Meet Carol Conigliaro
Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist
Carol Conigliaro has been practicing acupuncture and herbal medicine since 2000 in Lyons and Boulder, Colorado. She is a graduate of Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, nationally certified by the NCCAOM (National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) and licensed in the state of Colorado.
Are You A New Patient?
How can Chinese Medicine help me?
Chinese medicine is a complete system of health care. It can be used to treat musculoskeletal disorders and pain as well as internal medicine diseases. In some cases symptoms can be relieved in the first visit while other cases may require several treatments for the reversal of the condition.
The goal of Chinese medicine is to treat the "root cause" of disease and to unravel the "pattern of disharmony" in the patient's body. While this may take several treatments, Carol's goal is always to make the patient more comfortable right away.
Acupuncture works by tapping into the energetic system of the body and moving that energy, or Qi (pronounced chee), to produce a more balanced flow of energy in the body. A simple example is a tight and sore muscle. Because the muscle is tight or "knotted," the Qi does not flow properly. Qi is always moving in specific pathways in the body so when it can't, it creates a dam. The energy builds at the site of the blockage, becomes stagnant, and creates pain. The acupuncture needle comes into contact with this blockage of energy (tight muscle) and releases the energy (loosens the muscle). The proper flow of energy is re-established and the pain is relieved!
With some conditions, Chinese herbal medicine is utilized for the best outcome. Chinese herbal medicine has been used and studied for thousands of years. It is an ancient medicine but also a very modern medicine. Currently we have the benefit of pharmacological studies that explain, in western terms, what the constituents of the herbs are and their effects in the body. There are certified GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) companies that produce the herbs and test them for contaminants at several stages in their processing. Herbal medicine can be used safely by almost everyone but it is important to disclose all medications and supplements that you are taking so that your practitioner can prescribe herbs that will be compatible.
The other branches of Chinese medicine are diet, exercise and lifestyle. Your acupuncture and herbal therapies will be greatly enhanced when you have a good diet, get adequate exercise, learn how to manage stress and keep a positive outlook. This is not about the latest trend in diet and exercise. This is a personalized look at where you are now and what steps you can take to improve these aspects of our life in order to have better health and improve the condition you're working on. It is not about achieving perfection but it is about what you can do to help yourself. When accessing Chinese medicine, it is important to consider the whole person. The things you do every day are extremely powerful and it is important to make them work for you, not against you.