Acupuncture Information and Research

Updated Health Guidelines For MWC

May 19, 2021 by MWC Staff

With the new guidelines being set in place by the CDC and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, we are updating a few of our expectations. We are considered a health care facility and will continue to require face coverings to be worn in the common areas of the Center. If you are fully vaccinated, you may remove your face covering once in the treatment room. If you are not fully vaccinated, you will be expected to keep your face covering on 100% of the time. Please notify your practitioner of your vaccination status if you haven’t already.

We will continue to ask that only clients enter the Center but if a caregiver is needed to assist with care, the caregiver is welcome. We will also be continuing our rigorous cleaning protocols and control plans to ensure everyone’s safety here at MWC. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact us at 508-460-3399 anytime. Thank you for your patience as we re-emerge into our “new normal”.

Acupuncture and the Opioid Crisis

May 15, 2018 by MWC Staff

The opioid crisis has been taking the headlines lately and it is a serious issue for many cities and towns in Massachusetts and in the US. Acupuncture has always had treatments available for those who are in recovery as well as those looking to find sobriety. The link below is a fabulous article written by a doctor who realized he needed to find something different for his patients and himself. Please consider acupuncture for your pain management before turning to addictive pain management strategies…you’ll thank yourself for it in the future.

https://qz.com/1264784/as-a-doctor-i-didnt-think-much-of-acupuncture-then-the-opioid-crisis-arrived/

Marlborough Wellness Center featured in Boston Voyager Magazine!

January 17, 2018 by MWC Staff

We are excited to announce we were featured as an interesting business to check out in the MetroWest area in the Boston Voyager magazine last month! Please go check out the article and come see us! Meet Marlborough Wellness Center

Acupuncture, Peace, Grace and the Holidays

December 20, 2016 by MWC Staff

As I look back at this holiday season, I can honestly smile. We are all done with our shopping and wrapping. We have kept it simple this year because we are traveling and yet, the gifts are thoughtful. This is the first Christmas without my Dad. It was his holiday, he would have been here visiting us by now. Drinking coffee on my couch while watching American Pickers or something fascinating on the History Channel that he would recount for me once I got home. He’d be laughing with my kids and most importantly, reading the book “Twas The Night Before Christmas” to us all on Christmas Eve night. That’s a ritual that may be tough to go without this year but new rituals will hopefully begin. Maybe my brother will take up the role of the reader, passing along something special to my dad’s grandchildren who he loved dearly. Either way, family is what is truly important in the end. The love and the memories that we have shared are what we are left with in the end.

Interestingly enough, I have noticed many of my clients have been coming in with the frenetic energy that is all to common this time of year. Not to mention the stress of entertaining family and possibly fighting the colds and flus that are running rampant right now. We are all still ragged from the Election and trying to transition into the Winter cold. So as I was going through my emails, I found a great article from the Chopra Center that I thought was important to share. “9 Ways to Bring Peace and Grace to Your Holiday Season” is a must read! (9 Ways to Bring Peace and Grace to Your Holiday Season) And remember, the best gift is the gift of health and acupuncture can be the perfect gift for anyone you know needing help transitioning into the Winter, fighting a cold, or just need to find some kind of balance in the new year!

MWC Holiday Appreciation Raffle and Giving Goodwill to All

December 9, 2016 by MWC Staff

All of the practitioners at the Marlborough Wellness Center want to thank each and every one of our clients for their patronage as well as reward those who value wellness and preventative health therapies!

Starting December 1st and running until December 16th, 2016, we will be placing each client’s name into a free raffle for the
fabulously decorated holiday tree in the office that will include gift certificates from all the services provided at the Center! Your name will be entered into the raffle each time you come and receive a service from one of the Center’s practitioners (please notify your practitioner if you do not want to participate). On December 16th, we will draw a name out of the “stocking hung with care” and contact you directly to notify you that you have won! There are no limits and no hidden costs! This is just an honest thank you to you from us! So please, call and make your appointment and stay healthy during this winter season!

