Author: Ann Zimmerman

Fatigue

Written by Ann Zimmerman on April 12, 2011. Posted in Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Stress and Fatigue.

Tired of Being Tired

By Ann Zimmerman, LAc.

It is estimated that over 50% of the American population experiences chronic fatigue. The most common causes are stress, overwork, insomnia, depression, and various malfunctions in the major systems of the body (endocrine, cardiovascular, digestive, etc.) Western medicine is decidedly lacking in safe and effective treatment options for fatigue. Quite commonly, the first step is to use a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), such as Prozac, Paxil, or Wellbutrin, as fatigue is commonly associated with depression. Although trends are changing among the newer generation of doctors, it is still quite rare that the patient is offered lifestyle counseling that focuses on nutrition, exercise, and sleep. There are many wonderful alternative treatment options that include acupuncture, herbs, nutrition/hydration, and exercise. Acupuncture tops the list because it tends to be so effective in supplementing the body’s energy.

Fibromyalgia

Written by Ann Zimmerman on April 12, 2011. Posted in Pain Relief, Stress and Fatigue.

by Clark and Ann Zimmerman, L.Ac.

Fibromyalgia is escalating to epidemic proportions, yet there is much about this condition that remains a mystery to allopathic physicians. After working with many patients who suffer from fibromyalgia, we have concluded that their causes and, thus, their treatments are multi-factorial. There simply isn’t one major reason why people are suffering with fibromyalgia. Instead, a variety of emotional, constitutional, and nutritional factors combine to influence the onset and duration of this condition.

Western medicine can offer little to patients with fibromyalgia. Even alternative practitioners often struggle in effectively treating this condition. we recommend a comprehensive treatment of fibromyalgia that includes acupuncture, herbs, nutritional supplementation, and therapeutic exercises such as yoga. Since the condition is caused by a variety of factors, its treatment must be multi-layered.

Headaches and Acupuncture

Written by Ann Zimmerman on April 12, 2011. Posted in Acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, Pain Relief, Stress and Fatigue.

by Clark and Ann Zimmerman, L.Ac.

Headaches

Headaches are one of the more common patterns we treat in our clinic. Most people have experienced a headache at some time in their life. They are usually a mild to moderate annoyance that is treated using aspirin or NSAID’s such as ibuprofen. For the occasional headache, this can be a quick and easy solution, but often times this serves only to treat the symptom and not the root cause of the pain. Truly effective headache remedies focus on addressing the root cause of the problem. If the root is treated properly, then the headache usually goes away or is greatly reduced in intensity.

Western medicine says that headaches are usually caused by one of several things including dehydration, stress, allergies, mineral deficiencies, or misalignment of bones. Each of these triggers can often be addressed with simple home treatments: Drinking more water to combat dehydration, relaxing or stretching to combat stress, experimenting with diet to discover possible food allergies, supplementing with a calcium/magnesium supplement to address possible mineral deficiency, or getting a chiropractic/osteopathic adjustment to properly align the bones. If these are not enough, a person might choose an NSAID, aspirin, or one of many pharmaceutical drugs that address headaches.