Neuro-Acupuncture
Neurologically Based Acupuncture and Chiropractic
The Spinal Centre is unique in that we are able to combine Neuro-Acupucnture and Chiropractic to enhance the success of your care.
Dr. Hooper has a Masters in Chinese Medicine, focused on Acupuncture of the Spine.
Being a Dr. of Chiropractic and Chinese Medicine Practitioner is unique and allows us to address the muscular and inflammatory problems as well as the underlying structural and postural issues.
Dr. Hooper’s thesis for his Masters in Chinese Medicine was on the treatment of lower back disc prolapse and spinal cord injuries using Acupuncture.
He is a leader in the field of combining Acupuncture with advanced Corrective Chiropractic techniques and Natural Medicine.
We are one of only a handful of clinics Australia wide that use these unique techniques to enhance your treatment outcome.
If you have had a good response to Chiropractic in the past – it is likely you will get a better response if you combine Acupuncture with your Chiropractic Care.
Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture is a total form of health care in its own right. Indeed it is the oldest form of medicine on the planet.
The Chinese where writing extensive and comprehensive texts on medicine long before Leonardo da Vinci started digging up bodies in the middle of the night to perform his dissections.
Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture can be used to treat many types of diseases and disorders from diarrhoea to colds, to asthma, chronic pain and ringing in the ears.
As part of your treatment you may receive Acupuncture in conjunction with your Chiropractic care for number of great reasons.
Enhanced Recovery. Combining Acupuncture with Chiropractic:
Acupuncture Relaxes You prior to Spinal Corrections
One of the most common criticisms of Chiropractic Care is that people do not like being adjusted “cold”. With many Chiropractors there is often not enough time to relax prior to receiving your correction.
The combination of acupuncture with chiropractic changes this. Acupuncture is very effective in allowing you to relax and reduce tension prior to spinal corrections.
Many patients fall asleep during their acupuncture as they are so relaxed. The more relaxed you are – the better your spinal correction and potentially the faster you progress.
Acupuncture Reduces Inflammation and Muscle spasm
Acupuncture is well documented in its ability to reduce myospasm (muscle spasm) and inflammation.
Spinal and joint related problems will inevitably be associated with muscle spasm and inflammation. It makes sense to use acupuncture to address the muscle tension, cramping and muscle tightness.
The natural reduction of inflammation and spasm using Acupuncture may reduce your dependency on drug medication and potentially speed up your recovery.
Acupuncture Promotes Improves Blood Flow
Acupuncture, especially with the use of acupoint stimulators (also called electroacupuncture), provides excellent Neuro-stimulation (nerve stimulation).
Acupuncture is well documented in raising white blood and T4 helper cell populations. White blood cells are an important part of the repair mechanisms of the body. If they are not present at the site of injury, recovery is severely hampered.
Improved blood flow and vascularity using electroacupuncture means the metabolic rate of the damaged cells at the area of the spinal cord and associated tissues are increased.
Positive changes in cellular metabolic rate and increased blood flow may decrease recovery time.
Neurologically Based Acupuncture Can Reduce Your Pain
Many people have at least some knowledge that acupuncture is good for pain management.
Many medical practitioners have an understanding of Acupuncture in terms of pain relief. However this fails to comprehend the complexities and astounding body of knowledge that has been developed over the last 3000 years of Chinese Medicine and how it relates to our health.
Acupuncture can be used for short term pain relief (when you need it), to heavy sedation (for performing operations and amputations), to shutting the nerve ‘gateways’ of pain in patients with fibromyalgia, spinal disability, disc injuries, post surgical recovery (analgesia) and chronic pain syndromes.
Research indicates that the neurological gating of pain occurs at the level of the brain stem and involves the release of endorphins or “opiate” like hormones.
Acupuncture will reduce sharp acute localised pain either in the spine or in the limbs, as well as chronic dull radicular pain of permanent spinal injuries (like those with herniated discs or after spinal fusion operations).
The reduction of pain with acupuncture is very effective, without the side effects normally associated with pain control drugs. Every time you take a drug it has a side effect, whether you realise it or not.
Indeed many over the counter drugs used to help with back and neck pain will cause damage to your stomach, bowel, liver and kidney. Many pain control drugs have been positively linked with heart attacks and strokes.
For example Panadol is associated with kidney damage; Nurofen and Aspirin with stomach ulceration and bleeding from the bowel, Panadene forte is associated with liver, kidney and immune system damage and Voltaren is associated with heart attacks and strokes.
There are no such side effects with the use of Acupuncture, making it a better option for improving your quality of life, treating your pains and speeding up your recovery.