Archive for the ‘Dr. Andy Swanson’ Category

|

What Happens After the Coma?

Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

by Dr. Andy Swanson – Nature Cures Clinic physician

_____________________________________

Many people who have acquired a brain injury tell a similar story.  They gradually awaken from a coma.  They have to relearn aspects of life that were once simple tasks, like balance, walking, speaking, socializing, and tempering emotions.  Weeks pass, exhausted from math and reading classes, speech and physical therapy.  The process challenges the very deepest aspects of the individual, often instigating feelings of frustration, hopelessness, and depression.  After a period of rehab, they leave the hospital with limited options with regard to therapy, relationships, housing, financing and work.

Local support groups are often great resources to steer people towards the help they need.  The Brain Injury Association of Oregon (www.biaoregon.org) offers an excellent resource guide to help those with TBI navigate the assistance available.  Communities are coming together to enhance this network for those recovering from TBI.  Many people in the TBI community, however, are unaware of the options offered by complementary providers such as naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, yoga therapists and nutritionists.  I’d like to share a brief overview of some of the treatments we provide at Nature Cures Clinic that may be of help in the recovery from TBI.

At Nature Cures Clinic we offer individualized health care focused on addressing not just symptoms, but also the underlying causes of imbalance.  For example, I treated a patient for a year and a half for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis that started following brain injury.  The treatment plan focused on balancing the thyroid while simultaneously providing the central nervous system with the building blocks for healing.  A generalized TBI treatment would have missed the thyroid imbalance.  Even if it is clear that the majority of symptoms are related to TBI, it is absolutely necessary to consider other systems of the body that may be operating below optimal function.  At Nature Cures Clinic, we treat each person according to the needs of their body.  This is determined by a complete physical exam, a detailed history of illness, and any labs and imaging necessary to accurately assess ongoing internal imbalances.

A brief summary below introduces you to the three modules of the TBI program at Nature Cures Clinic.  There may be concepts here that you are unfamiliar with.  In the coming weeks, I will provide more information on how we use these therapies in the treatment of TBI.

IV Nutritional Therapy offers a unique way to offer the body nutrients to heal following injury.  We have a standard multivitamin formulation we use for many health conditions.  These nutrients help enhance mood, energy, and immune function.  Other formulations specifically target the brain, and these I find particularly useful to accelerate healing post-TBI.  These include nutrients such as alpha lipoic acid and glutathione.  I will discuss this further in future posts.

Nutrition matters.  What you eat directly impacts how you feel and how well your body heals following injury.  Even though food is a very sensitive area for many people and dietary changes are challenging, it can be the pivotal change that decides whether or not the nervous system heals.  I will discuss this further in future posts.

Chinese Medicine provides a fresh approach to working with many symptoms of TBI such as chronic pain, muscle spasms, forgetfulness, and mood disorders.  Through the lens of Chinese Medicine we often encounter underlying imbalances in the body that may have been overlooked by modern medicine.  Addressing these underlying imbalances removes potential obstacles to healing, and thus can speed up the recovery from TBI.  At Nature Cures Clinic, we incorporate three aspects of Chinese Medicine as part of the TBI program: Acupuncture, Herbal Medicine, and Qi Gong.  I will discuss each of these further in future posts.

The three modules above, IV Nutritional Therapy, Nutrition, and Chinese Medicine offer a thorough complementary approach to the treatment of traumatic brain injury.  The program is not intended to replace the current model of care, but rather to augment a medical model that falls short in providing options for continued outpatient care for post TBI syndrome.  It is my belief that the brain can always do better, regardless of how much time has passed since injury.  Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have regarding healthcare and the TBI program at Nature Cures Clinic.

