October 24, 2024 • 20 mins
Join us for an enlightening episode of Bed Back and Beyond as we sit down with the inspiring Cara Dinote, a skilled acupuncturist whose journey into acupuncture and Chinese medicine is nothing short of fascinating. Cara's transition from studying psychology in Philadelphia to practicing acupuncture in San Diego showcases her dedication to holistic healing. We explore the pivotal role of qi, the vital life force in Chinese medicine, and how acupuncture harmonizes this energy to enhance physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. As the acceptance of acupuncture grows in the U.S., bolstered by medical research and increased insurance coverage, Cara's insights offer a compelling look at the merging of Eastern and Western medical philosophies.
In the second half of the episode, we uncover acupuncture's remarkable impact on pain management and recovery, through intriguing case studies, including a unique case involving spasms post-colonoscopy. Cara shares how acupuncture provides a holistic approach to complex medical conditions and post-surgery recovery. We also invite listeners to share their own positive recovery stories, fostering a community of hope and support. For those in San Diego looking to connect with Cara and experience her healing touch firsthand, visit her website, andaraacupuncture.com. As we wrap up, we express our gratitude for Cara's expertise and our shared commitment to a holistic path to wellness.
Was this episode helpful to you? If you would like to support my work on the show, you can buy me a coffee at https://buymeacoffee.com/bedbackandbeyond
Have a positive story of recovery to tell? Head over to https://bedbackbeyond.com/share-your-story/ to apply.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
When a needle goes into a point, some people feel a
dull, heavy sensation, and thatis called qi, and so in Chinese
medicine that's reallyimportant.
It's kind of like this vitallife force or energy that's
flowing up and down thesechannels, and so we're always
trying to balance the energy ofqi, which could be obstructed or
(00:22):
damaged through diet stress.
Obstructed or damaged throughdiet stress, physical trauma,
emotional trauma.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Welcome to Bed Back and Beyond, sharing positive
stories of recovery from seriousback or neck injury.
Your host is CK, a fellowchampion who draws on her own
experience with herniated discsurgery.
Join her as she talks withothers who have overcome the
physical and emotional trauma ofa painful injury and discover
for yourself how you can findhope and encouragement in
recovery.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Hi, and thank you for joining me for this episode of
Bed Back and Beyond.
I am super excited for today'sepisode.
My guest is Cara DeNote, andnot only is she a very talented
acupuncturist, she is a longtimefriend of mine.
I am so honored that you agreedto do this episode with me.
Hi, Cara, hi, how are you?
(01:17):
I'm amazing, so glad to betalking to you.
Glad to be talking to you too,thank you.
So, before we just dive intoacupuncture and all the
knowledge that you have to share, why don't you tell us a little
bit about yourself?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Sure, I'm originally from Philadelphia area, as you
know.
Delco, you can claim it Delcofrom Delco and I've been in San
Diego now for a little over 20years.
I've been practicingacupuncture for about nine years
now, had private practice fromday one.
And a little bit about me.
Love the outdoors.
(01:52):
As you know, we've been campingtogether, hiking together, so
there's anything outdoors.
Playing outside is my jam.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So yeah, so excited to finally have a camping trip
with you just a couple monthsago, right In May.
In May it was beautiful, yeah,yeah, mammoth right, yes, yes,
yes.
And your beautiful wife, abby,actually recorded one of my
little YouTube shorts.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
That's right.
Well, yeah, I mean showing howstrong you are now.
I mean what you've been throughand here you are hiking in the
mountains a couple years lateris pretty incredible.
So I hope that was motivatingfor some people, inspiring as
well.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
I think it was so you moved out to San Diego to go to
college, or were you alreadyout there and then decided to go
to college?
Speaker 1 (02:38):
No well, I went to Penn State first and then moved
to California for love reasons,right and then picked up my
undergrad studying psychology atSan Diego State.
So I wanted to be a therapistand somehow along the way
started studying Buddhism,meditation, all the woo-woo kind
(03:00):
of stuff, energy stuff, andthen I never even had
acupuncture even like a yearinto acupuncture school.
So I really had no idea what Iwas getting into.
But it was one of those strangecallings.
I guess that just led me downthis path.
And I love acupuncture becauseyou can talk to people, you can
put your hands on people, soit's, you know, you get to
(03:24):
really work on the physical,spiritual, emotional aspects of
people, not instead of justsitting in a chair saying uh-huh
, uh-huh, tell me about your mom, you know, kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
I remember when you told me that you decided to go
to school for acupuncture, myimmediate thought was well, that
makes sense, because you alwayshad that personality of I want
to take care of you, let me helpyou know.
So I was like well, that's,it's a perfect fit.
I feel like Thank you.
So how long is schooling foracupuncture?
