Practice Updates Archives - Allen Acupuncture and Wellness

September 27, 2019July 17, 2020

Celebrating 2 Years of Wellness

Happy 2 year anniversary to Allen Acupuncture & Wellness! Thank you to all the amazing patients that have allowed me to walk with them on their journey to wellness!

Happy BirthYAY Allen Acupuncture & Wellness!

Today we want to celebrate many of the ways that people have been helped by coming in for visits! Using acupuncture, herbs, allergy elimination, cupping, and diet/lifestyle changes, patients have made many strides with the help of Allen Acupuncture & Wellness:

Pain

People have avoided having back and neck surgeries, and are now pain free!
Knee pain, even from osteoarthritis, has vanished and function is restored.
People are able to go to work and function better without pain.
Headaches and migraines were successfully treated and prevented.
Inflammation has been reduced, and circulation has improved.
Grandparents can enjoy and play with their grandchildren.
Fibromyalgia patients have found relief and can now enjoy life.
Carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, and other arm issues have healed.
Plantar fasciitis, Morton’s neuromas, and other foot issues are gone.
Post-surgery pain and adhesions were relieved.
Patients have started exercising and sleeping better now that they have less pain.

Allergy Elimination

People have been able to eat things that made them feel bad previously and participate fully at social functions involving food!
Visiting friends and family with pets is not a problem for them now that their allergy symptoms are gone.
Rashes and eczema symptoms have subsided once the source of the allergy was found.
Asthma and sinus symptoms have been reduced, and people can resume outdoor activities.
Crucial nutrients necessary for proper body function are better absorbed and utilized.

Women’s Health and Fertility

Acupuncture & herbs can improve hormone function and fertility.

Babies have been born with IVF support and fertility treatments.
Fibroids have been proven to shrink.
PCOS symptoms have vanished, and proper function restored.
Hot flashes and night sweats disappeared for many menopausal women.
Painful periods and hormone dysfunctions have improved.
Moms with morning sickness found relief, and milk production increased.

Emotional/Mental

Acupuncture & herbs can improve brain functions and emotional issues.

Stress, anxiety and depression disappeared for many patients.
Patients have overcome fear and anger that were making life difficult.
Relationships have improved with better flow of emotions.
Some have been freed of emotional traumas.
People suffering with ADHD symptoms have more calm and attention at school and work.
“Brain fog” was replaced with clear thinking and focus.
Insomnia and sleeping problems have improved, and better sleep was restored.
Cycles of addiction to sugar, nicotine, and other substances have been broken.

Other

Vision and eye function have improved, even in patients with macular degeneration.
People dealing with neuropathy, sciatica, and other neurological issues were resolved.
Patients no longer suffer with digestion, constipation, IBS, and gut dysfunctions.

The list goes on and on…

Celebrating 2 years of wellness TOGETHER!

So, Happy Birthday, Allen Acupuncture & Wellness, and congratulations to all the patients over these last 2 years whose bodies have healed and whose lives improved because of it.

What will the next year hold? STAY TUNED for updates!

How could Allen Acupuncture & Wellness help you, a friend or a loved on find Better Health for a Better You? Call 561-285-8562 to find out more with a free 15 minute consultation or to schedule an appointment.

Want to know if your insurance covers acupuncture? Click the button on the Insurance link to find out more.

If you are one of the people helped over the last 2 years, would you please consider leaving a review on Google, Yelp, Healthgrades, or Facebook?

THANK YOU!

July 4, 2019July 4, 2019

Health and Travel

According to AAA, almost 49 million people are traveling for July 4th weekend this year. What are the health benefits and challenges of taking time off and getting a little change of scenery?

Health Benefits of Travel

Travel provides time to connect with others.

