quest Nutrition (on Lincoln Way East near this Library) and began a regimen under the tutelage of the nutritionist there. She did mention that it was a bit expensive, but the result is well worth her effort. She is now able to eat a minimal amount of gluten and lactose under specific conditions without any severe effects that she used to experience. She has a strictly regimented routine of specific food and supplements at certain times etc, but she has not felt this good in over 8 years. She is currently working full time and has Fibro under her control through nutrition, supplements, vitamins and minerals.
6) MG has had a very long road and numerous medical events that have complicated everything. Many years ago, a surgery that was performed on the WRONG part of her anatomy ended up in the severing of her laryngeal nerve, leaving her to talk in a whisper for the rest of her life! This was only one of several surgeries over the years for a number of issues, including the removal of her thyroid in 1996. But it was in the early 1990's when she was the Medical University in Ann Arbor, Michigan where she was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. She takes meds for several other conditions, including her absent thyroid, but she also uses a combination of natural therapies such as deep breathing, meditation, good nutrition, and Juice Plus+ supplements, vitamins and minerals. She and her husband take advantage of the massage therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture and muscle stimulation therapy provided by Preventive Medicine, PC and Dr. James Keating. She is not working full-time.
7) BG is the spouse of MG, and although he does not have Fibromyalgia, he does have chronic back pain and is helped a great deal by the same natural therapies that MG uses, including Juice Plus+. He is currenty seeing Dr. Keating and finds him tremendously helpful for helping to ease his back pain. BG has come up with a delicious recipe for a healthy breakfast which he shared with us. MG tells that she uses Mountain High Fat Free Yogurt in this recipe because it is the least expensive when they buy it by the gallon for use in their breakfast smoothies!
BG's Breakfast Recipe:
1/4 chopped banana
1/2 cup yogurt
frozen peaches or blueberries to taste
granola
Mix well and enjoy!
When NT reminded that she didn't like the taste of fruit or yogurt, MG said, "You can always add a little Congac to hide the taste!" Wahoo!
Dr. Keating was not a silent attendee! He really did participate in many side conversations about the muscle stimulation pads at Preventive Medicine,PC, exercise, massage, acupuncture and supplements, specifically Vitamin D. He stressed the importance of having your Vitamin D level checked. It is importanmt to help pain. Some folks in this area have had levels as low as 4 or 18 etc. When we have a chronic illness, our bodies use Vitamin D quickly each day to help fight the pain and other symptoms. Our level should be reading 50-70 ng/ml DAILY. Taking 4000 to 6000 IU per day is not unreasonable. (I take 6000 IU per day myself.) When you buy Vitamin D, be certain to get Vitamin D3 (not D2) because the D3 is the best absorbed buy our body. It is available in small caps, in liquid, and in sublingual liquid drops (under the tongue). Bringing you Vitamin D level up to a reasonalbe level can make a huge difference in how you feel!
Regarding massage therapy, it was mentioned that if your doctor writes a prescription for "needs clinical muscle work" this is interpreted as "massage therapy would be helpful for your condition" and it may be covered by insurance. Check with your insurance company and see if your doctor will do this for you! Chiropractic is often covered, acupuncture is sometimes covered depending on your health care, and massage may be covered in the above mentioned instances.
On a parting note, MG stated that having a supportive loving relationship is an immense help to Fibro pain and symptoms. NT and CP verified this loudly, and seconded the motion, while everyone else whole-heartedly agreed! *:)
Love is Great medicine!
* I am honored to be the guest on The Harvest Show on Channel 46, WHME, on January 3rd at 9:00 am EST, in South Bend, IN. Discussing Fibromyalgia in a brief 10 - 12 minutes interview is going to be a challenge, but I'll give it my best. Please feel free to check out the show or view past shows and interviews by visiting their website at www.harvest-tv.com
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Fibromyalgia, flares, acupuncture
Our speaker for the August 9th Mishawaka Fibromyalgia Support Group was Dr. James Keating of Preventive Medicine, PC on Edison Rd, in Mishawkaka, IN. The most impressive factor of this particular place of healing is the fact that they do not perform any singular type of treatment. This of course, is right up our alley! I don't think there are many folks with Fibromyalgia who will be helped by any singular treatment, whether it is a prescription, supplements, chiropractic, exercise or what have you. Dr. Keating is also right up our perverbial alley, as he is not only a chiropractor, but also a fully licensed acupuncturist.
As Dr. Keating and his co-speaker, Nick Bello, came into the room, the topic being discussed was our ever-unpredictable "flare." We all have them. Some more than others. And for some it seems like they live in a permanent flare! Having heard a bit of our discussion, Dr. Keating asked if everyone in the room had experienced massage therapy (which they also offer at Preventive Medicine, PC). There were nods and shakes all around, and an eye-roll or two. He nodded too, knowing exactly what the eye-rolls were for.
