Acne
Acne is the term for congested and inflamed skin conditions that manifest with clogged pores, pimples, cysts or nodules that occur on the face, neck, chest, scalp, back, shoulders and upper arms. In most cases, acne starts in the early teens and can last into the early twenties and beyond. Generally young men will have more severe and lasting forms of acne and young women will often have cycles of acne associated with monthly hormonal changes. There are many causes for acne and these include hormones, diet, vitamin deficiencies, stress, environmental factors, and inappropriate skin care products that can aggravate the skin.

Aesthetician
Aestheticians, also spelled estheticians, are licensed skin care professionals who specialize in the education, preventive care and treatment of the skin, by offering non-invasive treatments, such as facials, light chemical peels, exfoliation, make-up application and other skin care therapies.

Acupuncture
Traditional Chinese Medicine technique that can can be administered by using needles, low-voltage electric current (electro acupuncture), or pinpoint massage (acupressure). Acupuncture evolved from principles and philosophies unique to Oriental thinking, principally that all living beings have a vital energy that circulates throughout the body. An imbalance in the flow of this energy can manifest in many health issues, and one of the principal objectives in acupuncture is to restore the balance and flow of vital energy to the body.

Aromatherapy
According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, “aromatherapy can be defined as the art and science of utilizing naturally extracted aromatic essences from plants to balance, harmonize and promote the health of body, mind and spirit.  It is an art and science which seeks to explore the physiological, psychological and spiritual realm of the individual's response to aromatic extracts as well as to observe and enhance the individual's innate healing process.  As a holistic medicine, aromatherapy is both a preventative approach as well as an active treatment during acute and chronic stages of illness or 'dis'-ease.”
Treatments such as massage, facials, body wraps, or hydrotherapy often include essential oils recognized for different therapeutic benefits. In addition to essential oils, aromatherapy encourages the use of other complementary natural ingredients including cold pressed vegetable oils, jojoba (a liquid wax), hydrosols, herbs, milk powders, sea salts, sugars (an exfoliant), clays and muds.

Arthritis
There are many types of arthritis, a condition that affects the musculoskeletal system and specifically the joints - where two or more bones meet. Arthritis-related joint problems can include pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joint cartilage (the tough, smooth tissue that covers the ends of the bones, enabling them to glide against one another) and surrounding structures. Although many arthritis conditions primarily affect the muscles and bones,  forms of arthritis are classified as systemic, meaning they can affect the whole body. In these diseases, arthritis can cause damage to virtually any bodily organ or system, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels and skin.
Below are a few facts and descriptions from the Arthritis Foundation:
www.arthritis.org/facts.php
Number of Americans with arthritis or chronic joint symptoms:

  • 1985 - 35 million
  • 1990 - 37.9 million
  • 1998 - nearly 43 million (1 in 6 people)
  • 2006 – 46 million (nearly 1 in 5 adults)
  • Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health problems and the nation’s leading cause of disability among Americans over age 15.
  • Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability.
  • Arthritis limits everyday activities such as walking, dressing and bathing for more than 7 million Americans.
  • Arthritis results in 39 million physician visits and more than a half million hospitalizations.
  • Costs to the U.S. economy totals $128 billion annually.
  • Arthritis affects people in all age groups including nearly 300,000 children.
  • Baby boomers are now at prime risk. More than half those affected are under age 65.
  • Half of those Americans with arthritis don’t think anything can be done to help them.
  • Arthritis refers to more than 100 different diseases that affect areas in or around joints.
  • Arthritis strikes women more often than men.

 

Overall arthritis:

  • Women - 24.3 million of the people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis
  • Men - 17.1 million of the people with doctor-diagnosed arthritis

The disease also can affect other parts of the body. Arthritis causes pain, loss of movement and sometimes swelling. Some types of arthritis are:

  • Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage that covers the ends of bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of movement as bone begins to rub against bone. It is the most prevalent form of arthritis.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease in which the joint lining becomes inflamed as part of the body’s immune system activity. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling types, affecting mostly women.
  • Gout, which affects mostly men. It is usually the result of a defect in body chemistry. This painful condition most often attacks small joints, especially the big toe. Fortunately, gout almost always can be completely controlled with medication and changes in diet.
  • Ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that affects the spine. As a result of inflammation, the bones of the spine grow together.
  • Juvenile arthritis, a general term for all types of arthritis that occur in children. Children may develop juvenile rheumatoid arthritis or childhood forms of lupus, ankylosing spondylitis or other types of arthritis.
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), a serious disorder that can inflame and damage joints and other connective tissues throughout the body.
  • Scleroderma, a disease of the body’s connective tissue that causes a thickening and hardening of the skin.
  • Fibromyalgia, in which widespread pain affects the muscles and attachments to the bone. It affects mostly women.

