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Book NowJoe (not his real name) injured his ankle and went to a hospital, where he was given Endone and Panamax for the pain. Unfortunately he had a bad anaphylactic reaction to the medications, went into severe shock, and came close to death. He was given a very high dose of adrenaline to stop the reaction, and was able to be discharged from the hospital.
However, after that he felt very fatigued, and he had a raspy voice which became worse whenever he was talking. The muscles in his upper and lower back had also become tight.
Joe had a busy, high-pressure job, and was always on the go, so his adrenaline levels were higher than normal even before the adrenaline injection. In acupuncture abdominal diagnosis, there are areas near the navel (and on the top of the chest) that indicate the person’s adrenaline levels. When we saw Joe, these areas were found to be very tight and even tender.
So Joe’s first acupuncture treatment focussed on reducing his adrenaline levels. After the treatment he felt calmer and more relaxed. His lower back had loosened up, and his voice was a little less raspy.
At his second appointment, Joe advised that his doctor believed the raspy voice was due to reflux triggered by the adrenaline injection. It was decided to treat him for reflux instead, however after this treatment there was only a slight improvement in his voice.
At his next treatment, Joe confirmed that the first treatment was much more effective than the second one for his voice. Even though the raspy voice was likely caused by reflux, just treating the reflux without addressing what was causing it obviously wasn’t effective. (This is very often the case, that the problem isn’t resolved, or only improves a little or keeps coming back, unless the cause of the problem is treated.)
So Joe’s adrenaline levels were treated again, and he advised that after this his breathing felt much easier. His Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) was also treated, as the nervous system and adrenaline levels are often closely linked. Joe advised that his appetite had been low after the anaphylaxis, however when we treated his ANS he became hungry.
At his next appointment Joe said that he was a great deal better, including feeling much calmer. He previously had a lot of tightness in his stomach, and this had also reduced considerably.
Disclaimer – Please be aware that each person’s body is different, so individual results may vary. If you have an appointment at our clinic, your therapist will conduct a detailed assessment of your condition, and they will be able to advise you on how successful your treatments are likely to be. A result is not promised and/or guaranteed from the act of receiving a treatment.
There can be a variety of factors for both fatigue and throat problems, and to obtain good results with these conditions it is crucial to diagnose and address these factors.
We are currently offering a limited number of free Comprehensive Assessments. (Terms and conditions: the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.)
The Assessment helps to identify:
If you would like to book in for an Assessment, please give us a call on 3376 6911, or you can book online using the link at the top of the page.
Be well, and have a happy life!
Is anxiety all to do with your psychological side, or could there be imbalances in your body’s chemistry behind it?
Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in Australia, with one in three women and one in five men suffering from it at some time in their life. (Depression and anxiety often occur together, as over half of those with depression also experience symptoms of anxiety.)
A certain level of short-term anxiousness is a normal part of life, including when going through pressure situations such as exams, work deadlines, or issues with family or friends. However, chronic anxiety can become very distressing, uncontrollable, or even debilitating.
Symptoms can vary tremendously. The physical symptoms can include a constant feeling of tightness or pressure in the chest or throat, sleep problems or insomnia, tension headaches, feeling ‘wired and tired,’ heart palpitations, and concentration problems.
Anxiety can be very emotionally draining, as you may feel like you are constantly on guard and fearful of something. Some people may avoid socialising, as they are worried about having an embarrassing or stressful interaction with others. In some people, the frustration of being anxious all the time can lead to irritability.
As with any condition, it is always important to establish what is causing the problem. For some people there will be an obvious traumatic incident or period in their past. But for many people, there will be nothing obvious that has caused their anxiety, or there has been something relatively minor that has triggered far more anxiety than you would reasonably expect. In these cases, there is often an underlying physiological cause for their condition. (It can be an immense relief and incredibly empowering for a person when they find out exactly what is likely to be causing their anxiety.)
1. Nutrient Deficiencies
There are some important vitamins and minerals which are crucial for healthy brain and nervous system function, and the vast majority of those with anxiety are found to be deficient in one or more of them.