Time to Rest. With hectic, reachable-at-every-minute work lives, people have more stress than ever from overwork. Physical problems such as weight gain, sleep issues, depression and anxiety, and inflammation worsen with long work days with far too little rest. Most people also work on days off, doing chores and catching up on projects that couldn’t be done on work days. This means people are in great need of rest!
Time to Connect. Whether you’re traveling alone or with a group, vacation or time away is a great time to reconnect with people. Take time to have conversations with strangers or loved ones. Enjoy the human experience by connecting with humans and shift focus away from production. Your heart will benefit!
New views. There’s nothing that invigorates the mind and soul more that seeing or experiencing something new! Whether it’s taking time to notice something you’ve been too busy to see like a sunset or a painting, or if you’re actually going somewhere new, a change benefits the body and mind.
Unplugging. Take a break or lessen the use of technology. In all the recent studies on the uses of technology, the results are the same: all our online connections and media make us more stressed and anxiety-ridden people. Read a real book instead of one on the phone. Play a card or board game. Reduce your viewing time and have more conversations. The blue light in our technology changes the serotonin/dopamine balance in our brains–so restore your body’s natural balance on vacation by having less screen time!

Challenges of Travel

Travel can present some health challenges.

Exercise and movement. It’s important to get up and move every few hours if you’re driving or flying to prevent blood clots. And although resting is important, light exercise each day during your vacation will release endorphins to further reduce stress and cortisol levels.
Sleep. If you are already one of the 60 million Americans who suffer from insomnia and sleep problems each you, you may be dreading potential sleep loss on vacation. Bring along an eye mask to help darken a different room, and bring along a nightlight for the bathroom so the room stays darker when people get up in the night. Stay on the same sleep schedule you have at home. Avoid eating or drinking caffeinated beverages late at night. And if all else fails, try some herbs or CBD oil to help get to sleep when you’re wired.
Eating. Although it’s tempting to indulge on vacation, reserve the calorie splurges to once a day to help maintain a healthy weight and avoid digestive problems. If you do have stomach upset, a little ginger tea can help aid digestion.
The Unexpected. Try to have a positive attitude when encountering the unexpected–because it WILL happen. Whether it’s a travel or hotel problem, or traffic or an illness–let these experiences be part of the journey–and know that the things that go wrong often make the best travel stories when you get back! Take a few deep breaths, get a little perspective, and try to smile your way through it.

Allen Acupuncture on the Road

Follow our adventure on Facebook or Instagram.

The Allens of Allen Acupuncture are hitting the road for the next two weeks. Thanks to our house sitters for watching the 2 dogs, 1 hamster and a fish! And emergency acupuncture needs are being covered by Dr. Dongfeng Zhou of Zhou Wellness in Tamarac.

For the most part, we are trying to follow my travel advice with one exception: we want to take you along! Please follow our crazy cross-country travels on Facebook or Instagram! It’s going to be fun and full of adventure!

And before we know it, we’ll be back, hopefully refreshed, and with a few more stories to tell. Be sure to comment on Instagram or Facebook and share YOUR adventures! If you want to set up an appointment, please call 561-922-7535. And if you want to know if your insurance will cover acupuncture, click HERE.

May 27, 2019April 19, 2024

Medicare Supplement Acupuncture

Acupuncture can help get your smile back!

Medicare Supplement policies are now covering acupuncture! This is great news for many seniors 65 and over who have a medicare supplement policy! A list of supplemental policies that may cover acupuncture is listed at the bottom of this post.

This is even better news because most of these policies are covering the visits at 100%. They are usually 30 minute visits that can make a great impact on health. They have the potential to reduce the need for medications and alleviate symptoms.

Medicare supplement policies covering acupuncture is GREAT NEWS!

Acupuncture can help with so many issues! In 1999, the World Health Organization (WHO) listed conditions that have been proven by clinical trial to be effectively treated with acupuncture.

Here’s a list of conditions treatable with Acupuncture:

Allergic rhinitis/Hay fever	Knee pain
Abdominal & Epigastric pain	Low back pain & Sciatica
Acne	Male sexual dysfunction
Alcohol dependence & detox	Menstrual pain
Arthritis of shoulder	Morning sickness
Asthma	Nausea and vomiting
Bell’s palsy	Neck pain
Brain injury	Neuralgia
Cancer treatment reactions	Neurodermatitis
Cardiac neurosis	Obesity
Dental pain & TMJ	Osteoarthritis
Depression	Postoperative pain
Diabetes mellitus	Premenstrual syndrome
Earache/Ménière disease	Prostatitis
Eye pain	Quit smoking
Facial pain/spasm	Raynaud syndrome
Female infertility & PCOS	Rheumatoid arthritis
Fibromyalgia and fasciitis	Schizophrenia
Gallbladder problems	Sjögren syndrome
Gallstones	Sore throat & tonsillitis
Gouty arthritis	Spine pain
Headache	Sprain
High cholesterol	Stiff neck
Hypertension & Hypotension	Stroke
Induction of labour	Tennis elbow
Insomnia	Ulcerative colitis
Itchiness	Urinary-tract infections & retention
Kidney stones/renal colic	Vascular dementia

In addition, other cases that WHO says acupuncture is “worth trying” is: deafness, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and pulmonary heart disease.