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Acupuncture, Alternative medicine, Andy Swanson, Articles by our Doctors, Back pain, Brain, Chinese medicine, Chronic disease, Chronic fatigue, Cognitive development, Diet, Dr. Andy Swanson, General, Health, Healthy diet, Healthy lifestyle, Herbs, Holistic, Naturopathic medicine, Naturopathic medicine, ND, Neurological disorders, Nutrition, Pain, TBI, Thyroid function, traumatic brain injury, Wellness | Comments Off

The Many Faces of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Friday, October 21st, 2011

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) carries a huge complexity of factors, each of which complicates the healing process.  There is of course the impact, the moment of trauma, causing significant damage to the brain and oftentimes other body structures.  This is the primary concern as the patient is rushed to the emergency room for life-saving procedures.  For everyone involved in a tragedy of this sort, it soon becomes apparent that TBI generates aftershocks that extend way beyond the central nervous system of the individual involved; the aftershocks go on for years to come.

As a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist, I have treated patients with TBI in a primary care setting.  As a student I wrote my thesis on the naturopathic treatment of TBI.  I thought I understood the complexities of this condition.  In fact, I was preparing the outline of a book highlighting my understanding of TBI and the treatment of chronic syndromes that continue for years following injury.  A year ago, however, I was exposed to an entirely new understanding of TBI when one of my patients hit a tree at a projected speed of 120 mph.  She was a passenger in a car and received the full brunt of the impact.  What I would learn is that the impact extended much further, as family and friends, healthcare providers, and many others gathered to support each other and the patient in the healing process.

People mobilized from around the country and gathered in the waiting room of the ICU.  Two could visit at a time, and the rest patiently awaited and prayed for good news.   It was there, in the waiting room, that I saw many angles of the experience transpire.  My first day I met the driver of the car, and the remorse was evident in the downward gaze and the pale expression of worry.  Soon I would meet the driver’s family, the patient’s family, and the school friends, all of whom supported each other and maintained hope for the best possible outcome.

An undeniable presence in a trauma of this magnitude is the attorneys, the media, the insurance companies, the doctors and nurses, the priests, and the bankers; all present on the scene to “help” navigate these treacherous waters.  Some provide support while others make the challenge much more difficult.   Mixing all these ingredients together with the volatility of emotions of sheer joy and utter sadness and grief, the experience mirrors that of a human pressure cooker.

There were many details to organize, like who was taking care of the dogs at home while the family lived in the hospital?  How often would one leave the hospital to shower? There was the horrendous hospital cafeteria food that all were subject to, and the sleep deprivation from consecutive nights in upright chairs.  At one point, a family member awoke with a homeless man sleeping next to her.  Emotions were on overload, as people blindly traversed each moment awaiting updates from medical staff.  Shock and tragedy have a way of catapulting you into the present moment, where nothing else matters.  There’s no more room in the inn.  All emotional sensors are activated.  There were already family rifts present from a previous divorce and a history of abuse with a family member.  Now all were in one room together, forced to get along because this moment was not about them.  Past and future seemed far away.

The media was sneaking into the ICU to get interviews with the family.  Lawyers for the insurance companies were calling to deny charges.  Soon the banks would start sending liens on the family’s home.

I will not get into the details of this experience for the sake of protecting patient confidentiality.  I bring this story to light only as an example of the complexity of TBI.  This story repeats itself over and over again, every time someone experiences a severe head trauma.  The CDC reports that each year, an estimated 1.7 million people sustain a TBI.  Of these, 1.3 million report to the ER.  275,000 will require hospitalization, and 52,000 will die.

The experience of TBI extends way beyond the patient.  As a clinician I focus on helping patients navigate trauma and heal the nervous system.  This involves nutrients, herbs, nutrition, acupuncture, and the movement arts.  Complete healing must also include the families and friends involved, as they too are attempting to release the memory of trauma and accept the ongoing challenge of supporting a loved one dealing with the chronic effects of post-TBI syndrome.  Healing this requires a community.

