Niamh Moore physical therapy & Acupuncture

28/11/2022

Dry Needling is NOT ACUPUNCTURE!!
Medics warn of dry needling dangers after patient's lung collapsed
Irish doctors have warned of “the danger and potentially significant consequences of dry needling”.
SUN, 20 FEB, 2022 - 11:30
GORDON DEEGAN

Irish doctors have warned of “the danger and potentially significant consequences of dry needling”.
This follows a 24-year-old newly graduated and off-duty junior doctor who presented at the A&E at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar with collapsed lungs after a dry needling session with her physiotherapist.
In a new paper in the February edition of the Irish Medical Journal (IMJ), co-authors, Dr Bryan Dalton and Dr Chloe Swarbrigg state that while collapsed lungs after a dry needling session are a rarity, the case “highlights the danger and potentially significant consequences of dry needling”.
They state: “Given the increased popularity of dry needling, focus should be placed on highlighting the risk involved."
The off-duty junior doctor - a non-smoker - had been suffering from shoulder and neck pain following her final year medical exams and she attended a physiotherapist who performed trigger point deep dry needling targeting sensitive areas of tight muscles at the base of her neck, shoulders, and middle of her back.
The physio inserted in total 12 sterile acupuncture needles in the woman’s back reaching a depth of 40mm.
Coughing up blood
However, over the next 12 hours, the off-duty junior doctor became symptomatic coughing up blood and suffering from acute onset chest pain.
Becoming out of breath on exertion, the woman decided to attend hospital.
Following x-rays of the woman’s lungs, medics diagnosed collapsed lungs or pneumothorax and this occurs when air leaks in the space between a person’s lung and chest wall where the air pushes on the outside of the lung and makes it collapse.
The junior doctor remained in hospital for three days and medics first treated the collapsed lungs with supplemental oxygen “and a needle aspiration was performed on the right side with good effect”.
After being successfully treated, the patient was discharged with no further symptoms.
The medics stated that the part of the body targeted by the physio with the needles along with the patient’s low normal Body Mass Index (BMI) made her high risk when considering the distance from skin to the pleura or the membrane covering the lungs.
In their paper, ‘Acupuncture D - Bilateral Pneumothoraces Following Dry Needling’ the two medics state that their case is distinctive from others amongst the published literature as it is the only case of collapsed lungs after dry needling documented.
Potential adverse effects
They state: “We must begin to fill the distinct lack of available literature surrounding the potential adverse effects of dry needling.”
The two medics state that dry needling is a technique that is relatively new when compared to acupuncture and thus a large gap in the literature exists, particularly regarding adverse events.
They state that whilst similar in appearance, dry needling and acupuncture are inherently different.
The two doctors state that the physiotherapist who carried out the dry needling in the case was made aware of the adverse effect now being more informed, she will be more cognisant of adverse effects in the future.

15/08/2022

How Acupuncture Can Help Sciatica.

Acupuncture works by relaxing tight muscles, improving blood circulation, regulating the nervous system, and releasing neurotransmitters to reduce pain.

Acupuncture has been shown to be an effective treatment for sciatica without the side effects of prescription pain. It is also a safe, non-surgical treatment option that can relieve sciatica pain.
Contact us for more information 0505 23757

19/07/2022

Bells Palsy!

Bells Palsy can be a very frightening experience for people, as the symptoms mimic that of a stroke. Always go and see a medical doctor for a diagnosis first. Once you have your diagnosis, call your acupuncturist! Acupuncture can be very helpful and rapid for a persons recovery. The sooner you go for your first treatment, the faster it resolves and the better the longer term result. In the first week frequent visits are necessary. These are the spaced out depending on progress.

Lets first describe what Bells Palsy is and then as always some of the science.

Bells Palsy is a rapid, one sided weakness to paralysis of the face, that happens suddenly. It can then progressively worsen over the following 48 hours. It is a temporary condition. Generally, it is slow to heal taking 2 weeks, 1 month or even 6 months on average. The more severe it is the longer it takes to heal using a medicated approach. Occasionally it is permanent.