And while supplies last, Julie Dalbec is offering a BOGO offer…purchase a gift certificate for One Initial Evaluation and one follow-up treatment for acupuncture, and receive a free acupuncture treatment. You can keep the treatment for yourself or give it as a gift! Limited time available so contact the Center for details!

Finally, we love to spread goodwill in our community so in honor and celebration of this season of giving, a donation has been made in the honor of The Marlborough Wellness Center and its Clients to the Marlborough Community Cupboard, to help bring hope, strength and good health to all who benefit from the Community Cupboard’s good will.

We wish each and every one of you a happy holidays and a happy, prosperous new year!

Acupuncture and Finding The Good

November 17, 2016 by MWC Staff

Hello world!

Acupuncture, Chronic Conditions, and Costumes

October 27, 2016 by MWC Staff

As Halloween draws near, I love watching my children get excited about their costumes and dream of the bags of candy they will collect soon. My business group had a “scary” theme this morning and invited us to dress up in our costumes to add to the festivities! I decided to pull out of storage an old favorite of mine from many years ago, my adult sized Tigger costume. Now, for those of you who know me, I have an outgoing personality that fits the Tigger persona. It was a riot to see peoples’ reactions to my costume and the comments were hilarious! I even won the Best Costume award!

But in all seriousness, I found myself sitting there in the meeting this morning, listening to fellow members’ speak about the scary things that occur in their industries. I realized that what I do isn’t scary at all. In fact, I like to think that acupuncture is a fantastic treatment approach to solve the scary issues we face in our human bodies. Although there are many people who may be afraid to try acupuncture for a variety of reasons, there really is nothing to be scared about!

The one thing I have learned lately is that a couple of my clients have come to me with chronic conditions that haven’t responded to Western medical treatments. As I begin their treatments, I always do a thorough assessment of their current situation so that I may determine the best course of action. Recently, two of my clients weren’t responding to their acupuncture treatments as I anticipated thus, I referred them back to their primary care physicians or to a specialist that could better assess their chronic issue. Both of them came back to thank me for sending them to their doctors because their chronic condition turned out to be a cancer. Now they both are getting the correct treatments their bodies need. Sometimes, chronic pain or ailments can be the “costume” that a more serious issue might wear, to disguise itself so it can be misinterpreted or misdiagnosed until its too late. As a colleague of mine once said, “Your normal everyday pain is not normal!” And this is true!

So this halloween season, please reassess your “costumes” and chronic challenges and get them re-checked. You never know what you might find out!

Acupuncture Goes Mainstream So, Watch OUT!

October 20, 2016 by MWC Staff

With my alma mater, New England School of Acupuncture, being acquired by the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences based in Worcester, acupuncture is going mainstream so, watch OUT! it means that more people are asking for and positively experiencing acupuncture for ailments that Western Medicine may not have answers for as of yet. And yes, I have also seen an increased number of referrals from medical doctors in the past few years which gives me hope that complementary therapies like acupuncture and Western medical practitioners will make a great team in our near future!

It is an honor to be an acupuncturist and I love going to work everyday, affecting people’s lives in ways I could never have imagined! Just today, I had a client say she had no overtaken a bout of pneumonia with her acupuncture experience and two clients with chronic shoulder pain that reported they were on the mend and attributed it to their treatments! Not to mention the amazing effect acupuncture and Chinese Medicine has had on my pediatric patient with ADHD and OCD. He told me he can think straight for the first time in a long time!

So please, if you are considering acupuncture for your chronic or acute pain, medical issues, or for general wellness, I strongly suggest you try it! And of course, call your insurance company to find out if your plan covers acupuncture in some way! We welcome you to our clinic and to the unlimited world of acupuncture that can help you live the life you want and can live!!

WBJ article on Acupuncture Going Mainstream

Acupuncture and The End of Life

September 29, 2016 by MWC Staff

August 12th, 2016…a date I don’t think I’ll forget. My dad’s passing in the next phase.

It was a peaceful as it could be, his children holding his hands as he took his last breath, my brother telling him to keep an eye out for us and his grandchildren in heaven. He spent his last days with his family, lunch dates with his granddaughters, watching his grandchildren create apples out of Legos and catch frogs in the reeds, sharing family dinners at the table together laughing, watching the sun rise and set over the water…it was the best one could ask for at the end of their life.