Written by Andy Swanson, ND, LAc practicing at Nature Cures Clinic in Portland, OR

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Alternative medicine, Andy Swanson, Articles by our Doctors, Brain, Dr. Andy Swanson, Emotions, Health, Herbs, Holistic, Human behavior, LAc, Naturopathic medicine, Naturopathic medicine, ND, Neurological disorders | Comments Off

Potassium Iodide and Radiation: A Primer

Friday, March 18th, 2011

__________________________________

by Andy Swanson, ND, LAc

Nature Cures Clinic physician

This article was written in response to the possibility of radiation exposure following the March 2011 earthquake in Japan.  For more information, read a “Radiation Protection” from Dr. Greg Nigh.

Many patients are contacting our clinic for information on how to best protect themselves and loved ones from radiation.  Many have read on the news of the long-term health risks related to the effects radiation can have on the Thyroid.  The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended potassium iodide as a means of protecting the thyroid gland.

It is extremely important to know that potassium iodide is, by no means, an innocuous substance.  There is significant risk of throwing your thyroid out of balance, creating what we call a thyroid storm, which is extremely unpleasant and potentially life-threatening.  Additional complications exist including potential allergic responses to the medication.  Potassium iodide is not to be used haphazardly.  All that said, radiation is extremely damaging to the thyroid and potassium iodide does offer some protection.

The richest source of iodide in nature is SEAWEED, and specifically dulse and kelp.  Adults can consume 3-5 grams/day which works out to a little less than 3/4 of a level teaspoon of powder.  Children under 12 years old should get no more than 1 gram/day of seaweed.

The WHO guidelines for protection from acute radiation exposure are as follows: the potassium iodide dose for adults is 130 mg/day for 3-4 days post radiation exposure.  It is not helpful to take prophylactically.  It should be initiated 12-24 hours before exposure and continued for 3-4 days after. Under age 12, the dose is 65 mg/day.

Again, watch for any symptoms of thyroid over-activity including rapid heart rate, high anxiety, bulging of the eyes, sweating, body heat, insomnia, and/or shortness of breath.

Also, watch for allergic responses including itchy skin, hives, skin rash, sneezing, runny nose and itchy eyes.

If allergic reactions and thyroid symptoms develop, potassium iodide should be discontinued immediately and one should seek medical assistance.

Please remember this is a very high dose to be used ONLY if radiation exposure is occurring. This is much too high for regular daily use.

We are providing this information for your knowledge, in no way are we suggesting that need for it currently. Be prepared and act out of love, not fear. Be safe out there and please send your prayers to those affected.

We will have more information coming out on this subject and will be making recommendations on what we will be doing personally in the upcoming days, so stay tuned.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Articles by our Doctors, Dr. Andy Swanson, General | 2 Comments »

