Julie Shindler-Cohen

Can Acupuncture Help Treat Headaches and Migraines?

June 4, 2018 By Julie Shindler-Cohen Leave a Comment

Julie Shindler-Cohen, R. Ac., Dipl. OM, FABORM

Headaches are a common problem that affect people all over the world. Finding the right treatment can be difficult because headaches occur for different reasons. Many patients have found relief through acupuncture, a traditional Chinese practice that has been used for thousands of years.

Acupuncture for Tension Headaches

Tension headaches can cause significant discomfort. The symptoms include dull aching in the head, neck tenderness or tightness, and feelings of pressure behind the eyes, along the forehead, or on the sides or back of the head.

Acupuncture interacts with the nervous system to signal the brain to direct blood flow to the affected region. This helps relax muscles and reduces pain and tension. The procedure also causes the release of endorphins and enkephalins, which naturally stop pain.

Acupuncture for Migraines

A study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal that involved nearly 500 adults with migraines. Some participants were treated with real acupuncture while others were treated with a fake imitation involving needles inserted at nonspecific points in the body. Participants had no idea which they received during the four-week-long study.

While both groups experienced some relief immediately, only those who received real acupuncture reported long-term improvement. On average, those who received acupuncture had reduced migraine intensity and frequency three months later while those who received the sham treatment did not.

Acupuncture for All Other Headaches

Acupuncture offers a holistic alternative to conventional medical treatments for all headaches and migraines. Contact Michigan Associates of Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine in West Bloomfield, Michigan to make an appointment with one of our experienced and highly trained acupuncturists.

The Challenges of Infertility

April 10, 2018 By Julie Shindler-Cohen Leave a Comment

The Challenges of Infertility

Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine can help

By Julie Shindler-Cohen, Dipl. Ac.

Whenever I visit a reproductive medical office, it boggles my mind that couples would undergo infertility treatment without incorporating acupuncture and Chinese medicine. The entire process of infertility treatment can feel like an emotional rollercoaster and acupuncture is a healing modality that can benefit both the mind and body.

There are countless studies coming out that show the benefit of integrating acupuncture with traditional medical treatment but, as a practitioner, I have come to realize many more benefits that are not so obvious. [Read more…]

The Emotional Side of Infertility

March 14, 2018 By Julie Shindler-Cohen Leave a Comment

Dealing with infertility is one of the most stressful, painful and difficult experience that people encounter. It’s never a linear path and is often complicated by various factors from medical conditions, unpredictability and a lack of answers. As an acupuncturist who specializes in fertility, I have found that there is a strong emotional component to conceiving a child. This may seem obvious to some and annoying to others, but there’s a thread of magic to this fertility journey. I am NOT saying that “you should relax” or “go on vacation” in order to get pregnant. (This is something that most women hear when they are trying to conceive and it is so, SO painful!) For example, everything can go “right” during fertility treatment and still get a negative pregnancy test. [Read more…]

Eating for Emotional Support

February 20, 2018 By Julie Shindler-Cohen Leave a Comment

Although not everyone falls victim to emotional eating, so many of us do! And more often than not, it tends to be foods that are NOT healthy. Chinese medicine tells us that our body tends to crave certain tastes depending on which energies are out of balance. For example, the spleen craves sweets, the liver craves sour and the kidney craves salty. Therefore, when we find ourselves craving something, there’s a reason why it’s happening.

For so many of us, emotional eating is the result of worry. The spleen’s energy is affected by excess worry, which can lead to sweet cravings. Also, frustration and anger affects the liver’s energy, which craves sour. These are emotions that touch so many of us on a daily basis.

Have a look at our delicious recipe that can help to soothe the liver and spleen.

Sweet and Sour Turkey Meatballs

[Read more…]

6 tips to fight the common cold

December 20, 2017 By Julie Shindler-Cohen 1 Comment

It’s inevitable. Seemingly everyone comes down with the common cold during the winter months. Conventional medicine has little to treat it and we all just suffer through the runny nose, sneezing, fatigue and “tickly” throat.

But I don’t have time for that this year.

In addition to having three small children at home, my “cold” last year turned into the flu and pneumonia. The mere thought of getting a cold is like striking a raw nerve. So, when I began to get that tickle in the back of my throat with body aches, I use EVERYTHING in the book (and then some) to fight back! [Read more…]

Boost that Immune System

August 8, 2017 By Julie Shindler-Cohen Leave a Comment

Even the cleanest schools (and children) are germ factories, and back to school time seems to inevitably lead to increased colds and infections in our kids. In fact, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says that elementary school children get up to 12 colds during the school year. Then they pass it onto their parents, who give it to their co-workers, who hand it off to the neighbors …

Help break that chain with acupuncture and Chinese medicine, each of which supports the body’s innate immune system in both children and adults. How? Click here to read all about it.

Acupuncture Strengths and limitations

August 6, 2016 By Julie Shindler-Cohen Leave a Comment

Q: What do you think acupuncture works BEST for and what might it be not as good at treating?

A: Acupuncture is just one tool within the Chinese medical system. When used in combination with Chinese herbs, diet and lifestyle habits, it can successfully treat a wide variety of conditions. While Chinese medicine is effective for SO many things, I believe acupuncture is the best therapy for pain conditions. Pain is the result of the stagnation of energy in blood and acupuncture is the best therapy to promote flow throughout the body. Also, pain conditions are often related to local inflammatory processes. Acupuncture is the only therapy that can be used to guide out inflammation by targeting it directly. This may cause some brief discomfort during the process but leads to great relief afterwards! [Read more…]

Healthy New Year’s Resolutions

December 17, 2015 By Julie Shindler-Cohen Leave a Comment

Q: What can I do to improve my health as we enter the New Year? [Read more…]

Ask The Acupuncturist: Healthy Holiday Eating

November 12, 2015 By Julie Shindler-Cohen Leave a Comment

Q: How can I maintain a healthy diet during the holiday season?

A: Diet is such an integral aspect of Chinese medicine that no matter the season, food choices matter! [Read more…]

Acupuncture for PCOS

August 13, 2015 By Julie Shindler-Cohen 1 Comment

Receiving a diagnosis of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is very scary and confusing for many women, especially when trying to conceive. PCOS is a syndrome—this means one size does NOT fit all. Classically, women with PCOS were overweight, had inappropriate hair growth and did not menstruate regularly. However, many of the PCOS patients I see do NOT fit that description. Some women have insulin resistance, acne, irregular periods or cysts on their ovaries. Or not. Traditional treatment for PCOS involves birth control pills, blood sugar regulating medications, low carb diet and exercise. When trying to conceive, all of those options are great—with the exception of birth control pills! [Read more…]