Speaker 1 (04:00):
It's about five years .
So, yeah, and that was.
I really didn't know it againwhen I was getting into.
And you know, it's a reallyambitious program, especially
California, because not only doyou do acupuncture but it's the
traditional Chinese herbalmedicine.
So there's Chinese herbalmedicine, the acupuncture, the
theories, all the points, andthen it's all Western medicine.
So it's all the biology, thechemistry, the physiology.
It's a lot of information.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Wow, and there's a lot of actual medical research
behind acupuncture, right, ohyeah.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
I mean, if insurance is going to pay for acupuncture,
you better believe there arestudies showing that it works.
That's all I got to say aboutthat.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I was doing a little research and I was listening to
how they had injected saline orsomething like that into
somebody and they were trackingit along the meridian lines.
Is that correct?
Yeah, and it was showing thelines that acupuncture is saying
that they connect.
It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
And how did they know this thousands of years ago,
you know, before they werereally, you know, opening up
bodies?
I mean, how did they know thatone point could be connected to
you know, on your foot can beconnected to the eye?
It's just incredible.
You know what they're doing inreal time MRIs, like things are
showing up in the brain, likewhen you put a needle in an
actual point that was reallyinteresting.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Yeah, is it Chinese medicine?
Is that where it originated?
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yeah, china thousands of years ago, I want to say
about maybe 5,000, I think.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Yeah, okay.
And so when you started, whenyou first got into acupuncture,
was it widely accepted in the US, or do you think it has become
more accepted since you startedpracticing?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
I mean definitely more.
I mean it's pretty big inCalifornia in like New York,
some of the bigger cities, but Imean definitely California is
really big on holistic medicineanyway.
But yeah, I mean there therewas three different campuses.
There was New York campus, uh,san Diego and Chicago.
So the school that I went toand so we had people from all
over the U?
S even coming to the San Diegoprogram and they were just going
(05:56):
to go back to the Midwest orwhatever.
So yeah, I mean.
I think I don't even know, likethe Philadelphia area, do you
see a lot of acupuncturists orno?
Is it still kind of you?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
know I don't look.
I often I think to myself likeI should go get an acupuncture
treatment, but for me that wouldmean getting on a plane and
going to San Diego because I'mnot going to have anybody else
to.
You're welcome anytime.
In fact, I just had a guest onthe podcast a couple weeks ago
Erica was her name in a caraccident partial paralysis and
(06:29):
she mentioned how she feels likeacupuncture post injury has
really helped save her fromcertain side effects.
And I said to her like I have agirlfriend, I keep meaning to
have her on the podcast to talkabout acupuncture.
So thank you again.
Of course I can bore you totears talking about it.
Please do.
No, please do.
That's the point of the podcast.
(06:50):
But acupuncture is differentthan dry needling, right?
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yes, From what I understand, dry needling is like
a physical therapist orchiropractors now they're.
They just, yeah, they just geta needle.
I don't know why they call itdry needling.
I always joke.
There's no wet needling, right.
They just get a needle and theydo it like oh, you have a knot
here and then they kind of digand then they try to create some
(07:18):
sort of spasm or relief to thatknot.
So it's not actuallyacupuncture, like they're not
following the meridians ortreating the whole person by
getting to the root cause.
They're just basically stickinga needle in a knot, basically.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Okay, okay, are you able to just kind of explain
acupuncture a little bit,because honestly I don't know
what's what's happening when youstick needles in me.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yeah, yeah, I mean there's obviously there's
hundreds of points.
They fall line, meridians,channels, and every little point
has a specific location and apurpose.
I said physical, spiritual,emotional.
So what they do know, forexample, is when a needle goes
into a point, some people feel adull, heavy sensation, and that
(08:01):
is called chi, and so Chinesemedicine.
That's really important.
It's kind of like this vitallife force or energy that's
flowing up and down thesechannels, and so we're always
trying to balance the energy ofqi, which could be um obstructed
or damaged through diet, stress, physical trauma, emotional
(08:23):
trauma.
Emotional trauma, right.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
My life, my life, you mean Life.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
My life Cause your chi to be all kinds of mad at
you, right?
So when a needle goes in, we'retapping into that energy.
Some people feel that, oh, like, this kind of it doesn't hurt,
right.
But you probably felt, you feltthat kind of experience where,
like, oh wait, something'shappening.
But what they do know is thatwe're stimulating
neurotransmitters in the brain,like dopamine, serotonin, like
(08:50):
the opioids.
That's what's really happening.
They have tested that.
There's a cascade of responsethe immune system, everything
Also.
That was my elevator.
Can I explain?
Yes, I remember when I that wasmy elevator.
Can I explain what acupunctureis?
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yes, I remember, when I herniated my disc, you sent
me a text message that was likeoh, I wish I was in Pennsylvania
so I could take care of you.
