As a client at Soba, you are a part of the team. Decisions regarding your treatment plans will be made collaboratively between you and our staff. During the detoxification process, medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are utilized to de-intensify the physical effects of withdrawal. These FDA-approved agents have also been proven to increase the success rate of long-term sobriety. Medication therapy is important, but it is only a segment of our treatment strategy. At Soba, holistic medicine is one of our major focuses, which is why our treatment is one of the best. We don’t just treat the disease. Your mental, psychological and emotional health are also our priorities.
What is Holistic Medicine?
Holistic medicine is the type of medicine that not only treats the patient’s disease or condition but also tends to the patient’s psychological, mental, and emotional well-being. Holistic medicine is not a specific type of treatment, rather, it includes different treatment modalities.
The emphasis of holistic medicine relies on the underlying problems instead of treating the symptoms, which are superficial. Another important aspect of holistic medicine is the optimization of one’s health, which addresses properly balanced nutrition, in addition to a person’s emotional and psychological state.
As mentioned above, holistic medicine is an umbrella term for a variety of treatment modalities. They include (but are not limited to) acupuncture, yoga, meditation, reiki, and counseling. Even though holistic medicine is not a new scope of practice, the majority of people are unaware of the treatment strategies that holistic medicine offers along with its healing benefits. In this article, we will focus on one of the most well-known holistic methods, which is acupuncture.
What is Acupuncture
Acupuncture first originated from China more than 2500 years ago. Over time, acupuncture has become a well sought-after method of treatment and preventative medicine. It was not until the early sixteenth century that acupuncture reached European countries and America through merchant trading. The principle foundation of acupuncture is to balance the “flow of life”- known as “chi.” It results in a harmonious body, mind, and spirit. Most of the time, acupuncture is utilized in conjunction with either an exercise therapy or massage along with an herbal or other supplemental diet regimens.
The technique:
According to Chinese medicine, there are “trigger” points, or strategic points, throughout the body. The technique involves the insertion of a very thin needle that is the width of a hair through the skin at these strategic points.
What Is Acupuncture Treatment Used For?
As mentioned above, Oriental medicine believes that stimulating these trigger points in the body results in the balance of “chi.” Western medicine has done basic research to further study the mechanism of action of acupuncture. It has shown that acupuncture works by stimulating the nervous system. It has been understood to affect the regulation of insulin, growth-stimulating hormone, thyroid hormone, and more.
Oriental medicine focuses acupuncture on the treatment of pain and neuropathy. Nowadays, acupuncture is indicated to treat a wide range of conditions from chemotherapy-induced nausea/vomiting, dry mouth, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and smoking cessation.
The myth is that acupuncture is painful, but the truth is that everyone has different thresholds for sensing pain. It is reported by patients that they get very relaxed during the acupuncture sessions and they end up falling asleep or fall into a deep state of relaxation.
Case reports of side effects do exist, however, they are very rare. Allergic reactions to stainless-steel are rarely seen. If you have any type of metal allergy, please inform your practitioner. Bleeding complication is one of the side effects as well, though it is very minimal and does not commonly happen.
Acupuncture in Addiction Treatment
At this point, you might be thinking that acupuncture is a great treatment therapy but how does it help you with your recovery journey. Great question! As you are already aware, Soba’s philosophy is to focus on treating our patients as a whole. We are not just labeling you as a disease or disorder. We get to the root of the problem. As you are being detoxed, medication therapy will be used under stringent monitoring by our expert staff. We also tend your emotional, mental, and psychological health on top of that. Acupuncture has been proven by research to be beneficial in treating pain, anxiety, and depression, which are some of the more common side effects that are expected to be experienced during detox. This is why Soba offers the possibility of incorporating acupuncture into the treatment strategy. We also offer group/individual counseling therapy, stress management, and relationship coaching. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns. We are here for you!