The treatment is usually a course of steroids, prescribed by your GP or a hospital doctor. There is ample evidence to support it's effectiveness (1). The steroids have to be taken within days of the first symptoms occuring. Of course, the people we see as acupuncturists are generally those that it hasn't worked for. I would strongly suggest you consider using both concurrently, if you are taking perscribed steroids. There is no negative interaction between the two. Sometimes, the person simply does not want to take steroids because of their potential side effects. That is a discussion they have with their doctor first. The other people we see, are our clients that have been visiting our clinics regularly for different issues. Their faith in acupuncture is not blind faith, it is experiential with very positive results for them.

Anti virals have not been found to be beneficial (2), even though a viral infection may be the cause of the Bells Palsy. Surgery that was used previously to relive pressure on the facial nerve is not recommended, because of the risks in having the surgery.

The precise reason Bell's Palsy occurs isn't clear. It's often preceded by having a viral infection. There are at least 8 viruses that have been associated with Bells Palsy. There is also a list of other chronic health issues and traumas that can be associated with a person having Bells Palsy. Finally, there is thought to be a genetic component in some cases, where there is a family history and the person has repeated attacks.

It's believed to be the result of swelling and inflammation of the nerve that controls the muscles on one side of your face. The facial nerve controls a complex array of functions, so when it is damaged, the symptoms can vary in type and severity.

Signs are extensive and a person does not necessarily experience all of these. They can be very mild or severe
Change in the ability to taste
Difficulty speaking
Dizziness
Drooling
Eye or mouth dryness
Excessive watering in one eye
Headache
Hypersensitivity to sound
Pain in the jaw or behind the ear
Ringing in the ears
Trouble eating or drinking

There are various studies showing the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for Bells Palsy. Some of them recommend, electroacupuncture (3), which involves a very mild electric current between needles, which is not a painful process. This study suggest it as an add on to medication and physio. I personally have found Distal Needling Acupuncture very effective for people. It does not necessitate any needles in the face or electric current. Distal simply means away from the problem area. I have used electro acupuncture in the past and observed many treatments using electroacupuncture. All were very effective. The enormous relief it brings to people is understandably pure joy or very emotional.

There is a beauty in using two systems of medicine and the results of using both together, can improve a persons outcome dramatically (4). In some countries it is routine, to use the strengths of both Western Medicine and East Asian Medicine. Perhaps, if there wasn't a hierarchical view towards medicine, by some, there would be potential for a lot of money to be saved in healthcare, and enormous benefits to the taxpayer. A system where choice is accessible to everyone, would be very welcome by many people.

Seek immediate medical help if you experience any type of paralysis because you may be having a stroke. Bell's palsy is not caused by a stroke, but it can cause similar symptoms.

Written by Sinead Dee
On the Pulse Clinics

References
1. Madhok VB, Gagyor I, Daly F, Somasundara D, Sullivan M, Gammie F, Sullivan F. Corticosteroids for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2016, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD001942. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001942.pub5.

2. Gagyor I, Madhok VB, Daly F, Sullivan F. Antiviral treatment for Bell's palsy (idiopathic facial paralysis). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD001869. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001869.p

3. Gökçe Kütük S, Özkan Y, Topuz MF, Kütük M. The Efficacy of Electro-Acupuncture Added to Standard Therapy in the Management of Bell Palsy. J Craniofac Surg. 2020 Oct;31(7):1967-1970. doi: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000006537. PMID: 32472874.

4. Effectiveness of strengthened stimulation during acupuncture for the treatment of Bell palsy: a randomized controlled trial. CMAJ. 2013 Apr 2;185(6):473-8

12/06/2022

Are you struggling to get to sleep ? Or waking up after a couple of hours ? Is your mind racing ? If so , try acupuncture, it’s proven to hugely benefit insomnia . Contact Niamh on 0505 23757

17/05/2022

Contact Niamh on 0505 23757

08/03/2022

04/01/2022

Covid safety protocol

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas and Happy New year.