And I thought to myself well,how would acupuncture help my
herniated disc?
But you treat people withherniated disc right?
Oh yeah.
Yeah, back pain and neck painis number one, but yeah, low
back pain dueated disc.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
But you treat people with herniated disc right?
Oh yeah, yeah, back pain is andneck pain is number one.
But, yeah, low back pain due todisc herniation.
You know um stenosis,degenerative disc disease, all
all the things for the back,yeah, Wow.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
What are the trigger points for treating the back?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Um, I mean not only.
I mean of course there arepoints along the spine that you
actually go in, but people aresurprised.
They're like well, why are youputting a needle on my head?
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Or why are you putting a?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
needle in my foot and my hand and again you're
treating the whole body right.
So of course I will do thepoints locally around the back,
but when you want to treat thewhole person, the other points
could be for pain control,helping with tendons, ligaments,
the bones.
So you're actually treating thestructure to keep and then the
(10:10):
immune system right and then tomake sure that your sleep is
good, your mood is good, becausethat's all going to help with
the healing aspect.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
So is that bringing down, just like inflammation
inside the body?
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And just that calming sensation, I mean the being in physical
pain.
I'm sure it's stressful, itcreates anxiety or depression.
There's a cycle of pain, right?
It just doesn't stop.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yeah, yeah, even after uh having the surgery that
I was hit with anxiety anddepression and like PTSD.
It almost felt like For sure,yeah, yeah.
Does acupuncture help with likemuscle spasms?
That's often a side effect ofsurgery.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
For sure.
Yeah, it's definitely kind ofcalm the area, just that state
of relaxation where everythingis calm yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Do you do any other treatments in conjunction with
the acupuncture or is it strictneedle treatments?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
No, when somebody comes in, I start, we face up
and they have a neuromuscularstimulator, electric stim, the
version I we've probably heardof a TENS unit, but mine's a
little bit.
Mine goes a little bit deeperto the nerves and the muscles.
We'll get that going top of theshoulders all the way down the
back.
That'll help a pain,inflammation, right needles on
the front side of the body.
(11:26):
We flip needles going down theback.
I do cupping gua sha orscraping is like a little tool,
kind of like ironing out littlekinks.
Right, I got my little, mylittle infrared light like to
shine on people again oh, that'sgreat infrared light yeah yeah,
it's good for the skin, uh huh.
yeah, I I try to make it a spaexperience and it's not scary
(11:46):
Like I'm just going to come inand stick needles in you.
So I try to definitely make itmore spotlight.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
You haven't offered me any guasha.
Is that what it's called,guasha?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, I know I got.
I got this thing locked down.
Now you have to come out andsee my new office.
Yeah, I've.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Maybe, yeah, yeah, in the building Private suite.
Yeah, yes, yes, yes, it's verynice.
So where is that located, bythe way?
Speaker 1 (12:13):
So so our viewers know yeah, I'm in downtown
Gaslamp San Diego, right in themiddle.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
And if somebody wanted to find you for treatment
, where would they look?
Do you have?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
a website.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Yes, Andara, dara Acupuncture A-N-D-A-R-A and Dara
Acupuncturecom, and do you doany kind of like counseling, for
are patients just coming in andgetting treatment, or are you
giving them routines to do oncethey leave or things to consider
?
Speaker 1 (12:43):
Always.
I always try to empowerpatients and tell them hey, you
know, there's some things youcan do at home, like I'll, even
if I just send them a link forthe Gua Sha tool, like hey have
you ever, you know, ever, in apinch, you get up in the morning
, like in a neck, like whatever,or I'll show them.
There's a home cupping set, forexample.
I always want people to be ableto take care of themselves.
I'll show them how to do it.
(13:04):
Um, of course, I'll guide them.
If there's Chinese herbs thatwe're going to do, I'll get the
herbs for them.
Explain what it is.
So yeah, just diet or exerciseadvice, of course.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Yes, do people often just unload on your shoulders as
you're treating them?
Do you feel a little bit like acounselor?
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Oh, absolutely, I've been seeing people I mean God,
once a week for years.
I mean, people come in and you,just you do, you hear it all
You're you're.
It's people just want to vent,or or I watch people sleep all
day, so it goes either way.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
So yeah, what's your favorite part of being an
acupuncturist?
Speaker 1 (13:48):
I feel it's almost like an art form, because when
somebody comes in especially acomplicated case, you know, and
because there's so many pointsto choose from, you know, it
really is like you're cracking acode, you know, and sometimes
one thing will work, maybesomething will not work, you
know.
So I feel like you can reallytailor a treatment to somebody
and also, like your, everypractitioner has like their own
(14:11):
technique and so I don't know, Iuse a lot of needles because
there's so many delicious juicyneedles and I just like, yeah,
it just feels like art.
