Commonly Treated Conditions
Pain and Injury
Pain can be the result of numerous causes--injury, overuse, aging, etc.-but the underlying problem is almost always the same. The body's natural system of repair has been compromised so that the process of healing does not complete itself. Pain is the feedback signal for damage and inflammation that has not been resolved.
While Western medicine does a great job at patching up broken bones, torn ligaments and muscles, and herniated discs, it does a less satisfactory job at providing the environment necessary for long-term healing and recovery. It especially falls short when dealing with chronic pain conditions, often prescribing powerful and addictive pain medications that actually slow down recovery and make pain worse.
At Chattanooga Holistic Medicine, we address pain using a multi-stage treatment strategy. Not all pain responds to treatment in the same way, so we have to remain adaptive to get the best results. Our approach includes acupuncture and bodywork, corrective stretches and exercises, and topical ointments and herbs.
Common pain conditions and injuries we treat include:
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Low Back Pain
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Hip Pain
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Knee Pain
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Neck and Shoulder Pain
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Elbow Tendonitis
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Plantar Fasciitis
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Foot Pain
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
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Osteoarthritis
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Fibromyalgia
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Acute Trauma Recovery
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Broken Bones
Headaches and Migraines
Migraines affect over 12% of the US population and can be severely debilitating. An even higher percentage of people suffer from less severe headaches. There are numerous causes for headaches and migraines. The most common causes include dehydration, hormonal imbalances, reactions to foods or medications, stress, muscle tension, and lack of sleep or exercise.
Western medicine's approach to headaches and migraines centers around treating the symptoms with medications like Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Stronger pharmaceuticals are used for more intense cases. While this may provide temporary relief, it does not treat the actual cause of the headache or migraine and is not a sustainable treatment. The symptoms will always return.
At Chattanooga Holistic Medicine we look at the specifics of each headache/migraine in regards to the patient's diet and lifestyle choices. Using an integrated approach of stress reduction, acupuncture, herbs, and lifestyle changes we can get to the bottom of your headaches/migraines and provide relief that is going to last.
Common headache/migraine issues we treat include:
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Chronic Migraines
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Cluster Headaches
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Tension Headaches
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Premenstrual Headaches
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TMJ Syndrome
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Post Concussion Syndrome
Stress, Anxiety, Depression
Stress happens to everyone! A little bit here and there is a healthy part of being alive, but chronic, low-level stress has been linked to countless adverse health conditions. Chronic stress is an unfortunate result of our modern world in which we are constantly bombarded with little challenges every hour of the day. Whether it be work issues, family obligations, financial burdens or merely waiting in traffic, these little stresses build up over time and if we don't do a good job dealing with them, they begin to take their toll. Stress is a catalyst for problems all other health areas including our immune system, mood, digestion, heart health, and blood pressure just to name a few. It can take it's toll on our sleep, our productivity, and our very sense of well-being.
Anxiety and depression are linked to stress, and managing stress goes hand in hand with overcoming anxious or negative feelings. At Chattanooga Holistic Medicine we treat both the emotional and physical needs of our patients to return them to a balanced state of mental health. We have extensive experience in helping our patients manage there stress and working in conjunction with Western psychiatry to get the best results; however, patients with severe psychological disorders or suicidal thoughts are highly recommended to seek Western medical help before coming to see us.
Diabetes and weight management
Diabetes and Weight Management
Diabetes and obesity are the leading secondary causes of death and disease in the West and growing in prevalence around the world. Over 9.3% of Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, but over 27.8% of Americans most likely have diabetes but have not been diagnosed While they do not kill acutely or by themselves, diabetes and obesity compromise the health of every other body system including the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, the eyes, and the immune and the nervous systems. Untreated diabetes and obesity increases your chances of heart disease, retinopathy, neuropathy, kidney disease, stroke, amputation, and just about every other disease you can think of.
A sedentary lifestyle combined with a diet that is rich in sugar and processed carbohydrates are the contributing factors to this epidemic. Fortunately, this is an epidemic that can be reversed with some simple diet and lifestyle changes. Even the Western medicine doctors are realizing the importance of diet/lifestyle choices over drugs. At Chattanooga Holistic Medicine we have the knowledge and experience to help you with your diabetes and/or weight management goals. Patient education is paramount to our approach, and together with acupuncture and herbal remedies we can attain the best results.
We treat:
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Type 2 Diabetes
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Type 1 Diabetes
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Gestational Diabetes
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Obesity
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Appetite Control
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Eating Disorders
Digestive Disorders
Second to healthy sleep, a healthy digestive system is absolutely essential to our overall well-being. All of life's building blocks must first enter our body through the digestive system, and without proper absorption we are not getting the supplies necessary to heal. Optimizing our digestion starts with our dietary choices (what we eat), of course, but also includes how and when we eat. This is where stress and hormone metabolism play major roles.
