Kara Acupuncture & Wellness

11/21/2025

I love Thanksgiving, the celebration, the connection, and of course, the food! But the traditional holiday meal, while comforting, often includes rich, heavy dishes that can leave the body feeling inflamed, sluggish, or out of balance. From sugar-laden desserts to high-fat comfort foods, the Thanksgiving table can trigger inflammatory responses that affect digestion, sleep, energy, and even pain levels.
Thankfully, acupuncture offers a gentle, effective way to support the body before and after the festivities. By regulating inflammation, improving digestion, calming the nervous system, and supporting detoxification, acupuncture can help you enjoy Thanksgiving traditions without the physical consequences lingering into December.

Learn more in my latest blog below https://www.aculaura.com/blog/2025/11/21/thanksgiving-foods-inflammation-and-how-acupuncture-helps-restore-balance

Discover how Thanksgiving foods can trigger inflammation and how acupuncture helps restore balance before and after the holiday. Learn the science behind inflammation and the TCM perspective on digestive health.

11/14/2025

As the temperatures drop, many people notice their chronic aches, especially low back pain. From a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) perspective, this is no coincidence. Cold is considered a pathogenic factor that can invade the body, constricting the flow of Qi (vital energy) and Blood, leading to stagnation and pain.

In TCM, the low back is governed by the Kidney meridian, which is especially sensitive to cold and deficiency. When exposed to cold or damp environments—like sitting on cold surfaces, walking barefoot on tile floors, or living in drafty spaces—the cold can “penetrate” deeply into the meridians of the lower back. This results in stiffness, heaviness, and aching sensations that worsen with cold weather or inactivity.

Learn how cold weather contributes to low back pain from an acupuncturist’s perspective. Discover how acupuncture, moxibustion, and TCM principles help restore warmth, balance, and lasting relief.

11/08/2025

Happy beautiful Saturday!
My mood is very much governed by the weather...
I don't know about you, but since turning the clocks back, I've been a little sad. Some of my patients experience something more severe - Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) —a type of recurrent depression that occurs at specific times of year, most commonly in fall and winter. It affects many individuals who find themselves experiencing low mood, fatigue, increased sleep and appetite, and reduced motivation as the seasons change. Bright-light therapy is an excellent treatment, as is acupuncture! Read here to learn more. https://www.aculaura.com/blog/2025/11/7/acupuncture-for-seasonal-affective-disorder-sad-supporting-mood-amp-rhythm-through-the-seasons

Explore how acupuncture supports those with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) by balancing mood, regulating sleep-wake rhythms, and enhancing resilience during seasonal transitions.

11/01/2025

Lots of foot and ankle issues coming to my clinic lately! Whether it be repetitive strain, stress fractures, sports injuries, sprains, or chronic conditions like plantar fasciitis and arthritis, electro-acupuncture can really help. Foot and ankle pain can significantly limit mobility and quality of life. Electro-acupuncture (EA)—a modern adaptation of traditional acupuncture—has been gaining recognition as a powerful therapeutic method for enhancing healing, improving circulation, and reducing inflammation in the foot and ankle. Read more in my blog below!

Discover how electro-acupuncture supports foot and ankle recovery by improving circulation, reducing inflammation, and enhancing nerve healing—backed by modern scientific research.

10/24/2025

In the world of sports medicine, recovery is just as important as training. Athletes—from professionals to weekend warriors—are increasingly turning to acupuncture to accelerate healing, reduce pain, and improve performance. Acupuncture offers a natural, evidence-supported method to promote the body’s self-repair mechanisms, making it a valuable complement to conventional sports rehabilitation.

Learn more in my latest blog (link in bio)

Discover how acupuncture enhances athletic recovery, reduces pain, and supports performance in sports medicine. Explore the scientific evidence behind acupuncture’s role in muscle repair and inflammation control.

10/20/2025

So grateful to have been at this three day intensive studying sports medicine acupuncture in Mesa AZ. Thank you to all the experts!

10/10/2025

I am often asked where acupuncture came from and how it pertains to illnesses today. I hope this article clarifies those questions.
Acupuncture, one of the oldest healing arts in human history, has continually evolved while maintaining its philosophical and energetic roots in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). From there, it branched out to different Asian countries who have their own traditional styles in acupuncture like Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and even Indonesia.
Acupuncture was brought to this country in 1971, after journalist to Nixon, James B. Reston had an emergency appendectomy in China and Chinese doctors used acupuncture to manage his post-operative pain. He wrote about his experience in The New York Times.
Today, acupuncture seamlessly bridges ancient wisdom with modern science, creating a comprehensive approach to health and healing that addresses both body and mind. It is not only used to treat stress and pain, but inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, metabolic and hormonal disorders and other modern lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, insomnia, digestive disorders, etc, etc.

Learn more in my latest blog (link in bio)

Discover how acupuncture blends ancient healing philosophies with modern scientific techniques to support balance, pain relief, and holistic wellness in the modern age.

10/03/2025

Sciatic Nerve Pain, commonly referred to as Sciatica is probably the most common ailment that I treat. Changes in the spine, or tight muscles around the glutes are a common cause. Pain can be in the low back and travel through the back, side or even front of the thigh and travel all the way down to different parts of the foot. Typically, sciatica is on one side of the body. Read my latest blog below to learn more!

Discover how electro-acupuncture helps relieve sciatic nerve pain and dysfunction. Learn how this integrative therapy reduces inflammation, promotes nerve repair, and is supported by scientific research.

10/03/2025

October special! When you refer a friend: they get $50 off their first appointment, and you get $50 off your next appointment. Your discount applies after your friend completes their first visit.

09/26/2025

My practice is suddenly filling with patients coming in for fertility support. Fertility challenges affect millions of people worldwide, often leaving couples feeling overwhelmed and searching for safe, effective solutions. Acupuncture has gained increasing recognition in the field of reproductive health for its potential to support fertility naturally. By promoting balance within the body, regulating hormones, and improving blood flow to reproductive organs, acupuncture offers hope to those navigating the complex journey of conception.
Learn more in my latest blog below!

Discover how acupuncture supports fertility by regulating hormones, reducing stress, and improving reproductive health. Learn how scientific research validates acupuncture’s role in natural conception and IVF support.

09/24/2025

I will often incorporate using Diode rings into a treatment. Master Kawaii from Japan invented this treatment to promote the healing of stressed, inflamed or injured tissue. In her case, we are trying to desensitize the scar and surrounding tissue which has been ultra sensitive to the point where she can't have a necklace or shirt even rub against her. You can see before and after how much less red her scar is - an indication of healing.

09/12/2025

Just spotted this sweetheart camo from on my deck. How do they so that?!