Office Updates!

Hi Friends,

If you have not been to our office lately then you haven't seen our beautiful new lobby. Here is a few glimpses of what it looks like now. 

We decided the office needed a fresh new look so we sectioned off half the lobby with a room divider from Ikea so now the lobby is smaller and cozier. The colors are all very calming, soothing, and relaxing so the space is much nicer. We now offer free wifi to our patients and their friends or family who are waiting for them. We also have a nice selection of teas to enjoy before or after your treatment. 

Here is a few photos so you can see a little bit of what it looks like.

Also since Maurianne moved on to open her own practice, Jennifer now has two treatment rooms to be able to see more patients. We will share new photos of the treatment rooms soon as well. Both rooms now have a calming zen like feeling and we also have made the walls sound proof! So you will hear less of the outside noise or neighboring business noise, which is great to help you relax and enjoy your acupuncture treatment. 

We would love to have you back in for a treatment to see the fresh new look of the office and enjoy a relaxing balancing treatment. Give us a call at 520-881-0827! 

How Big Are The Needles?

Who likes needles? Not most of us!

Surprisingly only 20% of people have a true fear or phobia of needles. Source

The rest of us just don't like being poked very much. I still don't like to have my blood drawn with that big needle, and I avoid shots in general but if I ever do have to get one it's not the most fun experience. But I am here to tell you that acupuncture needles are so much smaller and not even near as painful. If you have never had acupuncture then you are probably wondering "Does it hurt?" and I am here to tell you it does not!

The needles the acupuncturist uses are actually in the filament, or filiform, category instead of needle. They are not hollow like a needle to draw your blood. The thin needles are made of stainless steel so they are flexible but will not break. After each use the needles are disposed of them so they are never reused. Usually before the needle is placed the area is wiped with alcohol to sterilize the skin.

Here is a great comparison of the acupuncture needle to a sewing needle, syringe, and match stick:

Size of the acupuncture needle can vary from 13 to 130mm in length. At Jade Star Acupuncture, Jennifer usually uses a mm needle for most uses. When doing facial acupuncture, also known as Mei Zen Cosmetic Acupuncture, she uses mm needles. The diameter of the needles ranges from .16mm to .46mm, and the face needles are mm wide.

Here is a variety of different needles used for different areas of the body and for different reasons:

What is most important to note I think is the fact that needles do not go deep into the skin usually. Most people seem to have a fear that the needle is going to go too deep or cause pain inside but generally the needle is only 1/4 inch into the skin. In areas where you have thin skin like your face or wrist the needles are even more shallow, they are just barely set into the skin and will sometimes even fall out. Areas with thicker tissue such as the buttocks will take a much longer needle and go in 3-4 inches to treat sciatica.

In my experience with acupuncture, what makes the biggest difference is the practitioner and how they insert the needles. From what I have learned there are different methods to how the needle can be placed and an acupuncturist that is very skilled will cause the least amount of pain with insertion. The areas that still hurt are usually areas that need treatment. Such as if you are having intestinal issues and a needle is placed at a point that is meant for digestion problems, then it may be painful, but the pain subsides quickly.

My hope is that this information will help ease your worry about the size and potential pain from the acupuncture needle. If you have any questions, comments, or are ready to schedule an appointment, please give us a call at 520-881-0827. 

Dragon’s Blood Stops Bleeding and Heals Wounds

Dragon's Blood

Also known as Xue Jie, Daemonoropis Resina, or Draconis Sanguis.

I’ll admit it… I’m a nerd! I love the idea of dragons and when I learned about this herb I was instantly in love! Not only does it have a great name but the visual of Dragon’s Blood is beautiful! Dark red, iron-like and shiny, it’s just amazing!

Dragon’s Blood is actually the resin secretion from Daemononrops draco. Mature fruit is collected and dried, then put in a basket with rough sea shells. The basket is shaken so all the resin falls off the fruit, then it is sifted and wrapped in a cloth bag and boiled until it melts. After it melts, it is removed from the bag and cooled and often stamped with a gold mark to identify the product.

Dragons blood fruit is used in Chinese medicine to heal skin wounds and stop bleeding. 

You will find Dragon’s Blood (xue jie) in Alpine Herb’s remedy called Myrrh Liniment. The reason I added this in my recipe is because the resin generates flesh, assists sores and wounds to heal and stops bleeding. When combined with Olibanum aka Frankincense (ru xiang) and Myrrha (mo yao) they all promote movement when blood as stagnated, stop pain, generate flesh, reduce swelling, and assist the healing of sores.

Myrrh Liniment is used for any sprains, strains, brusies and more. 

References: Bensky, D., Clavey, S., Stoger, E. (2004). Chinese Herbal Medicine material Medica. 3^rd Edition. Eastland Press, Inc.