At Chattanooga Holistic Medicine we are experienced with treating a wide array of digestive disorders including diabetes or weight management.
Common digestive issues we treat include:
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Heartburn
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Acid Reflux
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Gas/Bloating
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Indigestion
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Crohn's Disease
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Ulcerative Colitis
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Diverticulitis
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Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
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Leaky Gut
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Malabsorption
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Gall Bladder Problems
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Pancreatitis
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Hemorrhoids
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Constipation
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Chronic Diarrhea
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Food Sensitivities/Allergies
Sleep,
Fatigue and Energy
Healthy sleep is essential a healthy life. Here at Chattanooga Holistic Medicine we view sleep as paramount to every health issue, but it plays a particularly relevant role with fatigue and energy problems. Our bodies are amazing machines and adapted to handle fewer hours of good sleep on occasion, but all too often poor sleep becomes a recurrent pattern, the "new normal." Unfortunately, the body can not sustain this pattern forever and other systems suffer. The stress created by bad sleep is not difficult to see, yet it is an epidemic in our modern world.
We take a very detailed approach to addressing sleep and energy issues. It starts with rediscovering normal sleep patterns and treating sleep like medicine. Acupuncture, herbs and breathing exercises are incorporated with great success. Energy and fatigue issues not related to sleep often involve stress or digestion and respond very well to treatment as well.
Common issues we address include:
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Insomnia
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Difficulty Waking
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Somnolence
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Narcolepsy
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Sleep Apnea
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Snoring
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Restless Leg Syndrome
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Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome
Allergies and Asthma
On last year's CNN Health Report of the top allergy-plagued cities in the U.S., Chattanooga, Tennessee, was ranked 3rd. Thanks largely to the unique geography we all love, our city is home to thousands of flowering species of trees, plants, and grasses, which means plenty of pollen year-round. Combined with indoor and outdoor molds and mildews, it's no mystery why seasonal allergies are so prevalent. The good news is that 99% of allergies can be eliminated or drastically reduced with holistic medicine. Allergies are a function of how well your immune and digestive systems are handling external stressors like pollen and spores. We use a comprehensive approach using acupuncture, herbs and nutritional changes that will not only reduce allergy symptoms, but solve their underlying cause.
There are many types of asthma: acute, chronic, childhood onset, adult onset, exercise/stress induced, etc. The symptoms can be mildly annoying to severely life-threatening. Western medicine focuses merely on suppressing the symptoms with steroids and reversing any fatal attacks using rescue inhalers, but does not address the underlying cause which is the immune system. Holistic medicine has been proven to be effective in reducing the number and severity of asthma attacks and decreasing dependence on pharmaceuticals. However, chronic asthma suffers must be committed to a more extensive treatment plan including herbs, acupuncture and lifestyle modifications in order to attain the best results.
Pediatric Diseases
Let's be honest...most kids don't like doctor visits. They often have to be dragged, kicking and screaming into the office (at worst) or elaborately bribed (at best). Most kids have an inherent fear of needles and white coats.
At Chattanooga Holistic Medicine we provide a kid-friendly treatment area with plenty of toys and prizes and even padded floors. We use a needle-free Japanese technique called Shonishin to treat most cases. Shonishin uses small tools to stimulate the acupoints on the skin's surface. It is just as effective as using needles and the kids all love it.
Common pediatric conditions that we treat include:
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Asthma
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Eczema
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Allergies
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Hives/Rashes
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Upper Respiratory Infections (URI)
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Ear Infections
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Sleep Problems
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Bed Wetting
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ADD/ADHD
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Diarrhea/Constipation
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Behavioral Problems
Preventitive Medicine
"The greatest medicine of all is teaching people how not to need it."
- Hippocrates
It goes without saying that preventing illness is always better than recovering from it. In the ideal word, we would all be eating exactly what we need, getting adequate rest and exercise, and dealing with our stresses before they become serious. Additionally, we would be part of a robust community of other generous, like-minded human beings that supports us and our health. In this world we would be resistant to diseases, especially chronic diseases, and short of some trauma or plague, wouldn't need doctors at all. Unfortunately, this is not the world that we live in now. We are constantly bombarded with toxins, pollutants and other forms of stress which lead to damage and disharmony. Combined with poor lifestyle choices, this disharmony lowers our body's ability to defend and heal itself.
Lucky for us, we have all the tools we need to start living better and preventing future health issues. Our bodies have an innate ability to protect and repair themselves, all we need to do is provide the right environment and attitude. At Chattanooga Holistic Medicine we stand by patient education as the most important medicine we can provide to our patients.