Articles

Patient Testimonial – Archilles Tendonitis

I’m a non-competitive runner, with a history of Achilles tendonitis in both legs. As I run all year, I was discouraged to have a re-occurrence just a month before the 2006 15K Utica Boilermaker, which I have run consecutively for 15 years. This particular injury makes walking painful and running impossible. Previously, I had taken the conventional route of rest, ice, electronic stimulation, ibuprofen and physical therapy. Unfortunately, the recovery period lasted almost 3 months.
Most recently, I treated myself with rest, ice and an herbal anti-inflammatory, with a limited degree of relief. Running, however, was out of the question. I had heard of acupuncture, and although I was skeptical, I was also desperate. My first session consisted of a thorough review of my medical history and physical condition. It was a soothing and relaxing experience and amazingly, I felt an immediate improvement. I continued my own self-treatment and followed up with a second acupuncture appointment one week later. After this second session, I felt ready to begin running again. I began to slowly build my running mileage and completed the race with absolutely no calf pain that day or thereafter.

Between Heaven and Earth – A Guide to Chinese Medicine Book Review

“Between Heaven and Earth”
“A Guide to Chinese Medicine”
By Harriet Beinfield and Efrem Korn
When I first mentioned to my yoga teacher several years ago that I was considering a major career change and wanted to go back to school to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), (I had been a computer programmer/systems analyst for 20 years) – she suggested that I read “Between Heaven and Earth”. I bought the book that day and have been fascinated with the theories that are the foundation of TCM ever since.

Acupuncture Patient Testimonial – Plantar Fasciitis

Linda – Clinton, NY

After having physical therapy from August 2005 thru October 2005 for my plantar fasciitis, I asked my podiatrist for his thoughts on acupuncture. He gave me a positive response and suggested Joyce Marley.

I began acupuncture treatment with Joyce on November 23, 2005. I was seen twice a week until the end of December, at which time my husband and I went to South Carolina for three months. After a month of treatments with Joyce, the pain began to subside. By mid-February, I had NO pain when walking while wearing shoes, (and I have done a LOT of walking) and I am now able to walk on hard surfaces, barefoot with minimal or no discomfort (no more pain!) 99.9% of the time.

Patient Testimonial for Rheumatoid Arthritis, Allergies

April, 2006
Cathe – New Hartford, NY
In the late fall of 2004, as I was trying to do the endless chopping that accompanies making a holiday dinner, I was having severe pain in my right hand. I had an adverse reaction to my Hepatitis B injections earlier in the year, and it had thrown me into a rheumatoid arthritis type of reaction. I had been seeing an area rheumatologist who had prescribed short term steroids, Methotrexate, and finally Enbrel injections to relieve the symptoms and try to prevent its exacerbation. All of these treatments left me severely nauseous and weak and without relief from the pain. It was impacting my ability to concentrate on my work and leaving me feeling hopeless. After developing hives following my Enbrel injections, I knew I needed to do something else or I would lose the use of my right hand.
When my husband, Bob suggested a year ago that I make an appointment to come in and talk to Joyce about acupuncture, I will admit I was highly skeptical that it would help me. As a nurse, I was certainly aware of the benefits of acupuncture for anesthesia and pain relief, but I had not found evidence that it would help me with rheumatoid arthritis. He was so desperate to find a solution that I agreed to “try a few sessions”.

Acupuncture Relief for Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia, a disorder of the trigeminal nerve, is a condition that produces intense, sporadic facial pain along one or more of the three branches of this nerve. The pain is severe and can last from seconds to minutes. Another name for this condition is “tic douloreaux” due to the fact that facial muscle spasms often accompany the pain. The pain can be triggered by normal activities such as eating, brushing of the teeth or even touching trigger points on the face during everyday activities such as washing the face or applying make-up. Wind, cold, heat, stress or fatigue may aggravate the condition. The pain is typically one sided, more common in women and more common in the over 40 population. The condition may become chronic and debilitating, often lasting for years.
Points on the leg can treat Trigeminal Neuralgia Once Western medicine utilizes an MRI exam to rule out a physical obstruction pressing on the trigeminal nerve or multiple sclerosis, which can mimic the same symptoms, the choice of treatment is drug therapy to control the pain. Often drugs such as Tegritol or Neurontin can control the pain, but not without the significant risk of side effects ranging from dizziness and nausea to serious heart, liver, kidney and blood complications. Occasionally, surgical intervention is the last resort to provide relief.