Autoimmune Disease
A condition caused when an individual's immune system reacts against his or her own organs and tissues.

Balneotherapy
Centuries of traditions throughout the world provide various examples of balneotherapy,
The art and science of bathing to enhance the immune system, stimulate the circulatory and lymph systems, relieve pain and stress, dilate tissues and vessels and stimulate the healing process.
 
Behavior Modification
Behavior modification can utilize a variety of techniques that can focus on altering individual behavior, changing the environment, and introducing new ways of learning and thinking with positive and/or negative stimulus and/or reinforcement. In holistic health care, an example of changes in personal habits would be achieved through a repetition of desired behaviors that are acknowledged with positive reinforcement and measurable results such as weight loss.

Biofeedback
Biofeedback is a process that provides visual or sound information about physiological processes, such as heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension, and enables patients to develop conscious control these processes. This modality can be beneficial to help stoke victims regain movement, help anxious patients to relax, and assist patients with pain management.

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, (BHRT), is used to help treat the symptoms of menopause, perimenopause, and post-menopause with custom compounded hormones products that can be administered orally, injected, topically to the skin, or through suppositories.

Blood Pressure
Blood pressure refers to the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. Each time the heart beats (about 60-70 times a minute at rest), it pumps out blood into the arteries and this process is measured in two ways. The first is systolic pressure, when the heart beats, pumping blood, and the second process is the diastolic pressure when the heat is at rest in between beats. Normal blood pressure is usually 120/80.

Bursitis
Inflammation of the bursae, fluid-filled sacs that ease friction between tendons and bones (and tendons and ligaments), causing swelling and pain.

 Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is a complementary and alternative medicine health care profession that addresses the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders on the musculoskeletal system and functions of the nervous systems. Treatments typically emphasize manual therapy, spinal adjustment and soft tissue manipulation. A lifestyle assessment is also an import part of chiropractic care, addressing diet, structural, exercise, psychological, and environmental factors on the patient.

Connective Tissue
The material that holds various body structures together; cartilage, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels are composed entirely of connective tissue.

Collagen Therapy
Collagen is part of the natural structure of skin. The loss of collagen can be attributed to various factors such as the aging process, sun exposure, pollution, nutrition, level of activity to stimulate healthy circulation and heredity. In a therapeutic application for aesthetic purposes, an Injection of collagen beneath the skin with a fine needle is used to fill out wrinkles and lines and add definition.

Color Therapy
Also known as chromatherapy, this modality utilizes light and color through various physical sources such as colored rooms, colored light filters, gemstones, and art as well as through visualization to assist in healing and balancing.  

Complementary Medicine
Complementary medicine refers to a group of therapeutic and diagnostic disciplines that exist largely outside the institutions where conventional health care is taught and provided.

Cosmeceuticals
Topical cosmetic-pharmaceutical combinations intended to improve the health and appearance of skin that are typically dispensed by a medical professional and often require a prescription. 

Cranio-Sacral Therapy
Treatment that focuses on the connection between the skull and the base of the spine along the spinal column. Gentle palpitations in those areas by a trained professional can be effective in the release of circulatory blockages of the cerebral-spinal fluid and allow it to flow more freely.

Detoxification (detox)
Cleansing the body of poisons or toxins that may have accumulated through environmental exposure to drinking water, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyis), VOCs (volatile organic compounds from paints, carpets, and a wide variety of building materials that can adversely effect indoor air quality), pesticides, mold, fungus, and heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead. Exposure to environmental toxins can be a factor to many disorders such as endocrine and hormonal imbalances and diseases such as cancer.

Dermatology
Dermatology addresses the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the skin, hair and nails. Depending on the doctor's specialty, the dermatologist can treat a wide variety of conditions such as skin cancers melanomas, moles, tumors, inflammatory skin disorders, systemic and infectiousness diseases. 
In recent decades the field of cosmetic dermatology has grown, and the specialty also includes invasive and noninvasive aesthetic procedures that can minimize wrinkles, reduce pigmentation and increase overall tone and texture of the skin.