As covid numbers are still rising. I would ask you please to make sure you do a Antigen test before you come for your Appointment

I will also be taking daily Antigen tests to make sure I'm keeping you safe as I can while your in with me.
Thank you for your cooperation

Stay safe

Niamh x

22/12/2021

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and Best wishes for 2022 Thank you for your continued support over the last year. It's very much appreciated 🎅🎄🎈

05/12/2021

Gift Vouchers Available
contact Niamh on 0505 23757/086 1203559

01/11/2021

Traditional Chinese medicine practised in New Zealand will now be regulated under a new law coming into force next week.

27/10/2021

We have a wonderful 'Wellbeing for Mums' series of workshops happening this November. A group coaching program… for busy mums!

Starting Tuesday Nov 9th (10am -1pm)
at Monaincha House & Spa exploring
Wellbeing, Managing stress and anxiety,
Building resilience and Parenting from a place of wellbeing.

Visit www.kathrynmcgrath.ie for details or
phone Kathryn on 087 3489292. Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in your wellbeing.
Program cost €200

25/10/2021

Wellbeing For Mums

22/08/2021

I am often asked at my clinic if acupuncture and herbal medicine can boost the immune system. The answer is yes... they are great at doing this.

Acupuncture is thousands of years old and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has understood immunity for a long time.
A healthy balanced body has a strong and effective immune system. All the things that leave us feeling run down, tired lethargic or depressed will lower immunity and compromise how our bodies respond to pathogens.
It may be that your immune system is already very low. This can be caused by long term stress, recurring infections or excessive use of antibiotics, which can all lower our resistance to disease. If this is the case, regular acupuncture treatments, prescribed herbs and rest make a massive difference and will restore an ailing system quickly and effectively.

21/08/2021

Acupuncture is as Good as Botox and Drugs for Migraine.(1)

Migranes impact a significant proportion of our population. It is estimated that there are approximately 600,000 to 700,000 people in the Republic of Ireland with this condition. Migraine is the most common headache disorder seen by doctors. The incidence is far higher in women than men.

It's treated (preventative and acute) using medications and lifestyle modification recommendations, botox injections and in some cases nerve blocks. One of the medications prescribed specifically for migrane is topiramate. The study referring to acupuncture that I include today is a comparison of Acupuncture with Topiramate or Botox.

The problem for many people, is the medications often come with very unpleasant side effects. This is the case for Topiramate. Side effects can lead to many people with their doctor deciding to stop the treatment. Acupuncture as a stand alone treatment was found to be effective with a statistically significant reduction in episodes. If you are a person that is living with migraines and you haven't tried acupuncture as a preventative choice, it is undoubtedly an option for you. A session of acupuncture is also very effective for many of the accompanying symptoms that often accompany migrane. It significantly reduces stress, it improves sleep quality and it balances hormones. These are all potential triggers of migraine attacks.

Another finding was that taking the medication with Acupuncture reduced the side effects of the medication and for some this solution gives them optimal relief and an ability to manage their lives without the stress caused by a debilitating chronic condition.

What is Migraine and what is the global incidence...

"Migraine is an inherited tendency to have headaches with sensory disturbance. It’s an instability in the way the brain deals with incoming sensory information, and that instability can become influenced by physiological changes like sleep, exercise and hunger." (2) Sensory just refers to any of your senses, sight, sound, taste, touch and smell. Of course the physiological changes mentioned are not an exhaustive list. Like many diagnosed conditions, the cause is often unknown or at least not fully understood.

Migraine is a complex neurological condition which is classified by the World Health Organisation as the 7th most disabling disease worldwide, the 4th for women. (3) This impacts and in many cases prevents a person living a 'normal' life. It stops people carrying out everyday tasks and impacts peoples ability to work, to attend school or college and often social interaction is impossible. There are implications for peoples' earning potential and mental emotional health.

Migraine may mean the person has a headache and some accompanying symptoms, but the implications of having 'only' a headache are hugely impactful and disabling for the person experiencing them.

Writen by Sinead Dee
On the Pulse Clinics

To find an acupuncturist local to you please visit the Acupuncture of Ireland Website.

