Eyton Shalom, M.S., L.Ac., has been Licensed as an Acupuncturist, Dry Needling specialist, and Chinese Herbal Medicine expert in San Diego, CA. for over 32 years, since 1992.

He has been an Acupuncture Clinical Supervisor and Professor of Chinese Herbs, Medical History, and Nutrition at Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in Mission Valley, San Diego, for 6 years.

In addition, Eyton has owned clinics in San Diego’s Hillcrest and Mission Hills neighborhoods, and has been in North Park now since 2006.

 

Acupuncture and Dry Needling for Sports Injuries and Pain

 

Eyton loves practicing Acupuncture and Dry Needling in San Diego because our city attracts both world class athletes and people who love physical fitness. Its a pleasure to help athletes get back their sport, just as it is to help people with chronic pain return to pain-free lives.

 

How Does Acupuncture Work?

 

Acupuncture and Qi Flow

 

During an acupuncture treatment we place fine needles into the skin and muscles at specific places. These acupuncture points are where the Qi energy of the acupuncture channels rises to the surface of the body.

Imagine underground water bubbling up into a spring. It is here that we can use the needle to influence the movement of the Qi.

 

Why Use Acupuncture Needles to Move Qi?

 

Disease and pain are caused by “stagnation of Qi.” What do we mean by “stagnation of Qi, or Qi stasis, or blocked or stuck Qi?”

Well, Qi stagnation is an obstruction in the normal flow of energy in the body.

This obstruction can be from chronic tension, overuse, sports injuries, hormonal imbalances, poor tissue nourishment, poor blood circulation, and other pathologies.

By needling the acupuncture channels that pass through your area of pain, we unblock the Qi flow. And this restores the healthy flow of  Qi and Blood thru the area, and through your whole body. This helps you heal without drugs or surgery.

 

Why Pay Attention to Your Qi stagnation?

 

Because It Is Blockage of Qi Flow That Causes Pain and Disease

 

Classical Chinese Medicine Acupuncture theory explains that when your flow of Qi is blocked, then pain and disease will follow.

 

Examples of Pain and Disease Caused by Qi Stagnation

 

Tension Headache

 

A simple example is the tension headaches caused by mental tension that in turn tightens your muscles.

For example, after 3 months of overwork under stressful conditions, like working in new job or for a start up, you are in the Fight aspect of Fight or Flight. This causes muscular tension.

Acupuncture immediately calms your nervous system, puts you into the relaxation response, and helps the muscles that cause your headache to relax.  Now your pain disappears.

 

Indigestion, GERD, Gastritis

 

Another example is the indigestion that occurs with wrong eating or overeating. A very simple case of Qi stagnation from putting too much fuel in the burner, or putting in the wrong fuel, whether its gluten or too much chile sauce.

GERD and Gastritis are often secondary to stressful circumstances, sometime emotional, typically combined with poor food choice and bad eating habits. All of which cause stagnation of your stomach Qi!

 

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

 

How about IBS? IBS is a deeper kind of gut issue that’s tied to the nervous system obstructing the normal function of your intestines. Again, this is made worse by diet, especially gluten and wheat.

 

Do You Have Anxiety?

 

Uncontrolled movement of Qi that begins in the nervous system (mind)  creates “movement where there should be calm”. Symptoms of anxiety include nervousness, the inability to relax or to stop thinking, tossing and turning at night, insomnia.

We can use acupuncture needles to discharge the accumulated stress in your nervous system. Now you entire body relaxes and you mind feels calmer. You will notice your heart beat slow down.

 

What is Qi?

 

Qi is our life force.

 

It is the difference between a living body and a dead one.

You Qi is what makes everything in a living being move, from the smallest intracellular process, like the production of mitochondrial DNA, to the movement of saliva into the mouth at the smell of food.

In fact, the Chinese character for Qi represents steam rising off a pot of freshly cooked rice. Rice was the staff of life in China; no rice, no life.

And, by representing steam, and not the rice itself, that hints at the characteristics of Qi– warm, mobile, and etheric. It flows in your Acupuncture channels.

 

Qi is a Biological Force

 

But Qi is very much a biological force.

For example, our heart beating is the movement of Qi that circulates the blood. Its the circulating blood which nourishes  our tissues.  But this blood movement depends on the movement of Qi!

Its why when you are terrified, your heart beats fast. What causes that? Your mind, via your nervous system!

Its why when you are calm, when you meditate or do Tai Qi, your heart slows down.

We think of that nervous system response as your Qi response. We can affect that response directly with Acupuncture needles.

 

Acupuncture Vs. Dry Needling: What’s the Difference?

 

Move the Qi In Your Channels with Acupuncture

 

Acupuncture is based on the ancient Chinese maps that charted the flow of Qi thru discrete Acupuncture channels. Our maps are 2000 year old. Our Acupuncture points are even older.

To practice acupuncture you need to memorize and understood the flow of Qi thru these channels, (or “meridians”), and how to access it thru the acupuncture points.

Once you have learned the basics, which takes about 4 years, then you can treat the underlying “energetic” patterns  associated with disease and pain.

 

Dry Needling Deactivates Trigger Points

 

Dry Needling, on the other hand, is based on a knowledge of Western defined Anatomy.

