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acupuncture and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Posted by Joanna Shell on Tuesday, January 10, 2012,
this is a great article about the benefits of acupuncture for people who suffer from PTSD.  once again, acupuncture proves to be an effective treatment for another serious issue.  acupuncture rocks!

on a side note, outside of my needlemaster life, i run a small horseback riding program, stable life, that also helps those with PTSD due to various causes.  feel free to ask me about that program.  those who know me well know that it takes VERY little to get me started on horses!  :)

Acupuncture Ma...


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fertility!

Posted by Joanna Shell on Wednesday, June 9, 2010,
many of you know that fertility is one of the top reasons patients come to see me.  i found out a few years ago that some of my patients had nicknamed me "the pill nazi" because i have been trying to get san francisco birth control free one woman at a time.  that's a whole different blog though!!!!!  after stopping the pill, many women have found it difficult to conceive and come to me.  acupuncture and herbs can do amazing work for aiding fertility independently or in conjunction with wester...
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where is my white lab coat?

Posted by Joanna Shell on Wednesday, June 9, 2010,
i think a lot of my patients are surprised when they meet me.  i look...well...a lot like many of my patients!  i'm often wearing a dress and knee high boots!  i haven't worn a white lab coat since i graduated from graduate school.  for some, this might be disconcerting.  for others, it puts them at ease.  because so many patients come to me out of frustration after getting no help from their western md, i purposely set myself apart.  and the lab coat is only the beginning.   my appointments ...
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it's just a headache...why all the questions?

Posted by Joanna Shell on Wednesday, May 12, 2010,

the other day, a patient came to see me for her first acupuncture appointment complaining of headaches.  i talked to her at length about her headaches, where in her head she had them, the type of pain she was having, what she had tried already, etc.  and although her headaches brought her in to see me, i still needed to look at all aspects of this patient.  so, i began with my rather long list of questions, starting with her digestion and ending with heart palpitations! 
 
why all the questions...


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how many treatments will i need?

Posted by Joanna Shell on Wednesday, April 28, 2010,
a common question i am asked during a first treatment or when people are deciding about making an appointment is, "how many appointments will i need?"  there is no definitive or magical number of treatments to fix a health issue.  my books and education tell me the standard answer:  a course of treatment is 10 treatments.  but what does this really mean?  this course of treatment was set in a culture where acupuncture is the norm.  also, acupuncture is inexpensive and would be given everyday ...
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what does the Wall Street Journal have to say about acupuncture?

Posted by Joanna Shell on Wednesday, February 24, 2010,
obviously i don't need the wall street journal to tell me how effective chinese medicine is.  however, lots of my patients and many newbies to acupuncture and herbs feel much more comfortable after reading studies and articles validating my medicine.  so...for you...enjoy:

  • FEBRUARY 23, 2010

    • Acupuncture Benefit Seen in Pregnancy

    By SHIRLEY S. WANG

    Acupuncture designed to treat depression appears to improve symptoms in pregnant women, suggesting it as an alternative to antidepressa...


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    do you believe in acupuncture?

    Posted by Joanna Shell on Wednesday, February 10, 2010,
    warning...i may offend some with this post.   but i can't help myself.  i hear this all the time:  i BELIEVE in acupuncture or i DON'T BELIEVE in acupuncture.  and either way, it doesn't matter!  why?  the answer is simple - acupuncture is a science.  it isn't a belief system or a religion.  it is a science.  and although many western scientists may not understand it, it is a science nonetheless.  believing in it doesn't make it valid.  and the opposite holds true - not believing in it does n...
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    traditional chinese medicine or western medicine? that is the question...

    Posted by Joanna Shell on Wednesday, February 10, 2010,
    many patients come to my office with the same question:  what do you think of western medicine?  probably 80% of those individuals don't expect my answer.  i think it's great...for some things!  i like to use the best of both worlds in my practice.  chinese medicine has its place, just as western medicine does.  sometimes one is better than the other.  it's a matter of knowing when to use acupuncture or herbs over western medicine and vice versa.  there are a few ailments that i can't treat -...
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    do the needles hurt?

    Posted by Joanna Shell on Sunday, December 6, 2009,
    NO, NO and NO!  i use the tiniest needles! they are so small that it's hard to puncture a business card! the worst case scenario is that you might feel a sensation similar to that of a bug bite, but it goes away quickly. c'mon people, how many things do you torture yourselves with daily for the greater good? seriously: waxing, lazer hair removal, tatoos, piercings, straight edge shaving, driving anywhere in the bay area...and i'm going to stick you with 32 gauge needles that will make you rel...
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    why i poke people...

    Posted by Joanna Shell on Friday, November 13, 2009,
    santa barbara, 1995, state street...i let carol elizabeth meyer, l.ac. put some needles in my back for my herniated lumbar discs. face down on the massage table, my face smooshed through the donut making me look curiously similar to a goldfish, i remember thinking, "what the f*%k am i doing here with this crazy woman? i hate needles. why am i paying her to torture me?" yet, a 21 year old with a disabled placard and an impending back surgery will do a lot of things to try to feel normal again...
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