Environmental Toxins
Living in the modern world exposes everyone to thousands of chemicals such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyis), VOCs (volatile organic compounds from paints, carpets, and a wide variety of building materials that can adversely effect indoor air quality), pesticides, mold, fungus, and heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic and lead. Exposure to environmental toxins can be a factor to many disorders such as endocrine and hormonal imbalances and diseases such as cancer.  Many environmental toxins cannot be seen or tasted yet they have saturated water, food and air throughout the world. These chemicals can be attributed to many diseases and disorders and require ongoing proactive measures to minimize their impact on the human body.

Exercise
Exercise is any activity such as sports, yoga, dance, and swimming that engages movement and muscles, increasing the amount of oxygen delivered through the circulatory system and generally improving cardiovascular health, reducing stress, increasing bone density, improving sleep and overall quality of life.

Essential Oils
Essential oils are extracted from flowers, grasses, fruits, leaves, roots, or trees. The oils maintain the odors and tastes, and thus the essence, of the plant they are extracted from and are useful additions in massage, baths and various therapeutic treatments.

Exfoliation
Procedure to remove top layer of dead skin cells off the face or body with abrasive action. Dry brush, loofah scrub, and salt glow are among the techniques used in conjunction with ingredients that include grape seed, sugar, clay, and/or salt.

Facial
Facials are performed by licensed skin care professionals, who begin with a skin analysis followed with a series of techniques including massaging, cleansing, toning, steaming, exfoliating, and moisturizing the skin

Herbal Medicine
Herbal medicine, also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine, refers to the use of any plant's seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes. Plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history and are utilized throughout the world for treatment and prevention of disease.
           
Herbal Wrap
Treatment using strips of cloth soaked in a heated herbal mixture to wrap around the body. It is used for relaxation and depending on herbs used, can be effective for stimulating a sweat in detoxification programs.

Holistic Medicine
System of heath care that looks at the entire person, taking into account physical, nutritional, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual and lifestyle values.

Homeopathy
Homeopathy has been widely used throughout the world for more than 200 years and is a form of medicine based on the principle that "like cures like" to stimulate the body to heal itself by treating patients with minute quantities of natural substances that cause symptoms much like those of the disease they are meant to cure.
Homeopathic remedies are drawn from plants, minerals, animals and work by gently boosting the natural energy of the body, and are very safe, even for pregnant and sensitive patients with no danger of addiction or toxicity.

Hydrotherapy
Treatment using water therapeutically to aid relaxation in a variety of procedures such as underwater jet massage, different types of showers, and mineral baths. Thalassotherapy, using seawater or marine based products such as algae, seaweed, or salt are often used in therapeutic hydrotherapy programs.

Gout
Arthritis caused by uric acid crystals. This disorder develops after tiny crystals of uric acid (a biological waste product) accumulate in joints, causing swelling extreme sensitivity. Abnormally high levels of uric acid may result from diet, some types of kidney disease, alcohol consumption or for unknown reasons when the body produces too much uric acid.

Inflammation
A response to injury or foreign invasion designed to protect the body; the symptoms are heat, redness, swelling, and pain.

Lymph Drainage
Form of massage in which hands and fingers apply gentle, wave-like movements meant to stimulate circulation in the lymph system to drain away excess fluids and trapped toxins.

Lyme Disease
An infectious disease transmitted by a tick bite; characterized by rash, flulike symptoms, and inflammation of the heart, nerves, and joints.

Massage Therapies
Manipulation of tissues, usually manually, to improve health and well-being by relaxing muscles, relieving tension, and improving circulation.

Meditation
Practice of using the mind with focused attention on a single object, sound or thought for an extended period of time. Meditation can assist in supporting mental and emotional well-being and overall general health.

Melasma
Melasma which manifests as dark and uneven skin discolorations generally occurs with women who are pregnant, taking birth control pills or using hormone replacement therapies. Women with darker skin are more prone to melasma and a dysfunction of the thyroid may also increase susceptibility. Genetic predisposition, stress, sun exposure, environmental factors, and allergic reactions to medications or skin care products may also aggravate the condition. Men can also be susceptible to melasma.

Metabolism
Rate at which a body burns up fuel and transforms it into energy.

Microdermabrasion
Facial exfoliation procedure in which skin is "sandblasted" with ultra-fine crystals of aluminum oxide or other ingredients to remove top layer of skin.

Natural Medicine Dispensary
Tikkun Holistic MedicineSM dispensary offers a variety of compounded pharmaceuticals, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and homeopathics as a means of providing a convenient source for all medications and products recommended by our physicians. 

Naturopathy
Naturopathy, or naturopathic medicine, is an integrated system of primary health care offered by licensed physicians. It consists of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of human disorders by the therapeutic use of natural modalities and materials. These might include clinical nutrition, homeopathy, herbal medicine, hydrotherapies, and varies physical modalities for pain and discomfort.