The list is extensive! If acupuncture can improve overall health and wellness and reduce the need for medications, that is money well-spent by the insurance companies or even individuals.

What medicare supplement insurance companies are Allen Acupuncture & Wellness in-network with?

United Healthcare (some policies cover acupuncture)
Cigna

The only way to know for SURE if a policy covers acupuncture is to VERIFY BENEFITS using the medicare supplement card and entering the information HERE or click on the insurance tab and Click the “Verify Benefits” button.

Call 561-285-8562 for more information.

Better Health for a Better You!

April 18, 2019April 18, 2019

Cupping–Spring Cleaning for Muscles

What does cupping have to do with Springtime? Spring is a time for new beginnings. For flowers and trees to bloom. For Konmari-ing the house. But what many may not know is that our bodies needs a little spring cleaning, too! (Keep reading to discover more and for a special discount offer!)

Spring’s energy has a direction, which follows the growth of seeds: the inside (seed) moves outward (seedling) in the process of germination. Some ancient texts also call the direction “upward”. The same direction occurs in our bodies. In South Florida, the direction may not be as dramatic, but as warmer temperatures arrive, the blood vessels dilate, and circulation moves closer to the surface so the body can better regulate the body in warmer temps and more physical activity.

As stated in a previous post about eating for the seasons, it is easier for the body to go WITH the nature of the season, instead of fighting against it. So, at this time of year, it is very beneficial to have cupping done.

Spring is the time for Cupping!

Cupping is the application of a cup-like device to the body with negative (suction) pressure. It pulls from the deep tissue (inner) toward the surface (outer). It follows the direction of Spring, and going with season is synergistic for healing.

Why cupping?

Cupping is an ancient therapy that dates back thousands of years. The first “cups” were animal horns, then bamboo or clay pots. The suction of the cups was produced by rapidly heating the air inside the cup and quickly placing it on the skin. The heated air creates the negative pressure to pull the skin/tissue into the cup. In modern times, this practice is called “fire cupping” and utilizes glass cups. Another form is with silicone cups. The last is with plastic cups with a valve at the top. A pump pulls a metered amount of air out of the cups; the advantage to using these cups is complete control of the suction on the cup.

Cupping has many advantages. One relates to the negative pressure on the tissues. It is the opposite of touch. The pulling can release muscles spasms, break up adhesions, and, most importantly, pull toxins to the skin’s surface such as inflammatory markers, lactic and uric acid, and “old” blood residues that have been sitting deep in the tissue. The skin can better circulate these painful chemicals away to bring relief. Fresh blood supply can then come in to better heal the tissue. In addition, it can help the body release its own opioids for pain relief, and most patients find it very relaxing.

Cupping can also activate the immune and lymphatic systems and has been well-documented to treat skin issues such as herpes zoster, acne, boils, etc… Cupping on certain areas has been shown to clear respiratory infections and activate white blood cells to fight infections.

For more “scientifically worded” info on the benefits, please feel free to click on the following links:

NCCAOM-Science of Cupping

Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine: Medical Perspective of Cupping

Modern Cupping

Many celebrities and athletes advertise the advantages of cupping. Michael Phelp’s bruises in the 2016 Olympic Games announced the advantages of this therapy to the world. He used it to recover from strenuous workouts and the rigors of competition. In 2013, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Aniston, and others have sported their round skin marks publicly.

What about the Bruises??