You know, that's my favorite.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
And then then, when it works.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
You're like oh wow, like that's because we are.
We're trained to treatbasically everything, even some
crazy stuff like turning a babyor like a breech, a breech baby.
You know, I see a lot offertility which works, um,
getting girls pregnant, and thenwhen they have the baby, I'm
like get it out and you can dothings to help promote, you know
(14:43):
, labor.
It's crazy and it works.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Uh, is there a complicated case that you can
tell us about?
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Yes, I've never had anybody come in with this.
Somebody went and had acolonoscopy and some, you know,
there's a chance things can goawry, right, yeah, unfortunately
for this person, the sphinctermuscle was in a constant spasm.
Oh gosh, imagine howuncomfortable this was for this
(15:14):
person who was a teacher and hadto sit down and then started
getting like bladder stuff.
So this poor person, you know,didn't know what to do, so
acupuncture.
And I didn't have to doanything, locally, of course,
because he was afraid likeyou're not're not gonna, I'm
like no, no, no, um, but just,but, just relaxing the body and
(15:35):
doing the channel theory, justlike the relaxation of all the
different things.
Um, he's able to go back towork oh my goodness problem.
Yeah, I mean it took severalmonths and and everything, but
it's crazy.
I've never had anybody withbasically a butt spasm.
You know what I mean.
Sorry, but it's stuff like that.
(15:58):
You're like I just maybe snorton the podcast you're all red
too.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
When he said I'm having a sphincter spasm, did
you have to like go through yourtextbook where you're like give
me a second?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
I was like I'll do a little research you know, and
sure enough, there was actualstudy, you know, and there was a
point prescription and you knowwow.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Yeah, holy cow, yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Just a little in addition to acupuncture.
We ended up getting Botox theretoo, and that also helped big
time.
I didn't know you can get Botoxon the front and the back on
the front end.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
I'm just keeping all the jokes in at this point.
So someone who is interested inholistic medicine, you think
acupuncture is a great place tostart.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
I think so.
Yeah, yeah, it's not scary, itdoesn't hurt.
You know, I think in additionto it complements physical
therapy, it complements, youknow, chiropractics and you can
do all three together and, yeah,for sure, and there's no side
effects to acupuncture.
So you know medicine,traditional, you know of course
there's a time and place formedicine, of course I definitely
believe in that.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
But you know, there's always another way to right
right and especially for peoplewho don't want to drive into or
dive into prescriptionmedications.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Right, right, you know, we just if yeah, I support
it, if you need it, like I said, but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Now I see Abby gets treatments a lot.
Are you getting treatments atall?
Who's treating the treat?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
I'm so bad?
I know I'm so bad at that youknow, the gym is like my therapy
, that's like my go to forwellness.
That's what I do.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Yeah, yeah, I'm always here.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
So, yeah, that's the one thing about having your own
business.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Right, yeah, yeah, that's true, oh, my goodness,
yeah.
Do you have anything else thatyou, you think someone who is
suffering from a herniated discor recovering from surgery,
should know?
Speaker 1 (18:18):
This acupuncture would be great for, obviously
for pain management, right, Ialways tell people, you know,
because there's somethingstructurally going on and there
was surgery, you know, obviouslyI can't make going on and
there's surgery, you know,obviously I can't make a disc go
back in place, even for peoplewho haven't had surgery.
However, we can manage yourpain and we can make, you know,
(18:39):
make the muscles and the tendonsstronger.
I keep the structure so itdoesn't keep pressing out.
If you want to avoid surgery orpeople want to push off surgery
for whatever reason that theyneed to, so it it's preventative
for surgery and in post-surgeryit's also just pain management,
just to make your life happier,your mood better, your sleep
better, the immune system better.
Yeah, all the things.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Those first six months after surgery are pretty
rough like emotionally andphysically.
It's full of ups and downs withpain flares and their muscles
feel so weak.
I can imagine that gettingacupuncture is a would be a good
boon for the, just therelieving the stress of the
recovery that comes from it 100percent yeah.
(19:21):
Yeah, yeah, I'm a littlejealous.
I'm a little jealous of yourjust ability to come alongside
someone and help them feelbetter just ability to come
alongside someone and help themfeel better.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Oh well, that's just, I don't know.
My whole life I've been likethat.
Everyone's like.
You know.
I just always just want to jumpin and help where I can, and so
I do feel lucky and grateful tobe in this field.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Yeah, so I think it's exactly where you're meant to
be.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Thank you.
You're welcome, kara.
Thank you so much for agreeingto be on the podcast with me.
Thank you, it was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
We should stream chat more often.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I think so.
It's so natural with this.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Right, we did not practice ahead of time.