Becoming Fully Integrated

Friday, October 15th, 2010

By Dr. Andy Swanson
Nature Cures Clinic Physician
Every day I go to work, I see patients suffering from health conditions.  My work is to stay intently focused on their story, their symptoms, what my stethoscope and palpation is telling me on physical exams.  The clearer my mind, the more thorough my evaluation, the easier it is to fully understand the crux of the matter at hand.  In my practice this means getting the right diagnosis and treatment in order that the patient’s health improves as soon as possible.  This kind of clarity involves homework, and not always of the academic kind.  I spend much of my free time exploring my own obstacles, to bring resolve to those things in my life that cause conflict, in order that I can become less and less distracted and thus more and more available to my patients.  When I enter the room with a patient, I often go through a visual practice of emptying my mind, leaving all that is a conscious distraction outside the room so that I can be one hundred percent available to the patient.
This is a tool that I believe we can all benefit from in many aspects of our life.  It is about becoming fully integrated in the moment, wherever you are, focused completely on what you are doing.  Could you imagine trying to hit a baseball moving 95 mph with one eye looking in the other direction?  Or trying to hit a golf ball straight without keeping your eye on the ball?  It strikes me that the number one thing any of us could do in our personal and professional lives is to become fully invested in what we are doing.  What could be more fulfilling?  Conversely, when we become distracted, or when we feel conflicted, we lose our focus and this creates disharmony.
By staying with the heart of the matter, keeping both eyes on the ball, we are better able to fully feel and experience whatever we are doing.  In this way, we also keep a hand on the pulse of our life, getting immediate feedback from the body about situations in which we are involved.  Becoming familiar with this feedback system allows one to refine the choices they make on a daily basis.  For example, people often complain of awaking at three or four in the morning due to a restless mind.  People want a pill to get them back to sleep.  Do you see the metaphor here?  People are less inclined to ask the question, “What is my body telling me?”  By taking a medication that hides the discomfort they essentially sleep their way through conflict.
As a naturopathic physician, I share a philosophy with my fellow colleagues; one which believes in the innate intelligence of the human body.  It is a truly remarkable feat to maintain homeostasis to the degree that the human body does most of the time.  Health is a daily gift that many of us take for granted.  In the above example, one has a restless mind that keeps them awake at night, and wants a pill to go back to sleep.  Clinically, I see the intelligence of the human body activated, providing energy to fuel one’s need to make change, to find a solution to conflict.  Insomnia rarely presents without context, and sleeping pills ignore the messenger.
What changes is life calling you to make?  Where is your deepest source of happiness?  Your deepest frustration?  What keeps you awake at night?  I’m not suggesting that making change is easy, but I do believe that our lives become enriched the more that we focus on what we are doing in the moment.  That means that any personal grievance, conflict, or dissatisfaction that is hanging over us gets in the way of hitting the home run, or keeping your eyes on the ball.  These issues never completely resolve, but the more distractions we remove the more we become invested in our present action.  This enables us to call on more resources for power, stamina, and vision.

By Dr. Andy Swanson

Nature Cures Clinic Physician, Acupuncturist

Every day I go to work, I see patients suffering from health conditions.  My work is to stay intently focused on their story, their symptoms, what my stethoscope and palpation is telling me on physical exams.  The clearer my mind, the more thorough my evaluation, the easier it is to fully understand the crux of the matter at hand.  In my practice this means getting the right diagnosis and treatment in order that the patient’s health improves as soon as possible.  This kind of clarity involves homework, and not always of the academic kind.  I spend much of my free time exploring my own obstacles, to bring resolve to those things in my life that cause conflict, in order that I can become less and less distracted and thus more and more available to my patients.  When I enter the room with a patient, I often go through a visual practice of emptying my mind, leaving all that is a conscious distraction outside the room so that I can be one hundred percent available to the patient.

This is a tool that I believe we can all benefit from in many aspects of our life.  It is about becoming fully integrated in the moment, wherever you are, focused completely on what you are doing.  Could you imagine trying to hit a baseball moving 95 mph with one eye looking in the other direction?  Or trying to hit a golf ball straight without keeping your eye on the ball?  It strikes me that the number one thing any of us could do in our personal and professional lives is to become fully invested in what we are doing.  What could be more fulfilling?  Conversely, when we become distracted, or when we feel conflicted, we lose our focus and this creates disharmony.

By staying with the heart of the matter, keeping both eyes on the ball, we are better able to fully feel and experience whatever we are doing.  In this way, we also keep a hand on the pulse of our life, getting immediate feedback from the body about situations in which we are involved.  Becoming familiar with this feedback system allows one to refine the choices they make on a daily basis.  For example, people often complain of awaking at three or four in the morning due to a restless mind.  People want a pill to get them back to sleep.  Do you see the metaphor here?  People are less inclined to ask the question, “What is my body telling me?”  By taking a medication that hides the discomfort they essentially sleep their way through conflict.

As a naturopathic physician, I share a philosophy with my fellow colleagues; one which believes in the innate intelligence of the human body.  It is a truly remarkable feat to maintain homeostasis to the degree that the human body does most of the time.  Health is a daily gift that many of us take for granted.  In the above example, one has a restless mind that keeps them awake at night, and wants a pill to go back to sleep.  Clinically, I see the intelligence of the human body activated, providing energy to fuel one’s need to make change, to find a solution to conflict.  Insomnia rarely presents without context, and sleeping pills ignore the messenger.