One thing that I know helped him as his years waned was acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. I was able to help him manage his diabetes and sugars by maintaining a healthy appetite, all the while calming his spirit and assisting him to restful sleep at night. We managed his pain while boosting his energy so he could do the activities he loved. Going to/watching the car races, working in his tinsmith shop, doing his historical re-enactments. And in the end, I knew that his belief in the effectiveness of acupuncture and herbs added time to his timeline.

So here’s to you, Dad…and all of you who are wondering if there are non-invasive options at the end of your life to find comfort and health, the answer is yes! Acupuncture and herbal medicine, when performed by a licensed practitioner, can be helpful in more ways than one!

Acupuncture, Cupping, and the US Olympic Athletes

August 11, 2016 by MWC Staff

I love the Olympics! Every four years, I get to watch the world come together and compete in sporting events I am familiar with and some I didn’t even know existed. The spirit of competition is alive and exhilarating to watch! And then to see the bruised circles from cupping on the USA male gymnasts and swimmers had me jumping for joy!

You see, as an acupuncturist-herbalist, part of our extensive training included adjunctive techniques such as cupping. Cupping is an ancient practice stemming from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and was used to draw out pathological factors from the body that would cause stagnation and manifest as painful conditions. Joint pain, muscle tightness, coughing, asthma…stagnated energy can cause a multitude of misery! The cup is placed on the body either by fire to create the suction (fire cupping) or by a suction device. Glass is the best for cups as they can be cleaned sufficiently to not spread infection. Once placed on the body and affixed by suction, one watches for the redness to appear. In TCM, it is referred to as ‘sha’ but in Western Medicine, it is referred to as bruising. The act of the suction pulling the skin away from the tissues underneath helps release the myofascial system and can increase blood flow/circulation to the area to help with pain, fatigue, and/or injured muscle tissue. Cupping can be done multiple times and has proven to be very efficient at relieving physical discomfort and tightness.

Interestingly enough though, there are many people who think it is “snake oil” medicine, “unsupported treatments that do nothing” as I read online this week. Being someone who has trained and practiced in both Western Medicine and Chinese Medicine, my approach to these viewpoints is ‘you never know unless you try it’! I have found many a doctor who has tried complementary therapies and adjunctive techniques and are some of my biggest referral sources. Sometimes one medicine may not have the answers and the other might. Cupping and TCM have been around for more than 2000 years so something must be working. So if you are hesitant to try acupuncture or cupping, I recommend you “try it, you might like it”!

Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, Comfort Zones and Bruising

July 28, 2016 by MWC Staff

Stepping out of our comfort zone can be scary sometimes. I talk about acupuncture and herbal medicine being out of a lot of people’s comfort zones but as many know, when you are out of your comfort zone, amazing things can happen!

Last Sunday, I decided to join my husband mountain biking. Now, a little background story…he fell in love with mountain biking when he took a ride class through Marlborough Moves, led by the leader of the BLG (aka “Bloody Leg Gang”), a local mountain biking group full of biking enthusiasts. Even since then, he’s been trying to get me out with him but the bike available for my use just isn’t all that great and I really wasn’t interested. Forwarding through time, I received the opportunity to borrow a very nice bike with dual suspension and a up/down pneumatic seat. How could I say no now? Ok….stepping forward…out of my comfort zone I go!