However, not everyone should take B vitamins. Some people feel better immediately they start taking them, whilst for others it can make their anxiety worse. For this reason we recommend seeing our naturopath to see if they are indicated for you.
2. Excess Adrenaline
Adrenaline is part of your body’s emergency response system (‘fight or flight’). If a tiger jumps out at you from behind a tree, your pulse rate goes up, your breathing rate goes up, certain muscles tense up, your blood sugar levels are raised, and non-emergency systems in your body are shut down. (Typically this affects your digestion, but sometimes your immune system or reproductive system can be impacted.)
Some of the main causes of excess adrenaline include
This is great for emergencies, but if your body gets stuck in this mode you will constantly feel tense and anxious. And the more anxious you feel, the more your adrenaline will be raised, which in turn makes you more anxious. So a vicious cycle can develop, where the anxiety keeps getting worse for no apparent reason. (We often find adrenaline issues occurring in those who get panic attacks.)
Over time, excess adrenaline will leave a person feeling drained and exhausted, so they will end up being ‘wired and tired’. Over time they will often develop sleep, digestion or hormone problems. Click here for more about excess adrenaline.
Treating excess adrenaline often involves a combination of adaptogenic and adrenal tonic herbal medicines (e.g. Withania somnifera, Rhodiola rosea, Rehmannia glutinosa) and specific nutrients for the adrenal glands.
3. Gut Health
The connection between the gut (intestines) and the brain is becoming more well-know and medically accepted. (Some researchers now talk about our gut being a ‘second brain’.)
An example of this connection is serotonin, a neurotransmitter which carries messages between nerve cells in your brain and throughout your body. Serotonin in your brain regulates your mood, and it is often called the body’s natural “feel good” chemical. When serotonin is at normal levels, you feel more focused, emotionally stable, happier and calmer. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression. Many medications used to treat anxiety, depression and other mood disorders often target ways to increase the level of serotonin in your brain.
However, there is 400x more serotonin produced in your gut than in your brain.
Serotonin is made from the essential amino acid tryptophan, which cannot be made by the body, and has to be obtained from the food you eat or supplements.
One of the other ways the gut health can influence the mind is through inflammation. There is a saying amongst natural therapists that “Fire in the gut – fire in the brain”. This inflammation can be due to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), parasites, fungal overgrowth, stealth infections (e.g. Lymes disease), or dysbiosis in the gut,
The third major way the guts can affect the brain is through an imbalance of gut bacteria. In very simple terms, the wrong gut bacteria causes inflammation in our guts, affecting the brain. For more on how gut bacteria influence the mind and body, please read these articles.
Imbalances in gut bacteria are very common, and you can have a problem with your bacteria without having any digestive symptoms at all. (Occasionally, we have clients who did not experience any anxiety until they were put on a course of strong antibiotics, so for these people the major cause of their anxiety and the treatment for it is very obvious.)
4. Heavy Metals
The brain is highly susceptible to a variety of toxic metals, and due to its high fat content it can store toxic metals over long periods of time. The most dangerous heavy metals and how we may come in contact with them are
If heavy metals are found to be present in the brain or nerve cells, they must be removed from the body very carefully to prevent causing further damage.
The information above covers some of the very basics of what can cause anxiety. There are many possible causes of this condition (or combinations of causes), so it is crucial to carefully diagnose and treat what is creating the problem.
We are currently offering a limited number of free Comprehensive Assessments. (Terms and conditions: the Assessment is a completely free service, with no obligations whatsoever.)
The Assessment helps to identify:
If you would like to book in for an Assessment, please give us a call on 3376 6911, or you can book online using the link at the top of the page.
Be well, and have a very happy life!
Valued at $120, your Assessment will help to uncover:
All this will be fully explained to you, and you can ask as many questions as you like. That way we can be sure to give you all of the right information, understanding and advice you need. Terms and conditions: This is a free, no obligation offer.