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Expert Answers: Mind-Body Treatment for Pain and Injuries?
January 22, 2016 9:38 am
Last Updated: June 9, 2017 3:15 pm
Our memory doesn't always work like we want it to, but that doesn't mean we have brain disease. (SIphotography/iStock)
How Does Mind-Body Treatment Help Pain and Injuries?
(Courtesy of Andria Lea)A: Healing from an injury or treating a pain condition is more than just a physical mending. Negative emotions are easily and understandably attached to not feeling like your best self. Mind-body helps clients understand these connections and supports the client in taking an active role to improve them.
Our body is in constant communication with us. Body systems, particularly the nervous system, are bidirectional. In the mind-body approach, we access this communication with touch and use talk to give body systems words so we can hear their messages. Understanding this feedback and expressing it can provide greater ease of movement, releasing of holding patterns, and improvement of the relationship we have with our body.
Andria Lea is a mindbody therapist at Shift Integrative Medicine in NYC.
Winter Skincare: What Should We Do Differently?
A: You have to cleanse properly, using a light cleanser, exfoliate gently but not as often [as in summer], and then moisturize with a richer product than you might use in summer.
Make sure to do this in the morning and night. One thing that is still really important is to use sunscreen even in the cold winter months because UV rays are everyday, all year around, and studies show that when you use proper sun protection all year around, you have a significantly decreased risk of both premature aging and skin cancer.
Dr. Doris Day is a cosmetic dermatologist with a private practice on the Upper East Side.
What Happens in a Mind-Body Treatment Session?
A: Mind-Body combines gentle touch, talk, and compassionate listening. In Mind-Body, the mind and body are not considered separate. We are our body, mind, and emotions, all of which are addressed in a session. This blend of touch and talk allows the experiential to become cognitive. We help put words to sensations, emotions, and the client’s sense of self. Mind-body can be very self-realizing, self-actualizing, and full of personal growth.
Anu Abraham, DPT, is a physical therapist at Shift Integrative Medicine in NYC.
Can Acupuncture Reduce Wrinkles?
A: Facial acupuncture is perhaps the most quickly growing area of the field. Acupuncture needling stimulates collagen fibers that improve the elasticity of the tissue, thereby reducing wrinkles.
Zachary Haigney is a licensed acupuncturist at Shift Integrative Medicine in NYC.
How Can Women Reduce Swelling in Legs, Ankles, and Feet While Pregnant?
A: Swelling can be reduced by elevating the legs relative to the heart and performing ankle pumps (flexing and pointing your toes). Best to avoid prolonged standing in one place, as fluids tend to pool due to gravity. It can also be helpful to wear compression socks that provide some resistance to the fluid buildup.
Vanessa Diamond, DPT, is a physical therapist and yoga teacher at Shift Integrative Medicine in NYC.
Can Hand Therapy Help Twitches?
A: Hand therapy may help strengthen your muscles and improve your coordination. The use of wrist weights and adaptive devices such as heavier utensils may also help relieve tremors.
Jenny Lin is an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist at Shift Integrative Medicine in NYC.
Can Pilates Help Herniated Discs?
A:Pilates spinal extension exercises are often very helpful in reducing the size of a herniation. Patients with a disc herniation will also benefit from Pilates core strengthening exercises done in a position of neutral spine. This position protects the discs and helps train the nervous system and muscles to support the spine efficiently during effortful movements when exercising or participating in normal daily activities.
Heather Mims, DPT, is a physical therapist, doctor of physical therapy, and certified Pilates instructor at Shift Integrative Medicine in New York.
Can Acupuncture Reverse or Stop Hair Loss?
A: In classical Chinese medicine, hair loss is thought to be associated with the diminishing of our essence or what can be thought of as our ability to stay vibrant into old age. The whole of classical Chinese medicine can be thought of as an attempt to preserve this ability as we age. This is done through dietary and herbal strategies, spiritual practices, regular acupuncture treatments, and internal cultivation practices.
Zachary Haigney is a licensed acupuncturist at Shift Integrative Medicine in NYC.