Loyalty cards have been ordered and will arrive in a week or so. Watch this space loyal yogis and Pilates aficionados for more details! Send a quick mail to [email protected] to learn more.

Liam B.

That's right! A whole new schedule of classes with yours truly starts this July at KB Fitness on Fitzwilliam St. in the posh D2 part of town. KB Fitness is right in Dublin City Centre with a range of fitness classes, amazing instructors and now of course, a full schedule of Yoga, Pilates and Yoga Pilates Fusion classes.

Check out the full schedule here http://www.kbfitness.ie/yoga-and-pilates.html and call KB Fitness directly on 01 6629723 for details.

Here's my profile on their site http://www.kbfitness.ie/trainers.html.

Spread the word folks!!

Liam B.

What is the difference between acupressure and acupuncture? When would you choose one over the other?

Well for some people the choice is simple. If you don’t like needles but you have heard that there is strong clinical evidence for the use of acupuncture points and Traditional Chinese Medicine then acupressure can be a nice alternative. It is also often more appropriate for children, partly because they don’t like needles and partly because they respond so well to acupressure and Tuina and don’t require needling.

On the other hand you may be open to both but don’t know which one would be best. Well here are some of the pros and cons of both.

Acupressure is more indicated in musculoskeletal conditions of pain due to contracted muscle tissue, scar tissue, etc. It can also be very relieving for digestive and bowel conditions such as IBS, diarrhea and constipation.

Acupuncture is more indicated for non-musculoskeletal and can be particularly effective for conditions where heat needs to be released, such as inflammatory conditions where piercing the skin is said to allow pathogenic heat to leave the body.

In our clinic we tend to mix both, as most musculoskeletal and digestive conditions will also respond quite well to needling. Acupressure and massage will tend to give immediate relief while acupuncture tends to work at a deeper and more precise energetic level to bring long lasting healing results. When massage and acupressure alone are used then relief may be quick but not long lasting and when acupuncture alone is used the result may often be delayed by a day or even 24 hours so there is long term healing, but not an immediate relief of symptoms. Using both Tuina (massage and acupressure work) and acupuncture is a most effective combination to work on both these levels and to provide the best possible service to our clients.

Other techniques include warming with lamp or moxa and the use of cupping to enhance the effect of massage. Combined with massage, acupressure and acupuncture, this blend of ancient techniques can be highly effective in bringing both short and long term relief to a wide variety of conditions.

What all of us who practice yoga know intuitively to be true (that it has a positive effect on mood), may be on track to being clinically proven.

Check out this article regarding the effect of Hatha Yoga on bipolar disorder and clinical depression in Psychology today.

http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-20001101-000022.html

It sounds like a lot more work needs to be done, but these preliminary studies are a step in the right direction.

Om Shanti,

Liam.

1 in 10 People Affected

About 1 in 10 people or more are affected by IBS according to the International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. While there is no known cause for IBS, stress is a common factor which exacerbates symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, bloating and cramping.

The pain can be extreme in some cases and is thought to be caused by uncoordinated intestinal contractions, meaning that as one part of the bowel pushes the following area is not yet prepared, causing obstruction, spasm and pain.

While the smooth functioning of the digestive system is dependent upoin the autonomic or involuntary nervous system, we know that stress activates sympathetic part of the this system, disrupting the harmony of the system. It is this component of IBS which lends itself to treatment via the practice of yoga and treatment with acupuncture.  

Yoga As Effective As Drugs in Clinical Trials

Meditation and relaxation exercises have a deeply calming and relaxing effect which has been shown to carry over therapeutically to distress in the bowel. Studies conducted in India have shown that Yoga is as effective as the use of drugs for IBS while having none of the side effects but many considerable additional benefits. One study in Banaras Hindu University showed that a combination of drugs together with Yoga was considerably more effective than either drugs or yoga alone.

Particularly useful poses include forward bends, side twists and poses that massage the abdominal area such as Prone Boat or Locust Pose.

Acupuncture for IBS

IBS may also be treated effectively by acupuncture. As stress is a component, acupuncture treatment is highly effective in beating the symptoms of stress. While acupuncture has not yet conclusively been shown to cure IBS, it has a known scientifically proven effect upon the autonomic nervous system which is linked to the pain and discomfort of this condition. For a detailed description, follow this link to hear Neelam Misra, MD, Assistant Medical Director, Manhattan Total Health, discuss the effect of acupuncture on the autonomic nervous system.

We Recommend....

IBS is a widespread and poorly understood condition, however, a combination of prescribed medication, together with a course of yoga practice and 4 to 6 treatments of acupuncture can be a highly effective way of dealing with this problem.

LIam Byrne
Dip Ac, Lic Ac (China), Dip Tuina, MAFPA

British Medical Association Recommends Acupuncture

After a two year study the BMA’s board of Science and Education recommended the use of Acupuncture for the treament of conditions including nausea, vomiting, back pain, dental pain and migraine headaches. See the article in the British Medical Journal here.

As a practicing acupuncturist I am often confronted with scepticism about the benefits and effectiveness of acupuncture therapy. This no longer surprises me as despite being used for nearly 200 years in Western Europe, still the general level of knowledge about the scientific underpinnings of Chinese Medicine remains quite low, however, the BMA however, is one of the most respected medical institutions in the world and with this kind of backing the use of acupuncture gains immense credibility.

Acupuncture in the Lancet

While acupuncture may seem new to many, the history of its practice in the west is really quite extensive. While most people are aware that acupuncture has been used in China for several thousand years, not so many people know that already in the 1600s knowledge of this ancient practice was brought from China to Europe by Jesuit missionaries. Acupucture was then practiced quite extensively in Britain during the early 19th century.  Indeed the very first edition of the Lancet in 1823 included an article on the effectiveness of acupuncture for a variety of conditions including rheumatism and ear infections.

The literature today presented by the BMA recommends its use for muscular, bone and joint pain, IBS, migraine, dental and back pain (as mentioned above), nausea (including morning sickness and nausea induced by medications), accelerated recovery after stroke,  support in withdrawal from drug use, and help for those suffering from asthma.

Acupuncture: A Safe Therapy!

Again the BMA recommends acupuncture for its excellent track record in safety, with the caveat that you should seek out a registered acupuncturist. Here in Ireland there is no state register for acupuncturists (although acupuncturists are pushing for this legislation), however, there are at least two main, well established and highly reputable professional associations for Chinese Medicine practitioners, the AFPA and the TCMCI. If you are seeking therapy in Ireland you should check to see with whom your practitioner is registered.

Cost of Treatments Reimbursed

Once your practitioner is registered with either of these associations then you should have no problem in claiming back in full or in part the cost of your therapy with the main health insurance providers.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, leave a comment or find us on facebook and click the Like button to receive Eur 5 off your initial acupuncture consultation.

Liam Byrne

BA, Hdip, Lic Ac (China), Dip. Ac, Dip Tuina.