First, let’s be clear: these marks look like bruises but do not hurt. Bruising with cupping is common, and each bruise type signifies a different underlying problem in the body. In a healthy body with good circulation, bruises can last 3-4 days. If they last longer than 7 days, the body has a circulation problem and may need acupuncture or herbs to help increase circulation. Here’s what the cupping bruises can mean:

Light purple: insufficient blood supply in the tissues

Dark purple or brown: old blood sitting deep in the tissue, also called “stagnation”

Red or brown flecks: toxins or “heat” in the muscles–the kind that sometimes cause the burning sensation in the muscle (don’t worry, the cupping doesn’t “burn”).

Cupping at Allen Acupuncture & Wellness

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Back-Cupping.jpeg — Cups for back pain relief

Typically, cupping can be included in an acupuncture treatment along with needles, allergy elimination, or auricular therapy. The tight or painful areas can be cupped, releasing the tissue and relieving the problem. Most people find it relaxing because it also releases endorphins just like acupuncture. Kids and adults LOVE it! Children as young as 7 to adults in the 80’s regularly request cupping along with their other therapies because it helps them feel better.

WHAT’S THE DEAL???

Here’s the DEAL! I think everybody should at least TRY cupping! To help expose more people to the benefits, Allen Acupuncture is offering a SPECIAL, 20-30 minute cupping session for only $35! That’s cheaper than a crappy massage!

Tell your family, friends, co-workers, etc… to call or text (561-922-7535), click or email Allen Acupuncture & Wellness for this special deal, now through May 15th, 2019. Make that appointment today!

December 17, 2018December 20, 2018

Year End Health Savings

The year is almost at a close. In addition to health insurance, many people have Health Savings Accounts (HSA) or Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) to help pay for deductibles, medications and copays.

Most people don’t realize that HSAs and FSAs can be used to cover acupuncture visits.

These funds can be used to cover acupuncture even if the insurance policy doesn’t cover acupuncture.

HSA funds can usually rollover to the next year, but normally, any left over money over $500 in FSA accounts normally cannot be carried over to the next year–this is the last week to use what’s there. In many ways, that money has already been spent, but it hasn’t been used. It’s “use it or lose it.” What better way to use that money than on health and wellness?

Why use HSA or FSA for acupuncture?

An appointment at Allen Acupuncture & Wellness can help address many health concerns: joint or back pain and discomfort, digestive or weight problems, allergies and symptoms, anxiety, depression, insomnia, hormone imbalances, colds, flus, and weakened immune systems… The list goes on and on!

Besides the health benefits, acupuncture is very relaxing. Many patients say that they feel like they’ve spent a day at the spa–yet appointments typically last about an hour. Acupuncture can help reduce holiday stress. It can improve sleep as well, so patients wake up with more energy for daily activities.

Allen Acupuncture & Wellness focuses on holistic medicine and the underlying cause for a symptom. We treat the person as a whole, not just the problem.

Not just acupuncture.

A “visit” at Allen Acupuncture & Wellness might include acupuncture, but often includes cupping, tuina (a Chinese manual therapy), acupressure, muscle testing utilizing applied kinesiology, food therapy and lifestyle tips, and herbal recommendations.

Get a “Second Opinion” on your health.

Why not get another perspective on your health? A “second opinion” on your condition from a holistic perspective? Sara Allen, AP, Dipl OM, works alongside your doctor’s diagnoses and treatments to provide the very best of integrative medicine.

Call 561-922-7535 today to see how you can have Better Health for a Better You before your HSA or FSA closes out for the year and the new year begins!

Do you have health insurance? Be sure to check whether your insurance company covers acupuncture HERE.

May 4, 2018May 7, 2018

Mother’s Day Special

Want a fresh gift idea for Mother’s Day?

Looking to give mom something special this year?

Give the gift of Health and Relaxation!

Allen Acupuncture & Wellness offers a Mother’s Day special: new patient treatment for only $65.

Call 561-922-7535 or visit www.allenacupuncture.com today.

Mother’s Day is a time to let the mother in one’s life know just how special they are and celebrate all they do! Acupuncture can give the gift of wellness and relaxation to mom this holiday.

Other no-needle options are available, too, such as herbal therapy, acupressure, electric auricular therapy, cupping, and laser acupuncture. Balancing techniques can help regulate emotions, hormones, stress, as well as digestive and sleep issues.

Treat her this Mother’s Day with a wellness visit at Allen Acupuncture & Wellness.