Neuromuscular Integration
Body work and exercise system that focuses on the interaction between the central nervous system and the muscles of the body.

Nutraceuticals
Foods that have been fortified with herbs, vitamins, minerals, or other supplements to promote health and prevent disease.

Nutrition
Nutrition is a critical key to developing and maintaining a state of health through the quality and combinations of food and water consumed. Food is made up of different types of nutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals and the average nutritional requirements of individuals depend on such measurable characteristics such as age, sex, height, weight, degree of activity and rate of growth. Good nutrition, complimented with adequate sleep, regular exercise are all important for the process of growth, maintenance, repair and reproduction.

Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis ss a form of joint disease that develops when cartilage deteriorates. It often appears in areas such as the hips, knee, lower back, neck and fingers. Over time, the space between bones narrows and the surfaces of the bones change shape, leading eventually to friction and joint damage causing pain and limitations in movement.

Osteopathic Medicine
A branch of medicine that emphasis the inter-relationship of the body's nerves, muscles, bones ligaments, and organs with a philosophy of treating the whole person for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness, disease and injury.

Osteoporosis
A progressive disease of "porous bones," in which bones become weaker. It most commonly affects post-menopausal women. Weight-baring exercises are helpful in maintaining bone health, as is sufficient intake of calcium.

Oxygen Facial
Treatment that involves oxygen and other nutrients applied or sprayed onto the face for stimulating a tightening and rejuvenating affect.

Photo Rejuvenation
Treatment with laser light to smooth wrinkles, diminish the appearance of age spots, pores, broken capillaries, and rosacea.

Physical Therapy
Physical therapists provide a variety of services utilizing various techniques and equipment designed to help restore function, improve mobility, relieve pain, and prevent or limit permanent physical disabilities of patients suffering from injuries or disease. Patients can include accident victims and individuals with disabling conditions such as low-back pain, arthritis, heart disease, fractures, head injuries, and cerebral palsy.

Phytotherapy
Healing treatment with plants, such as herbs in the form of aromatic essential oils and herbal and floral extracts, applied in conjunction with massage, packs and wraps, water and steam therapies, inhalation treatments, homeopathy.

Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy is a treatment for many different types of musculoskeletal conditions, including arthritis, back pain, neck pain, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, unresolved whiplash injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic tendonitis, partially torn tendons, ligaments and cartilage, degenerated or herniated discs, TMJ and sciatica.

The word "Prolo" is short for proliferation, because the treatment causes the proliferation (growth, formation) of new ligament tissue in areas where it has become weak.

The response to treatment varies from individual to individual, some people may only need a few treatments while others may need 10 or more treatments depending upon the severity of their condition. The average number of treatments is generally 4-6 for each area treated.

Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis is a complication of psoriasis, a chronic skin disease characterized by bright pink or salmon-colored scales covering the knees, elbows, chest, back, or scalp. There are many considerations predisposing the condition and one of them is due to abnormal immune response to certain bacteria in the environment that may collect in areas of the skin disrupted by psoriasis.

Qi Gong
 Qi Gong, from the words, qi (energy) and gong (the achievement that comes from practice), Chi Gung or Chi Kung a group of Chinese self-healing exercises. They combine simple movement, breathing, and mental imagery to relax and strengthen the body and the mind.

Reactive Arthritis
Joint problems triggered by bacterial or viral infection elsewhere in the body.

Reflexology
The origins of reflexology date back to ancient cultures such as Egypt and China, that recognized the benefits of pressure-point massage, usually on the feet (but also on the hands and ears), to restore the flow of energy throughout the entire body. The premise of reflexology recognizes that the reflexes of the feet mirror all of the organs and glands or the body and that alternating pressures can have a stimulating effect on the area being treated.

Reiki
An ancient healing technique, rediscovered in Japan by Usui Mikano in the 1920’s for the purposes of increasing the vibratory field around the physical body. Reiki clears, and heals the energy pathways, breaking up negative energy and allowing the life force to flow in a healthy and natural way.

Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks healthy tissue lining the joints.

Rheumatology
The branch of medicine devoted to the study and treatment of connective tissue diseases. Rheumatic disease refers to over 100 disorders that cause inflammation in connective tissues. The rheumatoid factor is an antibody found in about 85 percent of people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rosacea
Rosacea is a common facial skin disorder, more prevalent in with some ethnic skin types and  hormonal conditions characterized by redness on the cheeks, nose, chin, or forehead; small visible blood vessels on the face, bumps, or pimples.