We arrive at Vietnam, a set of trails in Holliston, and I get on the borrowed bike, trying to figure out the controls and get my bearings in the parking lot before we get on the trails. I thought to myself, “Ok, you can do this…man, this bike is incredible!” Before I knew it, we were riding through rock gardens, across bridges (yeah, I had to retry the entry to my first bridge but I did make it across), and approaching a pretty steep decline. The leader went first, followed by a brave woman and her dog, then my husband went. I watched them go, tried to see what lines they picked, how they turned, etc. so I could follow suit as gracefully as they went. I started on the decline but my front tire hit a rock just right and my left hand clamped down hard on the brake (NOTE: the left hand brake controls the front tire brake so you can kind of see where this is going…). I went over the handlebars and tucked my head (yes, of course I had a helmet on!). Taking the bike along for the ride, I landed on my back with the bike on top of me! After watching my epic fall, my husband came running back to me as I asked him, “Can you just get the bike because I’m fine.” As he removed the bike from the mangled mess that was my body and I went to stand up, I rolled down the rest of the hill. So very graceful, I know. I examined the borrowed bike to make sure I hadn’t broken anything before I examined myself…the bike was good. Whew! Now as for my body, not so much! I had officially been initiated into the “Bloody Leg Gang” as my knee was dripping. We kept riding for another hour and a half, only to ride up the same hill I had fallen down on earlier. I told the group I felt like I needed to try the down hill again, to rectify the mistake I had made earlier. The group went and I followed nervously, nailing the hill and feeling so great! Yes, I told my husband, I’ll be biking again soon!

As the day went on, I started feeling the effects of my fall more and more. I knew my knee and leg were going to bruise nicely and they certainly did. I immediately started applying my Super Life Healing Salve to the injured areas and the pain subsided slowly due in part to the essential oil blend I created to decrease inflammation and pain. Even better, the arnica oil in the salve helped control the pain but also melted the bruising away! Today, although my leg still shows a nice “black and blue”, it’s fading each day to a more yellow color and healing nicely.

Why I told this story is two-fold. 1. Stepping out of your comfort zone can be fun and uncomfortable at times but to remember that the only thing constant is change and that that is how we can fully enjoy this amazing life we are living. 2. Acupuncture and herbal medicine is not to be feared but to be embraced and seen as a healing opportunity! So if you are one of the few who have been hesitant to trying acupuncture or herbal medicine, please remember my story and step out of your comfort zone!

Acupuncture and Triathlon

June 30, 2016 by MWC Staff

As some of you may or may not know, I am a triathlete. And as a triathlete, I am always looking for ways for my body to perform better as I swim, bike and run. I loved falling upon this article in the recent USAT newsletter! Thank you to Sandy Bikus for writing such a fabulous positive viewpoint on the amazing impact acupuncture can do for triathletes as well as athletes of any interest!

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Triathlon/News/Blogs/Multisport-Lab/2016/June/27/5-Reasons-to-Add-Acupuncture-to-Your-Training-Regimen#.V3L7Bl7A-qM.email

Acupuncture and Working With A Health Team

June 23, 2016 by MWC Staff

Today, in my business group, my fellow health and wellness colleagues and I did a group weekly presentation on what we each could contribute to one man’s life. It was profound to listen to everyone’s approach to how each individual practitioner/business could affect our fictional character’s life in so many different ways.

This got me thinking about the importance of working with a well versed, experienced team of health practitioners/businesses. We can’t do it alone but by working together, we could accomplish so much more. “There is no I in team” was a mantra I was taught early on in my life and it still rings true today. So do you have a health team working for you, to maximize your health and help you live life on your own terms? Do you feel supported by a health team with your daily/yearly/life goals? Good questions to ponder because if you don’t, perhaps it is time to consider other options for your health care.

Acupuncture can be an integral part in your health care, whether you are currently suffering from an ailment or to simply stay healthy. By keeping your body’s energy balanced, the immune system is stronger and your vitality can be unlimited. Remember, to water a plant, you need a hose that allows water to flow without constrictions. If there is a kink in the hose, the plant (also known as your body in this metaphor) will not be able to grow and flourish as it should. Acupuncture can unkink the hose and facilitate good health and longevity in your body and life.

Acupuncture: Let’s Get To The Point!

The Marlborough Wellness Center’s New Home!

June 16, 2016 by MWC Staff

This past weekend was epic in terms of breaking down and setting up the most beautiful, professional office the Marlborough Wellness Center has seen yet!

These are the empty “before” pictures:

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And here are the amazing “after” pictures:

Please feel free to stop by anytime or better yet, make an appointment to experience the exquisite silence and serenity in our new home!

We’re Moving…Sooner Than Expected!