References

1. Zheng, H., Huang, S.-L., Chen, Y.-Y., Tang, T.-C., Qin, D. and Chen, M. (2021), Topiramate, acupuncture, and BoNT-A for chronic migraine: a network meta-analysis. Acta Neurol Scand, 143: 558-568.

2. Professor Peter Goadsby, Professor of Neurology, King’s College London; Director, NIHR-Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility, King’s College Hospital London; Trustee of The Migraine Trust.

3. Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Vos et al. The Lancet, Volume 386, Issue 9995, Pages 743 – 800, 22 August 2015

For the purposes of a page I'm using a simple easy to follow numbering as opposed to a Harvard Referencing System.

04/05/2021

Menopause Series Cognitive Decline & Alzheimer's Disease

Without your brain who are you?
It gives you the ability to think, to learn new things, to remain independent, to maintain loving relationships, to know where you are, your location and time. Your brain provides you with the freedom of choice that you have currently. Conscious thinking forms part of your personality, some people might even say it is your personality.

Brain health is becoming increasingly more important, as we are living longer. Here are some tips on what is important to include, on a daily basis, for your brain health. Physical activities, brain activities, eat good quality nutrition, get good quality sleep, and significant social interaction. The latter is generally a task women are particularly good at. I appreciate COVID19 has put a bit of a spanner in the works for social meet ups, but there are plenty of online virtual social events to get involved in. It is not the same and doesn't provide the same experience, but the neurons (where all that physiology of thinking occurs) in your brain will benefit regardless. Getting a socially distant walk/run or swim in for now is available to all of us.

I hope you are ready for some of the science. Memory problems associated with menopause are multifactorial. Some of these factors are hormonal changes, such as differing oestrogen levels, higher cortisol (the stress hormone) levels, blood pressure, stress levels, if you have a chronic disease, energy levels, sleep quality etc

Ok first the bad news. The incidence of memory problems in menopause transition is reported by up to 2/3s of women! And the good news, it is thought that these are transient and do not become chronic postmenopausal issues. There is also no evidence that these, what are referred to as functional deficits, are indicative of dementia. (Wagner et al. 2020)

Thats great to know but can acupuncture help you during those years when you feel frustrated and for some women also fearful. You might be that woman who recognises a difference in the following areas of your life. Your mood might be low, your relationships might be difficult, finding the right words sometimes can be difficult and often remembering where you left your keys, your phone and your wallet are a challenge! The great news is yes. Acupuncture is incredibly helpful for brain health.

If you are to look at, Alzheimers Disease which is a disease that affects the brain, then yes acupuncture is effective. Most of you know someone of have met someone with this disease. A meta analysis study on this specifically (which is an examination of many independent studies on the same subject, in order to see trends) by Huang et al. 2019, found that acupuncture provided benefits for cognition (understanding and thinking). They found that acupuncture alone was better than conventional western medicine for the treatment of Alzheimers Disease. Just for clarity, I need to say that a diagnosis of Alzheimers is only given by a medically qualified doctor.

This was a rigorous excellent quality review of the evidence. They compared the use of acupuncture in people who were diagnosed with Alzheimers disease (which causes cognitive decline and is a cause of dementia) to those that were treated with medication alone. The results were conclusive. Acupuncture is better.

Acupuncture has been shown to be helpful in many of the factors, or areas, that are considered to play a role in declining brain health.

It is undoubtedly worthwhile giving regular acupuncture sessions, a place in maintaining your health during the menopausal years.

This brings to an end, for now, the acupuncture menopausal series on the ACI page. I hope you have it really informative.

Sinéad Dee
Acupuncturist, Herbalist and Practice Nurse.

20/03/2021

One of the most commonly experienced symptoms of menopause are vasomotor symptoms (VMS) including hot flushes and night sweats. Although spoken about in conversation, amongst women, and experienced by approximately 70% of women in Western cultures, there still remains somewhat of a taboo. In recent years, there has been a lot more coverage in the media. Rest assured ladies you are not on your own.