He proceeded to explain that there are a number of different kinds of massage treatments. Sports massage, which is basically for healthy folks who have had a hard work out and need to "loosen up" their muscles. There is deep tissue massage, involving deep penetration of the massager's fingers at the tender points where the muscles are knotted up, with the intention of loosening these rock hard knots and thereby relaxing the muscles. (This often involves pain - which we get for free, no payment involved.) And then there is the gentle, soothing and relaxing massage (sometimes involving herbal oils & ocassionally soft music) which releases both painful toxins and helpful endorphins, thereby helping to ease pain.
Dr. Keating recommends the latter for anyone with Fibromyalgia, most especially for anyone experiencing a Fibro-flare. Coming in for a massage while you're in the flare is a very wise thing to do, he says, because this can ease up the flare considerably before it takes hold and grows roots (lasting a long time)! One of the reasons Prevention Medicine, PC impressed him as an employer is that they leave time slots open for new patients, and for "emergency" or immediate help for someone in urgent need, such as someone in a flare! He has found that massage is usually the most helpful for the immediate care of a flare. Some may prefer chiropractic or acupuncture, however, and so these are also available for "urgent help," as are hot moist heat applications, and electrical muscle stimulation. This latter is something like exercising your muscles without your having to move. The electrical stimulation machine sends impulses through your muscles to relax and contract them, bringing endorphins to the surface for pain relief. All of these treatments can help right away during a flare.
Everyone was familiar with, and had experienced chiropractic manipulation, but when Dr. Keating asked if we were familiar with acupuncture, one in our group said, "no." She had been apprehensive about the needles. He explained, then showed her the needles and assured her that these are NOT the same kind of needles that are used when you receive an injection. They are about the size of a cat whisker, and are not hallow but solid, and also surgically sterilized, of course. She asked the next logical question, which was, "Where do you put them? "
Well of course, the acupuncturist decides where to place them depending on the issue being treated - over-all pain, fibro-fog, stomach issues, hormonal-type issues, headaches, back pain, etc, etc - and according to the meridian (pathways of energy) being affected. He also decides whether 5 needles are enough, or 55 are required. Whatever the case, after the needles are placed, they usually remain in place for about 15 minutes. These needles also release endorphins, which not only help pain but also leave one feeling very "mellow."
An interesting fact revealed by Dr. Keating was that as each tiny needle is removed at the end of the session, and the tiny hole begins closing up, this action begins a healing cascade by your body. The needles had been treating your own natural immune response as they interacted with the meridians. And now your body begins releasing healing chemicals to each needle site (meridian point) that continues working for the next several days at each of these tiny (seemingly insignificant-sized) "holes." And so these meridian points are receiving healing for more than just those 15 minutes! In other words, acupuncture actually releases your body's own healing energy. Amazing!
One member mentioned that her doctor had recommended that she should have a specific (rather serious) surgery, and she asked if acupuncture could help this condition. His response, and we all agreed vigorously, was that practically speaking, his recommendtion is, "For any non-immediately-life-threatening condition, his rule of thumb is to try everything non-invasive first, THEN consider the pros and cons of surgery." In other words, what could it hurt to try chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, etc first, BEFORE surgery? It could save you money, time, pain, recuperation, possible infection, and so much more. As I said, we all agreed completely with his wise words.
Dr. Keating referred back to the subject of "flares," explaining that alopathic doctors, (our western medical physicians) have only a very few recourses to help a flair. They are 1) to write a Rx for pain and 2) write another Rx for an anti-inflammatory (inflammation also creates pain). Acupuncture works in a wholly different way. It helps control pain through 1) enabling your body to release its own endorphins, 2) helping to balance the tension/tone of the muscle, and 3) stimulating the above mentioned healing cascade, that your body performs. There are no pills involved here, or any side-effects, or any precautions mixing unfavorably with other meds you may be taking, plus you have the benefit of that mellow feeling afterwards.
And, of course massage helps quite well in its own way by breaking up and helping to release painful toxins, releasing beneficial endorphins (your body's own morphine) into your body to help the pain, and to gently massage the muscles to ease pain.
Nick Bello then reminded everyone that if you are in a flare, you can call Preventive Medicine, PC and almost always be able to make an appointment within 24 hours, so that it can be "nipped in the bud," so to speak, and things can begin healing much sooner! If you bring in a list of "things gone wrong," your immediate concerns and what you have been doing so far, any meds etc, they'll be able to help you much more effectively. (This is good advise for any doctor visit!) They don't run a dictatorship - they WILL talk with you. They will Listen to you. This alone is worth a visit! *:)
Dr. James Keating can be reached at Preventive Medicine,PC on Edison Rd, in Mishawaka, IN. 574-254-1400. He is available for Chiropractic treatments and Acupuncture treatments.
As Dr. Keating and his co-speaker, Nick Bello, came into the room, the topic being discussed was our ever-unpredictable "flare." We all have them. Some more than others. And for some it seems like they live in a permanent flare! Having heard a bit of our discussion, Dr. Keating asked if everyone in the room had experienced massage therapy (which they also offer at Preventive Medicine, PC). There were nods and shakes all around, and an eye-roll or two. He nodded too, knowing exactly what the eye-rolls were for.