If you are a listener and youhave a positive story of
recovery that you would like toshare on the podcast, head over
to bedbackbeyondcom and clickshare your story.
I would love to include yourvoice on the show.
And if you'd like to find Karain the San Diego area, what is
(20:31):
your website?
Again?
Andaraacupuncturecom.
Perfect, kara.
Thank you so much.
Love you, love you.
When a needle goes into a point, some people feel a
dull, heavy sensation, and thatis called qi, and so in Chinese
medicine that's reallyimportant.
It's kind of like this vitallife force or energy that's
flowing up and down thesechannels, and so we're always
trying to balance the energy ofqi, which could be obstructed or
(00:22):
damaged through diet stress.
Obstructed or damaged throughdiet stress, physical trauma,
emotional trauma.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Welcome to Bed Back and Beyond, sharing positive
stories of recovery from seriousback or neck injury.
Your host is CK, a fellowchampion who draws on her own
experience with herniated discsurgery.
Join her as she talks withothers who have overcome the
physical and emotional trauma ofa painful injury and discover
for yourself how you can findhope and encouragement in
recovery.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Hi, and thank you for joining me for this episode of
Bed Back and Beyond.
I am super excited for today'sepisode.
My guest is Cara DeNote, andnot only is she a very talented
acupuncturist, she is a longtimefriend of mine.
I am so honored that you agreedto do this episode with me.
Hi, Cara, hi, how are you?
(01:17):
I'm amazing, so glad to betalking to you.
Glad to be talking to you too,thank you.
So, before we just dive intoacupuncture and all the
knowledge that you have to share, why don't you tell us a little
bit about yourself?
Speaker 1 (01:32):
Sure, I'm originally from Philadelphia area, as you
know.
Delco, you can claim it Delcofrom Delco and I've been in San
Diego now for a little over 20years.
I've been practicingacupuncture for about nine years
now, had private practice fromday one.
And a little bit about me.
Love the outdoors.
(01:52):
As you know, we've been campingtogether, hiking together, so
there's anything outdoors.
Playing outside is my jam.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
So yeah, so excited to finally have a camping trip
with you just a couple monthsago, right In May.
In May it was beautiful, yeah,yeah, mammoth right, yes, yes,
yes.
And your beautiful wife, abby,actually recorded one of my
little YouTube shorts.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
That's right.
Well, yeah, I mean showing howstrong you are now.
I mean what you've been throughand here you are hiking in the
mountains a couple years lateris pretty incredible.
So I hope that was motivatingfor some people, inspiring as
well.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
I think it was so you moved out to San Diego to go to
college, or were you alreadyout there and then decided to go
to college?
Speaker 1 (02:38):
No well, I went to Penn State first and then moved
to California for love reasons,right and then picked up my
undergrad studying psychology atSan Diego State.
So I wanted to be a therapistand somehow along the way
started studying Buddhism,meditation, all the woo-woo kind
(03:00):
of stuff, energy stuff, andthen I never even had
acupuncture even like a yearinto acupuncture school.
So I really had no idea what Iwas getting into.
But it was one of those strangecallings.
I guess that just led me downthis path.
And I love acupuncture becauseyou can talk to people, you can
put your hands on people, soit's, you know, you get to
(03:24):
really work on the physical,spiritual, emotional aspects of
people, not instead of justsitting in a chair saying uh-huh
, uh-huh, tell me about your mom, you know, kind of thing.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
I remember when you told me that you decided to go
to school for acupuncture, myimmediate thought was well, that
makes sense, because you alwayshad that personality of I want
to take care of you, let me helpyou know.
So I was like well, that's,it's a perfect fit.
I feel like Thank you.
So how long is schooling foracupuncture?
Speaker 1 (04:00):
It's about five years .
So, yeah, and that was.
I really didn't know it againwhen I was getting into.
And you know, it's a reallyambitious program, especially
California, because not only doyou do acupuncture but it's the
traditional Chinese herbalmedicine.
So there's Chinese herbalmedicine, the acupuncture, the
theories, all the points, andthen it's all Western medicine.
So it's all the biology, thechemistry, the physiology.
It's a lot of information.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Wow, and there's a lot of actual medical research
behind acupuncture, right, ohyeah.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
I mean, if insurance is going to pay for acupuncture,
you better believe there arestudies showing that it works.
That's all I got to say aboutthat.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I was doing a little research and I was listening to
how they had injected saline orsomething like that into
somebody and they were trackingit along the meridian lines.
Is that correct?
Yeah, and it was showing thelines that acupuncture is saying
that they connect.
It's crazy.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
And how did they know this thousands of years ago,
you know, before they werereally, you know, opening up
bodies?
I mean, how did they know thatone point could be connected to
you know, on your foot can beconnected to the eye?
It's just incredible.
