Did you know that acupuncture treats: Interstitial Cystitis?

Interstitial Cystitis is a condition of chronic pain, characterized by urinary urgency, frequency and burning. Initially sufferers may think they have a urinary tract infection and will be given antibiotics. However, urinalysis will often indicate that there is no bacteria present in the urine, and the antibiotics are for nothing. Many patients with interstitial cystitis do have a history of UTIs and indeed this may be one of the myriad of factors that lead to the development of interstitial cystitis.

Individuals with interstitial cystitis experience flare ups and then periods of remission. The length of each of these vary from patient to patient. For some, flares may occur daily with little relief. For others, flares may occur during times of stress or dehydration. Even during periods of remission some may still feel low levels of discomfort and pain. The course of interstitial cystitis is unique to each patient and so it is important to treat according to the constitution of the patient.

Interstitial cystitis can be an excruciating and debilitating disease. Many go undiagnosed for years and instead end up taking unnecessary antibiotics, which can lead to digestive issues and yeast infections. Diagnosis is even more difficult with men as this is often thought of as a woman’s disease. For those with interstitial cystitis it is of utmost importance to find a trusted urologist. There are many diseases that can lead to urinary difficulties, some relatively harmless, and others that are far more serious. Therefore receiving a correct diagnosis is essential before beginning treatment.

Once a diagnosis is made, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can be used to help mitigate flares. Often a patient will receive treatment during the flare, but it is equally important to receive treatment during periods of remission as well. Acupuncture, herbal medicine and dietary therapy not only treat the symptoms of interstitial cystitis, but can also help with other symptoms that may occur because of the disease, such as depression and fatigue.

As someone who suffered from interstitial cystitis for many years, I can personally attest to the fact that acupuncture works wonders! Today, I rarely have flares and experience almost no pain during my periods of remission. When I do occasionally have a flare, I see my acupuncturist and she will treat me to lessen the symptoms. I still receive acupuncture weekly to manage my interstitial cystitis and I make sure to also visit my urologist regularly. The integration of western knowledge with eastern treatments keep me feeling healthy and pain free!

For more information visit the Interstitial Cystitis Association.

Writer’s Block and Earl Grey Tea

Hello!

Sorry about the lack of post yesterday. Mondays are a very long day for me, with a twelve hour clinic shift! Although my morning was a little slow, things picked up in the afternoon and I saw lots of good cases. Thanks to Laura for helping me fill the downtime with good conversation!

In just two weeks I’m going to be graduating from Chinese medical school and starting my career as an acupuncturist. School was a long haul with almost four years of intense study. I’m so excited to be graduating and to spend the day with my family and friends! My parents are flying all the way to San Francisco from Illinois just to attend, so I’m a very lucky girl. I’ve been asked by my peers and by my school to make a speech at the ceremony. They’d like for me to speak on behalf of the students and to offer some words of wisdom as we embark on the next stage of our careers. Let me just say that I’m a very, very shy person and not accustomed to public speaking. So, the thought of making a speech in front of parents, family, professors and colleagues makes me extremely nervous. That said, I also love a challenge and think it would be good for me to put myself out there a bit more and be less guarded (part of the reason I started this blog too).

I woke up today ready to tackle my speech and pulled some inspiring books off my shelf to help. However, so far inspiration has eluded me and I have written nothing worthwhile. So far my notes look like this:

Sashi trys to lend a hand.

Hmmm…I think a break might be in order! As usual a break for me usually involves a cup of tea of some sort. Today I made one of my favorite teas, Earl Grey, and added some rice milk. Growing up in England I was conditioned to always take my black tea with milk!

Well, I’m off to struggle over this speech. Wish me luck!

Let’s start with pizza!

Today marks my entrance into the world of blogging!  My aim with this blog is to talk about healthy eating and living (although other things may be thrown in at random)!  As an (almost) licensed acupuncturist I have been studying various aspects of health and wellness for years.  I believe very strongly in taking care of one’s body to prevent disease.   I love all of the patients that I see, and my ultimate goal is to take each of them to a place where their bodies are in a state of harmony – to a place where they aren’t getting sick as much, where they have tons of energy and where they are not pestered by physical ailments.   I guide patients to this place by using acupuncture, herbal therapy, massage and nutritional counseling.  With nutrition, I urge them to make healthy choices whenever possible, but mostly I want them to really love what they eat!  Making healthy choices is no easy task, and I’m always telling my patients to take baby steps when they want to make a change.  With that in mind may I present you with my choice for dinner tonight, something everyone loves…homemade pizza!

The crust is whole wheat and courtesy of the amazing Jenna from eatliverun.com!  I used a simple heirloom tomato sauce and then added organic baby shitake mushrooms, spinach, garlic and mozzarella.  When it was cooked I sprinkled on fresh basil and a little freshly grated parmesan.  With the exception of the mushrooms, all the veggies came from my CSA (community supported agriculture – more on this later).  Voila!

I served this with a salad of mixed greens, drizzled lightly in balsamic vinegar and topped with pine nuts.  Since it’s the weekend, I also opened a bottle of Merlot from one of my favorite organic wineries, Madonna Estates.   It was delicious!

Now I’m off to relax in a hot bubble bath and prepare for a very looooong 12 hour shift tomorrow.  Take care!