Holistic Pain Management

Are you living with pain? Let us help you change that! Acupuncture, herbal medicine and bodywork excel at relaxing tight muscles, relieving pain, decreasing inflammation, increasing range of motion, improving nerve health, and shifting harmful holding patterns. Choose from our holistic therapies to help you obtain pain relief naturally and make lasting improvements in your health. Schedule your visit with us today!

Acupuncture impacts numerous systems that help reduce your pain. It has been shown to affect the electrical and nervous systems of the body, release endorphins (your innate pain-killing chemicals), reduce substance P (responsible for the sensation of pain), and enhance neurotransmitters. Acupuncture thrives at reducing inflammation and unbinding tight areas. It is an excellent choice for nerve and spine health as well. Acupuncture opens the channels, increases circulation and enables your body’s innate healing abilities. Types of pain we often see and treat successfully: headaches, muscle aches, low back pain, neck and shoulder pain, temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), arthritis, foot pain, autoimmune-related pain, digestive system discomfort, menstrual cramps, sinusitis.

Herbal Medicine mirrors the treatment strategies we take with acupuncture after evaluating your pain, considering your health history and developing a treatment strategy. Herbal formulas are based on the individual’s pattern of imbalance. We select herbs that guide to the area of the body where your pain is located, unblock the channels, decrease inflammation or warm areas impacted by cold (as applicable), increase circulation, relax the sinews, and strengthen your body’s systems and healing ability.

Bodywork/Massage excels at inviting deep relaxation, easing tight fascia and muscles, improving alignment, increasing circulation, and helping you find comfort within your own body. All of Blue Heron’s massage therapists have extensive experience working with the body and achieving impressive, lasting results.

Neurostructural Integration Technique (NST) is a dynamic system of muscle and connective tissue therapy that initiates a process of natural auto regulation to occur in the spinal column and consequently throughout the whole body. The resultant effect of this is comprehensive reorganization of the musculature of the body characterized by a lasting relief from pain and dysfunction, an increase in energy, and an unmistakable sense of wellbeing. NST treats the whole body and addresses every major muscle and joint system as well as affects organic, endocrine and autonomic nervous function. The benefits of NST are not limited to the presenting physical condition but extend to the emotional, cognitive and spiritual levels of healing. Substantial relief is frequently attained after the first session and generally only a few sessions are needed to resolve all but the most serious complaints.  Major shifts and changes often occur after the second or third session. Examples of pain conditions that benefit from NST: spinal conditions, cranial and TMJ conditions, headaches including migraines, neck conditions including whiplash, back conditions including pelvic, lumbar and thoracic, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand conditions, leg, knee, ankle and foot conditions, arthritis and joint conditions, and sports injuries.

Cupping is unique in its application of counterpressure to relax tight muscles. We use heat to create suction with glass cups, lifting and releasing the underlying fascia. Cupping acts as a form of deep massage and unblocks stubborn stagnation, thereby increasing circulation, alleviating pain, opening the channels, and helping you feel like you have a new body! It is also an excellent aid for removing phlegm from the lungs. Note: Most people find cupping enjoyable, but if it is ever uncomfortably tight for you, please let your practitioner know so she can lessen the pressure.

Gua Sha is a manual technique that releases tight fascia and underlying muscles. It opens channels, unblocks stagnation and increases circulation to alleviate pain. While our practitioners often use a soup spoon to employ this simple yet effective technique, gua sha was historically performed with stones, bones, tusks, shells or other natural tools that fit the contours of the body.

Moxa warms areas that have constricted due to cold, enhances circulation to nerves, and relaxes areas of pain. We use this dried form of the herb mugwort to open the channels, invigorate the area, boost qi (energy, metabolic systems) and ease pain.