You know what they're doing inreal time MRIs, like things are
showing up in the brain, likewhen you put a needle in an
actual point that was reallyinteresting.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Yeah, is it Chinese medicine?
Is that where it originated?
Speaker 1 (05:20):
Yeah, china thousands of years ago, I want to say
about maybe 5,000, I think.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
Yeah, okay.
And so when you started, whenyou first got into acupuncture,
was it widely accepted in the US, or do you think it has become
more accepted since you startedpracticing?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
I mean definitely more.
I mean it's pretty big inCalifornia in like New York,
some of the bigger cities, but Imean definitely California is
really big on holistic medicineanyway.
But yeah, I mean there therewas three different campuses.
There was New York campus, uh,san Diego and Chicago.
So the school that I went toand so we had people from all
over the U?
S even coming to the San Diegoprogram and they were just going
(05:56):
to go back to the Midwest orwhatever.
So yeah, I mean.
I think I don't even know, likethe Philadelphia area, do you
see a lot of acupuncturists orno?
Is it still kind of you?
Speaker 3 (06:06):
know I don't look.
I often I think to myself likeI should go get an acupuncture
treatment, but for me that wouldmean getting on a plane and
going to San Diego because I'mnot going to have anybody else
to.
You're welcome anytime.
In fact, I just had a guest onthe podcast a couple weeks ago
Erica was her name in a caraccident partial paralysis and
(06:29):
she mentioned how she feels likeacupuncture post injury has
really helped save her fromcertain side effects.
And I said to her like I have agirlfriend, I keep meaning to
have her on the podcast to talkabout acupuncture.
So thank you again.
Of course I can bore you totears talking about it.
Please do.
No, please do.
That's the point of the podcast.
(06:50):
But acupuncture is differentthan dry needling, right?
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Yes, From what I understand, dry needling is like
a physical therapist orchiropractors now they're.
They just, yeah, they just geta needle.
I don't know why they call itdry needling.
I always joke.
There's no wet needling, right.
They just get a needle and theydo it like oh, you have a knot
here and then they kind of digand then they try to create some
(07:18):
sort of spasm or relief to thatknot.
So it's not actuallyacupuncture, like they're not
following the meridians ortreating the whole person by
getting to the root cause.
They're just basically stickinga needle in a knot, basically.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Okay, okay, are you able to just kind of explain
acupuncture a little bit,because honestly I don't know
what's what's happening when youstick needles in me.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
Yeah, yeah, I mean there's obviously there's
hundreds of points.
They fall line, meridians,channels, and every little point
has a specific location and apurpose.
I said physical, spiritual,emotional.
So what they do know, forexample, is when a needle goes
into a point, some people feel adull, heavy sensation, and that
(08:01):
is called chi, and so Chinesemedicine.
That's really important.
It's kind of like this vitallife force or energy that's
flowing up and down thesechannels, and so we're always
trying to balance the energy ofqi, which could be um obstructed
or damaged through diet, stress, physical trauma, emotional
(08:23):
trauma.
Emotional trauma, right.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
My life, my life, you mean Life.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
My life Cause your chi to be all kinds of mad at
you, right?
So when a needle goes in, we'retapping into that energy.
Some people feel that, oh, like, this kind of it doesn't hurt,
right.
But you probably felt, you feltthat kind of experience where,
like, oh wait, something'shappening.
But what they do know is thatwe're stimulating
neurotransmitters in the brain,like dopamine, serotonin, like
(08:50):
the opioids.
That's what's really happening.
They have tested that.
There's a cascade of responsethe immune system, everything
Also.
That was my elevator.
Can I explain?
Yes, I remember when I that wasmy elevator.
Can I explain what acupunctureis?
Speaker 3 (09:04):
Yes, I remember, when I herniated my disc, you sent
me a text message that was likeoh, I wish I was in Pennsylvania
so I could take care of you.
And I thought to myself well,how would acupuncture help my
herniated disc?
But you treat people withherniated disc right?
Oh yeah.
Yeah, back pain and neck painis number one, but yeah, low
back pain dueated disc.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
But you treat people with herniated disc right?
Oh yeah, yeah, back pain is andneck pain is number one.
But, yeah, low back pain due todisc herniation.
You know um stenosis,degenerative disc disease, all
all the things for the back,yeah, Wow.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
What are the trigger points for treating the back?
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Um, I mean not only.
I mean of course there arepoints along the spine that you
actually go in, but people aresurprised.
They're like well, why are youputting a needle on my head?
Speaker 2 (09:49):
Or why are you putting a?
Speaker 1 (09:50):
needle in my foot and my hand and again you're
treating the whole body right.
So of course I will do thepoints locally around the back,
but when you want to treat thewhole person, the other points
could be for pain control,helping with tendons, ligaments,
the bones.