There is significant evidence demonstrating the usefulness of acupuncture for reducing the severity and frequency of hot flushes (VAS). Like with most acupuncture treatments, the results are cumulative, meaning the more sessions you have the stronger the effect. You should notice a result at your first treatment. After having, for example, 3 treatments you should see a further reduction in frequency and intensity.

Once you notice a reduction in symptoms, you will also notice further benefits in other areas or your daily life. Sleep quality improves, anxiety levels reduce, better concentration. Partly, because you are not wasting time focusing on all the discomfort your symptoms are causing. A pragmatic randomised control trial by Avis et al. showed 12 months later, improvements were maintained.

The type of study referred to there, simply means, it mimics usual clinical practice. In other words, an acupuncture treatment from a qualified Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)practitioner, who has studied for a minimum of 3 years, and has the skills and experience to do a diagnosis and treatment from a TCM perspective. These studies are critical to inform decision making by patients/clients, clinicians and policy makers. They assess effectiveness of the available medicine. In other words the results for the patients/clients.

In a review by Berezza et al. on acupuncture for sleep disorders, 75% of women reported improvement in sleep following acupuncture treatments.

A review looks are different studies, assessing usefulness of results and choosing relevant studies, in order to assess effectiveness of acupuncture for sleep complaints in this case.

Based on the evidence, acupuncture is a significant consideration, for any woman, experiencing hot flushes either as an add on to HRT or instead of HRT.

In every case lifestyle factors play a huge role, but that is for a whole other blog series!

09/03/2021

WIN a Dream Donegal Property on the Wild Atlantic Way along with £50,000 in cash! Tickets only £10.00 each! Click here to head to Raffall to get your tickets - http://bit.ly/3tOT4ZU

This amazing property comes as is, fully furnished, and ready to move in, mortgage-free with all legal fees + stamp duty paid.

The prize draw hosts will donate 5% of all proceeds to Beaumont Hospital Foundation, Ireland in honour of their parents who sadly passed away less than 8 weeks apart in 2018.

Note: Closing date to enter is 14th May 2021 at 11pm. 150,000 tickets are available.

07/02/2021

Energy Boost
Whether you are in need of a physical or mental energy boost to combat fatigue, acupuncture can offer tremendous benefits in fighting off exhaustion or brain fog. By thoroughly balancing the body's energetic field, an optimal set-point can be reached and all organs can function correctly. As a result, you can experience a state of ease that allows for better quality of rest and becoming pain-free. Stimulating the appropriate neural pathways leads to increased physical stamina and capacity for clear and productive thinking.

Contact Niamh for further details
0505 23757/0861203559

01/02/2021

Sleep Quality Improvement

Sleep Quality Improvement
Acupuncture increases your body's natural ability to produce more melatonin. This hormone — when present in optimal amounts — regulates your sleep- wake cycles. Today, largely thanks to our modern lifestyle and poor sleep habits, it is often underproduced, leading to insomnia, frequent awakenings at night, or being exhausted all the time. If this is ongoing for a prolonged time, it is a breeding ground for other future health problems. Acupuncture will help restore your natural ability to fall — and remain — asleep easily, once again

30/01/2021

Surprising Benefits of Acupuncture

Surprising Benefits of Acupuncture
Most have heard about the amazing effects of acupuncture when it comes to chronic pain reduction and the improvement of life quality with various musculoskeletal disorders. This ancient healing method has a vast number of other physical, mental, and emotional benefits that not many individuals are familiar with. Some of these surprising benefits of acupuncture are the following:

1.Mood Enhancement

2.Headache Relief

3.Sleep Quality Improvement

4.Immune System Support

5.Energy Boost

6.Blood Pressure Control

7.Allergy Reduction

8.Digestive Support

9.Fertility Enhancement

For further information please contact Niamh 086 1203559 0r 0505 23757

06/01/2021

New year, New You!? Nah, you're already fabulous! But maybe a new face cream can help you feel a little less weary and illuminate your skin 💕And with 20% off it can be guilt-free ###