It emphasizes the location of Trigger Points and Motor points. And it also looks at the relationship between fascia and the muscles.

 

What is Fascia?

 

Fascia is connective tissue that operates as a kind of weave that helps muscles communicate with each other.

Muscles have discrete origins and insertions but have no way to communicate with each other.

We now understand, its the fascial flow over and through the muscle layers and does their communicating for them!

 

Fascial Flow is How Muscles Work!

 

The fascial flow is basic to how muscles behave in health, injury and chronic pain.

Fascia, like muscles, contract under stress. So we can use dry needling to unlock tight fascia so your muscles can return to their normal length. And now they can heal.

This is an amazing therapy for plantar fascitis, tendonitis, tennis elbow, bulging and herniated disc, back, neck and shoulder pain, headaches, even menstrual pain.

 

We Release Muscles and Fascia with Motor Points and Trigger Points

 

What are Trigger Points and Motor Points?

 

Activated trigger points, or TrPs are dysfunctional muscle spindles within neuromuscular motor points. They are located primarily in muscles and fascia, and when “turned on” they are painful.

 

Dry Needling Deactivates Trigger Points and Unlocks Motor Points

 

With dry needle therapy we can deactivate the trigger points that are cause of so much pain. We can stimulate the motor points that tell the fascia and muscles to return to their normal resting position. See more here.

But in addition to causing pain directly, activated trigger points and locked down motor points cause pain indirectly.

This is because they are associated with shortened muscles and fascia. Shortened fascia and muscles become stiff and painful. Worse, is that shortened muscle and fascia lose there ability to contract with full force. They become weak.

Dry needling “unlocks” the shortened tight muscles and fascia that cause pain, from headache, neck, and shoulder pain, to the pain of bulging discs and even muscle tears.

 

Treat the Person; Not Just the Disease

 

In my years practicing Acupuncture and Dry Needling here in San Diego since 1992, I have gotten excellent results using both acupuncture and dry needling.

Which method I use depends on the case. I often use both, because I treat people and not only diseases.

For example, I will use Dry Needling on a rotator cuff injury to help get rid of the inflammation that causes the pain. I deactivate the trigger points and stimulate the motor points. Now, as if by magic, your pain resolves as your fascia and muscles return to normal.

But if you are also very tense, and not sleeping well, I will get a better result if I also use points on the Acupuncture channels to help relieve tension and calm your mind.

I do this all the time.

 

What I Have Had Success with Acupuncture and Dry Needling

 

Pain and Injuries

 

Chronic Pain

 

• Tension and Migraine Headaches
• Low Back Pain
• TMJ
• Neck Pain, Shoulder Pain, Whiplash, Rotator Cuff Pain, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Nerve Entrapment Injuries

 

Sports Injuries and Acute Pain

 

• Tennis Elbow, Golfers Elbow, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Tendinitis, Tendosynovitis
• Snow boarder’s injuries
• Repetitive and Overuse Injuries
• Trigger Finger

 

• Herniated Discs–Cervical and Lumbar
• Hip Pain, IT band syndrome, runners muscular injuries
• Knee Pain, Calf tightness,
• Achilles Tendonitis
• Plantar Fascitis
• Heel Spurs
• Morton’s Neuroma
• Coccydynia, (Tail Bone Pain)

 

Internal Medicine

 

• Allergies, Hay Fever, Sinusitis, Pediatric and Adult Ear Infections
• Anxiety, Depression
• Insomnia, Fatigue in the Morning, Restless Sleep
• Weak Immune System–Frequent Colds, Flu, Lung Infection
• Mono/Epstein Barr, Chronic Fatigue, Metabolic Disorders
• Herpes Simplex and Herpes Zoster–Immune system and Pain related issue

 

From Colds to Prostatitis

 

• Colds, Flu, Bronchitis, Asthma
• Dry Eye and Mouth
• Gallstones
• Kidney Stones
• High Blood Pressure/Hypertension
• Bell’s Palsy
• Chronic Prostatitis,

 

Skin Disorders

 

• Acne Vulgaris
• Hormonal Acne
• Cystic Acne
• Acne Rosacea
• Alopecia Areata (Auto-Immune Hair Loss)
• Eczema
• Acute and Chronic Hives
• Psoraisis

 

 

Gut Disorders (Gastrointestinal)

 

• GERD
• Difficulty Swallowing
• Gastritis
• Stomach Ulcer
• Bloating

 

• Chronic Indigestion
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS
• Diverticulitis
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Chronic Constipation
• Chronic Diarrhea
• Hemorrhoids, Anal Fissure

 

Women’s Health

 

• PMS–Swollen Painful Breast, Bloating, Constipation, Acne, Irritability, Crying at things you would not normally cry at
• Painful Periods, Irregular Periods, Heavy Bleeding with or without Clots
• Endometriosis, Ovarian Cysts, Uterine Fibroids
• Menopausal Issues–Heavy Bleeding, Night Sweats, Hot Flashes, Feeling Not Yourself
• Infertility
• Nausea During Pregnancy,
• Post-Partum Depression
• Bladder Infections (UTI)
• Interstitial Cystitis (IC)
• Acute and Chronic Yeast Infections

 

Thank you! For more information on my approach to the use of Acupuncture for treating disease, see the posts that follow this page, below.