So you're actually treating thestructure to keep and then the
(10:10):
immune system right and then tomake sure that your sleep is
good, your mood is good, becausethat's all going to help with
the healing aspect.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
So is that bringing down, just like inflammation
inside the body?
Speaker 1 (10:21):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And just that calming sensation, I mean the being in physical
pain.
I'm sure it's stressful, itcreates anxiety or depression.
There's a cycle of pain, right?
It just doesn't stop.
Speaker 3 (10:34):
Yeah, yeah, even after uh having the surgery that
I was hit with anxiety anddepression and like PTSD.
It almost felt like For sure,yeah, yeah.
Does acupuncture help with likemuscle spasms?
That's often a side effect ofsurgery.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
For sure.
Yeah, it's definitely kind ofcalm the area, just that state
of relaxation where everythingis calm yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Do you do any other treatments in conjunction with
the acupuncture or is it strictneedle treatments?
Speaker 1 (11:05):
No, when somebody comes in, I start, we face up
and they have a neuromuscularstimulator, electric stim, the
version I we've probably heardof a TENS unit, but mine's a
little bit.
Mine goes a little bit deeperto the nerves and the muscles.
We'll get that going top of theshoulders all the way down the
back.
That'll help a pain,inflammation, right needles on
the front side of the body.
(11:26):
We flip needles going down theback.
I do cupping gua sha orscraping is like a little tool,
kind of like ironing out littlekinks.
Right, I got my little, mylittle infrared light like to
shine on people again oh, that'sgreat infrared light yeah yeah,
it's good for the skin, uh huh.
yeah, I I try to make it a spaexperience and it's not scary
(11:46):
Like I'm just going to come inand stick needles in you.
So I try to definitely make itmore spotlight.
Speaker 3 (11:51):
You haven't offered me any guasha.
Is that what it's called,guasha?
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yeah, I know I got.
I got this thing locked down.
Now you have to come out andsee my new office.
Yeah, I've.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Maybe, yeah, yeah, in the building Private suite.
Yeah, yes, yes, yes, it's verynice.
So where is that located, bythe way?
Speaker 1 (12:13):
So so our viewers know yeah, I'm in downtown
Gaslamp San Diego, right in themiddle.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
And if somebody wanted to find you for treatment
, where would they look?
Do you have?
Speaker 1 (12:23):
a website.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Yes, Andara, dara Acupuncture A-N-D-A-R-A and Dara
Acupuncturecom, and do you doany kind of like counseling, for
are patients just coming in andgetting treatment, or are you
giving them routines to do oncethey leave or things to consider
?
Speaker 1 (12:43):
Always.
I always try to empowerpatients and tell them hey, you
know, there's some things youcan do at home, like I'll, even
if I just send them a link forthe Gua Sha tool, like hey have
you ever, you know, ever, in apinch, you get up in the morning
, like in a neck, like whatever,or I'll show them.
There's a home cupping set, forexample.
I always want people to be ableto take care of themselves.
I'll show them how to do it.
(13:04):
Um, of course, I'll guide them.
If there's Chinese herbs thatwe're going to do, I'll get the
herbs for them.
Explain what it is.
So yeah, just diet or exerciseadvice, of course.
Speaker 3 (13:18):
Yes, do people often just unload on your shoulders as
you're treating them?
Do you feel a little bit like acounselor?
Speaker 1 (13:27):
Oh, absolutely, I've been seeing people I mean God,
once a week for years.
I mean, people come in and you,just you do, you hear it all
You're you're.
It's people just want to vent,or or I watch people sleep all
day, so it goes either way.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
So yeah, what's your favorite part of being an
acupuncturist?
Speaker 1 (13:48):
I feel it's almost like an art form, because when
somebody comes in especially acomplicated case, you know, and
because there's so many pointsto choose from, you know, it
really is like you're cracking acode, you know, and sometimes
one thing will work, maybesomething will not work, you
know.
So I feel like you can reallytailor a treatment to somebody
and also, like your, everypractitioner has like their own
(14:11):
technique and so I don't know, Iuse a lot of needles because
there's so many delicious juicyneedles and I just like, yeah,
it just feels like art.
You know, that's my favorite.
Speaker 3 (14:21):
And then then, when it works.
Speaker 1 (14:22):
You're like oh wow, like that's because we are.
We're trained to treatbasically everything, even some
crazy stuff like turning a babyor like a breech, a breech baby.
You know, I see a lot offertility which works, um,
getting girls pregnant, and thenwhen they have the baby, I'm
like get it out and you can dothings to help promote, you know
(14:43):
, labor.
It's crazy and it works.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
Uh, is there a complicated case that you can
tell us about?
Speaker 1 (14:53):
Yes, I've never had anybody come in with this.