Renew and re-balance with our Voya regenerating facial duo for combination/oily skin types. Containing their award-winning marine facial clay mask and refining gel exfoliator, this is the perfect set for soft and radiant skin. Bundle Duo Includes: Luminosity – Refining Radiance Exfoliator (50ml) Give dull skin a new lease of life with our active exfoliating mask with 89% certified organic ingredients. Formulated using seaweed and pineapple enzymes which work to eliminate dead skin cells and minimize the visibility of pores, leaving skin radiant and smooth. Get Glowing – Illuminating Clay Mask (50ml) Voya's award-winning illuminating marine face mask contains a blend of rosemary, eucalyptus, and mineral-rich Irish seaweed to deeply detoxify, purify, re-balance and heal the skin, leaving a soft and radiant complexion.

https://monainchahouse.com/product/voya-regenerating-duo-combination-oily-skin/

30/12/2020

Yin Tang, located between the eyebrows in the area often referred to as “The Third Eye”, is a frequently chosen acupuncture point due to its calming and grounding quality. Pressure on, or needling of “The Upper Dan Tian” or energy centre in the forehead, can have a noticeably relaxing effect.

In the clinic I often use this point to calm stress and anxiety, as well as for overthinking. Yin Tang is also helpful for insomnia, headaches, and sinus congestion. It’s also the focal point for Chinese head massage, where we work outwards from this area. Interestingly, Yin Tang also stimulates the Pineal Gland which is responsible for the production of Melatonin and is a point of choice when someone is challenged by seasonal changes (hello Irish winter!).

04/11/2020

According to Oriental medicine, autoimmune disorders occur when there is imbalance within the body. Imbalance can come from an excess or deficiency o

25/10/2020

GIVE THE GIFT OF ORGANIC BEAUTY - Christmas arrived early this week at Monaincha with our delivery of the Voya Organic's Christmas Gift Sets, which are now available to buy on our online store.

These seasonal giftsets are sustainable, functional, and aimed at creating luxury sensory experiences to help you find balance and wellness in uncertain times. They will bring the purity of Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast and a spa experience into your home and sanctuary this Festive Season. A Natural Touch Of Beauty Collection sets includes, Antioxidant and Collagen rich Facial Kits, as well as Body & Home, sets including one for targeting the restorative powers of sleep.

02/09/2020

Bernie is delighted to be back in Monaincha House & Spa, Saturday 5th September.

SEPTEMBER SAVINGS 30 mins Psychic Reading & 30mins Energy Healing treatment only €60.

Early booking advisable call 086 3688583💜

04/06/2020

14/05/2020

Barbicide certificate of proper sanitation and disinfection practices and procedures consistent with the current highest industry standards.

27/04/2020

Hello to all my lovely clients. I'm getting a lot of calls & texts to know when do I plan to reopen........unfortunately I'm in the same boat as everyone else, rest assured I'll post here & text you when I'm allowed to open again.
Stay safe... stay home.... and we,ll meet up sooner. Niamh x
The Acupuncture Council of Ireland is conducting a short survey, when you get a chance would you mind filling it in. I wont see the results from this and it is completely anonymous.

We are conducting a short survey to see how you have been doing since acupuncture clinics closed a few weeks ago and how willing you would be to return when we reopen. We would really appreciate you taking the time to complete and submit our online survey. Thank you! * = answer required

15/02/2019

How Acupuncture Can Help Allergies

How Acupuncture Can Help Allergies

Those with allergies suffer many unpleasant symptoms. Luckily, Chinese medicine offers effective relief for allergic rhinitis, including nasty symptoms like itchy, red, watery eyes, digestive disturbances, itchy throat or skin, congestion, postnasal drip, and sneezing.

09/02/2019

New Study Suggests Acupuncture Can Remap the Brain to Relieve Chronic Pain

New Study Suggests Acupuncture Can Remap the Brain to Relieve Chronic Pain

Acupuncture is an ancient medical practice, but new research shows it has the ability to remap our brains and reduce the symptoms of chronic pain.