Influenza, or the flu, is a respiratory infection caused by a variety of viruses and the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that nearly 35 to 50 million Americans come down with the flu during each flu season. Children are also two to three times more likely to catch the flu than adults, and if not properly treated, anyone can spread the virus to others.
Signs of the flu include:
- fever (high temperatures)
- severe aches and pains in the joints and muscles around the eyes
- fatigue
- flushed skin and red, watery eyes
- headache
- dry cough
- sore throat and watery discharge from your nose
Although most people generally recover from this illness, the CDC estimates that in the United States more than 100,000 people are hospitalized and about 36,000 people die from the flu and associated complications every year. For this reason, it is important to practice preventative measures to make sure you don't contract the virus, and if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms, acupuncture and herbal medicine accelerate a full recovery.
Dr. Christopher Trahan is a Licensed Acupuncturist and nationally board certified in Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine (NCCA). Dr. Trahan is also the founder and medical director of the Olympus Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine. As an experienced homeopathic physician with over 30 years of experience, he holds a Doctorate in Oriental Medicine, and uses his skilled professional training to treat flu symptoms and other associated health risks. By getting to know his patients and asking a series of questions, he finds the root causes of their illness and treats flu like symptoms with a series of acupuncture treatments and herbal medicine.
How can Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine help?
Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine help to prevent the flu by strengthening the body’s immune system. Each person has an underlying constitutional weakness that leaves their body weak and exposed in one area or another and this weakness can lead to some people catching the flu. Acupuncture and herbal medicine works by strengthening each person's underlying weakness, thus boosting their immune system. This form of medicine is an effective addition or alternative to flu shots that inject a variation of the virus into a person to immunize them from the illness. By using acupuncture and/ or herbal medicine, natural health is promoted by boosting your immune system to prevent illness.
To prevent yourself from contracting illnesses like the flu, it is important to practice good health, even when you are not sick. Acupuncture can help to keep the body in peak condition, and regular exercise as well as a proper diet and herbal and nutritional supplements can keep viruses from taking hold. With acupuncture and herbal medicine fromDr. Trahan at the Olympus Center, you can be on your way to a healthier lifestyle today. Many of our clients obtain herbal formulas to have on hand so they can immediately treat the onset of symptoms.