May 27, 2016 by MWC Staff

Yes! We are moving sooner than we are expecting because the space is almost ready! So if everything goes as planned, we will be in the space and seeing our clients on Monday, June 13th! Keep your eyes open for updates but plan accordingly! I think everyone will LOVE the new space!

Acupuncture (and massage): Let’s Get To The Point!!!

Acupuncture and Securing Your Future Health

May 19, 2016 by MWC Staff

It has come so abundantly clear to me recently how important it is to invest time in planning ahead for our health and well being as we age. We will spend hours and much money securing our financial futures yet we push through colds/flus, ignore the little pain in our knee until we can’t ignore it any longer, or make unwise choices with our diet and level of exercise. These actions are not meant to help us secure a long term future of good health.

A good friend of mine even said to me today that when she gets sick, she can’t afford to stop. A client of mine knows she needs to exercise but at the end of her day, she’s so tired, she just goes straight to bed. My business colleague who manages a home health company explained that he rarely comes in contact with people who planned to have health issues or have planned to address and have answers for the last 5 years of their life. So why do we do this? My colleague who is a life coach has spoken to the concept that we live our days without thinking constantly of death, it’s a protective mechanism our brain does naturally to save us from paralyzing ourselves with fear of the possible and unknown.

What can we do about securing our future health? Start by thinking about adding acupuncture to your foray of health options. Of course I don’t need to tell you to eat healthy and to exercise because you know that already but the immune boosting properties as well as other amazing physical/emotional reactions that result from receiving acupuncture on a regular basis as indisputable. Ask someone who has had acupuncture, they’ll tell you the truth. Also consider looking into long term care insurance. Some states may/may not have this option but I do know that if you can afford it, it may be worth it in the last 5 years of your life.

The bottom line is that the only things we can count on is death, taxes, and change. None of those are we able to avoid or completely change. But what we can do is make a positive effect on the death part. Therefore, “how do you want to live your dash”…think acupuncture.

Acupuncture and Your Longevity

May 5, 2016 by MWC Staff

Have you ever gone on a trip and before you did, you gathered all the maps and talked to people who had gone before, trying to get all the information you could so you could have the best trip experience? You find yourself pouring over websites full of information, talking to the AAA travel advisor, and planning out the daily events. I know I did exactly this when we were planning our first Disney trip. Now if anyone has been to Disney World, you would know how expensive it is to go but that it is a must-do if you have children (although, I have talked to several adults who don’t have children who go regularly!). So with that expense hanging over my head, I wanted to make sure every T was crossed and I dotted, no costly mistakes were going to happen on my watch!
Or what about camping, backpacking, mountaineering? If you don’t take the time to prepare and pack appropriately, you could find yourself in a lot of trouble.

Now why don’t we do the same for our health and longevity?!? We go about our lives working and playing, rarely paying attention to the signs our bodies are giving us that something may be wrong. Acupuncture can be your “road map” to good health and longevity. By being proactive about your health or even coming when you are suffering from a dis-ease condition, acupuncture has for years been putting travelers “back on the road” of life. And talk about costly mistakes!? Surgeries and pharmaceuticals have become extremely expensive and costly on your body’s ability to function properly.

So my call to action is all of you “travelers” who would like to enjoy the body they’re in for as long as possible, please consider going to acupuncture. After all, Disney World is calling me back already…!

The Marlborough Wellness Center is Moving!

April 27, 2016 by MWC Staff

<img src="https://marlboroughwellnesscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/bigstock-Friends-Unpacking-Boxes-90175514-300×200.jpg" width="300" height="200" class="size-medium wp-image-882" srcset="https://marlboroughwellnesscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/bigstock-Friends-Unpacking-Boxes-90175514-300×200.jpg 300w, https://marlboroughwellnesscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/bigstock-Friends-Unpacking-Boxes-90175514-768×513 xenical over the counter.jpg 768w, https://marlboroughwellnesscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/bigstock-Friends-Unpacking-Boxes-90175514-1024×684.jpg 1024w, https://marlboroughwellnesscenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/bigstock-Friends-Unpacking-Boxes-90175514.jpg 1600w” sizes=”(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px” />
As of July 1st, the Marlborough Wellness Center will be located in the Victoria Building located at 277 Main Street, Suite 208! It’s just 2 blocks away from where we are located now and there’s an elevator for easier access! As the date gets closer, we’ll have more details and will notify you!