Somebody went and had acolonoscopy and some, you know,
there's a chance things can goawry, right, yeah, unfortunately
for this person, the sphinctermuscle was in a constant spasm.
Oh gosh, imagine howuncomfortable this was for this
(15:14):
person who was a teacher and hadto sit down and then started
getting like bladder stuff.
So this poor person, you know,didn't know what to do, so
acupuncture.
And I didn't have to doanything, locally, of course,
because he was afraid likeyou're not're not gonna, I'm
like no, no, no, um, but just,but, just relaxing the body and
(15:35):
doing the channel theory, justlike the relaxation of all the
different things.
Um, he's able to go back towork oh my goodness problem.
Yeah, I mean it took severalmonths and and everything, but
it's crazy.
I've never had anybody withbasically a butt spasm.
You know what I mean.
Sorry, but it's stuff like that.
(15:58):
You're like I just maybe snorton the podcast you're all red
too.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
When he said I'm having a sphincter spasm, did
you have to like go through yourtextbook where you're like give
me a second?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
I was like I'll do a little research you know, and
sure enough, there was actualstudy, you know, and there was a
point prescription and you knowwow.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Yeah, holy cow, yeah, that's crazy.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
Just a little in addition to acupuncture.
We ended up getting Botox theretoo, and that also helped big
time.
I didn't know you can get Botoxon the front and the back on
the front end.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
I'm just keeping all the jokes in at this point.
So someone who is interested inholistic medicine, you think
acupuncture is a great place tostart.
Speaker 1 (17:08):
I think so.
Yeah, yeah, it's not scary, itdoesn't hurt.
You know, I think in additionto it complements physical
therapy, it complements, youknow, chiropractics and you can
do all three together and, yeah,for sure, and there's no side
effects to acupuncture.
So you know medicine,traditional, you know of course
there's a time and place formedicine, of course I definitely
believe in that.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
But you know, there's always another way to right
right and especially for peoplewho don't want to drive into or
dive into prescriptionmedications.
Speaker 1 (17:36):
Right, right, you know, we just if yeah, I support
it, if you need it, like I said, but yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:45):
Now I see Abby gets treatments a lot.
Are you getting treatments atall?
Who's treating the treat?
Speaker 1 (17:49):
I'm so bad?
I know I'm so bad at that youknow, the gym is like my therapy
, that's like my go to forwellness.
That's what I do.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Yeah, yeah, I'm always here.
Speaker 1 (18:00):
So, yeah, that's the one thing about having your own
business.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:05):
Right, yeah, yeah, that's true, oh, my goodness,
yeah.
Do you have anything else thatyou, you think someone who is
suffering from a herniated discor recovering from surgery,
should know?
Speaker 1 (18:18):
This acupuncture would be great for, obviously
for pain management, right, Ialways tell people, you know,
because there's somethingstructurally going on and there
was surgery, you know, obviouslyI can't make going on and
there's surgery, you know,obviously I can't make a disc go
back in place, even for peoplewho haven't had surgery.
However, we can manage yourpain and we can make, you know,
(18:39):
make the muscles and the tendonsstronger.
I keep the structure so itdoesn't keep pressing out.
If you want to avoid surgery orpeople want to push off surgery
for whatever reason that theyneed to, so it it's preventative
for surgery and in post-surgeryit's also just pain management,
just to make your life happier,your mood better, your sleep
better, the immune system better.
Yeah, all the things.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Those first six months after surgery are pretty
rough like emotionally andphysically.
It's full of ups and downs withpain flares and their muscles
feel so weak.
I can imagine that gettingacupuncture is a would be a good
boon for the, just therelieving the stress of the
recovery that comes from it 100percent yeah.
(19:21):
Yeah, yeah, I'm a littlejealous.
I'm a little jealous of yourjust ability to come alongside
someone and help them feelbetter just ability to come
alongside someone and help themfeel better.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
Oh well, that's just, I don't know.
My whole life I've been likethat.
Everyone's like.
You know.
I just always just want to jumpin and help where I can, and so
I do feel lucky and grateful tobe in this field.
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (19:47):
Yeah, so I think it's exactly where you're meant to
be.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Thank you.
You're welcome, kara.
Thank you so much for agreeingto be on the podcast with me.
Thank you, it was a lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
We should stream chat more often.
Speaker 1 (20:03):
I think so.
It's so natural with this.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Right, we did not practice ahead of time.
If you are a listener and youhave a positive story of
recovery that you would like toshare on the podcast, head over
to bedbackbeyondcom and clickshare your story.
I would love to include yourvoice on the show.
And if you'd like to find Karain the San Diego area, what is
(20:31):
your website?
Again?
Andaraacupuncturecom.
Perfect, kara.
Thank you so much.
Love you, love you.
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