Common injuries, ailments, and pain

Most conditions patients bring to Holistic Primary Care trace back to soft tissue dysfunction, muscles, fascia, and the trigger points within them, treated with a combination of acupuncture, neuromuscular therapy, and related modalities rather than medication alone.

Sports injuries

A sports-related injury can be both painful and disruptive to daily life. The typical route is pain medication, physical therapy, or sometimes surgery, but even alongside those, it's important to address the body's soft tissue directly. Trigger points in soft tissue can restrict the blood flow needed for healing, which is often why physical therapy alone falls short when soft tissue dysfunction isn't fully addressed. Treatment combines acupuncture, neuromuscular therapy, cupping, and homeopathic injections, along with specific exercises patients can do at home, and can be used on its own or alongside physical therapy or surgery.

Acute and chronic pain

Acupuncture treats pain effectively, especially combined with neuromuscular therapy. The foundation of Chinese medicine is treating the root cause, and for musculoskeletal pain that root cause is usually soft tissue (muscles and fascia) and the trigger points that affect tendons, ligaments, and bones.

Cold and flu

Chinese medicine can significantly shorten the duration of common cold and flu symptoms. After proper diagnosis, treatment combines acupuncture, cupping, and the correct herbal formula or natural remedies to help expel the pathogen, avoiding some of the side effects common to over-the-counter medication.

Back and neck pain

Back and neck pain can come from injury, overuse, poor posture or sleeping habits, herniated or bulging discs, or degeneration, but nearly all of these connect back to soft tissue (muscles, tendons, fascia) and trigger points. Stretching and heat, or seeing a provider not trained in soft tissue dysfunction, often makes things worse rather than better. Treatment combines acupuncture, neuromuscular therapy, and other holistic modalities to relieve pain and restore function.

Headache and migraine

Headaches and migraines can come from stress, tension, teeth grinding, poor posture, hormonal or nutritional imbalances, and food sensitivities. Treatment takes all of these into account, combining acupuncture, neuromuscular therapy, diet and lifestyle recommendations, Chinese herbal medicine, and natural supplements.

Sciatica

Dr. Eisenman's approach to sciatica and similar conditions combines his work with soft tissue dysfunction, correcting body alignment, acupuncture, and neuromuscular therapy. Soft tissue dysfunction can include painful entrapment of the sciatic nerve, so treatment looks at restoring correct alignment by addressing the adjacent or opposite muscles that, when tight or loaded with trigger points, refer pain. Neuromuscular and soft tissue work is followed by acupuncture to improve blood flow, reduce inflammation, and decrease pain, sometimes alongside homeopathic injections combined with vitamin B-12.

Fatigue

Fatigue is common enough that it can feel like an inevitable part of daily life, but it's worth ruling out a serious underlying illness first. Even without a diagnosed illness, the body can still be out of balance. Acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and functional medicine together can help rebalance the body and restore energy.

Irregular periods and pregnancy support

Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine can help regulate the menstrual cycle. Causes of irregular periods vary widely, even stress or travel can shift a cycle's rhythm, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause. Birth control pills can appear to regulate a cycle, but they typically suppress ovulation rather than resolve the underlying issue.

Acupuncture is also used during pregnancy and postpartum, a time when reducing reliance on medication is often advisable. It can offer non-pharmaceutical relief for nausea, headache, insomnia, back pain, and constipation, and can help the body prepare for labor as delivery approaches. Choosing a practitioner experienced in treating during pregnancy matters.

Acupuncture injection therapy (AIT)

Acupuncture injection therapy uses vitamins or homeopathic solutions prepared specifically for injection into acupuncture points, and can be used therapeutically for pain and a range of other conditions. The B-12 and acupuncture injection therapy video explains how it works, and the injection therapy page covers what's offered.