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Sharon Rose, L.Ac.
(484) 238-8127
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
Christopher Reeve
I'll be at the Miltown- Hickman Plank House demonstrating spinning (turning wool into yarn, an important step in making clothing) as part of a larger Early American historical open house. Yes, I'll be in costume! There will be lots of other demos including a functional forge. This free event will be Saturday, Sept 19, 11-5. Rt 352 & E Boot Rd in West Chester, PA. |
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A neuron is an individual cell in the nervous system. A nerve is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of axons (the long, slender arms of neurons) that carries messages via electrochemical impulses between the brain and the body. It may be helpful to think of them as highways, with each neuron making a traffic lane. Just like our bypasses, the messages travel in two directions. Sensory nerves carry information from the body to the brain. We experience these as touch, taste, sound, etc. Motor neurons carry orders from the brain to the body, telling a muscle to contract or a gland to excrete a hormone.
Sometimes these highways are damaged, causing numbness, pain, or loss of control. Because the nerves are so long, sometimes
the symptom is far away from the actual damage. For example, if the
neurons exiting the spinal cord above your 7th cervical vertebra are irritated by a tight neck, you may feel tingling in your 3rd and 4th
fingers (see dermatome map above). Another classic example is "sciatica," which is pain down the leg resulting from a pinched sciatic nerve. Many doctors now refer to "sciatica" as "radiculopathy," indicating that the pain radiates, or refers, from the central cause. In all of these cases, the problem can have two parts.
First, we need to free the nerve. Imagine a tree fell across our highway. We “remove the fallen timber” by relaxing spastic muscles with acupuncture and osteopathic bodywork. It’s important to ease bones back in place gently, to prevent any further inflammation in the damaged area. This is why I prefer OMM to chiropractic “cracking.” If the injury is recent and not too severe, that may be all we need to do. The physical blockage is removed, nerve flow resumes, and the patient can happily go dancing.
The second issue is the health of the nerve. To return to our analogy, what if the tree damaged the asphalt when it fell? This happens with a major impingement or if the nerve is trapped for a long period of time. The body’s “work crew” may repair the injury, but it may not. Peripheral nerves rebuild at about 1mm per month under optimal conditions. Acupuncture is one of modern medicine’s best options for stimulating nerve regrowth and recovery (there’s more detail in my Stroke paper). Statistically, injuries older than 6 months are less likely to heal, but I’ve seen some incredible turnarounds, even on years-old problems.
Research for spinal cord injuries received a huge boost in funding when Christopher Reeve (I still have a crush on him) suffered his terrible accident. Have you seen the latest news, involving blue rats and M&Ms?
I'm on vacation! Up, Up, and Away!
I leave tomorrow at 6am for Portland, OR. I will have my phone with me for questions and scheduling. If you have an emergency, Margaret Celli at (610) 357-4376 can help you. I'll be back on Friday, August 14th!
Point of the Month: BL-62
Find BL-62, Shen Mai (Extending Vessel) under your lateral malleolus - the outside ankle bone.
Among other uses, BL-62 treats mobility and nerve issues in the legs, because it is the Master of the Yang Moving channel. It can also help eye problems and calm the Shen (spirit). Press firmly for a few seconds and think healing thoughts.
Thanks for reading! Next month... Acupuncture and Hormonal Balancing
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