Sauna
Sauna therapy, or sweat bathing, consists of periods of perspiring in the heated environments destined to promote a sweat. Sauna therapy is said to enhance the body's immune system and relieve stress.

Scleroderma
An autoimmune disease in which the skin thickens and hardens; sometimes other parts of the body are affected, and joint pain may result.

Shiatsu
Massage technique developed in Japan in which therapist applies pressure to specific points in the body to simulate and unblock "meridians" (pathways through which energy is said to flow).

Steam Room
Room where temperatures are kept at 110 to 130° F and humidity is generated in order to soften the skin, open the pores, calm the nervous system, and relieve tension. Effective as a stand alone treatment or in conjunctions with other treatments such as body scrubs and massage.

Stone Therapy
Relaxing, therapeutic treatment in which dark, smooth stones heated in hot or cold water and are placed or stroked with light pressure on areas of the body such as the back, in the palms, and between the toes.

Stretching
Extending and lengthening muscles slowly. Meant to increase flexibility and relieve stress by improving circulation, and facilitating blood flow to the muscles, heart, and brain. Important before and after any exercise program.

Stress Management
Stress, which can manifest in many forms, physically, mentally, and emotionally can wreak havoc on overall well being if left unchecked. The goal of stress management is to bring the mind and body back into balance. By adopting a positive attitude, learning healthier ways to cope, and changing the way you deal with stress with various techniques like, mediation, biofeedback, exercise, creative pursuits, can help reduce its impact.

Synovial Joint
The most mobile type of joint; found in the shoulders, wrists, fingers, and hips.

Synovium
A thin membrane lining joint capsules that produces synovial fluid. Synovitis is inflammation of the synovium.

Swedish Massage
Classical European massage technique of manipulating muscles with the use of massage oils. Meant for relaxation and to improve circulation, ease muscle aches and tension, and improve flexibility.

Tendon
A tough, fibrous band of tissue that attaches muscle to bone.

Tendonitis
Inflammation of a tendon, usually caused by injury, which may restrict movement of the muscle attached to the tendon.

Tai Chi
Based upon a Chinese martial art, Tai Chi uses specific movements and stylized gestures combined with deep breathing and movement of the diaphragm to unite body and mind in order to achieve mental clarity, balance, and improved circulation. It involves mental concentration, visualization, and graceful, dancelike movements.

Trigger Points
Trigger points are specific spots in skeletal muscle associated with palpable nodules, or aggregation of cells, in bands of muscle fibers. The nodules can represent a concentration of knots creating pain and discomfort. Therapeutic compression of a trigger point may elect pain or tenderness and can result in a lessening of the discomfort.

Weight Loss
There are countless types of weight-loss programs, but fundamental keys are essential to ensure permanent weight loss. Losing weight is an individual process and there are many factors including nutrition, level of hydration, hormone production, exposure to environmental toxins, stress, frequency and quality of exercise, and hereditary considerations that need to be addressed. Appropriate weight can be achieved with a lifestyle approach that takes into account all the factors that support a healthy metabolism.

For patients with arthritis, excess weight increases stress on joints contributing to pain and discomfort. Weight managed with proper nutrition, supported with anti inflammatory foods such as omega-3 fats found in cold-water fish sources can reduce stiffness and joint tenderness.

Yoga
Yoga represents an ancient art and philosophy that involves both mind and body to support self-development and self-realization. The physical practice of yoga involves performing postures (asanas) and using controlled breathing and meditation to stretch and tone the body and improve circulation. There are a variety of yoga traditions and below are just a few:

Hatha Yoga
Branch of yoga that is devoted to the physical processes (as opposed to others that focus on wisdom, meditation, service, etc.) and involves breathing and physical exercises.

Restorative Yoga
Passive yoga poses lasting up to 20 minutes, supported by pillows, towels, etc., and meant to encourage relaxation via the release of tension in the muscles and spine. Also quiets the mind, rejuvenates the body-mind connection, and doesn't require flexibility or athletic ability of other forms of yoga.

Power Yoga
Energetic workout involving a sequence of postures (asanas) that flow into one another and that emphasize building body heat and breaching mindfully. Stretches and strengthens muscle while creating a calm and clear mind.

Weight Training
Use of free weights or weight machines in a series of repetitive exercises meant both to tone the body and add or replace lean muscle mass and also to raise metabolism. Exercising strengthens muscles and protects joints from injury or overuse.