What changes is life calling you to make?  Where is your deepest source of happiness?  Your deepest frustration?  What keeps you awake at night?  I’m not suggesting that making change is easy, but I do believe that our lives become enriched the more that we focus on what we are doing in the moment.  That means that any personal grievance, conflict, or dissatisfaction that is hanging over us gets in the way of hitting the home run, or keeping your eyes on the ball.  These issues never completely resolve, but the more distractions we remove the more we become invested in our present action.  This enables us to call on more resources for power, stamina, and vision.

Posted in Articles by our Doctors, Dr. Andy Swanson, General | 4 Comments »

The Naturopathic Approach to Infertility

Friday, July 27th, 2007

In this podcast, Portland naturopathic doctors, Dr. Andy Swanson and Dr. Greg Nigh discuss the medical political issues surrounding infertility.  They’ll tell you how modern medicine would treat infertility, and then compare that to how naturopathic medicine would treat it.

Listen to The Naturopathic Approach to Infertility

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Dr. Andy Swanson, Dr. Greg Nigh, Podcast | 1 Comment »

The Naturopathic Approach to Cancer

Tuesday, July 17th, 2007

Listen to The Naturopathic Approach to Cancer

In this podcast, Portland naturopathic doctors, Dr. Greg Eckel and Dr. Andy Swanson will give you a general overview of what exactly cancer is, and the politics that surround it.  They’ll explain to you the differences between how conventional medicine would approach cancer compared to the naturopathic approach.  Most importantly, they’ll arm you with ways to prevent cancer.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Dr. Andy Swanson, Dr. Greg Eckel, Podcast | Comments Off

Do Our Genes Determine Our Health?

Friday, June 1st, 2007

Listen to Do Our Genes Determine Our Health Podcast

In this podcast, Dr. Nigh and Dr. Swanson address the question “is our health destiny determined by our genetic code?”  They discuss the matter of how our genes are certainly connected to how our bodies could act, but do we have any control of how these genes manifest themselves in our health?

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Dr. Andy Swanson, Dr. Greg Nigh, Podcast | Comments Off

Testimonial for Dr. Swanson

Friday, April 20th, 2007

“Dr Andy Swanson is super. Great at listening to you and working with you and your body’s needs. Very understanding and gets right back to you with any questions or concerns. I would recommend him (and have).”

Tags: , ,
Posted in Dr. Andy Swanson, Testimonials | Comments Off

Friday, April 20th, 2007

“Dr. Swanson took the extra time to get to know me as a whole person. Most doctors care about how they are going to get paid and how much service they can sign you up for. Even though I was only in the office for a medical release I had already decided before I showed up by researching your website that I needed to find a good doctor. Dr. Swanson took the time to listen addressed my concerns and helped to solidify my decision to return for a full new patient in-take.”

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Dr. Andy Swanson, Testimonials | Comments Off

Friday, April 20th, 2007

“We cannot say enough about the kind and respectful way we were treated with our beloved son, Corey. Both Dr. Nigh and Dr. Swanson have such huge hearts and the compassion to care for patients who need them. It is obvious they love their work. The staff was ALWAYS kind, polite and helpful – always remembered our names and asked how we were. WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE!!!!!”

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Dr. Andy Swanson, Dr. Greg Eckel, Dr. Greg Nigh, Testimonials | Comments Off

Naturopathic Views on Thyroid Disease

Thursday, March 23rd, 2006

Listen to Thyroid Podcast

In this podcast, Portland naturopathic doctors, Dr. Greg Eckel and Dr. Andy Swanson talk about hypothyroidism, a disease that affects millions of people in the US.  They discuss the various symptoms that are associated with the disease and the tests that are run to diagnose it.  As naturopaths, they will give you their views as to why they think this epidemic is happening, as well as give you some valuable tips that you can use to protect your body from being susceptible to this condition.

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Dr. Andy Swanson, Dr. Greg Eckel, Podcast | Comments Off

|