Acupuncture and Change

April 6, 2016 by MWC Staff

Change.
The only thing constant is change.
Yet it is the one thing we fight tooth and nail against, causing us more strife than is necessary. I have seen more clients come in for treatments lately to address exactly this.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, emotionally we begin to overworry, taxing our Spleen and it’s capability to transform food and transport the pure Qi to the Lungs and the Kidneys. When this occurs, it all gets backed up and is one of the reasons why human beings start to gain weight around their midsection. This is the Middle Burner area, where the Stomach and the Spleen are located. Other signs that the Spleen may be affected is by overthinking, a general “4 limb heaviness” can be felt, and digestive issues may arise.
The Liver is responsible for regulating the movement of Qi in your body. When we get upset, the Liver may become constrained, releasing the emotions of frustration and anger. In addition to this, the Liver has a tendency to attack the Spleen in its vulnerable state. This in turn continues to weaken the Spleen and throw the energy balance in the body off.
Remember from my past posts, your body is a like a plant that needs to be watered consistently by a hose without kinks. Stress in our lives adds kinks thus, the beginning stages of disease.
And all because why? We didn’t go with the flow. Change is inevitable and to learn how to “roll with the punches” or allow the change of tide to occur without us rowing against it is really the true mark of inner strength and calm. Sometimes, change is not always welcome. It can be sudden and possibly sad. This is when mourning that change is appropriate but at some point in time, turning the page to continue on growing is in favor. Think of the hyacinths growing in my garden right now. They are covered in an inch of snow in April but they are still standing, showing inner strength in the face of diversity.
So take a moment and go outside. Look at the buds on the trees, the daffodils that have started to sprout, or the hyacinths that are standing strong. And remember one thing…
The only thing constant is change.
Change.

Acupuncture and Chronic Neck Pain

March 31, 2016 by MWC Staff

As I awoke this morning to go to my weekly business meeting, I was slammed with excruciating pain in my neck and head as if a Mack truck had driven through my bedroom. You see, it was years of neck pain and migraines that brought me first to acupuncture myself and what has successfully taken it away. I was on a ton of ibuprofen just to get through my workday and I was only 24 years old. This I knew was not going to work over the long haul. After 6 treatments of acupuncture, my neck pain was gone and my migraines ceased to occur! So this morning was a surprise since I had been pain free for years. What had happened? Why today? Why is it back?

The answer was simple yet also complex. Hormones are active, just started increased training for triathlon season, predisposition for neck pain, exhaustion from the week and kids, and a glass of wine. As an acupuncturist, I am thankful to look at the whole body holistically. It’s not just one thing that causes injuries to occur and/or reoccur, it is usually a few issues that come together to create the perfect storm. Realizing this, a little chiropractic work and some acupuncture today will have me back on the bike tomorrow, surging over the hill in front of me.

So if you find yourself with a similar situation or condition, please consider acupuncture as a viable treatment that can help you get out of the perfect storm and back to enjoying the ride of life!

Acupuncture and Plantar Fasciitis

March 15, 2016 by MWC Staff

Ah yes, one of the biggest complaints I see in the clinic is Plantar Fasciitis and the pain associated with it can sideline a linebacker and bring a real estate agent to her knees. The fascia on the bottom of the foot can begin to get inflamed due to injury, overuse, or predisposed factors (i.e.: after ankle surgery, etc.). Once it starts to flare up, one might feel it along the heel, pulling into the middle of their foot, or even radiating into the ball of the foot. Massaging the bottom of the foot gently can work at it’s most acute stage but taking a roller or a tennis ball along the bottom every day will yield the best results. I have found acupuncture has worked wonders along with the use of KinesioTaping to facilitate proper fascial movement and some herbal patches that help control the inflammation itself.

Consider acupuncture as a treatment option before choosing more invasive and disruptive approaches! You will be pleasantly surprised!