He proceeded to explain that there are a number of different kinds of massage treatments. Sports massage, which is basically for healthy folks who have had a hard work out and need to "loosen up" their muscles. There is deep tissue massage, involving deep penetration of the massager's fingers at the tender points where the muscles are knotted up, with the intention of loosening these rock hard knots and thereby relaxing the muscles. (This often involves pain - which we get for free, no payment involved.) And then there is the gentle, soothing and relaxing massage (sometimes involving herbal oils & ocassionally soft music) which releases both painful toxins and helpful endorphins, thereby helping to ease pain.
Dr. Keating recommends the latter for anyone with Fibromyalgia, most especially for anyone experiencing a Fibro-flare. Coming in for a massage while you're in the flare is a very wise thing to do, he says, because this can ease up the flare considerably before it takes hold and grows roots (lasting a long time)! One of the reasons Prevention Medicine, PC impressed him as an employer is that they leave time slots open for new patients, and for "emergency" or immediate help for someone in urgent need, such as someone in a flare! He has found that massage is usually the most helpful for the immediate care of a flare. Some may prefer chiropractic or acupuncture, however, and so these are also available for "urgent help," as are hot moist heat applications, and electrical muscle stimulation. This latter is something like exercising your muscles without your having to move. The electrical stimulation machine sends impulses through your muscles to relax and contract them, bringing endorphins to the surface for pain relief. All of these treatments can help right away during a flare.
Everyone was familiar with, and had experienced chiropractic manipulation, but when Dr. Keating asked if we were familiar with acupuncture, one in our group said, "no." She had been apprehensive about the needles. He explained, then showed her the needles and assured her that these are NOT the same kind of needles that are used when you receive an injection. They are about the size of a cat whisker, and are not hallow but solid, and also surgically sterilized, of course. She asked the next logical question, which was, "Where do you put them? "
Well of course, the acupuncturist decides where to place them depending on the issue being treated - over-all pain, fibro-fog, stomach issues, hormonal-type issues, headaches, back pain, etc, etc - and according to the meridian (pathways of energy) being affected. He also decides whether 5 needles are enough, or 55 are required. Whatever the case, after the needles are placed, they usually remain in place for about 15 minutes. These needles also release endorphins, which not only help pain but also leave one feeling very "mellow."
An interesting fact revealed by Dr. Keating was that as each tiny needle is removed at the end of the session, and the tiny hole begins closing up, this action begins a healing cascade by your body. The needles had been treating your own natural immune response as they interacted with the meridians. And now your body begins releasing healing chemicals to each needle site (meridian point) that continues working for the next several days at each of these tiny (seemingly insignificant-sized) "holes." And so these meridian points are receiving healing for more than just those 15 minutes! In other words, acupuncture actually releases your body's own healing energy. Amazing!
One member mentioned that her doctor had recommended that she should have a specific (rather serious) surgery, and she asked if acupuncture could help this condition. His response, and we all agreed vigorously, was that practically speaking, his recommendtion is, "For any non-immediately-life-threatening condition, his rule of thumb is to try everything non-invasive first, THEN consider the pros and cons of surgery." In other words, what could it hurt to try chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, etc first, BEFORE surgery? It could save you money, time, pain, recuperation, possible infection, and so much more. As I said, we all agreed completely with his wise words.
Dr. Keating referred back to the subject of "flares," explaining that alopathic doctors, (our western medical physicians) have only a very few recourses to help a flair. They are 1) to write a Rx for pain and 2) write another Rx for an anti-inflammatory (inflammation also creates pain). Acupuncture works in a wholly different way. It helps control pain through 1) enabling your body to release its own endorphins, 2) helping to balance the tension/tone of the muscle, and 3) stimulating the above mentioned healing cascade, that your body performs. There are no pills involved here, or any side-effects, or any precautions mixing unfavorably with other meds you may be taking, plus you have the benefit of that mellow feeling afterwards.
And, of course massage helps quite well in its own way by breaking up and helping to release painful toxins, releasing beneficial endorphins (your body's own morphine) into your body to help the pain, and to gently massage the muscles to ease pain.
Nick Bello then reminded everyone that if you are in a flare, you can call Preventive Medicine, PC and almost always be able to make an appointment within 24 hours, so that it can be "nipped in the bud," so to speak, and things can begin healing much sooner! If you bring in a list of "things gone wrong," your immediate concerns and what you have been doing so far, any meds etc, they'll be able to help you much more effectively. (This is good advise for any doctor visit!) They don't run a dictatorship - they WILL talk with you. They will Listen to you. This alone is worth a visit! *:)
Dr. James Keating can be reached at Preventive Medicine,PC on Edison Rd, in Mishawaka, IN. 574-254-1400. He is available for Chiropractic treatments and Acupuncture treatments.
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