Acupuncture Patient Testimonial – Peripheral Neuropathy, Headaches, Digestive Disorder

From Rosemary – New Hartford, NY

I am a type 2 diabetic and have survived breast cancer twice. I have peripheral neuropathy (from diabetes and chemotherapy) and consequently have chronic pain. Additionally, I have frequent headaches and recurring digestive disorders. My acupuncture sessions with Joyce have given me immediate (and increasingly long term) relief unlike anything found in traditional medicine. Traditional medicine offers drugs that sometimes address the symptoms but are almost never without side effects. For me, acupuncture effectively treats my chronic pain with no side effects. More importantly, during the sessions and when I leave her office, I feel completely relaxed, without pain, and energized.

Acupuncture for TMJ

TMJ (TemporoMandibular Joint Syndrome) refers to a condition related to the joint connecting the jaw (mandible) to the skull. Several symptoms may be experienced, including myofascial pain, inability to comfortably open the mouth, locking of the jaw, clicking or popping sounds in the jaw joint, headaches, and ear pain or ringing in the ears. Pain may even radiate into the neck and shoulders.
TMJ may result from injury, overstretching the jaw during dental or surgical procedures, repetitive movements (gum chewing), or clenching and grinding the teeth (bruxism). There seems to be a connection between TMJ and some autoimmune diseases. More than 50% of those diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis also suffer from TMJ.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that up to 25 million people may experience some or all of these symptoms. Though both men and women are affected, women seem to be more at risk. Western medical treatment includes the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, oral splints and in 5-10% of patients – surgical correction.

Acupuncture Treats Migraines

Migraines are recurrent headaches that may or may not be associated with visual or gastrointestinal symptoms. Pain may be one-sided or more generalized. Women are more prone to migraines than men, suggesting that hormone imbalance may play a factor in the etiology. Triggers associated with migraines include stress, fatigue and weather changes. Some people are sensitive to alcohol and foods containing MSG, tyramine and nitrates.
Western medicine attempts to manage migraines with various drug therapies – often effective, but often with side effects. Many research studies have been conducted that confirm the effectiveness of acupuncture to treat chronic headaches, particularly migraines. Patients who received regular sessions of acupuncture reported fewer, less severe headaches and commonly used less medication.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture has been an important component of Oriental Medicine for thousands of years. Acupuncture is based on an energetic model of the human body, and believes that energy, called qi (pronounced “chee”), flows thru the body on a complex inter-connected network of energy pathways called meridians. When the qi becomes blocked, it becomes stagnant causing pain. Disease may result when an organ is not getting enough energy to function properly. Acupuncture is the practice of inserting extremely fine needles into the body at specific points that have been mapped on these energetic pathways. Experience has shown that each point has a specific action in the body to ease pain or to improve the functioning of the vital organs in the body, by facilitating the smooth flow of energy.

What Can Acupuncture Treat?

The World Health Organization has recognized over 40 common health problems that acupuncture can effectively treat. Most people are aware that acupuncture treats pain, but many do not know the wide range of painful conditions that are commonly improved with acupuncture. Acupuncture treats pain anywhere in the body, including but not limited to: back pain, frozen shoulder, carpal tunnel syndrome, TMJ, trigeminal neuralgia, arthritis, fibromyalgia, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, shingles pain and migraines.

Chinese Symbol But acupuncture can also treat digestive disorders such as nausea, acid reflux and irritable bowel syndrome. It is commonly used to treat asthma and sinus problems. Acupuncture is very powerful to treat gynecological problems including PMS, menopausal symptoms, endometriosis and even infertility.